Product Description

The IS-DV Digital Camera/Camcorder from Aiptek pays close attention to detail, and let's you do the same with a maximum resolution of 5 Mega-Pixels and a swivel-reversible 1.8" color LCD screen. The image stabilizer and red-eye reduction make it ideal for the first-time videographer. Record videos at 30 frames per second in MPEG-4 Super VHS quality (640x480 VGA resolution) with sound. On top of all this, it's an MP3 player; voice recorder; and web cam. This product comes with 16mb of internal memory, and has a built-in SD card slot that can hold up to 1GB (Card not included). It ships with a built-in lithium battery and charger, usb cable, av output cable, camera bag, and ear bud headphones. Also includes Camera Manager, CyberLink Power Director Pro, ULead Photo Express SE, and ULead Photo Explorer software. Requires Microsoft Windows 98SE/ME/2000 /XP;Direct X8.0 or above, 128MB of Ram, 64MB Video Card, 4x Cd-Rom.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #14971 in Camera & Photo
• Color: Silver
• Brand: Aiptek
• Model: IS-DV
• Dimensions: 3.00" h x 7.00" w x 10.00" l, 2.80 pounds
• Display size: 1.8

Features

• All-in-one unit that includes a digital still camera, digital camcorder, PC camera, voice recorder, removable hard disk, and compact flash card reader
• Swivel-reversible 1.8-inch LTPS color LCD display that combines striking realism and an intuitive interface, with better outdoor viewing.
• Sensor has an effective resolution of 2,048 x 1,536 pixels at the 3-megapixel level, with a max video resolution of 640 x 480 pixels
• Runs on a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery that recharges via the included battery charger, or via the USB connection when plugged in to your PC
• Measures 1.8 x 2.4 x 4.0 inches (W x H x D), and has a built-in CF card slot that allows a maximum of up to 512 MB of external memory

Amazon.com Product Description
The new Aiptek IS-DV 5-megapixel digital camcorder is a multi-functional DV camera that pays close attention to detail and let's you do the same. The Pocket DV5100M features a 6-in-1 solution including video recording with MPEG-4 technology to give you VHS quality videos, and 5-megapixel resolution for still photos that gives you everything you need in one easy-to-use camera, and even functions as an MP3 player.

The Aiptek IS-DV has a handy 6-in-1 multi-function design that includes a digital still camera, digital camcorder, PC camera, voice recorder, a removable hard disk and compact flash card reader, and an MP3 player all in one. This unit is equipped with a three Megapixel CMOS sensor, with still image resolution that is enhanced up to a maximum of five megapixels to deliver high-quality still photographs, and a macro lens that enables high-quality close-ups in prints up to 10 inches. The IS-DV utilizes high-compression MPEG-4 for recording movies--the ideal way to store video clips in a highly compact format--so you can not only shoot more pictures, but you can easily share them over the Internet or by e-mail, or view them on a PC or television. And as an added features, this camera includes advanced Digital Video Stabilization that compensates for slight movements while recording video. This pocket digital camcorder features a swivel-reversible 1.8-inch LTPS color LCD display that combines striking realism and an intuitive interface, with better outdoor viewing than standard TFT screens, for the best image every time, so you can review and play back video clips and pictures in real time. The IS-DV also features MP3 compatibility that lets you easily upload your favorite MP3 files and playback the music directly from the built-in speaker, or enjoy stereo quality music via the headset. This unit also features a 4-times real-time digital zoom, the ability to connect directly to your TV or VCR to play back video clips on the big screen, and a built-in flash strobe that allows you to take snapshots in darker environments and includes red-eye reduction.

The Aiptek IS-DV's sensor has an effective resolution of 2,048 x 1,536 pixels at the three Megapixel level, with a max video resolution of 640 x 480 pixels VGA at up to 30 frames-per-second. This unit includes 16MB of internal flash memory, 13MB of which is available for storage, and allows you to store any type of data on the camera or external memory card and take it with you like a removable hard disk and compact flash reader. The IS-DV supports the NTSCTV system, allows up to one hour of voice annotation using internal memory, and has a 10-second self timer function. This unit stores still images in the JPEG format for easy transfer, has an auto exposure and auto white balance, and can connect to PC via USB 2.0. The IS-DV requires; Microsoft Windows 2000 or higher, a P4 processor or better, Direct X 8.0 or above, at least 256MB of RAM, a video card with at least 64MB of RAM, a 4x speed CD-ROM drive, and an available USB port for use with a PC. Aiptek's pocket digital camcorder auto powers off if idle over 60 seconds, and runs on a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery that recharges via the included battery charger, or via the USB connection when plugged in to your PC. This unit measures 1.8 x 2.4 x 4.0 inches (W x H x D), and has a built-in CF card slot that allows a maximum of up to 512MB of external memory.

What's in the Box
The IS-DV camera, rechargeable Lithium-ion battery, battery charger, wrist strap, camera bag, USB cable, AV output cable, headset (ear buds), user's guide, and includes the following software; Camera Manager, CyberLink PowerDirector Pro, ULead Photo Express SE, and ULead Photo Explorer.

Customer Reviews

High quality solid state portable video recorder!
I took this camera along on a week long trip to Florida. I never lost a charge and made over 1.5 Gbs of content with this camera. The video camera is not an SLR. Please do not expect professional quality images from this camera. However if you want to shot video, this is the camera for you. Buy a 1Gb memory card and start shooting your favorite family moments. I suggest using the 640x480 mode so that your video is DVD quality.

Zoom... the video zoom was great. I shot some offroad video of my Jeep and was able to easily zoom in over 100 ft away on the Jeep while shoting.

I never installed the camera software on my Windows XP based PC. Instead I used a secure digital memory card reader and pulled the files of the card.

For $145 this video camera has replaced my Mustek DV4500. I threw this camera around, ran it's battery down and let it sit in a black Jeep in the sun for two days. After I did all this the camera was still running. The controls on the camera are not complicated like other video cameras in this genre either. All this being said, one could make the case that a cheap camera like this could easily be used by the younger generation, easily.

Pros:
1) 640x480 video recording was seamless with excellent audio streaming.
2) Long battery life (held a charge for 1.5gbs worth of pictures and video recording)
3) Video stabilization really does make video smoother.
4) Can take 1gb memory cards
5) If you can wait 1/4 of a second, the 5mp photos come out well for a camera with no real lens.
6) Best image quality of any solid state video camera in this genre.

Cons:
1) Poor flash photography
2) Images: Shutter lag is over 1/4 of a second.
3) Battery charging requires removal of battery.

UPDATE 9/7/2006:
I am still using the camera. I keep it in my Jeep during the hot Louisiana days, no problems. I really like the quick boot time of the camera; 5 seconds or less. I can instantly shot video or take a picture with the press of a button.

For the Price--Adequate
I'd been meaning to get a camcorder for awhile now. I found about this little thing by chance. I bought it, since it was only a little over $100 from the purchasing store after tax. In still picture mode, the camera is very good. The resolution is high, and even in the darkest of rooms the flashing element brightens up the room while the picture is being snapped so that the picture does not look dark at all. However, in video mode, be warned that in low lighting conditions the camcorder is absolutely useless. No amount of tinkering with the settings creates viewable low-light video. Also, in the low-resolution video recording mode, the picture quality is near horrible. In high-resolution the picture quality is much better and acceptable, but of course it takes more storage. Natively, you can store about 45 seconds of acceptable video and 3 minutes of poor quality video. I have a 256 MB card on hand, which only gives me 15 minutes of decent video. SD cards are pricey; a 1 GB card (which only affords you an hour of video time!) can be anywhere from $75 to $100 (with the latter being more common). The battery is acceptable for such a cheap camera, but a serious user might need an extra one, as it does not last much longer than a half hour. A friend of mine bought this as a gift for his 12 year old. As a child's gift it's just fine. It'll probably get broken anyway. And for a tiny, take-anywhere still camera (in light or dark situations) it's good for adults, for you can store hundreds of still images on even the sparsest of SD cards. However, someone serious about capturing priceless moments on a digital camcorder might want something that offers better lighting conditions AND better storage options, such as DV. You won't get it in this price range, though, so for the price, this is actually a decent little piece of equipment. As a bonus, it shows up (via USB connection to a computer) in Windows as an extra drive, not as a peripheral, although that can be changed in the settings menu. Because it shows up as a storage medium, it is VERY easy to view stills and video clips and save them to the computer to be edited later. If you don't need to film in the dark, and you only want clips of video a few minutes long--not film a wedding or graduation or anything--and a camera to capture still images--by all means buy this. Or if you want something inexpensive for your child, buy this. It's acceptable, although not outstanding. I will be using it as a digital still camera only, and I'm looking to replace its camcorder features with something more realistic.

Great Camera...
Awsome Camera and Camcorder! There were tons of amazing qualities that it possesed mainly the following...
*Great price (I've been begging for a camcorder for a really long time, but they were all too expensive, this was an awsome deal!)
*SOOO many features, camera, camcorder, mp3 player (although I barely use mine)and a voice recorder (although once again I barley use mine)
*Lasts a LONG time... I've had mine for a year now and made countless movies/ taken countless pictures. It still works GREAT! Although it has a few scratches, it is still super durable and amazing.

I wish I could have given it a four and a half stars... this camera is awsome, but some things could have been better...
*Some of the pictures are a little blurry, so obviously the picture quality could have been better.
*If you are filming in the dark, forget about it. The camera does not work so well in the dim light (taking pictures is okay, it does have flash, but there is no way to make it lighter when filming)
*When filming, the zoom quality could be much better. Once, I tried to film a play with it, and we were kind of far back, and it turned out quite blurry.
Although this camera does have it's faults (DO NOT buy if you a looking for a super high quality camera), it is a great camera, especially for a first time camera. All in all, the camera works great for me and my needs, but don't buy it if you have to produce great pictures/films.