Aiptek Action Silver High-Def 1080p Digital Camcorder, 3x Optical Zoom 3.8 5 78 85
Amazing HD Camcorder for a Reasonable Price I actually went to Wal-Mart with the intention of purchasing the new Flip Video Camcorder. It's about 50 dollars cheaper, easily uploads to YouTube, and connects to a computer with a flip out usb connector, but it doesn't shoot footage in HD.Right next to it, was the Aiptek HD Camcorder and it seemed like a no brainer. For only 50 bucks more, I could record my memories in HD. Why would you want anything less than HD?The price was what really sold me on the camera. Most HD cameras are $300 or more. I just wanted a simple camera that would record in HD resolution and this camera seemed like it would do the trick.It wasn't until I bought it and brought it home did I realize how great of a little camera this really is. It's extremely lightweight! Very easy to use and hold in your hands. It turns on quick, buttons are simple and intuitive, and the menu screens are easy to figure out and navigate.I have a Mac and when you connect the camera to the computer, iPhoto will recognize both videos and pictures that you have previously taken on the camcorder and will import them quickly and painlessly. For PC users, the camcorder comes with software that will help you with importing and managing the files.I have to say, one downfall to the camera seems to be a bit of an underwhelming camera. It says that it's an 8 megapixel camera but the shots that i took with it don't even look close to that. My 4 megapixel Olympus camera takes better shots. But the photos arent that bad. They just aren't going to look like what an 8 megapixel digital camera would be able to produce. The images weren't very large once imported to the computer and I could see a little bit of pixelation in the photo. But this isn't a digital camera, it's an amazing HD camcorder!It has two LED lights on the front that you can turn on or set to auto for low light situations. They seemed powerful enough and do the job well. It comes with a mini tripod and it has a self timer option and a remote control which I am sure will come in very handy for trying to get yourself in your own shots and for controlling the camera from a distance.And I was surprised to see that this camcorder included all the wires you need to connect your camorder to your HDTV or regular TV.Of the couple videos I shot, the video quality was great and it seemed to not shake very much even though I was in a car at the time driving on an uneven road.This is NOT a high end professional HD camera. If you are very picky about HD hardware, then go buy a 300 dollar Canon or Sony or something. This camcorder is great for fun personal movies and recording family memories and stuff. I would not recommend it for trying to shoot an independent movie or something like that.But if you want a cheap, easy to use camcorder that is going to give you amazing HD quality videos, I highly recommend this camera! 05/22/2008
low-end camcorder Based on the reviews on its predecessor I hoped to see this to be much better.However I was a bit dissapointed, perhaps I am a bit spoiled by Cannons and Sonys I've got used to in the past.First the good:* This camcorder is feature packed it supports flash memory,remote control, night shots, and is a good 5MP digital camera.* The Camcorder comes with all the necessary accessories, including the case , cables, chargers and even a small tripod(very well thought).* Very intuitive menu did not have to go over the manual at all.* The controls are a breeze to operate , don't have to look @ the manual.* The Camcorder switches itself on upon opening the LCD panel and it turns off on closing it nice !!.* Generates .Mov files simply drag em and play in HD, how divine!Now the Bads:* Build Quality: Very very CheapThe plastic body and the covers esp the A/V output as well as Battery would easily come off in less than a month for my kinda guy.* No Lens Cap the lens could easily get damaged esp in a house with kids.* Limited optical zoom and also there is a zoom lag from the time users change it.Unknown:* Did not get to play much with the bundled software ( there was no need to) I could directly play it on my mac.Biggest drawbackMOTOR NOISE: The reason I got a flash based camcorder was to get away from noise problem of the harddrive based camcorders. But I was sadly dissapointed for the fact that there is a constant rattle of the motor as it tries the auto-focussing.(It is really LOUD in the recordings) reminiscent of playing some very old BW films on a traditional projector.Also the movies came out really grainy on my 120 HZ 52" Sony HDTV.VerdictThis indeed is a low-end camcorder ad hoc for people who like to travel light, for soccer moms or for just u-tubing their pursuits withoutspending too much also a good time saver esp in downloading & converting captured movies.But it is clearly not a camcorder for keeps , this would not last a long time and you'll soon find yourself looking out for another one soon.Mine is going back to the store today.I'd advise the same save your money and buy a better one. 06/04/2008
HD video at super low price I have had small MPEG cameras vintage 2002, standard DV camcorders (samsung), and this is several steps foreward at <$200.00!The video quality, even in low light, is astounding.It compresses data very efficiently.The still photos are weak, compared to what my dSLR (Sony alpha100) takes, but this is not why I purchased this device.The software enclosed lets you transfer files to your PC. Installs with WinXP without problems.To share HD video with your friends, obviously youtube won't work (terrible quality), try vimeo. 05/17/2008
good product Haven't used it much yet, but for the little time I have used it, it's great for the money. Easy to use, light as a feather, and easy to upload to my computer and create a DVD. The only thing I have a problem with is that the user guide doesn't give me any info on the four different video resolutions and when it's best to use each one. I went on the Aiptek website and they don't have any info either. Also, you have to be very careful when you use the HD video resolution, because it's extremely sensitive to movement and is blurry if you move to fast when recording. 02/09/2009
