Camcorders are a great piece of technology, especially now that they can shoot in high-definition and (sort of) replicate the motion picture quality we see at the movies. But they’re also pretty expensive, and not the type of gear you’d want to carry around with you all the time.
After all, why would you use an HD camcorder to shoot stuff you intend to post on YouTube or some other video site? You’d have to knock the quality down considerably just to get the footage on there. This was probably the key scenario that prompted some gadget-makers to come out with ultra-portable and inexpensive video camera devices that shoot in low-resolution. Some of these have been out for a while in the U.S., but they were all launched within weeks of each other here in Canada this summer.
Pure Digital isn’t a household company name, but their Flip Video Ultra turned out to be a pretty popular device because of its nice colour combinations and user-friendly operation.
RCA has also launched its line of Small Wonder pocket video cams that tailor to different budgets and different needs.
Creative Labs rounds out this trio with the Vado, a slim and thin pocket cam that could almost pass for a slider cell phone.
These are probably some of the easiest devices that anyone could use. One or two buttons pretty much sums up the entire operation of any one of these three products. Plus, you can connect it to a Windows PC and get one-touch uploading to sites like YouTube, AOL Video and Photobucket.
Mac compatibility is an issue for all three of these guys. RCA’s Small Wonder models don’t work with Macs, while Creative’s Vado can, but only to drag and drop video clips onto the desktop. Pure Digital’s Flip can work with Macs quite well, but its “Muvee” editing features won’t work with Apple’s babies. And with all that, you can pretty much forget one-touch uploading to YouTube on a Mac.
Creative's Vado is sleeker and thinner than the other two, and can offer an extra hour of footage at a reduced level of quality because of its 2GB capacity. And it comes in silver or pink, with black and lime to follow. It also has an internal battery that you recharge by plugging it into a computer using its embedded USB plug.
Both the Flip and the Small Wonders use two AA batteries to function. Hence, why they tend to be bigger than the Vado. The Small Wonders have SD memory card slots so you can shoot beyond the one hour of footage. For example, a 4GB card could shoot an extra four hours for you, assuming it’s totally empty. The Flip has no card slot, but it does come in different colour combos and might be the most durable.
Digital cameras can all take video footage, but recording a series of clips can eat into a memory card a fair bit. These pocket video cams vary in price between $90-$160, which is considerably cheaper than a good digicam or camcorder. If you don’t care to carry around expensive items like that at the beach, in tourist areas, at clubs or bars, or wherever else you happen to go, then they can be a good lower-cost option.
But if you’re more of a video junkie — you know, the type to shoot all kinds of clips for posterity, a good laugh or both — then having one of these in your pocket almost becomes a necessity.