Category: Photography

by Leland Richardson on November 16, 2021 0

Kodak Zi8 Camcorder Review

Kodak’s Zi8 is a high definition pocket camcorder that records 1920 x 1080p video at 30 frames per second (fps) in the H.264 format. The Zi8 competes with products such as Pure Digital’s Flip UltraHD and Sony’s Webbie HD. Kodak’s pocket camcorder has a few tricks that the others don’t – such as digital image stabilization, face detection, and an external microphone input.

Kodak Zi8 At a Glance

The Good:[ Excellent video quality, easy to use, strong feature set, large LCD screen.

The Bad: Slightly clumsy user interface, little internal memory.

Video & Photo Quality

Using a 1/2.5-inch, 5-megapixel CMOS sensor, the Zi8 records 1080p HD video.This is one of the first 1080p pocket camcorders on the market and the video quality is definitely impressive for a model in this class.

If you want to extend recording times, you can opt for one of three lower resolution settings: 720p/60fps mode (the faster frame rate is good for shooting motion), a 720p/30fps mode or a WVGA mode.

A nice addition to the Zi8 is face detection, which, when activated, can improve exposure around a face it detects in a frame. This function can be disabled as it will draw down the battery faster when it’s used.

The Zi8 also snaps 5-megapixel still photos when set to photo mode (it can’t snap them while you’re filming).

You shouldn’t expect much from these stills – with no flash and a fairly slow performance, it’s not going to wow you.

Design

Like other models in the pocket camcorder category, Kodak kept the functionality and buttons to a minumum. Four dedicated buttons on the back of the unit let you access menu settings, delete videos and still photos, return to filming and play back stored videos.

The menu, and quality settings, are navigated using a joystick at the center of the unit. All-in-all, a very intuitive design that just about anyone can figure out in short order, even if the buttons could stand to be a bit larger.

The Zi8 weighs in just shy of a svelte five ounces with battery. At 2.4 × 4.5 × 0.9 inches, it’s the size of a nice, lean point-and-shoot digital camera. You’ll have your choice of red, black and blue.

Removable Battery

Another nice design touch is a removable lithium ion batter (accessed by removing the unit’s faceplate). For longer trips where you can run low on battery, you have the option of swapping in a new one rather than finding a spot to recharge. You can charge the battery when the Zi8 is connected to a PC via its flip-out USB connector or by using the supplied AC adapter.

Menus

The menu in the Zi8 consists of nine icons for switching off image stabilization, engaging face detection and accessing other functions. Unfortunately, while Kodak had ample room to add some descriptive wording above each menu icon, in most cases they choose not to. None of the icons are that mysterious, but still, for a novice user it would be nice to use the generous LCD screen to its fullest potential.

Memory

The Zi8 comes with a meager 128MB worth of internal memory – barely enough to record a few seconds of HD video or a couple of still images. To enjoy recording of any length, you’ll need to use an SDHC memory card (not included). The Zi8 supports SDHC cards up to 32GB, which would give you close to five hours of recording at the highest quality setting.

The use of flash memory cards helps keep the price of the unit down, but that only helps if you already own a memory card.

Optics

Like all pocket camcorders, the Zi8 does not offer an optical zoom lens. Instead, it features a 4x digital zoom. The zoom itself is of limited utility and when it’s engaged, it isn’t terribly smooth.

The Zi8 also packs digital image stabilization. Again, it’s not as effective as the optical variety, but it’s also not as important a feature in a pocket camcorder because you don’t have an optical zoom lens. You can see it in action here. On the whole, it’s better to have some form of stabilization than none, so Kodak gets the thumbs up for adding it.

Kodak Zi8: A Powerful Pocket Camcorder

Kodak’s Zi8 manages to outdo most of its rivals in the pocket camcorder market by adding some feature-enhancements without burdening the camcorder with complexity. It could stand to tweak its interface, build bigger buttons and make the exterior more resistant to finger prints. If you have no interest in anything but the simplest pocket camcorder for creating Web-friendly videos, the Flip UltraHD would still give you the best bang for your buck. But if you’re thirsting for a pocket camcorder with equal (and in some cases, better) quality than the Flip with more features to boot, the Zi8 is the model for you.

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by Leland Richardson on November 15, 2021 0

DXG A80V Camcorder Review

DXG’s A80V is a low cost high definition camcorder capable of recording 1920 x 1080p video to SDHC memory cards. The $299 model features: a 10-megapixel, 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor, 5x optical zoom lens, and a 3-inch touch-screen LCD.

DXG A80V at a Glance:

The Good: Inexpensive, decent HD video quality, lightweight, touch-screen.

The Bad: Bulkly, limited optics

1080P Video Recording on a Budget

The DXG A80V is one of the least expensive traditionally-styled camcorders to offer 1920 x 1080p HD video resolution. And unlike the even cheaper pocket camcorders that boast 1080p recording, the A80V has more features (although far less than comparably priced standard definition camcorders – more on that later).

The A80V’s video quality at 1080p is definitely on par with some more expensive HD camcorders (like the $499 Sanyo FH1) but you shouldn’t expect it to perform as well as the higher bit-rate AVCHD models from Sony, Panasonic and others. That said, colors reproduced accurately and crisply. The camera was a solid performer indoors as well, with less digital noise marring the video in lower light than you’d find in either FH1 and lower-cost pocket models like Pure Digital’s Flip UltraHD. Another nice bonus: it offers a built-in video light.

The A80V has several other recording modes beyond 1080p/30 frames per second (fps). You’ll also find a 1080i/60fps for shooting fast-moving subjects. (See a comparison between 1080p/30fps and 1080i/60fps – it’s modest, but nonetheless the motion is crisper at the faster frame rate). You can also bump the resolution down to 720p at either 30fps or 60fps.

There’s also a dual-record option, which records two versions of the same video: one in high definition (1080P) and the other in WVGA.

The thinking here, I guess, is that you can create a lower-resolution video file for easier uploading to the Web. Personally I found it extraneous – why clog up your memory card with an extra file when YouTube and other sites support HD uploads?

High Resolution Stills

The A80V can snap 10-megapixel still photos with a flash to aid in low-light photography. The camera itself isn’t super-responsive. You’ll have to wait a second or often two from when you press the shutter, but the photos it produced were serviceable.

Limited Zoom

The A80V offers a 5x optical zoom lens. That’s not a lot of optical punch in a $300 camcorder and a far cry from the 70x lens you can find on, say, a standard definition Panasonic. On top of that, it uses electronic image stabilization, which isn’t as effective as optical stabilization in curbing camera shake.

The camcorder does offer a manual focusing option (which you operate using the zoom lever). Another useful feature is the ability to set a focus point using the touch-screen LCD. While the overall performance of the touch-screen display was good (see below) I found it somewhat sluggish when it came to this touch-focus feature. It would take the camcorder a few seconds to relocate the focus box and lock-on to its target.

Modest Feature Set

To pack a 1080p camcorder into a $299 price you have to expect some trade-offs. Other than the lens, the other trade off you’ll make is with the feature-set. You’ll get more options than you would with a pocket camcorder, but you won’t enjoy the same breadth of features on similarly priced standard definition camcorders (for instance, no scene modes or shutter and aperture controls).

That said, it’s not totally bare-bones: you can adjust white balance and exposure, as well as choose to film in sepia or black and white.

Responsive Touch Screen

DXG packed the A80V with a 3-inch touch-screen LCD. That’s a larger screen than you’ll find on more expensive models (with or without touch-screen operation) and aside from the sluggish spot focusing, the overall touch-screen performance is very responsive. All the features you’ll need to access are represented as nice large icons on the screen.

When it comes to external, physical controls, you’ll find a small mode dial at the back of the camcorder for switching between video and photo mode. There’s also a small toggle joystick at the back for adjusting white balance and exposure. A small shutter button and zoom lever sit atop the camcorder while behind the LCD screen sit nicely-sized controls for the flash, video light, power and display buttons. All in all, the controls are well positioned, making the A80V quite easy to operate.

Since it’s a flash camcorder, the A80V is light weight at 10 ounces (without battery). It springs to life fairly quickly and can be powered up and down by opening the LCD or via a button behind the display. It is a tad bulkier than other flash camcorder at a little over 5-inches long, but it’s not very obtrusive.

The Bottom Line: The DXG A80V is a Good Budget Buy

At $299, the DXG A80V has very few competitors that can offer the same video resolution of 1920 x 1080p. You can spend about $70 less for a 1080p pocket camcorder, but you’ll lose out on a lot of the features the A80V has to offer. You could spend the same amount for a fuller-featured camcorder with a better zoom, but it would only offer standard definition resolution. So there’s your trade-off.

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by Leland Richardson on November 15, 2021 0

GE DV1 Camcorder Review

GE DV1 at a Glance

The Good: Low cost, durable, easy to use.

The Bad: So-so video quality.

Video Quality

The GE DV1 records 1080p HD video in the H.264 format via a 5-megapixel CMOS image sensor. Indoors, footage off the DV1 can get noisy but nothing out of the ordinary for a low cost pocket camcorder. There is some noticeable over-exposure, particularly in sunlight, but the colors reproduced crisply. All in all, the video is serviceable, but you shouldn’t expect it to compare with the more expensive Full HD camcorders on the market.

The DV1 offers several quality settings, from 1080p/30 frames per second (fps) to a useful 720p option at 60fps for filming faster action. You can also drop recording quality to 1440 x 1080 and 640 x 480, but there’s no practical reason to do so.

The DV1 also snaps 5-megapixel still photos. If you’re dealing with plenty of ambient light and a still subject, the photos are decent. Otherwise, it’s best to stick to video, as the images will blur. Fairly uniquely among pocket camcorders, the DV1 can also snap 2-megapixel photos while recording. These images are hit-and-miss and you can only take up to six, but the feature itself is nice to have.

Optics

The DV1 packs a 4x digital zoom lens with digital image stabilization. As with all digital zooms on pocket models, this one just ramps up the digital noise so it doesn’t add much.

Design

The big selling point with the DV1 is obviously the rugged and waterproof body design. As mentioned above, the DV1 can be submerged in up to 15 feet of water (that’s deeper than Kodak’s Playsport Zx3) but more than that, it can be dropped from a height of 5 feet and it’s sealed against dust.

This makes it one of the more rugged camcorders on the market. If you’re big into outdoor activities, it’s a good choice.

Obviously, a rugged camcorder will impose some trade-offs on the design. To wit: the DV1 is a bit bulkier and heavier than other pocket cams on the market – but not obtrusively so. It can still be slipped into a pocket or purse quite easily. The memory card port, flip-out USB plug and other connectors are housed securely behind latched doors to keep the elements out. But they open easily. While many pocket camcorders have jumped on the touch-screen bandwagon, the DV1 has nice, large tactile buttons for recording, playback, snapping stills, entering the menu and deleting photos. They can all be pressed easily while wearing gloves. The only exception is the power button, which sits rather flush with the side of the camcorder and might present a problem for a gloved hand.

Feature Set

The GE DV1 offers a pretty bare bones feature set, which isn’t surprising given its low cost. You’ll find settings for adjusting white balance (including an underwater mode), a high dynamic range mode for stills and video recording, exposure metering (stills and video), and a continuous shooting mode for photographs at 7fps.

Menu & Display

You’ll access what features the DV1 has through a bright 2-inch display (you can also adjust the brightness manually in the settings). The menu layout is straightforward and easy to navigate, though when you enter it, you’ll start with the still photo features, not the video, which is a bit odd.

While filming, the DV1 uses just the top portion of the display. The bottom is filled with a menu displaying your current settings – such as whether you’re in HDR mode and your resolution. It can also display a histogram while recording, which is pretty rare to see at this price.

Memory

The DV1 records to SDHC cards and comes with no built-in memory. So you’ll need to factor in the cost of a card to the DV1’s bottom line (unless you already have one).

Bottom Line

When it comes to camcorders that can be tossed into the water or survive a fall onto the concrete without shattering, your choices are pretty limited so the DV1 doesn’t have many direct competitors to compare it to. That said, it’s more rugged and can be dunked deeper than Kodak’s PlaySport Zx3 (cheaper too), but doesn’t offer Kodak’s video quality or feature set. So if you need a bare-bones camcorder for a trip to the beach or an outdoor adventure, the DV1 is a good option. At $129, it’s attractively priced to be a good companion video camera to those who don’t want to risk a higher-end model during their death-defying white water rafting trips.

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by Leland Richardson on November 10, 2021 0

Toshiba Camileo S30 Review

Toshiba’s Camileo S30 camcorder records 1080p HD video in the H.264 format to SDHC/SDXC memory cards. The $179 camcorder features a 3-inch touch screen display and 8-megapixel still photo capture. Full specs for the Camileo S30 can be found here.

Toshiba Camileo S30 at a Glance

The Good: Slim design, good features for the price

The Bad: Touch screen can be unresponsive

Video Quality

The Toshiba Camileo S30 records 1920 x 1080p video in the H.264 format via an 8-megapixel CMOS sensor. It has additional options to record at 720p at 30 frames per second (fps) or at 60fps for capturing fast-moving subjects.

The video quality is definitely passable for a budget camcorder. You’ll notice a bit of over-exposure in bright sun and high contrast areas, but otherwise the S30 holds its own with other low-cost models on the market.

The S30 does offer a video light, which isn’t typically found on models at this price point. It’s useful for closeups but doesn’t have much power beyond that. Plus, it’s placed almost directly where your finger wraps around the camcorder, so you’ll have to be careful to nudge your finger down before activating the light.

In addition to movies, the Toshiba S30 can snap 8-megapixel still photos. However, most of the shots I snapped suffered from a good deal of blur, even when holding the camcorder steady.

Toshiba S30 Optics

The S30 does not offer an optical zoom but there is a 16x digital zoom. However, like all digital zooms, the quality degrades as you use it, so it’s better to avoid it all together. There’s also digital image stabilization, although it’s ineffective for the stills and only marginally useful on the video.

Design

The S30 is one of the few upright camcorders left in the market. At .75 inches, it’s slimmer than a pocket camcorder and has a larger, swing-out LCD display (3-inches) not found on pocket models.

However, it’s a bit larger than some of the smaller models on the market – at 2.3 x 4.3 x .75 -inches. Nevertheless, it’s quite portable.

The controls of the S30 are clustered on the slender body of the camcorder, although they are responsive. At the top is a large shutter button, followed by a lever for the zoom and controls for menu and the video light. Flip open the display and you’ll find large buttons for power (opening and closing the LCD also powers on and off the camcorder), switching between photo and video mode and web button for uploading videos from the camcorder to the Internet when it’s connected to a computer.

Feature Set

The Toshiba S30 has a nice set of features for a camcorder at the price. There’s a motion detect mode, which will begin recording when the camcorder sees motion. There’s also a slow motion option, which will record lower quality video at slower speeds (good for capturing baseball swings to view on the computer but not great for viewing on the big screen). A pre-record function will start recording a few seconds of video before you actually press the shutter, to help you catch all of the action. Finally, a time-lapse feature will capture short bursts of video over pre-set intervals so you can capture change over time.

Menu & Display

The nice thing about the Camileo S30 is its large, 3-inch display. It’s a touch-screen so most of the camera’s features are accessibly through there. Unfortunately, while the menu icons are large enough, the display isn’t all that responsive, nor well executed. Each icon needs a double tap to enter a specific function and sometimes it’s difficult to tell whether you’ve turned something on or off. There are enough features on the S30 that you’ll need to scroll down on the screen with a flick of your finger, but it often takes several flicks to get there.

On the plus side, once you press an icon once a text description of what it is will pop up on the display, but the process of navigating around the menu is more clumsy and time-consuming than it should be.

Memory

The S30 records to SDHC and SDXC memory cards (up to 64GB) which provides ample storage for your video-taking needs. It contains 128MB of internal memory, which is enough for about a minute of HD footage, so a card is a must.

Toshiba Camileo S30: Bottom Line

If you’re in the market for a good budget camcorder, the Toshiba Camileo S30 is a nice choice. Unlike some of its pocket camcorder competitors, it has a larger, swing-out display, which makes it easier to frame your videos. The menu interface needs improvement, and you shouldn’t be expecting ultra-high quality high def recording, but the S30 makes up for it with a nice feature set and a slender, portable design.

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by Leland Richardson on November 10, 2021 0

Kodak Playsport Zx5 Review

The Kodak Playsport Zx5 is a high definition pocket camcorder capable of recording 1920 x 1080p in the H.264 format. It is waterproof to a depth of 10 feet, can survive a drop of up to five feet and is sealed against dust and dirt.

It retails for $179.

Kodak Playsport Zx5 at a Glance

The Good: Slim, rugged design, good video quality.

The Bad:

Sticky center control, no built-in USB plug, mono mic.

Kodak Playsport Zx5 Video Quality

The Playsport Zx5 records 1920 x 1080 HD video at 30 frames per second (fps) in the H.264 video format via a 5-megapixel CMOS sensor. You also have the option to record 1280 x 720 video at 60fps for capturing faster moving action or at 720/30fps.

As with the previous Playsport, the video is quite appealing for a pocket camcorder. Occasionally, the colors would drift a bit but the effect is hard to notice unless you’re really parsing your footage. Compared with last year’s Zx3, the video appeared less noisy indoors, which is a plus.

In addition to video, the Playsport can also snap 5-megapixel still images. Unless you’re working with plenty of natural light and a very steady hand, the photo function mostly produces blurry pics.

Optics

The Playsport offers a fixed focal length lens with a 4x digital zoom. The zoom isn’t much help – it tends to simply ramp up the digital noise in your video, so it’s probably

best to avoid it all together. The Playsport offers digital image stabilization to help keep videos smooth during recordings. The video I shoot wasn’t particularly shake-prone, but it’s hard to tell if that’s the stabilization kicking in or the fact that the Playsport is so small that you can get a real nice grip on it.

One thing you’re likely to notice (and it’s reared its head on other pocket cams) is trouble with the auto-focus. Sometimes it’s slow to lock on, leaving you with a second or two of blurred video. It’s not unusual for a pocket camcorder lens, but it’s something to bear in mind.

Playsport Design

The Playsport isn’t the slimmest and trimmest pocket camcorder on the market, mostly because it’s designed to take a beating. Still, at 2.3 x 4.4 x .7-inches and 125g it’s still light and compact enough to slip into a pocket with hardly a notice. The corners of the Playsport are rounded off with a rubberized bumper which not only protects it from bumps but gives it a sturdier grip. While the camcorder seals away its memory card and connector ports to protect them from the elements, both click open easily so they’re quick to access.

The Playsport has seven external buttons – an on/off switch that sits rather flush on the top of the camcorder and is a bit difficult to engage. It’s backlit though, so you can notice when the Playsport is turned on (in case the live preview on the LCD display didn’t tip you off). On the back of the camcorder, you’ll find controls for switching between still and video, playback, trash, settings and a share button – which lets you tag videos for automatic emailing or uploading once the Playsport is connected to a PC. These controls are quite responsive. The record button sits at the center of a four-way controller, which is a bit less responsive than the other controls.

The Playsport comes in three color choices: red, blue and black. Aesthetically, it’s pretty sharp.

Playsport Zx5 Features

In addition to its rugged, waterproof design, the Playsport Zx5 has several video effects that can be applied to videos including vivid color, sepia, black and white, high saturation and “1970s film look” if you want a retro feel to your videos. There’s an underwater setting as well to optimize your exposure if you take the Playsport beneath the waves. You’ll also find face detection, and the aforementioned share button, which lets upload videos automatically to Facebook, Flickr, Kodak Gallery , Twitter, YouTube and several other sharing sites. The share function is definitely a plus, but the Playsport doesn’t have a built-in USB plug, so you’ll have to fish around for a cable when you’re ready to connect.

Menu & Display

Kodak has updated – and improved- the menu system from the Zx3 on the new Playsport Zx5. Good thing too, as the older menu was difficult to understand. The new menu trades vague icons for simple text. It’s not the most dynamic thing in the world, but it certainly gets the job done.

The Playsport’s 2-inch display features a glare-shield, which you can activate in the menu to compensate for bright sunlight. The display itself is bright but doesn’t have a great viewing angle, so you need to be holding it straight-on to get the sharpest preview of the video you’re recording.

Playsport Memory

The Kodak Playsport Zx5 comes with 128MB of internal memory so you’ll need to opt for an optional SD/SDHC card to record video of any length. The camcorder supports SDHC cards up to 32GB in capacity – enough to store about six hours of HD footage.

Kodak Playsport Zx5 Bottom Line

The Playsport Zx5 is a very versatile pocket camcorder – it not only takes sharp video but is designed to go underwater and take the odd fall off a table. Despite its sturdy build, the Playsport is sharply styled and not at all cumbersome to carry with you. The lack of a built-in USB plug and a lapse in autofocus top the very short list of quibbles with the Playsport Zx5, which continues Kodak’s tradition of leading pocket camcorders.

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by Leland Richardson on November 9, 2021 0

Samsung HMX-Q10 Camcorder Review

The Samsung HMX-Q10 is a high definition camcorder that captures 1920 x 1080 video in the H.264 to SDHC memory cards. It offers a 2.7-inch LCD display, 10x optical zoom lens with optical image stabilization and a unique grip which lets you flip the camcorder to film with both the right and left hands.

The Samsung Q10 retails for $299. Full specifications can be found here.

Samsung Q10 at a Glance

The Good: Strong video quality, responsive touch-screen, nice design

The Bad: Awkward zoom lever, no automatic lens cover

Samsung HMX Q10 Video Quality

Samsung’s HMX Q10 records 1920 x 1080 video in the H.264 format. It’s also capable of recording at 720/60 frames per second for capturing fast-moving subjects and at VGA resolution.

Given its lower price tag, the Q10 is competing more with pocket camcorders and it clearly exceeds them in the quality department. While there were instances of over-exposure, with bright sunlight washing out highlights, the Q10 captured mostly crisp, color-accurate video. It did well indoors as well. I took it into a dimly lit aquarium and after a second or two of blur as it sought to establish focus, the Q10 was able to resolve the scene quite well considering the challenging environment.

You can also snap 4.9-megapixel still photos with the Q10, although you should steer clear of taking stills with the Q10 as the results were unimpressive.

Optics

The Q10 packs a 10x optical zoom lens with optical image stabilization – a nice plus not usually found on lower-cost camcorders. There’s also a digital zoom, which, fortunately, can be deactivated. All-in-all, a nice optical package. The only draw back is that there’s no automatic lens cover. However, there is a built-in cover that flips open and closed using a switch on top of the lens barrel – that’s a far better option than a lens cap, but not as good as an automatic cover.

Samsung HMX Q10 Design

The design of the Q10 is pretty spartan, with few external controls outside of a zoom lever/shutter button on the back of the camcorder. Flip open the 2.7-inch display and you’ll see only a home button, which brings you into the camcorder’s internal memory.

With the Q10, Samsung introduced a design innovation called the “Swithgrip” – which essentially lets you film using either your right or left hand. When you switch from right to left, the menu items on the display will automatically orient themselves correctly. Since there are no external controls on the top of the camcorder to operate, the transition from right-handed to left-handed filming is seamless. Left-handed users, rejoice!

Thanks to the use of flash memory, the Q10 is quite light and compact, weighing in at .4lbs and sized at 4.7 x 2.1 x 1.7 inches. It certainly won’t be a drag to carry the Q10 around with you on long trips. Aesthetically it won’t turn many heads but is available in your choice of black and blue. The only real knock on the design is that wrist strap, which is kind of flimsy.

Q10 Features

You’ll find a nice selection of shooting options on the Q10, despite its budget price tag. You’ll have time lapse recording and a selection of digital effects to apply various filters to your video including black and white, sepia, negative, art, noir, western, dazzle, and ghost. You can switch between automatic and manual recording, where you’ll have the ability to focus manually, set white balance, adjust exposure, night mode, and backlit compensation. All in all a very strong feature set for a camcorder at this price.

The Q10 is loaded with Samsung’s Intelli-Studio software, which installs automatically whenever you connect the camcorder to a computer via USB.

Menu and Display

The Q10 offers a 2.7-inch touch screen LCD display. It’s quite responsive and it’s helped along with an icon-driven menu interface. Pop open the display and you’ll see a row of icons indicating your scene mode and then controls for switching between still and video capture, zoom and playback. It’s always better to have more real-estate on a display when working with a touch-screen, but Samsung keeps the number of icons on the display to a minimum so it’s easy to hit the ones you need with your finger. At any point you can hit the “home” key on the exterior of the display and get back into the main menu.

Samsung HMX-Q10 Memory

The Q10 records directly to SDHC memory cards, so you’ll need to factor in the cost of a memory card into your equation. The Q10 cannot record to newer, higher-capacity SDXC cards so you’re memory capacity is limited to 32GB (or eight hours of HD recording).

Bottom Line

If you’re in the market for a low-cost HD camcorder but are leery about the quality and limited feature-set of a pocket camcorder, the HMX-Q10 is definitely a solid choice. It’s slightly more expensive than most pocket models on the market at $300, but delivers a better zoom, better video quality and a more robust feature set. It’s unique “SwitchGrip” design gives both left and right-handed users the ability to hold the Q10 naturally and comfortably. All-in-all a good choice in the budget-end of the HD camcorder market.

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by Leland Richardson on November 9, 2021 0

Vivitar DVR 690HD Waterproof Camcorder Review

The Vivitar DVR 690HD is a high definition pocket camcorder capable of recording 1280 x 720p video in the AVI format to SD cards. It is waterproof to a depth of 10 feet and has a rugged housing to secure it against minor bumps and scrapes.

Vivitar DVR 690HD at a Glance

The Good: Low cost, large controls, easy to use.

The Bad: Mediocre video quality.

Vivitar DVR 690HD Video Quality

The Vivitar DVR 690HD records HD video in the AVI format at 1280 x 720p/30 frames per second. It’s not quite the 1080p video recording available on competitive models – but then again, those models don’t cost $60. Video recorded at 720p will serve in a pinch, but you shouldn’t consider the DVR 690HD a real memory keeper – the quality just isn’t there. As a second camcorder to toss in a backpack before you go white-water rafting, however, it should be serviceable. Just don’t bother with the DVR 690HD indoors as they’ll be ample noise in your video if you do.

Recording quality can be dropped to VGA or 320 x 240 – but really shouldn’t be. You can also snap 5-megapixel still photos. The quality here is lousy – but that’s no real knock on the Vivitar as very few pocket camcorders take decent stills.

Optics

The DVR 690HD has no optical zoom lens, but instead uses a 4x digital zoom. Best to avoid the digital zoom, however, as all it will do is ramp up some unsightly digital noise.

Vivitar DVR 690HD Design

The DVR 690HD is pretty bulky, even by the standards of rugged pocket camcorders. It’s a bit longer than a compact camera but as thin, if not thinner, than most point-and-shoots in the market. Keep in mind that it’s designed to go underwater (up to 1o feet) so the added bulk is for defensive purposes. That said, it’s aesthetically sharp with a 10 color choices and silver/metallic trim.

The controls on the back of the DVR690 are large and responsive. You’ll see buttons for power, mode, menu and trash surrounding a four-way controller with a shutter button sandwiched in the middle. The four-way controller feels a bit flimsy when you use it, but the rest of the controls are sturdier and easy to operate.The SD card and USB plug (no built-in USB arm here) are accessed via a latched compartment at the bottom of the camcorder. This compartment is very stubborn to open up, but it does keep the water out.

Features

When you spend $60 for a camcorder, you can’t expect to get a feature-packed model. That said, the DVR 690HD does offer face detection and digital image stabilization. You’ll also find several scene modes for optimizing exposure based on your shooting condition. There’s also an LED video light for low light shooting. Not a bad assortment, considering.

Menu and Display

You’ll frame your video via 2-inch LCD display. It’s not the crispest display on the market but served well enough underwater. The DVR 690HD’s menu is pretty basic but is straightforward enough that it’s easy to find what you need.

Vivitar DVR 690HD Memory

The 690HD has a scant 8MB of internal memory, so an SDHC card is a must. The camcorder supports cards up to 32GB in size so you’ll get a max of 3.2-hours of recording on a 32GB card.

Bottom Line

We’ll stipulate again that the Vivitar DVR 690HD should not be your camcorder of choice for preserving important family memories. Instead, think of it as a second camcorder that you don’t mind exposing to the elements to record your rugged thrills or day at the beach. It has competition on this front too – products like Kodak’s Playsport Zx5 offer superior video quality and feature set, but cost nearly two to three times what the DVR 690HD does. If budget and durability are top of mind, give the DVR 690HD a look.

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by Leland Richardson on November 8, 2021 0

Must-Have Camcorder Accessories

One from many hobbies that will give you not just satisfaction but also financially that is photography. I know, the cam is not cheap, if you want the best one, but it is worthy.

After dropping a few hundred dollars on a camcorder, you may not be eager to part with any additional cash on accessories. But there are some add-ons that are crucial to protecting and enhancing your camcorder and the videos it’s recording. Here’s a look at some must-have camcorder accessories.

A Case

A high quality camcorder case is among the most important accessories you can buy for your camcorder. A case will protect your camcorder from the elements and make it easier to carry your camcorder on long journeys. A quality case will have plenty of room for your other extras, such as memory cards, tapes or disks and even personal items such as cell phones, music players and keys.

Extra Memory

If you own a DVD, Mini DV or Blu-ray disc camcorder, you’ll need to have plenty of extra disks and tapes on hand for storing your recorded videos. Blank DVDs and Mini DV camcorder tape are widely available in a range of retail stores and online. Blank Blu-ray discs are not as widespread, but can be readily found online.

If you use a flash memory camcorder that does not offer internal memory, you’ll need to buy an SD/SDHC card or a Memory Stick Pro Duo card (if you own a Sony camcorder) to store your photo. When shopping for a card, try to buy the highest capacity you can afford. The higher the capacity, the more video it will store.

Tripod

There’s a reason why professional photographers and videographers use tripods (and single-legged monopods): they’re useful!

Of course, they’re also large and not always convenient to carry around. Still, for certain occassions like long sporting events and recitals, using a tripod can not only make things easier on you arms but also improve the quality of your video.

If you’re filming a game from the top of the bleachers or a concert from the back rows and using your camcorder’s optical zoom lens to get closer to the action, it will be very sensitive to motion. As steady as you think you can hold your camcorder, you can’t hold it steady enough to prevent camera blur (even if you camcorder has optical image stabilization). A tripod will ensure that video is steady.

DVD Burner

No matter what storage format your camcorder uses, burning a DVD of your video is still one the best ways to store it for the longer term. Many camcorder manufacturers sell accessory, standalone DVD burners that connect directly to the camcorder via USB cable or Firewire. A DVD movie of your footage can be burned directly from the camcorder without using a PC.

Many camcorders will feature a dedicated button for burning a DVD when connected to a burner from the same manufacturer. For this reason, it usually makes sense to purchase a burner from the same manufacturer as your camcorder.

Of course, if your computer has a DVD burner built-in, there’s no need to run out and purchase one. So be sure you don’t have an internal DVD burner in your desktop or laptop before buying an external burner.

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by Leland Richardson on October 30, 2021 0

momma love: storytelling through photography

Last week, I mentioned that I was headed to a photography workshop led by photographer Brooke Shaden, whose work looks nothing like mine. The workshop was everything I could’ve hoped for (I wrote about it here), but there’s one thing in particular that Brooke said that stuck with me.

You see, Brooke’s background is in English and in Filmmaking, and she said that she views her fine art photography as an attempt to condense an entire book (or movie) into a single still image. She wants people to look at an image she created and immediately feel something resonate in the same way a riveting plotline would move you when reading a great book or watching an epic movie.

I loved this concept, and have been thinking about it ever since, musing how I could do the same with my own photography. So when the work of Ali Smith hit my inbox this morning, I was immediately struck by how beautifully she is able to do just this. Her latest book, Momma Love: How the Mother Half Lives, features “40 women’s portraits and compelling stories about the highs and lows of the motherhood experience” — and compelling they are. I love how you look at her images and you’re immediately drawn into the story:

This is more than just photojournalism, I think. Photojournalism freezes an action so that it records a specific moment in time, but these pictures prompt you to ask more of the story: in the first image, how long has the day been for that mom? She’s lit a candle for her dinner — is she fastidious about creating a calming scene for her family, even as her daughter tries to lunge for something off-scene? Do moms really have eyes in the backs of their heads?

Unfortunately, Ali Smith had a bad experience with her publisher, and in order to get the book to print, Ali has started a Kickstarter campaign. I, for one, will definitely be contributing — in addition to the compelling stories the book promises to tell, I suspect I’ll find a lot of photographic inspiration in there as well.

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by Leland Richardson on October 30, 2021 0

13 Ways to Engage the Photographer in Your Kids!

Kids are fearless when taking photos. Their creativity knows no bounds. But one of the most common questions moms ask me goes something like this, “How do I give creative direction to my kids, so I don’t end up with 100-plus photos of the family dog?”

Anyone relate? Your child gets a hold of your smartphone or camera, and you end up having endless photos of your hardwood floors. Never fear; there is an artist in your child that just needs a little direction. With Blaze and Pascaline’s permission, I’m sharing a handful of their photos along with Thirteen Ways to Engage the Photographer in Your Kids!

1: Set Your Child Up for Success

Before handing the camera over to the kids, set the camera settings to P (Portrait Mode) or A (Aperture Priority Mode). Either of these shooting modes will help soften the background while keeping the subject/object in focus. Depending on your child’s age, explain what the camera setting will do and have them try it out on flowers! If your kids are going to use your SmartPhone, encourage them to take photos near a big window so they have the most light possible for best results!

2: Defining Details

Defining Details is one of the key-story telling elements that I coach moms to capture in my book. But kids can do this too! The next time you have a special event or holiday, hand the camera over to your child and ask her to capture close up photos of all the special details, like Pascaline’s Dirt Cups with Worms at their lemonade stand! Depending on your child’s age, take the challenge up a notch and encourage them to get “as close as possible” to the object.

3: Copy YOU!

This is one of my favorite photo exercises to do with the kids. I take a photo, and then I show it to Pascaline and Blaze. They have to take the same photo I took. We don’t do this all the time, but when I am wanting them to experiment with where they put the sun in their photo, or how much empty space they leave in the frame, or where to stand to compose the shot, instead of giving them a big lecture, I ask them to copy me. Whether it’s blurry, dark, too bright, doesn’t matter. On a subconscious level, they are practicing all the wonderful basic elements of composition by trying to replicate what I’ve captured. Mimicking the masters is an old practice that we do in piano, violin and painting lessons. Photography isn’t any different. Blaze took this photo when he was five years old on a trip we made to Angkor Wat, Cambodia at sunrise. Click here to see the second photo down on a previous blog post from Cambodia. That’s the one Blaze was trying to copy.

4: Favorite Things

Give your child the assignment to capture 10 of his favorite things! This is a wonderful exercise to have him do every six months! You’ll find yourself smiling at what takes priority in his life right now. Six months ago it may have been trains, now it’s his Legos. And then there are those items that remain their favorites, no matter how much times goes by, like Blaze’s Ba-Bas.

5: Experiment with the Camera’s Picture Effects Mode

This is always a funny one for kids. Point-and-Shoots, SmartPhone apps, or DSLRs all have Picture Effects that you can now play with to alter your original photo. One of Pascaline’s favorite is to use the “partial color” effect on her SONY NEX 6. She can choose to have everything in her image be black and white, except for one color — like orange — to bring out the BEST side of her kitty!

6: Favorite Places

Encourage your child to take a photo of their favorite places around the house or outside. This can be their bedroom, mom and dad’s big bed, that cozy spot in front of the heater where they like to get dressed in the morning, or the neighbor’s yard. At the end of our block is an older couple, both grandparents, and for some reason the kids LOVE playing in their yard. I’m not sure if Pascaline meant to, but I LOVE how the neighbor boy has a Japanese bandana on with the neighbor’s Japanese maple behind him! You never know what they are going to get!

7: Photos of Mom and Dad

Time to get a dose of your own medicine! Your kids are going to LOVE this challenge! Think of all the thousands of photos you’ve taken of your kids — now it’s their turn. Give your child the challenge to capture mom and dad doing something they do every day. Encourage them to be sneaky, like spies! This makes it even more fun! And don’t worry about whether or not the photo is blurry. Some of my favorite, most inspiring photos are the blurry ones that the kids have taken.

8: Kid Self Portraits

Kids, especially at the grade-school age, love to take self-portraits. Ask your child to take six different photos of themselves throughout the day. They can take the photos in the backyard, in their bedroom, but challenge them to make each one different whether it’s a silly face, serious face, or a different room. Don’t worry about fingers getting in the shot: that too documents their stage of childhood!

9: Their Shadow!

Kids LOVE to see their shadows grow in height, especially as the Winter’s end draws near and days become longer. Give your child the photo challenge to capture five different photos of their shadow, and be as silly or tall as they’d like!

10: What Makes Me, Me

Ask your child to take ten photos of specific things that show who they are, and what makes them unique in the family. Kids love to highlight how they are different than the rest of the family!

11: Siblings Self Portraits

This is another personal favorite! I LOVE to challenge my kids with taking “Sibling Self Portraits”. The only rule, they can’t look at the camera. That simple, little rule helps enforce the idea of ignoring the camera when mom brings it out, as well as creating the cutest results! Pascaline held the camera down low and shot up for this photo of her and Blaze at the beach.

12: Play with Fun Lenses

Our kids love to experiment with lenses as much as we do, especially SONY’s Fish Eye lens that curves all the corners. To help ensure good care of your lens, set parameters, like a time limit and certain room, so your kids can experiment with a fun lens but not stress you out in the process.

13: A Day in the Life

Give your kids the photo assignment of capturing different photos that represent “A Day in the Life.” For little ones, they can take a photo of their meals, the park, their bed before bedtime. Older kids especially love this exercise! They fearlessly take photos of everything they do and feel throughout the day, like the satisfaction of convincing mom to get frozen yogurt! I guarantee you will be so entertained by their photo results! Want more photo prompts for your kids?! How about if Elmo and I help ever week between now and May! Sesame Street and I have teamed up to bring you and the kids a special photo challenge each week for the My World Photo Contest we are doing! Keep reading for more details!

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