Aiptek Hd 720p

Product Review: Aiptek Action A-HD+ 1080p HD Flash Camcorder

Aiptek has taken advantage of their fame in the cheap high definition camcorder market by pumping out a few new models. One such new model is the A-HD+, which is an upgrade on their popular A-HD camcorder.

The A-HD+ is very similar to the A-HD, featuring the same body design, and only different coloring. It adds 1080p high definition recording over the previous model, which had a max recording resolution of 720p, which is half HD.

With an average new price of about $145, this is definitely a budget camcorder, and it opens the market for higher quality videos shot by people of all ages - with cameras like this entering the market, it will become easier for YouTube users to record higher quality video.

If you are in the market for a high-quality camcorder, but you need one for a very small price, then this is definitely a good option to consider. Read on to find out if this camera is worth the money, as well as any issues you should be aware about before dishing out the money.

Body

The body of this camera is the same as that of the A-HD, so if you're familiar with it, you will already know what the A-HD+ is like. If not, you can usually find a model to play with at Circuit City, which is Aiptek's retail partner for the camera.

The camera is made entirely of plastic and is silver in color. It is surprisingly easy to hold, much easier than their Sports model. It is light and can be slipped into a pocket or purse and taken anywhere without burden.

The camcorder has a swivel-out LCD, which is bright, but not the best in definition. You can clearly see your videos, however, so it does what it's supposed to do.

The ports for the USB, component, and composite cables are located in the back of the camera, under a rubber plug that keeps dust out.

The control button are located at the top, and can be easily controlled using a thumb while shooting. The record button is on the front of the camera, where it can be pressed with the index finger.

Features

This camera features 1080p high definition recording at 1440 x 1080, which gives a 16:9 aspect ratio. The 1080p setting can be recorded at 30 frames per second.

The other video options include 720p at 60 frames per second, 720p at 30 frames per second, D1 (720 x 480) DVD resolution, and CIF resolution, which is YouTube ready.

This camera also allows you to take snapshots at three megapixel, five megapixel, and eight megapixel resolutions. The eight megapixel option is just an electronic zoom, however, and it reduces the quality, so avoid it.

This camcorder can record video from different sources, such as a TV, DVD player, VCR, and other places with RCA plugs. It can also play them back onto a TV if the video is converted with the included software.

Video can be recorded using either component or composite cables, and a single movie can usually fit on a 2GB SD card.

Cons

This camcorder, while with corrected sound, doesn't have the strongest microphone - audio sounds tinny from a distance of about 6ft, and is too quiet from a farther distance.

Another problem is the lack of image stabilization, which can make videos very shaky if you don't have steady hands, or if you're moving about.

Conclusion

The picture is surprisingly good from the camcorder - it is bright and sharp and you can see it clearly. This can be slipped into any pocket, and taken anywhere. It can take snapshots like a digital camera, and it uses cheap SD cards for storage.

As long as you aren't expecting an amazing camcorder with a million flashy features, you should get great joy out of this camcorder. a