Get the fun, friendly Flip Ultra in your choice of colors.
(Credit: Woot.com)I don't like to go to the Woot well too often, but today's deal is an outright winner (and it let me indulge my love of alliteration). Today only, you can get a recertified Pure Digital Flip Video Ultra F230 pocket camcorder for $59.99, plus $5 for two-day shipping (which just squeaks you in under the Hanukkah wire). You even get to pick the color.
In case you're unfamiliar with it, the Flip Video Ultra records VGA-quality video to internal memory, then plugs into your PC via a stowaway USB plug for easy uploading to friends, relatives, YouTube, etc. (Admirably simple built-in software makes this possible.)
The F230 model holds only 30 minutes of video, which is actually fine for the kinds of short-burst clips you're likely to shoot with this thing anyway.
And let's be honest: It's a toy. You wouldn't use this to record, say, a wedding, but it's fantastic for goofing around with friends, sharing cute clips of the kids with faraway relatives, and the like.
Because this is a refurb, it carries a 90-day warranty--but, really, what's to break? The Flip Ultra makes for an awesome stocking stuffer, IMHO, and at $59.99 it's quite a bit cheaper than you'll find it elsewhere. These will sell out before the day is done, I expect. Maybe before lunchtime.
This HD camcorder normally sells for at least $600.
(Credit: eCost)Remember the refurbished, tape-based Canon HD camcorder from a few weeks ago? It was $450, which seemed like a pretty good deal at the time. But now eCost has the JVC Everio GZ-HD5US, an HD camcorder with a 60GB hard drive, new, for $399. I don't know if that's a mistake or what, because other stores are selling it for $600 and up. JVC's direct price: $1,199.
Folks, this is not an entry-level camcorder. It has three CCDs, a 2.8-inch LCD, optical image stabilization, an HDMI output, and a 60GB hard drive. (For full GZ-HD5 specs, see JVC's site.) Alas, the optical zoom tops out at 10x, and it records 1080i video instead of 1080p, but I don't consider those major shortcomings.
Rather, I'm pretty blown away by this deal. My only concern is that I can't seem to find any substantive reviews of this model. On paper, it looks excellent, and eCost's price is almost too good to be true--especially given that this is new, not a refurb, with no rebates. (Shipping will run you a reasonable $11 or so.) My advice: If you're in the market for an HD camcorder, buy this now.
Update: Looks like eCost has bumped the price to $439. Maybe $399 was a mistake after all. Even so, it's still a helluva deal.
The Aiptek Action can record 1080p video at 30fps or 720p at 60fps.
(Credit: Walmart)In the market for a digital camcorder? You could spend $179.99 on one of those Flip Video Minos, which let you record a whopping 60 minutes of YouTube-quality video. Or you could pay $149 for the Aiptek Action, which records hours' worth of HD (up to 1080p) video on inexpensive memory cards. Hmmm...
Yep, sounds like a no-brainer to me. The Action is a slim, pocketable camcorder (and 8-megapixel camera) with a swiveling 2.4-inch LCD and an SD slot that accommodates cards up to 32GB. It captures video in H.264 format, which you should have no trouble editing in programs like Pinnacle Studio. And it includes a 3X optical zoom and component-video outputs for connecting directly to your HDTV.
I haven't tried the Action myself, but Walmart buyers collectively rated it four stars out of five. (That's significant because the Action is available only at Walmart.) However, while video quality was reported to be quite good, still photos come out mediocre at best. I'm more concerned with the lack of an optical zoom.
Walmart's product page is annoyingly light on details, but you can get the full scoop on the Action at Aiptek's site. This could be a great "starter" HD camcorder, or even a secondary one for two-camera shoots. I must confess to a misguided love for the aforementioned Mino, which is tiny and drop-dead simple to use, but for less money you can get a major bump in pixel count. Like I said, kind of a no-brainer...
The Aiptek A-HD records 720p video on inexpensive SD cards.
(Credit: Aiptek)In the market for a digital camcorder? You could spend $179.99 on one of those Flip Video Ultras, which let you record a whopping 60 minutes of YouTube-quality video. Or you could pay $119 for the Aiptek A-HD, which records hours' worth of high-definition (720p) video on inexpensive memory cards. Hmmm...
Yeah, talk about a no-brainer. The A-HD is a slim, pocketable camcorder (and 5-megapixel camera) with a swiveling 2.4-inch LCD and an SD slot that accommodates cards up to 8GB (good for about 4 hours of HD video--get one here for a measly $28). It captures video in H.264 format, which you should have no trouble editing in programs like Pinnacle Studio Plus 11. And it includes component-video outputs for connecting directly to your HDTV.
I haven't tried the A-HD myself, but I can tell you it has a few limitations--most notably its lack of an optical zoom. According to various user reviews, it falters when capturing fast-moving subjects, and it's not particularly good at recording audio. (Speaking of reviews, watch this unintentionally hilarious one on YouTube.)
Despite these weak spots, the A-HD could be a great starter HD camcorder, or even a secondary one for two-camera shoots. You can get it for $119.99 shipped from Amazon. Circuit City has it for the same price, though you'll likely have to pay sales tax as well. Even so, this is without a doubt the best deal you're likely to find on an HD camcorder. The Cheapskate is mighty tempted.
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