TECH SPOTLIGHT : Handy-size Sony video camera has great features;Tiny MovieStick recorder gets job done
Posted on Monday, December 1, 2008
Last week, I introduced you to some video editing and organizing software.
Of course, what’s video editing software without the video ?
I’ve come across a couple of very interesting digital video cameras that can provide video for any occasion.
The first is the Sony Hybrid DCR-DVD 810 Handycam Camcorder. This video recorder combines multiple recording capabilities with tons of features for crisp, clear video.
The camera is fairly small, and with its side hand strap it fits neatly against the palm of your hand. Holding it that way puts the on / off / menu switch and the quick record on / off button within easy reach of your thumb. The left side has a flip-out LCD screen to show what you’re recording. It also has the menu items on the screen, which can be chosen by touching the screen. Yep, touch-screen controls. A very nice, well, touch.
The camera also comes with an excellent NightShot feature. NightShot allows you to film in low light, and even no light, because the camera has built-in infrared technology that lights dark areas. Granted, everything will come out green, basically, but it sure beats everything coming out so dark you can’t see it.
The best feature of this camera is its recording capabilities. It earns its Hybrid name because it not only records to MiniDV discs, but it also can record to digital memory. Even this has options. The camera has 8 gigabytes of built-in memory, so you can record directly to the camera. It also has a slot for a Sony Memory Stick Pro Duo card, which is sold separately and is available at most electronics retailers.
The camera did a great job on video recording. Video and audio both were clear, and the 25 x optical and 2000 x digital zooms meant I could record something from yards away as if it were only inches from me. I liked that I could even take pictures with the camera if I chose.
Once the recording was done, I could save it to the MiniDV disc or memory stick or attach it to the computer and download the video. I must admit, I was very impressed with this device. It’s compact, easy to use and has three great options for saving video. It’s hard to find fault with this video recorder.
FOR THE SPY IN YOU Finally, if you’re interested in something a little less conspicuous, Swann may have just the thing for you. The company known best for its security system products recently introduced the MovieStick Micro-VideoCam. It’s a digital video recorder about the size of a pack of gum, so it’s small enough to go anywhere.
The camera is touted as an alternative to a dictaphone or a tool for those who lack a video camera on their cell phones. It also can be used “discreetly.”
The MovieStick is a very simple design. It’s about 2. 8 inches long by about a 0. 5-inch thick and 0. 75-inch wide. The left side has an on-off switch. The right side has a hold switch to disable the control button. It also has a slot for a Micro SD memory card. The top has three tiny holes that serve as the microphone, and the bottom has a USB port. Finally, the front has a single button and three small lights to indicate charging, power and recording.
Upon powering up, you simply press the button until the middle, blue power light stops blinking. Then it’s ready to go. Pressing the button will start the small green light on the right blinking, indicating the device is recording. Pressing the button again stops the recording.
The device is recharged via the USB port. Simply hook the included cord to a computer or USB power adapter and it charges right up. It doesn’t last very long, though. Battery life is only about 2 hours.
The videos are in 3 GP format, a common format for devices like cell phones. The videos won’t be very large or the greatest quality, so don’t expect any movie masterpieces. However, they were rather decent for such a small device.
My big complaint about this device is the lack of internal memory. You need a Micro SD memory card to save video and transfer it to a computer. The camera doesn’t come with a memory card. Luckily they’re not very expensive, and most electronics retailers sell the cards. But it would be nice if Swann would toss one in.
While the device works fine on my Windows-based PC, it didn’t work at all with my Mac. I couldn’t find any drivers on Swann’s site to solve the problem. So despite what the box says, it doesn’t appear to be directly Mac compatible. There’s a simple solution, though — just turn off the device, remove the memory card and attach the card to the computer with an SD card adapter.
I had no problems using it in Windows. I simply pulled up the My Computer window, clicked on the Removable Drive, and double clicked to open the movies. I could also drag and drop the movies to my computer’s desktop or to another folder to save them to the hard drive.
The MovieStick is a nice little device that works well. For those in business or otherwise who have a need for a tiny camera, it’s a good product to have. I suspect, though, that it will appeal mostly to a niche audience.
A good video camera can be just the ticket to create some great movie memories during family get-togethers. These cameras could be just the thing to add great video to that video editing software. Melissa L. Jones can be reached via email at
mljones 72 @me. com
Where it’s @ Sony’s DCR-DVD 810 DVD Handycam Camcorder requires a USB port for computer connection. MiniDV discs or a Sony Memory Stick Pro Duo are optional for recording. The camera retails for $ 399. The MovieStick Micro-VideoCam from Swann requires a Windows-based computer with a USB port and a Micro SD card, sold separately. The MovieStick retails for $ 119. More information on the Sony Handycam is available at www. sonystyle. com. More information on the MovieStick is available at www. swann. com. au / s / products / view /? product = 712.
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