Most techie people may be old enough to remember the camcorders of the ’90s. We all had those camcorders that you held in one hand and put the viewfinder to your eye. The seemed small at the time. Especially if you are old enough to remember the bulky camcorders of the ’80s. Maybe you even remember the camcorders that had to be plugged into a separate recorder. There’s nothing like carrying a bulky VCR in your other hand while you are filming your friends. Thankfully, today’s technology allows us to have tiny equipment that truly fits in the palm of your hand and, in most cases, records a much better image than the bulky camcorders of the past. Here are 10 such tiny technological wonders.
The Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera offers an SD slot as well as an external mic jack. The controls utilize a thumb joystick for maneuvering through menus. The electronic image stabilizer means you get stable video even when your hand is shaking. The Kodak Zi8 captures video up to 1080p HD and has 5-megapixel still capture ability. It has an HDMI out port and comes with an HDMI cable. The Zi8 also boasts an attached USB connector built into the case. Unfortunately the software isn’t compatible with Mac. You can get the Kodak Zi8 for $100.00 at Amazon.com, but you’ll need to buy the SD card separately.
Flip Video MinoHD
The Flip Video MinoHD shoots at 720p with a 2x digital zoom. It offers an HDMI out port and 8GB of onboard memory, but no SD card expansion slot. The Flip MinoHD also boasts a built in USB connector, but no microphone port. The Flip Video MinoHD does not have an electronic image stabilizer. You can get one for $149.00 at Walmart.com.
Flip UltraHD
The Flip UltraHD has 8GB of internal memory, but no SD card slot. t does offer an HDMI port, but doesn’t come with a cable. The Flip UltraHD doesn’t have an external mic jack and also won’t take still shots. The battery life, however, lasts as much as two hours on the highest resolution. You can get one for $135.00 at Amazon.com.
Creative Vado HD
The third generation Creative Vado HD captures video at 1280×720 as well as HD quality stills. It has 4GB of built-in memory. There is an HDMI out port, but the Creative Vado HD doesn’t come with a cable. I t does, however, have a permanently attached USB cable tucked inside the case. The Vado HD also has a multi-function port for headphones or a mic. The bundled software is compatible with Windows and Mac. Get one for about $100.00 at Amazon.com.
Toshiba Camileo S20
The Toshiba Camileo S20 shoots full 1080p video and it can snap stills at 5 megapixel. It boasts an SD card slot and an HDMI port. The Camileo comes with an HDMI cable and also has a USB port and cable. The Camileo only has 128MB of onboard memory, so you’ll want to pick up an SD card for more space. A cool factor for the Toshiba Camileo S20 is the included mini tripod. You can get one for $129 from Toshibadirect.com.
Sony Bloggie MHS-PM5
The Sony Bloggie MHS-PM5 films in full 1080p resolution and has an SD card slot for memory. It shoots 5 megapixel still shots and can record 30 frames per second in the highest video quality. It boasts an electronic image stabilization. The Sony Bloggie MHS-PM5 does not have an HDMI out port or or a mic jack or earphone jack. The onboard mic is mono only. You can get a Sony Bloggie MHS-PM5 for $109.00 at Walmart.com.
JVC Picsio GC-FM1
The JVC Picsio GC-FM1 has electronic image stabilization and an SD card slot. It boasts an HDMI slot, but no cable. The JVC Picsio GC-FM1 takes still shots at 8 megapixels and has a built in flash, as well as a 4x zoom. It also has an external mic jack for quality sound. You can get one for $88.00 at Amazon.com.
Kodak Playsport Zx3
The Kodak Playsport Zx3 is waterproof to 10 feet. It has an HDMI out port and comes with a cable, but it does not have an SD slot. The software isn’t Mac compatible, either. It does shoot nice stills at 5 megapixels and records videos at up to full 1080p. Unfortunately, it does not come with a USB cable for file transfers. Get one for $149.00 at the Kodak online store.
Flip SlideHD
The Flip SlideHD boasts a whopping 16GB internal memory and full HD video at 30 frames per second. The recording time is 4 hours at the highest resolution. Unfortunately, there is no memory card slot for future expansion. It carries an HDMI out port, but does not come with a cable. The Flip SlideHD is a bit pricey considering the many options on the market, but it makes up for it with a 3 inch wide, touch enabled display. You can get a Flip SlideHD for $199.00 at Amazon.com.
Panasonic TA-1 Ultrathin HD Pocket Camcorder Enabled with Skype and iFrame
The Panasonic TA-1 Ultrathin HD records in full 1080p and shoots stills at an incredible 8 megapixels. It has a built-in USB plug for direct connection and it is enabled for use as a webcam with Skype video chat. The Panasonic TA-1 Ultrathin HD is compatible with Windows and with Mac. It boasts an electronic image stabilizer and has an intuitive controls layout. It comes with a USB extension and a composite AV cable. You can get a Panasonic TA-1 Ultrathin HD for $85.00 at Amazon.com.
