Summary: 2006-03-22 18:10:05 This is an inexpensive way to get into digital video in all its forms, and to carry MP3 tunes and record audio, all in one lightweight rechargeable device.
The fixed focus f/8.6 lens renders this camera unusable for video except under pretty good light. I've used it outdoors in daylight of course, and it works satisfactorily in room light, but otherwise an f/8.6 lens creates interesting challenges for the photographer. Of course going with a fixed lens allows this device to have a low price, but this seems to be the top of the line product, and I'd have assuredly paid $20 or $30 more for proper optics and a more useful, versatile camera.
The camera is generously (in comparison to similar products) packaged with a form-fitting rechargeable battery (I don't know how difficult or expensive that will be to replace eventually), a draw-string carry case, wrist strap, AC adapter/charger, USB cable, AV breakout cable, quick-start and regular product manual, and software for Windows only.
The provided documentation is quite poor, and does not completely explain the camera's function or the effects of choosing different settings for image quality, for example. This should have all been documented. For example, the documentation says "turn on the camera" but does not point out the power switch (buried in center of the function-select knob). I showed this camera to a friend. He could not figure out how to turn it on.
The plastic covers over the SD card slot and I/O panel are really cheaply connected with brittle plastic strips. I expect these to snap off eventually. That'll be ok, but it's really an insult to own a device that takes itself apart because the builder saved a few pennies on materials.
I chose this camera because it can do 30fps video. Many of the low end no-tape cameras don't shoot video at the full rate... watch out for that. Unfortunately, the marketing materials misrepresent the camera's Macintosh compatibility.
To use video from this camera with Macintosh, you will need the following:
1. Mac OS/X
2. The (now FREE) downloadable Flip4Mac plugin for QuickTime Player
3. If you want to edit the video (in iMovie or Final Cut), you also need the free DIVX Doctor II which will quickly reprocess the file to fix the otherwise unsolveable compatibility issue (the video is stored in a nutty Microsoft encoding, and I lost a LOT OF HOURS trying to solve this... since i bought this mainly for quick video shoots). It's free and downloadable.
The USB connection is a little iffy when going through a hub... documentation cautions about htis. Direct connections work OK, but really when you get down to it, all my other USB "disk" devices do just fine when plugged into my Mac via the hub. This camera loses its connection periodically when transferring files... You can also pop out the SD card and transfer from an SD card reader. It's faster that way, but annoying when travelling to have to haul another piece of equipment.
The camera has 32mb built-in memory.. not enough for video or for any serious work, but nicer than having 0mb built-in memory. Store some MP3s there. Realistically, you need to get a 512mb or larger SD card.
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