Camcorders
Apple iPod nano fifth-gen video hands-on 
There's nothing like an Apple iPod launch event to get the gadgeterati salivating, and the launch of the latest iPod nano was no exception, as we see in this video.
It may not look all that different to the previous version, but don't be fooled: the fifth-generation nano has a few surprises under the skin, not least of which is a video camera. Hit play to see our video from the launch event and find out what else is new with this iconic little player. Watch video...
Sony Mobile HD Snap Camera: Webbie takes on Flip in the UK
Sony has confirmed the Mobile HD Snap Camera high-definition mini-camcorder -- known in the States as the Webbie -- is heading for Blighty to do battle with the Flip Video family.
The PM1 packs a swivelling lens head that rotates through 270 degrees, for both filming of other people and self-portrait shooting.
Inside there's a 5-megapixel sensor for stills shooting, with five scene-selection modes and and 4x digital zoom. Video is 1080p HD. At the back there's a 46mm (1.8-inch) screen.
We first encountered the PM1 at CES in January, and now we're at another trade show -- Berlin's IFA -- where Sony has confirmed the PM1 will be coming to the UK with a new name. Shame: we rather liked it being called the Webbie. Continue reading...
Kodak Zi8: Mini-camcorder market hots up
Kodak has fired the latest salvo in the increasingly competitive mini-camcorder market as it unleashes the Zi8.
The Zi8 records full 1080p high-definition video at 30 frames per second. Footage is stored on SD or SDHC card up to 32GB, which Kodak reckons will get you up to 10 hours of footage.
Features include electronic image stabilisation and smart face tracking. There's an external microphone jack for recording stereo sound, and you get an HDMI cable in the box. Nice -- camcorders at three times the price don't bundle HDMI cables, and it's a disgrace. An optional remote control is also available to let you record from a distance or control playback on your TV.
The Zi8 is the successor to the Zi6 -- wot, no Zi7? -- which was one of the first of this burgeoning market segment to go HD. Samsung recently entered the fray with the HMX-U10, but the game still belongs to the Flip Mino and Flip Ultra, according to Amazon's bestseller chart. Continue reading...
Zoom Q3 confirmed for the UK: Sound, like
Mini-camcorders such as the Flip Video Mino boast surprisingly decent video quality, but up to now the one thing that's been lacking has been the sound quality. Why, only the other day, we were recording a performance by our favourite band and the audio just wasn't good enough to bootleg enjoy later in the privacy of our own home. The Zoom Q3 looks to change that. It features a pair of built-in high-quality stereo condenser mics, for a whopping audio resolution up to 24-bit/48kHz WAV, or 320Kbps MP3.
Features include a selectable X/Y microphone pattern, which can focus on individual instruments or capture the sound of the whole room. Perfect for picking out the band rather than the chaps at the bar who are planning to get their money's worth by talking the whole blinkin' way through.
The Q3 sports a 61mm (2.4-inch) screen, built-in USB cable, and support for SDHC memory cards up to 32GB. Power is supplied by two AA batteries, offering up to 2 hours of recording. Continue reading...
Samsung SMX-K40 and SMX-K44: When is an HD camcorder not an HD camcorder?
To round out Samsung's day of new cameras, the SMX-K40 and SMX-K44 are here to join the mini UX10 on the camcorder shelves.
Don't be fooled by the sleek looks however: these camcorders whisper all kinds of seductive promises, but like the Spanish waiter who marries you then legs it with his new passport and your favourite nail technician, they're full of lies. Continue reading...
Samsung HMX-U10: 10-meg-snappin' HD-shootin' minicam
Samsung becomes the biggest name to throw its hat into the mini-camcorder ring today with the anouncement of the HMX-U10. It's a candybar-shaped, high-definition camcorder with YouTube upload that takes whopping 10-megapixel stills.
Samsung has form at producing affordable, teeny-tiny camcorders such as the MX20, so we have high hopes for the U10. It offers 'Full HD' 1,920x1,080-pixel recording to a 1/2.3 inch CMOS in an angled 15mm-thick frame. Around the back there's a 51mm (2-inch) screen and dedicated YouTube upload button.
Up until now, the most established name in the mini-camcorder market has been camera maker Kodak, coming out of left-field with the Zx1. Sony has the Webbie in the States, while the Creative Vado HD has at least made it over here. But the mini-camcorder to rule them all remains Flip, with the Flip Video MinoHD and its ilk currently occupying four of the top ten spots in the Amazon bestseller list.
Weighing in at 95g including rechargeable battery, the Samsung HMX-U10 will hit shops in September. Pricing is yet to be confirmed. Continue reading...
Photos: Sony unveils CX520VE and CX505VE HD Handycams 
We're looking for stand-out revolutionary features of Sony's new HD camcorders, but really what we're seeing is an apparently decent-looking replacement for last year's HDR-CX12E flash-based HD cam, which we gave an excellent 8 out of 10.
There are two new models, the CX520VE and the CX505VE, though the only difference is that the former has 64GB of internal memory, the latter 32GB. Other features, such as improved image stabilisation over the previous model, 12x G-series zoom lens and GPS geotagging of clips and photos, rear their heads on both models. Both record at a maximum quality of 1,920x1,080 pixels (1080i, not p) at a 16Mbps bit rate. Continue reading...
Serif MoviePlus X3: Windows video-editing software that doesn't reek of fail
Video editing can be an impenetrable business for the casual user. Both Windows and Mac OS X try to make it easy for normal folk to edit videos, with Windows Movie Maker and iMovie respectively. The former is a painful disaster in every way, although iMovie is a much more useful application, capable of producing some pretty decent results. With Windows feeling left out, then, Serif has decided to step in and introduce MoviePlus X3.
The problem with most video-editing packages is that they are either ludicrously expensive or nearly impossible to use, or, in many cases, both. With X3, however, Serif aims to provide something easy to use and cheap, and we think the company might have pulled it off. X3 is available now, costs £60 and is available to buy on a disc or as a download. Continue reading...
Veho muvi: Go extreme with the world's smallest camcorder
UK manufacturer Veho is flying the flag for tiny camcorders with the muvi, the smallest of its kind. It's a mere 5.5cm tall, as you can see in our delightful 'actual size' picture to the left.
Just like the iPhone 3G S, it shoots video and is voice-controlled. When you're dangling over a crevasse, you're fairly likely to need both hands -- one to hold on, and one to put a neat crease in your slacks -- so, if you spot a penguin tripping up another penguin, you simply shout 'action!' and the hilarity is captured for posterity.
The muvi shoots 640x480-pixel video in AVI format. It also takes 2-megapixel stills, and will work as a webcam. Everything is stored on a microSD card. You get a 2GB card in the box.
When you're done extreme horse jumping off cliffs and you've returned home for a well-deserved shower and a mug of Horlicks -- extreme Horlicks, naturally -- you simply plug the muvi in to your computer via USB, and it charges while you rub Vaseline on your saddle-chafed loins. Continue reading...
Panasonic HDC-HS200: 80GB of goodness
When summer finally drops over Britain, like a blanket made of ice cream and sunburn, there are two types of people: those driven to the debilitating brink of eye-streaming, nose-gushing insanity by hay fever, and everyone else. Either way, you can distract yourself from the misery of the sunny months with a shiny new gadget -- and today's suggestion is the Panasonic HDC-HS200 high-definition camcorder.
Panasonic has proved itself hard to beat in both the camera and camcorder sphere, with the HDC-HS100 setting the bar high for the HS200. Like all Panny models, it's built to last, with excellent build quality and a brick-like feel. Continue reading...
