Pros: Large format video and decent still image quality.
Cons: Awkward handling. Tinny sound. Very poor battery life.
The Bottom Line: You're better off buying a digital camera with video capability, or one of the "Flip Video" devices that have less bells and whistles, but better battery life.
AtlantaGreg's Full Review: Aiptek A-HD 720P Flash Media Camcorder
Like many, I had a hard time grasping a "HD" camcorder for under $150 when I saw it at my local electronics store. But then, it was packaged in a blister pack, hanging on a wall display along with toy cameras as well. So, what should one expect?
WHAT TO EXPECT:
The Aiptek A-HD is designed in a similar fashion to some of Sanyo's "gun style" memory card camcorders. You hold it somewhat like a gun, aiming the lens toward the subject you wish to video, and you press the "trigger" (play/pause button) with your index finger. Overall handling is a bit awkward. There should be a rubberized grip on the front, and the control buttons on the back are supposed to be used by your thumb, but are just out of easy reach.
You can immediately tell you're dealing with cheap plastic once you hold the A-HD, and the "Made in China" stamp printed in small type on the package does not reassure you to the quality any moreso. Still, once you flip out the 2.4 inch wide format LCD screen, notice the built-in flash for taking 5 megapixel still images (8 megapixel if interpolated), you think that maybe you have something here. Ah, if only...
WHAT THIS IS:
For just under $150 you're getting a camcorder that records directly to a Secure Digital memory card. At the highest resolution the video is 1280 x 720 pixels in size in wide format, and at 30 frames per second captures fluid motion. It even takes good 5 megapixel still shots - well, good enough for a 4x6 print. The 8 megapixel images are interpolated (faked by enlarging the smaller image), so no more detail or quality is recorded. That same LCD screen acts as the on/off switch, and you have a mode and menu button as well as the shutter button and a toggle switch on the back to navigate the menu system with.
Using the A-HD is straight forward and easy. Once you charge the battery (8+ hours), and set up the menu properly, you're ready to take video. Open the LCD, aim, pull the trigger (so to speak) and poof - you're recording video. Once done, you can download it to your computer via the included software, watch it on a TV with the included cables, or simply watch it via the Quicktime player from Apple (free download from their site).
What more could you ask for? Well...
WHAT THIS ISN'T:
The A-HD does not offer image stabilization either optically or digitally. This means that every little move or shake you make shows up on the video as a jerky twitch. When panning from side-to-side, it also means a rather jerky motion as well. It's fine if you're making a video of someone in front of you who's not moving much, but rapid movement side-to-side to keep up with action will just leave you dizzy when watching it later.
While the built-in microphone captures sound at a distance, the quality is rather tinny and hollow sounding. Ok for a device of this price range, though.
As mentioned earlier, the still image quality is actually surprisingly good considering this device uses the same type of sensor that cheaper web cams use (the cams you use to video conference with folks in video chat rooms). The flash is a bit weak however, and there is a 1 second delay from the time you press the shutter button until the photo is actually taken. Hold the A-HD steady when taking still photos!
Battery life is by far the most disappointing. The Lithium-ion rechargeable battery must be charged inside the camera with the included A/C plug or a USB cable (also included). The initial charge takes around 8 or so hours. Once done, I took a series of video clips that came to a complete total of no more than about 5 minutes of video, plus 5 digital still images. At that point, I received a "low battery" warning and the A-HD simply shut off. The device was turned off in-between each clip recording, and the menu was used for only a minute or so to quickly make sure all clips had been recorded. Perhaps this is a defective unit, but if not so, the battery performance is by FAR too poor for serious use.
FINAL WORDS:
While it's nice to see large, wide-format videos from a device in this price range, I can't recommend the A-HD. The jerky panning effect, and incredibly poor battery life at least in my unit, makes it completely unuseable for any type of serious video capture. Today's digital cameras in the $170+ range take much nicer still photos, and have nice video capture functions as well, and would be better than the A-HD.
Neat idea, but it missed the mark.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 129 Recommended for: Budget Buyers - Best Values to Fit the Budget
1280 x 720 H.264 Video @ 30fps Connect to TV/VCR/DVD player to record video, pictures and audio Charge with USB or AC Adapter without removing battery...More at Amazon
One look at the Aiptek A-HD 720P and you can t help but think they took the term, handheld a bit too literally. Never-the-less, this pint sized camcor...More at eBay
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