Aiptek DV5100M 5 MP Pocket Digital Camcorder

Here is a raw video clip of a dark dance room from my Aiptek DV-5100M:

-Video and Audio tracks are exactly synchronized (i.e., audio talking matches video of talking).

-Audio microphone is very quiet, and does not have any hum or hiss noise (like some other small camcorders).

-Accepts highest memory of 2 GB Compact Flash (SanDisk Ultra II and Kingston Elite Pro), and video records for about 3 and 1/half hours.

I ordered this camcorder and gave it a test drive for a couple of days. I sent it back to Amazon because the sound was awful. It picked up a narration from the camera operator, but anything from a dog's bark to a conversation five feet away...forget it. Saying the sound was muffled isn't strong enough. The other reason I returned it is because it was obviously previously owned. The box had been opened, the batteries had been inserted, and, the biggest clue, it had someone else's Christmas movie on the internal memory. So if you order this (don't) and yours comes with an out-of-focus silent Christmas tree and a long shot of someone's bathroom, that's the one I sent back.

Buy Aiptek DV5100M 5 MP Pocket Digital Camcorder Now

I got this for my 13 yo daughter, who really wanted a video camera to play around with. The Aiptek seemed to be perfect; simple to use and not too expensive. Well it's not particularily easy to use: The picture was very difficult to get into focus (manual focus that doesn't seem to make much difference). It is faily inexpensive, but you will want to expand the memory (Compact Flash) which now is fairly cheap, but you will need several at 64mb. Sound is barely audible. If your budget is tight and this is all you can afford; wait a year until better products fall into this price range. You will be much happier and won't have to dispose of this unit. Our solution was to buy a well rated low end dvd unit for around $400. This is for the family, but she can use it. She's happy with the "awsome unit", and I was able to upgrade from my 8mm unit, so it's a win-win. (With her using it, her being a teenager and all, I got an extended, free replacement type warrantee, however.)

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It's OK if you own a PC computer running Microsoft software. It should have been plainly stated in the description that the video file won't download and run on a MacIntosh.

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I bought mine in the summer of 2005. With a 2 GB CF card, I can take a 3 to 3 1/2 hour video. The still pictures come out as clearly as digital cameras costing 4 times the cost of this unit, and this camcorder is smaller than most digital cameras. Of course the video quality is not as good as a larger, much more highly priced camcorder, but the videos come out well. It comes with accessories, which, for this price I'd not have expected, i.e., the carrying case and tripod. I don't know if they changed tripods, because someone posted about the long plastic screw: my tripod has a very short metal screw. All in all, considering price, ease of use, and quality, I have to give this 5 stars.