It's great that the Nano now has a video camera, but it really should've been able to do HD.
In the course of testing standard-definition camcorders, more often than not, I stumble upon a user review where the person complains that their cell phone takes better video than--insert model name here. Sadly, that appraisal is probably not far from the truth.
For example, the recently reviewed Sony Handycam DCR-SX41 and Samsung SMX-F34 flash-based camcorders are no great shakes in the video department. I have used smaller, cheaper devices that take as good or better video than these camcorders. The only things they really offer are megazoom lenses, compact, lightweight bodies, and better controls and shooting options--all at sub-$300 prices. However, does any of that matter if the video isn't nice looking, is all soft and fuzzy, and loaded with blocky compression artifacts and noise?
Granted, there are a few advantages to SD digital video, though. The files are smaller than HD files, for one. They're also less taxing on computer resources, so editing and viewing them on even a basic laptop or desktop is possible. Plus, the quality is generally so mediocre that the movies are perfect for sharing online at small sizes where imperfections are less visible or cared about.
All of these things can be addressed by changing settings on any HD camcorder that's available, though, and buying an HD model gives you the headroom to take advantage of the higher-resolution capabilities should you eventually want to use them.
At this point, it's feeling like the only reason manufacturers still make SD camcorders are for up-selling consumers to HD models. This goes for YouTube-type minicamcorders, too. Case in point, the Flip family of pocket camcorders currently has four models: two HD, two SD. The price difference between SD and HD: $50.
The fifth-generation Nano with its built-in 640x480-pixel resolution video camera seems like an eventual up-sell opportunity, too. Apple's giving consumers VGA video now, letting them see how crappy it looks, and then next year it can get them to buy a Touch with an HD camera in it.
So yes, it's time for standard-definition camcorders--in all of their various form factors--to just die. The industry-standard minimum should be 720p at this point and just give consumers an easy, fast, one-button-press way to drop the resolution to VGA if need be. If companies such as Pure Digital, Kodak, and Creative can do it inexpensively, why can't the other companies?
Samsung HMX-U10: Should the Flip be worried?
(Credit: Samsung)Samsung announced several new digital imaging products today, including a minicamcorder aimed at challenging the Cisco's Flip line.
Samsung invokes HD to sell SD camcorders
Samsung hits the budget camcorder trifecta: faux HD HDMI output, a ridiculously long zoom lens and an unncessarily expensive SSD drive.
(Posted in Crave by Lori Grunin)
July 14, 2009 6:00 AM PDT
Can Samsung's minicamcorder flip the Flip?
With 1920x1080 video, a high-resolution sensor and a sleek design, will Samsung be displacing Flip at the top of the minicamcorder heap?
(Posted in Crave by Lori Grunin)
July 14, 2009 6:00 AM PDT
Samsung fills holes in its pocket camera lineup
Two 12-megapixel cameras with 5x optical zooms join the company's SL series of point-and-shoots.
(Posted in Crave by Joshua Goldman)
July 14, 2009 6:00 AM PDT
Additional reading:
Blockbuster OnDemand coming to online-enabled Samsung TVs and Blu-ray home theater products
Samsung's taking its sleek smartphone stylings and applying them to its debut entry into minicamcorder territory. Looking a bit like the Memoir, but with the lens section angled slightly upward for (presumably) more comfortable operation, the HMX-U10 combines an eye-catching design with some--but not all--of the features necessary to succeed in the competitive direct-to-Web camcorder market.
It certainly takes the lead by offering 1920x1080 30fps video; the Flip UltraHD, Creative Vado and Kodak Zi6 all do only 1280x720 720p. And while the CMOS sensor is relatively large compared to the Flip and Kodak--1/2.3 inch vs. 1/4.5--it also crams in boatloads more pixels to be able to claim 10-megapixel still photos.
Like its compatriots, the U10 will allow for USB battery charging--however the USB cable isn't built in--and ship with in-camcorder software for editing and direct-to-YouTube uploading. The U10 does offer an SD card slot, a useful feature which the Flip lacks, but has a smaller 2-inch LCD. Like its cohorts, the U10 has a fixed focal-length lens. But it's a pretty slow one, f3 compared to Flip's f2.4 and Kodak's f2.8, which, especially in conjunction with the high-resolution sensor, doesn't bode well for low-light video quality.
With dimensions of 2.2 x 4.1 x 0.6 inches it's slightly wider than the Vado but smaller than the rest. That doesn't seem to include the lens, which pokes out from the body a bit. It's one of the lightest at 3.4 ounces, though.
So what's missing? A catchier name, for one. It'd also be nice if it comes in more colors than just silver. When it ships in September, in silver, red, greet and black, Samsung will be asking $199.99 for it, putting it at the pricey end of the spectrum.
On Sale Now: $179.99
View the latest prices for Samsung HMX-U10 (purple)
When I say the Canon FS200 is a success, it should be interpreted as "the video's not perfect, but the results are pretty good all things considered and the rest of it is a great package."
After all, there are cell phones and cheap pocket cameras with higher resolutions than your average SD camcorder. Also, video quality is very much in the eye of the viewer, so even defects in low-quality movies can be overlooked depending on who's watching what.
That being said, about the only major issue with the specs and design of the FS200 is its lack of optical image stabilization on a 37x zoom lens. Otherwise it's an excellent ultracompact build that includes, a couple nice shooting features, a headphone output and a mic input, and is relatively simple to use.
On Sale Now: $249.00 - $299.99
View the latest prices for Canon FS200 (blue)
On Sale Now: $249.00 - $295.95
View the latest prices for Canon FS200 (red)
On Sale Now: $248.95 - $329.99
View the latest prices for Canon FS200 (silver)
JVC's Everio MS120 is a decent standard-def camcorder with expandable memory up to 64GB.
There are plenty of devices for capturing video these days, including cell phones, laptops, and digital cameras. But, for the time being at least, you'll get the best results from a dedicated camcorder. Of course, those aren't all created equal either.
The biggest decision you'll have to make before starting your search is whether to go standard definition or high definition. Standard-def camcorders are a cost-effective way to get good video for Web-sharing sites and for viewing on standard-definition TVs, and it's less demanding for playback and editing on computers.
However, you can get a good HD camcorder at a price only $100-$200 more than some SD camcorders. Obviously you may not have that extra cash, but if you're looking toward integrating your movies into a future high-def home theater experience, you'll want to think long and hard before buying a standard-definition camcorder.
Not sure where you fall? Visit our camcorder buying guide so you know what features you'll need to avoid making a disappointing purchase. If you already know what you want from a camcorder, here are some tips for further refining your choices to get the best possible deal.
... Read more
(Credit:
Kodak)
Last year, Kodak was first out the gate with an HD minicamcorder, the Zi6. That model was pretty good and won some fans for its decent video quality and relatively large LCD display. This year, Kodak's sticking with much the same as far as the guts of the camcorder, but it's evolved to a more rugged design that's geared toward consumers with "action and adventure in mind."
The $149.99 Zx1 incorporates the same 1/4.5-inch 1.6-megapixel sensor as the Zi6. However, according to Kodak, it has upgraded the processor in this model, which appears to make the camcorder zippier than its predecessor. It's also shrunk the LCD from 2.4 inches to 2 inches. But the Zx1 is still bigger than most of its competitors, particularly the Flip Video MinoHD. Even so, it's pretty compact and fits in most pockets.
Does it all add up to a Flip killer?
Read the full review to find out.
See also: Pocket HD camcorders compared
(Credit:
Sanyo)
And the mini-camcorder cavalcade keeps rolling on. Well, in Japan at least. Sanyo premiered its latest HD pocket-corder, Xacti, Wednesday in Japan. The DMX-HD800 records at up to 720p at 30fps in MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, and does so with an improved 8MP CMOS sensor.
There are some other tweaks to the specs that you can view on Sanyo's Japanese Web site (Google translated for your pleasure), but all-in-all it looks like another decent offering. (Though, personally, I find the gold and pink colors a bit too "look at me, I've got a camcorder.") The DMX-HD800 will be available August 22 in Japan for approximately $460.
Don't feel like waiting for this to make it stateside? Check out our review of the Kodak Zi6 that has solid 720p video performance in a compact package. You can also see a full roundup of the best mini-camcorders we've seen right here.
(Via Electronista)
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