The Contour family of cameras, which competes with GoPro and other small, hardened imaging devices, has a new member. The Roam rounds out the range at the low end, providing the primary functions of the adventure-proof camera for $200, far less than the latest addition and $100 less than the GPS model. This one’s focused on ease of use and waterproofing. Let’s run down the specs. → Read More
Summer is here, and there’s a good chance some of you are thinking of picking up something to document your vacations with. iPhones and point-and-shoots are all well and good, but if you want to take it to the pool or the beach, it’s nice to feel sure that an errant splash isn’t going to disable your camera permanently. We’ve got a few water-hardened Flip-esque pocket cams here for you to choose… → Read More
Looking for a low-cost camcorder? Toshiba called, they want your money. In return, they’ll give you one of these two newish 1080p camcorders. I say “newish” because not only were these released in Europe back in April, but because one of them is nearly identical to one I have sitting next to me. The news is they’re finally coming to the US, so you can buy ‘em all day long with real live American… → Read More
They have dropped the Xacti brand name, but the three new camcorders Panasonic (which bought Xacti maker Sanyo in 2009) announced [JP] today are essentially Xactis. All models feature full HD resolution and will be released in Japan on June 25. → Read More
You might remember the ContourHD rugged wearable camera we reviewed a while back — they updated later with GPS functionality and now (as we heard earlier) have a new camera live on their site that adds a wider angle lens and a few useful ports for recording and streaming your media. → Read More
We recently reviewed the Zoom Q3HD, a pocket cam (like your Flips and Playsports) with a little extra love given to the audio side of things. Olympus has decided to take that route as well with its new LS-20M… a pocket cam with a little extra love given to the audio side of things. What, I said it was the same route. → Read More
Earlier today we saw Samsung’s W200 make its debut, and now Toshiba is entering the ring. That makes three newish candybar-style waterproof camcorders out there (don’t forget the Playsport). So what sets the BW10 apart? Not a lot! → Read More
Samsung has announced the W200, a vacation-proof 1080p camcorder that boasts a bigger LCD and faster lens than its natural enemy, the Kodak Playsport. I’m not sure the W200 is going to win any beauty contests, but at least spec-wise it’s looking good. → Read More
You guys may already be familiar with the ContourHD rugged sport-cam we reviewed and its GPS-enabled successor. It looks like the family may be getting a little bigger over the next few months: BikeRumor spotted a new “Plus” variety of the device, which supposedly has a wider lens angle (170º vs 140º), an external mic port, and a few other improvements. Looks sweet; I can’t… → Read More
Japan’s most famous maker of silly gadgets, Tokyo-based Thanko, today announced yet another micro camera, the MAME-CAM DX [JP]. The 8MP device weighs just 14g and can record video “in HD”, namely in 1,280×960 resolution and at 30fps (AVI). JPEGs can be shot with 3,264×2,448 resolution. → Read More
Here at the CrunchGear offices, we have a few GoPro HD Hero cameras that we use for an assortment of footage, including our auto coverage. These are great cameras for getting video in places you wouldn’t want to put an expensive, more fragile, camera. But, the biggest problem with the HD Hero has been its lack of a viewfinder. Sometimes, when the camera is pointed too high, like towards the sky… → Read More
We’ve heard for a while now that Cisco plans to put out a Flip camera with wi-fi built in, but so far the rumors haven’t produced an actual product. Until now. → Read More
Short version: A versatile and useful pocket cam for people who value the audio portion of their video, but its high price may make those on the fence opt for a cheaper, more rugged model. → Read More
Sony has been blowing out quite a few camcorders lately (during the CES, for example), which is why our friends over at Tokoy-based Diginfonews went out and captured the next four models big S has in its pipeline on video (all clips are in English). → Read More
JVC announced [JP] three new Everio camcorders yesterday, the high-end GZ-HM670/690 and the GZ-HM450. While the first two models boast a back-side illuminated 3.3MP CMOS sensor (for better images in dark areas), the HM450 only has a 1.5MP CMOS sensor. → Read More
Sony will be showing off a new Handycam tomorrow, the NXCAM. It’s a “for professional” camera that uses E-mount lenses (we’ve seen them in the NEX series and Sony’s last interchangeable lens Handycam, the VG10) and has a Super-35-sized CMOS sensor. Beyond that and some format info, there really wasn’t much announced. → Read More
Tokyo-based camera maker Exemode yesterday announced the EXEMODE 3DV-5WF [JP], a mini camcorder that can shoot video in 3D. The specs clearly indicate you can’t really expect much in terms of quality here, but the camera’s biggest selling point is its price: at $300, it’s more expensive than Viewsonic’s 3DV5 but way cheaper than Panasonic’s 3D camcorder. → Read More
Just what do these guys think they’re trying to pull? I recognized that doodad the second I saw the picture of it. After all, I reviewed it three weeks ago. So, it looks like Viewsonic has put out the same thing and called it the DVP5. I’m going to guess it performs at about the same level. So we’ll move on. → Read More
Short version: A fun device but rather critically flawed: wherever you can shoot video, you can’t show it, and vice versa. It’s a hell of a lot to pay for a pocket cam, too. → Read More
What’s there to say? It’s a pocket cam. From HP. Specs inside. → Read More
Back in April, Panasonic caused quite a big splash by teasing the AG-AF100, an interchangeable-lens camcorder for “professional users”. The Micro Four-Thirds device is the first of its kind, offering 1080/60i or 1080/30p AVCHD video recording and the ability to use a bunch of different lenses, adapters and filters with it (Micro Four-Thirds lens mount). → Read More
Sanyo knows what they’re doing when it comes to camcorders, but this one looks like a misfire to me. The simple design, 5x zoom, and easy operation may be appealing to those looking at a $200 price point, but those people also want simplicity in their video, and 1080i is no longer an easy format to use. Looking for a cheap camcorder? Grab an H30 or Playsport. → Read More
Toshiba has dropped a pair of new camcorders at IFA, both of the genus Pistolgrippus. The P20 is the chubbier of the two, though that’s not saying much, since the S30 is only 19mm thick. Once you’re past the point where these things slip into your jacket pocket, though, a millimeter here or there doesn’t really signify much. Good for them, though. → Read More
The phenomenon of tilting the lens in your camera or camcorder is simply not something I understand. Is there a nationwide crisis because of people not pointing their camcorder properly? Are home movies being ruined because it’s all shots of people’s knees? It seems to me that camera manufacturers have invented a problem to solve, and their solution is weird-looking. → Read More
JVC in Japan has announced [JP] two new Picsio camcorders today, the GC-WP10-A (pictured above) and the GC-FM2 (pictured below). Both models record video in full HD, come with web connectivity (iTunes, Facebook, YouTube) and with video editing software LoiloScope on board. They also feature a 3-inch touchscreen and a 1/3.2 CMOS sensor (5MP). → Read More
The pocketcam wars are hotting up. If you’re a consumer that doesn’t particularly care about image quality or lots of options, you have a ton of great choices. Sanyo makes a great compact camcorder (I use their pistol grip CG10 for tons of stuff), and they’ve just released a pocketcam that looks pretty solid. → Read More
We’ve been looking forward to Panasonic’s consumer 3D camcorder since we first saw their pro one at CES. When it was revealed last week, I have to say I was a bit disappointed. It’s not a new camcorder at all, just a conversion lens that severely limits exposure and manual controls. The 60FPS split-resolution recording methods threw me as well. But I haven’t handled it, so… → Read More
Panasonic caused a splash in the blogosphere yesterday when it announced the world’s first consumer 3D camera, the HDC-SDT750, for the American market (release in October). The device was announced [JP] today in Japan as well, but Panasonic made some changes. And it showed another model, too, the HDC-TM650 (pictured), which hasn’t been announced for other markets thus far. → Read More
I recently reviewed the Toshiba Camileo H30, a functional camcorder with a traditional body style, and concluded that these would continue to sell for a few more years just on the strength of being familiar objects. The Flip-style camcorder is gaining popularity (as well as embedded imagers in phones and such), and the flip-out LCD home camcorder’s days are numbered. Panasonic is hedging… → Read More
Some unnamed sources have revealed that Panasonic will be unveiling a new 3D camcorder next week — one intended for consumers, unlike its semi-pro AG-3DA1, which we saw at CES. We’ve seen other 3D cameras out there but not a lot of excitement yet, likely because the means to view the content are still expensive and inconvenient. → Read More
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