On
Black Friday I picked up a
Memorex 7-in-1 HD Camcorder from RadioShack for $80, which is
crazy cheap for an HD cam. The specs sounded great so I figured it would be worth a try (there was NO information about it on the interwebs). Overall, it is a decent camera worth the price, but I wasn't satisfied with the indoor low-light quality or the audio. I think the "7-in-1" things are camcorder, camera, voice recorder, mp3 player, web cam, SD card reader, and... flashlight? The web cam is functional, but it doesnt use the camera's microphone and you have to use the bundled software (Windows only).
I have shared the included
manual here
I was about to post a review, but then my parents got me an early Christmas gift... the
Flip Mino HD . The Flip is supposedly the leader in pocket-sized camcorders and performs well in low-light situations. So I scrapped my Memorex review and put together this comparison piece. I filmed each scene holding both cameras so you can compare each back-to-back. Check the full videos out in my
YouTube playlist and compare these stills in my
Picassa album :
As you can see, the Memorex's colors look washed out and there is a lot of grain and banding indoors. You can tweak some settings on the Memorex (like lowering the sharpness) which helps a little, but overall the Flip beats it on image quality and ease of use. The Memorex does excel in a few areas though.
|
Memorex MCC288 |
Flip Mino HD |
|
Pros |
large adjustable screen
wider viewing angle
macro lens
comfortable form factor
mini-HDMI out (cable not included)
replaceable battery and SD card
1hr 20min per 2GB
~$100 |
super small and light
4GB built-in
decent in low-light
easy menus, buttons
starts up quick and silent
mac & windows
flip-out USB plug |
|
Cons |
Bad low-light video
Weak microphone
Chimes when you turn it on
Complex menus and buttons
Windows only
Software can't save edits in HD
|
tiny, fixed screen
lens not very wide
awkward to hold & stand
accidentally press buttons
no HD video-out
no settings or macro mode
very basic editing software
1hr per 4GB
~$200 |
|
Video Specs
(via GSpot) |
1280x720 30fps H264/MPEG-4 AVC 4152kbps
|
1280x720 30fps H.264/MPEG-4 AVC 10388kbps |
|
Audio |
ADPCM 11025Hz 44kbps
|
MPEG-4 AAC LC 44100Hz 64kbps mono |
If you are only going to be taking videos outside (and you use Windows), the Memorex cam is great and will suit you just fine. Most people will be filming inside though, so I recommend the Flip or the comparable Kodak Zi6 . Watch my videos and judge for yourself. Speaking of watching videos, in a future blog post I will compare all the various HD video sharing sites since it takes a lot of time to try out each one and they all have their own quirks.
These cameras are great and are my (and millions of other's) first venture into the world of HD video, though they can be frustrating at times though due to their limitations. You gotta keep in mind that these cameras are meant to travel with you at all times to catch those quick unexpected moments. If you try to make it more than that, you will always be wishing you had a "big boy" camera instead.
2008-12-30 05:30:05 perma-link
2008-12-31 03:41:32 perma-link
2009-01-04 23:35:08 perma-link
Thanks for taking the time to create and post this and the YouTube playlist. They have been very helpful for those of us still undecided on which HD hybrid to buy.
2009-12-28 20:39:33 perma-link
I wanted to THANK YOU VERY MUCH for posting the MCC228 User Guide. I gave my wife the camcorder for Christmas and was unable to download the UG from the Memorex CD.
The search for the User Guide on the Memoreex web site was frustrating to say the least. Anyway, I discovered your blog and finally downloaded the MCC228 User Guide through your link.
THANKs again, Happy Holiday Season and TAKE CARE,
Ralph