Samsung HMX-H104 HD SSD Flash Memory Camcorder with 16 GB Memory and 10x Optical Zoom Review

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(More customer reviews)I now consider myself a collector of camcorders. Still, I demand excellent quality with point and shoot simplicity. My camcorder of choice up until now has been the Samsung SC HMX-20C for its brilliant video quality and amazing still photos, and the ability to take great photos while filming. I saw the HMX-H104 and thought it looks very similar. How is it different?
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Out of the box, the HMX-H104 is sleek and stylish with the trademark bullet shape of the Samsung camcorders. It's smaller and weighs less than its cousin, the SC HMX-20C. The first thing I notice is the case, which has a rubbery grip. I like the feel, I can get a good grip and it feels sturdy in my hands. The little door on the rear leading to all the ports feels like flimsy plastic, but even that is attractive to the eye.
The lens cover closes automatically. I touch it and it feels paper thin, opens easily when I push it. It will keep the dust out. I wonder if it will take a knocking, but I hesitate to challenge it. The SC HMX-20C's lens is also automatic and opens when I push it, but it feels a little sturdier. At least I won't have to remember to put the lens cap back on.
The record button is awkwardly placed. This is true of all the bullet-shaped Samsungs that I own (I have three). It is to the far right of the rear of the camcorder. That makes it difficult to grip the camcorder with the thumb while activating the record button. I'd prefer it more to the left, or better yet on the top of the camcorder. The swivel grip does help with the handling, but it is nowhere as comfortable to hold as a Sanyo Xacti, for instance.
Both camcorders have flash memory onboard or I can choose to use a memory card (both are compatible with SDHC and SC HMX-20C can use MMCPlus). HMX-H104 has double the capacity of its cousin: 16 GB versus 8 GB.
Both camcorders lack a full manual. It is included on a disc, which means I will never read it.
VIDEO
Flip the screen open on the HMX-H104 and it's on, unlike the SC HMX-20C where I need to press the power button. HMX-H104 responds lightening fast. Turning on from sleep mode is even faster.
Both camcorders sport anti-shake technology; but that technology still needs further development, since I have yet to find a camcorder where the image doesn't shake when handheld, especially when the image is zoomed. Tip: use a tripod when possible.
Video quality of both camcorders in broad daylight is comparable. They are both excellent. In lowlight conditions, I prefer the SC HMX-20C (less video noise), but the HMX-H104 is not far behind.
HMX-H104 has wide screen format, great for viewing on my wide screen TV.
PHOTO
Nothing beats SC HMX-20C, which has the best camera in a camcorder I've ever seen. HMX-H104 sometimes give me blurry photos -- very blurry, to the point that I couldn`t even recognize the object or subject in the photo. Okay, I think I didn't press the button just right. But I am using the automatic function and just pressing the photo button every time, not doing anything different and it's great, sometimes better than SC HMX-20C . . . and then it's not. I never know when it will be blurry. Most of the time, the photos look wonderful; but it's not nearly so hard with SC HMX-20C, where I've never had a blurry photo, ever.
Also, I find photos of my son under incandescent light looks better with the SC HMX-20C. It automatically adjusts color and white balance better so that his skin tone looks more natural.
The HMX-H104 has a flash, but it is not as hefty as the pop-up flash of the SC HMX-20C.
When taking photos while filming, I feel there is more of a lag time with HMX-H104. It's not as bad as some others, but SC HMX-20C is better, if only by a split second. That does make a difference when taking photos. When I press that button, that's the photo I want, not a second later.
INTELLI-STUDIO
This is a new one for me. Connect the camcorder to the computer via USB cable and video editing software automatically runs. No need to install software from a disc. Move the video to a folder, edit it right there, make your movie.
Personally, I will not use this feature much. The video editing is basic and will involve a lot of work, unless all I want to do is trim a little and add a title. I like video editing software that includes a wizard -- plug my video in and churn out a movie I can fine-tune to my liking.
SC HMX-20C does not have Intelli-Studio. In fact, I do not own any other camcorder which has this feature. Interesting, but not necessary in my book.
Where HMX-H104 is superior to SC HMX-20C:
* it is smaller: 4 ¾" versus 5"
* it weighs less: 13.7 ounces versus 17.5 ounces (with batteries included)
* it has a rubbery grip making it attractive with a no-slip comfortable to hold, although the matte finish of the SC HMX-20C is also attractive
* it turns on the minute the screen is flipped open versus needing to press the power button
* it has a sleep mode
* it has more internal memory: 16 GB versus 8 GB
* it has a faster boot up and access time
* it has built-in video editing software -- installs automatically to the computer when I plug in my camcorder
* it automatically turns off when its been on too long
* it records in wide screen formatWhere they both excel:
* they have touch screen controls
* nice sleek designs
* they record in full HD
* they have 10X optical zoom
* the grips swivel to adjust for comfort
* automatic lens cap, though they push open easily and the HMX-H104's lens cover is paper thin
* both come with remotes.
Where they both need improvement:
* the record buttons are awkwardly placed
* manuals are on a disc, thought the quick start guide of the SC HMX-20C is more thorough.
Where HMX-H104 is inferior:
* photos while not filming can be completely out of focus and blurry on occasion
* photos while filming have slightly more lag time
* videos are not as good under lowlight conditions
* SC HMX-20C has a heftier pop-up flash
* SC HMX-20C comes with a nice, soft pouch. HMX-H104 does not come with anything to hold it in.
SUMMARY
If you want a camcorder that's a brilliant camera with great video quality, get the SC HMX-20C. It doesn't get better than that.
If you want a slightly smaller camcorder with good video quality, large internal storage capacity, fast start-up, wide screen capability, an automatic camera function that is very good but occasionally acts up, go for HMX-H104. You won't be disappointed.


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Samsung HMX-H104 High Definition Digital Camcorder Flash Memory, Memory Card - 16:9 - 2.70

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Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera (Raspberry) Review

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(More customer reviews)Check out my sample footage video on Youtube. On Youtube search "djeror zi8 low light"
In my previous review of the Kodak Zi8 I was pretty frustrated at the fact that whenever I used the built in microphone the recorded videos had an annoying high pitch whine that made the audio from my videos almost unusable. Kodak recognized that this was an issue and created a firmware update that fixed the problem. It also fixed a few other things like the previous issue of the image getting darker as you zoomed in. They seem to have fixed all of the major problems with this firmware fix.I do tech product reviews so I need the following things:
- External mic input - most of my videos are shot wearing a lapel mic
- Macro mode - I have to get close to little tiny screens
- SDHC memory - I go to all day trade shows, I need 10+ hours of video
- Power options - I need to be able to shoot while AC power is plugged in or use a large external battery.
- Under $200 - I'm poor.
Because of these requirements no other camcorder can fit my needs. One cool thing about this camera is that it is much more upgradable than the other pocket cameras on the market.Con:
-The built in microphone is OK now that they fixed the whining noise, but it's still not amazing.
Work-around:
- Don't use the internal mic... I use an Audio Technica lapel mic for 1 person interviews.Audio Technica ATR-3350 Lavalier Omnidirectional Condenser Microphone For events I ordered a Sony stereo mic to use instead of the built in mic. Sony ECM-DS70P Electret Condenser Stereo Microphone . Although I wish that Kodak made the internal mic better, for the most part I am kind of excited that the Sony stereo mic will give me much better sound than any of the standard internal mics that any of the pocket cams have.Con:
-Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) sucks a lot of juice. Also the Zi8 uses a proprietary battery rather than cheap swappable AA's. Battery life when shooting non-stop is 1hr 16min in 720p 60fps with EIS on. If you turn off EIS you get about 1hr 41min at 720p 60fps.
Work-around:
- Use the USB to power cable that comes with the camera in conjunction with an external battery source. This is a must if you are going to be recording for more than an hour with EIS, cause that's about what the internal battery will give you. Tekkeon TekCharge Rechargeable Li-Poly Battery You can just stick this battery pack in your pocket and connect the charging cable to the Zi8. This will allow you to record for a super long amount of time. I haven't tested to see what my total record time with the battery pack will be but it should be around 5X the standard recording time. (about 6 hours with EIS on, almost 9 with it off) This gives you the best battery life of almost any camcorder. Sure it's an extra cost, but when you're at an all day trade show you don't have to worry about running out of juice.Con:
- Image stabilization can't rescue video you shoot while moving around. Any camera motion makes video awful.
Work-round:
- Accept the fact you should probably be using a mini tripod with this camera or at least stand still. Also, although it takes a bunch of time to process if you have the new iMovie the image stabilization processing you can do is light years beyond what the EIS in the Kodak Zi8 can do. One more important note. Make sure you buy high speed SDHC memory cards for this thing. If your SD card is not fast enough the camera will record for like 2 seconds and then stop with an error. It took me a while to figure out why the camera kept stopping recording when in HD mode but worked fine in SD mode. It was because of my old SD card. You need to make sure your SD card has a write speed of at least 9MB/s if you want to record in 1080p. These high speed cards cost more, but you need them for any camcorder that is going to record HD video to them, it's not just the Zi8. I think most Class 6 high speed SDHC cards should work.
If you want to get the most out of this camera plan on spending an extra $100 - $150 in order to buy upgrade items. Personally I've come to the conclusion that the extra expenses were worth it. It all depends on what you plan on using the camera for. For a typical mom purse cam this would not be my recommendation, I would say go with a Flip Ultra HD. But for someone with particular needs like mine this camera may be the only one that fits the bill.

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Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera Raspberry

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Sony HDR-CX150 16GB High Definition Handycam Camcorder (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this camera on Monday, had fun with it for two days, and then returned it. Although I can't afford it, I then closed my eyes and ordered the HDR-CX550V. I basically went from the bottom of the Sony consumer class to the top in one fell swoop.
Things I liked about the CX150:
* FABULOUS quality in adequate light. The video in 24 Mbps mode is stunning. Search YouTube for examples. Every hair on my cat, dust particles in sunlight, it all shows up with beautiful resolution. It's amazing. Almost Blu-Ray quality. You won't find any consumer-class camcorder with better quality.
* 25x zoom , when used with a tripod, lets you get really close
* "macro" works without any special settings. Just put the lens an inch away and it will focus. Resolves fingerprints.
* Amazingly tiny. With no hard drive or tape drive, the unit is frighteningly small. You can put it and all the cables + charger in a camera case designed for a DSLR + telephoto
* PMB software works, has good basic editing. Used it to grab frames from movies - almost don't need the "still" function if 1990x1080 res is good enough.
* It will take a 32GB memory stick, even though the feature list says they only support 16.
* The touch screen is responsive
* "touch the object" spot focus, spot white balance is cool
* Give it the NP-FV70 battery and it will record for hours and hours
Things I either did not like or features missing (by "missing" I realize that you have to pay more). Don't mistake the length of my 'cons' list as hating the little guy - it's a good camera for what it is designed to be.
* A bit pricey. I think it is worth about $450.00, not the $549.00 list
* No wide-angle. I wish Sony had made the lens go from slightly wide-angle to about 15x, instead of from normal to 25x.
* No external mic input
* No hot shoe - not even the Sony proprietary one
* Zoom motor noise is very audible in quiet settings - don't expect to use this camera to record acoustic orchestral music in concert halls
* The "smooth slow-mo 240 fps" is NOT HD 1080i60 quality. Might be OK at 720, but I found it disappointingly blurry. I'd love to see it have the same capability as the Casio EX-FX1 (not holding breath)
* Not enough buttons - too much reliance on the touch screen. I prefer buttons to scrolling through menus. Sony could fix this by providing more than 6 "my menu" choices.
* Auto focus works good most of the time, but when it gets confused it is horrible. Combine that with no quick focus wheel and it is a recipe for loosing shots
* Picture mode is not available in 24 Mbps HD mode.
* The electronic stabilization does not work. I've grown used to optical stabilization in my DSC-H50 and there is no going back.
* Short of using something like the Black Rapid Straps Fasten-R2 screwed into the tripod shoe, there is no way to attach a neck strap. I almost dropped it several times.
* The plastic housing is sensitive to noise - any little touch while recording will show up as sound in the video.
* No windscreen for the mics. Combine that with no external mic capability and you won't be able to hear anything in windy conditions.
* No remote
* No "night shot" infrared
* Low light performance is what you would expect from a small lens size. All the electronics in the world can't fully compensate for glass area.
Summary: if you want a fairly cheap, tiny camera for shooting GREAT quality vids of vacations, the kids and the pets, this is an excellent choice. Want to do more, and you will need to pay more for a better unit. Just want to help other people avoid my experience of being a bit disappointed and having to trade up.

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Capture stunning 1920 x 1080 Full HD video and 3.0 Megapixel images with the ultra-compact HDR-CX150, which features an "Exmor R" CMOS sensor for superior low-light performance, 16GB of embedded flash memory, and a Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar T* 25x optical zoom lens to help bring you closer to the action.

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Kodak Zi6 Pocket HD Camcorder (Pink) Review

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(More customer reviews)Kodak Zi6 Pocket HD Camcorder (Pink)
I really did not expect the high quality for inside usage this cute little pink camcorder is getting. The competion rated it so poorly they half way spooked me. But the color, price and the fact that I could install an additional memory card was a no brainer. It is a perfect little camcorder (with still pix capabilities) to carry with you always. It fits into a pocket or the smallest purse. A great gift for the high school graduate in June.

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Become an instant celebrity or paparazzo with the Kodak Zi6 Pocket Video Camera. Just hit record to capture the action, adventure and all the juicy details in stunning HD quality video. Make your cinematic debut on any HDTV. Or just pop the USB in the nearest PC and you are ready to share the fun on YouTube. Edit, add music and personalize your flick and easily share with your adoring fans. There is no such thing as "you should've been there" with the Zi6 pocket video camera. Catch life as it happens.

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Samsung HMX-H100 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with10x Optical Zoom Review

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(More customer reviews)I actually bought this camera from another store that had a huge sale and saved a ton of money even with a 2 year warranty. I'm actually a college student majoring in visual communications. This camera easily transfers data from the camcorder or just using the SDHC cards directly inserted to any PC. The editing software is basic and not thrilling by any means. If your an average individual looking to slice and dice footage this camcorder is perfect for you. The files are saved as compressed .MP4s. If your looking for another level of editing such as myself using Premiere Pro or Final Cut, you must convert the files. Easiest way to achieve this is taking the .MP4s and upload them into Quick Time Pro 7 (can be downloaded for Macs or PCs). From Quick Time you have to save the files as .MOVs. If you do not do this loading the files in an editing program you will only be able to get the audio. As well Quick Time is 30 bucks and no need for expensive converting programs out there. As far as the audio is concerned it is excellent as the picture is. Wind can give you some trouble even with the wind screen, but what condensed internal mic doesn't? Comes with a nice touch screen and limited push buttons. Menu use is very easy and self explanatory. Fast hand movements do get a bit choppy if your recording in HD from the refresh rate. 8GB SDHC cards will give you approximately 61 minutes of record time on the highest settings. Charge time is very fast and on a full charge you will get about 75 minutes of straight recording time. You can also get some great Transcend SDHC cards for very cheap as well there is a very nice package deal for extra batteries and clothes. Like in the other reviews the only difference between this camcorder and the others in the HMX product line is the size of internal memory. So it's up to you if its worth getting a higher series that only carries more internal memory. That is about all I can think of discussing this camcorder. This is a great consumer camcorder and totally worth the 500+ you will be dishing out.

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Baby's first steps? Daughter's graduation? Important life events deserve to be filmed and watched in beautiful high definition. The HMX-HM100 boasts 1920x1080 resolution which means youâ?TMll see every amazing detail in brilliant color. It also comes with 10x optical zoom so you can get close to the action and optical image stabilizer for blur-free video.

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Sony HDR-CX110 High Definition Handycam Camcorder (Blue) Review

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(More customer reviews)I was looking to replace my JVC Everio, that had a 60GB hard drive in it. I loved the convenience of the hard drive, since that replaced an older unit I had that used the small tape cartridges. But the prices for the HD capable units are more than I was willing to pay for a camcorder, so looked at the units that just used memory sticks.
I have the Sony DSC-TX1 digital camera and was blown away by its optical quality, and it even took 720p movies which were just insanely clearer than my 1 year old JVC camcorder. That was when I realized I needed to lose the JVC. Almost all the movies I do are of my son, now 6 years old, so the better the quality the happier I would be. Too many artifacts with the low definition JVC, panning was just ugly ugly ugly, and while it had a great response in low light, the picture quality was just not what I wanted considering how good everything else with my TV and still camera.
I was initially going to get the 100 version of this, since it was so insanely cheap for a 1080 capable camcorder, but the bad low light capability put me off, since most of what I record is in my house. And the very low numbers for optical zoom also concerned me. But amazon conveniently puts little links under the initial product listing if there's a new version, so I saw the 110 and the price was good. I did some digging on Sony's site, somewhat confused that the cheap little 100 had 16GB built in but the higher end had none, but when I saw the rest of the specs in comparison, I felt it was a very good unit to give a test run with. My local brick and mortars didn't have it in stock, so I ordered it from Amazon and got the Saturday delivery early on Saturday, plenty of time to charge it up and try it out.
I left all settings at default except for the quality setting. That was easy to find, and the touchscreen on this unit makes it very easy to operate. As with my sony still camera, it has a "user" screen too where you can pin the six most used functions to save you from having to navigate into submenus. I love this feature, as it made my touchscreen still camera so simple and quick to use.
So I did four test movies, all of the same thing (my 6 year old playing with a huge Geotrax set), at all four of the options for 1080p resolution. The camera is smaller than I had expected, very light and fits well in the hand. The only real buttons to deal with in normal operation are the zoom and the start/stop recording, which are placed well despite the small size of the unit. If you want to grab a still as well, which you can do while recording, that button is on top right behind the zoom, so it's easy to get at. So use is great, no problems.
As I said, touch screen menu is great, so changing settings as I went was a piece of cake.
Started with the highest 24Mbps, then the next down (I think it was 17Mbps), then the "default" one they start you out at, 9Mbps, then the lowest. When I was done, I pulled the card out (nice, quick access on the bottom with a great, sturdy, hinged door). Went into my macbook pro just fine, and i started playback.
I have a 13" macbook pro, the aluminum unibody, that I got about four months ago. So new core2 duo processor, nvidia 9400 graphics... And it could not play the highest or second highest quality movies raw... Which told me that they were going to be great on my windows 7 media center. The third and fourth files played, but since the laptop is not a 1080 screen, it didn't look that good. So I went ahead and pulled the memory card out of the laptop, put it in my Dell Zino that runs my beautiful 46" Samsung HDTV, and played them all.
One thing I hadn't realized is that when it creates the files, it creates them in a native bluray playback format, the folder structure and all. So that should make it easy for people who will want to burn to Bluray.
Anyway, on the media center, i played the highest quality one first. And my jaw dropped, and I nearly had to go buy some adult diapers. WOW. That was all I could say or think. WOW. It was just outstanding, WAY better than I had expected. And it's not like I'm so unfamiliar with HD that even bad HD was impressive to me - my first HDTV was purchased back in 1999, a huge 60" Mitsubishi diamond line TV. So I've been using HD for over 10 years now. And this just knocked my socks off.
I had nearly no artifacting or blurring or anything with the movement of the camera as I've come to expect from camcorders. Even the blurring was minimal. And the shots of things were just crystal clear. I had a 1080p version of the movie BOLT running on the TV as he played with his geotrax, so I zoomed in so that filled the viewfinder, and recorded some of the movie. During playback at that scene, I couldn't even tell it wasn't the original playing back, that it was a recording of the TV from earlier, it was that clear.
I was indoors, in Wisconsin on a winter day with snow falling, so there was no direct sunlight, just all clouds. Only one window's curtains open, and no lights turned on inside. And the clarity and lighting was excellent. Every bit I could hope for.
So I tried the next down quality, and it blew me away. As did the third and then the lowest quality. All looked stunning. When I got down to the lowest, I could see some difference between it and the highest, but for what I was, and will be, shooting (my son), I think I'll end up using the default third lowest setting because it was still jaw droppingly good on my HDTV.
I got the 16GB card since the 32GB card was still in the three digit price range, and i have a habit of transferring the files to my computer as soon as I'm done shooting anyway. And at the third quality setting, the default 9Mbps one, a 25 minute clip used just 1.9GB, so I should get about 3 1/2 hours on this card at this rate, so I'll not have to worry about running out of media for my normal use.
The display is crisp and clear, widescreen format, and not cluttered when recording. Response to touch was very good, only once when selecting something from a bottom of a menu did I have to touch it twice, since the first didn't register. Didn't take any pressure to get it to see my pressing.
The still picture while shooting video worked easily enough, but they're not great quality, so it won't replace your digital camera if you have a good one. But it may give you a decent still shot of something you would have missed otherwise...
All in all, this is waaaayyyyy better than I had expected, and more than I had even hoped for. 100% satisfied with the unit.
I can't attest to battery usage yet, since I have only had it for five hours, and only ran about 40 or 45 minutes of recording through it so far. In a few days I'll pop back in here and edit this with the results I've seen with regards to the battery life, since this is evidently the first review of this model.

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Capture stunning 1920 x 1080 Full HD video and 3.0 Megapixel images with the ultra-compact HDR-CX110, which features an "Exmor R" CMOS sensor for superior low-light performance and a Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar T* 25x optical zoom lens to help bring you closer to the action.

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Creative Labs Vado HD 8 GB Pocket Video Camcorder, 2nd Generation (Black Gloss with Maroon Accents) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is Creative's latest entry in the pocketable portable solid state video camera market. This is a hot segment of the market right now, with hot selling competitive models from Flip (who broke open the segment), Kodak and Creative, among others. This is Creative's higher end product, with more memory (8GB) and capable of taking "HD" high(er) resolution video.
In truth these pocketable video cameras are competing not only with each other, but also with other multi-purpose devices that can also take video, particularly digital cameras and portable phones.
Before proceeding, it's worth stating one absolute about all of these ultra portable video cameras: The selling point is portability. They are very small and light, and therefore you can slip one in your purse or jacket pocket and forget it's even there. That makes these video cameras great for impulse pictures.
If the portability is not a big selling point for you, then stop reading right now and get yourself a standard video camera. Even the lowest end standard video camera is capable of MUCH better video than any of these ultra portables. (And the higher end HD standard video cameras simply wipe the floor in terms of quality and extensibility).
Alrighty, you're still reading. So you the portability must be a selling point. So now the competition becomes a ultra slim digital camera that can also take pictures. There are dozens of such cameras now on the market. For the review that follows, I'll take as comparison the video that can be taken on a Sony DSC-W220, a ~$160 digital camera that sits in the middle of Sony's line and features 4x optical zoom, 640x480 30fps video, and image stabilization.
This particular video camera is being marketed as a "new version" of the Creative Vado video line. Let's make it clear what that means, because it means very little. This VADO differs from the previous " version" in only two ways, one insignificant, the other possibly important to you. The first version of the second generation Vado came in only one color (black) and did not come with Macintosh compatible software. This "version" comes in two new color schemes (White/Green, Black/Maroon, in addition to all black) and now comes bundled with Macintosh compatible software.
That's it. End of differences. If you already have the previous second generation Vado and if you were wondering whether it's worth upgrading...it's not.
So what are the good, bad and ugly?
The good: Very small, easily pocketable, very light. Comes with a rechargeable battery that can easily be replaced by the user, and which can easily power the camera long enough to fill up the memory (2 hours in HD mode). Very simple and minimalistic controls mean a very modest learning curve. Charges via any standard USB cable. Image stabilization built in (works OK). HDMI connection (easy attachment and viewing through modern TVs). Ample 8Gb memory included. Ability to switch between HD (2 hours) and VGA video (8 hours). Built in speaker for reviewing videos (low quality, but better than nothing). Good video possible in good light.The bad: Low light performance is subpar. No optical zoom (only 2x digital zoom). Built in microphone is extremely weak and not well suited to picking up unamplified sounds at a distance. The USB connector is at the bottom of the video recorder, and includes a pull tab that extends outside the bottom of the case and that makes it very difficult to place the camera on a surface and not have it result in tilted video. (I can't believe they didn't fix this in this new "version"). No way to add additional memory.
The ugly: The included software. The software is installed and accessed when you attach the camera via the USB plug to your PC. This brings up a Vado control center that allows you, in principal, to view and edit the videos on your camera. On two Windows computers, one running XP Pro, one running XP Media Center, I have NEVER been able to successfully edit a video using the included software. Any attempt to edit the video eventually results in the program crashing. Freezes and crashes also occur sometimes when just viewing the video through this utility. Fortunately, you can copy the videos from the camera (the camera looks like a standard USB storage device to your PC) and edit/view them with stable software from other manufacturers (Adobe Premier Elements, etc.) But the fact that the software is so buggy, even after multiple updates, reflects very poorly on Creative.
So there are pluses and minuses. But how does it compare to the Sony digital camera, which is only slightly bigger?
In a nutshell, for video quality alone, the Vado loses handily: The Sony camera takes comparably good video in good light, and SUBSTANTIALLY better video in low light. The Sony has a MUCH better built in microphone. The Sony uses user-supplied flash memory which can be expanded. The Sony has a 4x optical zoom, compared to the 2x digital zoom on the Vado. (Though on the Sony the zoom cannot be modified once video capture is started).
The two places where the Vado clearly beats the Sony are video compression (the Vado can store a lot more in the same amount of storage) and (somewhat) better resolution. One more arguable advantage of the Vado is that the controls are much simpler (and more limited). If you are technologically impaired, or if the camera is going to be used by those who won't have time to become familiar with it (kids, friends at parties, whatever), then the simpler control scheme on the Vado is a definite plus.
Obviously, there are MANY MANY other digital cameras available that also take video. I chose the Sony DSC-W220 for comparison 1) because I have one on hand; 2) because it is almost the same size; and 3) because it is competitively priced to this Vado.
As someone with no technological phobias, I would have to say that the Sony would be my go-to choice in many circumstances. I think the only reason I'd opt for the Vado would be if I needed two hours of video (8 hours in VGA mode, but I can't imagine using that mode), and a battery that would support extended recording (the Sony battery is inferior). It should be added that that's not necessarily a trivial difference. The peace of mind that comes from not having to worry your camera is going to go dark or run out of space while you're recording a special even shouldn't be underestimated.
In the end, this is a decent product, really good in some circumstances (good light, audio not critical, long recording times essential), and bettered by a good comparably priced digital camera in others.
Whether it's worth adding to your own arsenal of digital toys will be a personal choice.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Creative Labs Vado HD 8 GB Pocket Video Camcorder, 2nd Generation (Black Gloss with Maroon Accents)

Catch the perfect snowboarding stunt, your baby's first steps or your kid's graduation, share it online and save it for a lifetime with Creative's Vado HD Pocket Video Cam. The thin, lightweight Vado HD is small enough to fit easily in a pocket, purse or the palm of your hand, and it captures video in 720P high-definition quality with just the touch of a button. Sharing videos online is simple with built-in software that helps you post videos to YouTube, Photobucket or Box.net. The Vado HD is the only pocket video cam to feature true HDMI connectivity and an included HDMI cable for a superior viewing experience on an HDTV. Take the Vado HD Pocket Video Cam with you everywhere you go and never miss a moment. Product specs include 720p high-definition video, wide-angle glass lens, 2x digital zoom, 8GB of video storage capacity, up to two hours of recording and playback per charge, up to eight hours of recording time at 640x480 at 30 frames per second, HDMI and RCA connections for TV, HDMI cable included, A/V cable sold separately, removable and rechargeable lithium battery, Vado Central software for simple video editing and sharing. System requirements include Windows Xp Service Pack 2 or Vista, Intel Pentium III or higher, 512MB of memory, USB port, 500MB free hard disk space, and 16MB of Video Memory or above. Product ships with silicon skin, HDMI cable, and USB cable.

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