We found the "Jazz DV151" pocket camcorder at one of the big box stores for somewhat less than the current retail price on Amazon. At roughly 1/2 to 1/3rd the price of the Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder, 60-Minutes (White), it seemed to be worth the risk of buying it as a backup pocket camcorder. Here are my observations:Pros:
* Acceptable video quality *FOR THE PRICE* it is only 320x240, not even VGA (the Flip wins hands down)
* Very good microphone this was real surprise, the microphone is more sensitive than the Flip
* Has built in USB connector Like the Flip, but only USB 1.1
* Comes with a USB extension cable!
* Works as a SD card reader when connected to PC via USB (see above)
* Has Video Out can be connected to a TV for playback, cables included
* 1.5" LCD screen can rotate for convenient viewing while self recording (the Flip cannot)
* Saves files in AVI format No conversion needed
Cons:
* Low video quality it is 320x240 (but again good for the price)
* Does not come with any memory You must buy a SD card (up to 2GB) before using
Misc:
* Uses 2 AA batteries (not included)
So for a really inexpensive camcorder, with YouTube usable quality, this is a fairly good option. For use in any meaningful way, not so much.
This camera is PRETTY MUCH all I personally would ever need. It's light, can be hidden well, durable (I've dropped it a few times and it works fine), and it looks/sounds great, especially in natural lighting. I've shot two feature-length movies with this camera, and I edit all the footage on the camera using VirtualDub, and I get nothing but compliments about the way my pictures look and sound. Of course, the sound has to be edited a bit on the computer, the mic in the camera is REALLY sensitive. Which is a problem, if there are long moments of silence, you will hear the camera running really loudly as well, but again, all this can be fixed by taking your videos into a computer.
So, if you're looking for a professional camera and have some experience with video editing, this camera is actually quite good. However, if you want an idiot-proof camera that shoots in HD and does all sorts of fancy effects, obviously this isn't what you want. For people who just want to film home videos and stuff, this camera is quite good as well.
I still have a few problems with this. One, it's a battery-sucker from Hell. It can record 2 hours and 6 minutes but I usually only record about 40 minutes before it's time to change batteries. I'm using nice batteries, too! I dunno if this is the norm for digital cameras, but it seems a bit excessive. Two, you can zoom with this, and the zoom is decent, sure, but you can't zoom WHILE recording. Isn't that the POINT? To zoom, while recording, into an object? So, if you want to do some dramatic zooming stuff, you'll have to record the video... stop recording... zoom... then hit record again. Why?!
Another problem for me -probably not for you -is the red light. I realize a lot of cameras have a red light. Can I just paint over this light? (if someone could reply and let me know that'd be great -maybe I should put some tape over it?) This won't be a problem for a lot of people, but it annoys me, it will reflect in mirrors, it will reflect if you're trying to record footage off of a TV or a computer, and it's just kinda ugly. The screen itself (a very handy flip-out screen) tells you in red when it's recording, why do we need a light?
One thing that I really enjoy about this camera is that it uses USB 1.1. I'm using an older computer without a USB 2.0, so being able to hook it up to this old crappy computer is quite nice. More peripherals should be compatible with older USB ports.
You will probably eventually grow sick of the look of the videos if you film enough (I've probably filmed 4 hours of footage in the past two months with this thing), but again, you can easily throw the videos into a video editing program and spruce 'em up.
I personally love this camera, and for the ridiculously cheap price ($24 at Big Lots for a while, $27 for a while at Wal-Mart), it's 100% worth it. I hope they come out with a new model that allows zoom AS you record and somehow allows a longer battery life; then, this would be an easy 5 stars. Everyone I've showed this camera to has been surprised by how good the picture looks and sounds. Note that it doesn't look/sound very good when played back on the camera, but when you put it on a computer you WILL be surprised, especially with videos recorded in natural lighting.
*NOTE*: I recently acquired a JAZZ DV152 (also known as a JAZZ T20 Camrcorder), and it fixes almost all the problems I had with this model. For one, you can zoom as you record. It won't let you record more than 39 minutes at a time, even with a 2gb card, but the battery life lasts a lot longer. You can take up to 9999 pictures with it, and the pictures look quite good -they have sort of a VHS quality to them, as do the videos themselves (which is quite an improvement from the webcam quality of the previous model). Sound seems about the same, though it seems like you don't hear as much ticking in the camera itself from the motor running, so that's great. An improvement.
Buy Jazz DV151/152 VGA Digital Video Camera (Black) Now
This was a gift for my daughter. She loves it! It is a great first camcorder. My daughter is 11 and plays on it all day. The only thing is is don't move too fast but other then that it works great for the price.Read Best Reviews of Jazz DV151/152 VGA Digital Video Camera (Black) Here
Before you buy the Jazz DV151 pocket camcorder check for the camera at Wal-Mart. You can purchase this item much cheaper there.I also saw this camera at a local drurg store much cheaper then Amazon. I over paid for this product and it's not as good as the Flip pocket camcorder. If you want to buy a toy for your children then this camera will work but if you're looking for a pocket camcorder for an adult keep looking.Want Jazz DV151/152 VGA Digital Video Camera (Black) Discount?
This camera is fine for children, but two problems arise:1. The buttons are not "noiseless" and the click is recorder along with your target audio.
2 The microphone is weak and there is no place for an external mic.
The FLIP is more expensive, but the HD quality and features are worth it.
I use the JAZZ with my first and second graders. They can use it and if they drop it....it is only 40$.
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