a href="http://www.amazon.com/review/R3CI18SY6W1K76"Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3CI18SY6W1K76/a Updated Dec 2008: For everyday casual video use, I still like and use this very good Aiptek DV 5100M camcorder, and it is still available from the Aiptek website. (But for higher video quality requirements, I will then switch to and use my JVC GZ-MG255, which has F 1.2 lens which gives it great Superior Low Light Performance.)
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br /Here is a 27 second raw video, not edited, video clip from my Aiptek DV-5100M, and from its 2GB Compact Flash memory card, of a dark dance room. This camcorder has good Low Light Performance.
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br /Pros:
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br /+ Videos are 640 x 480 pixels, 10 frames per second, with F 3.0 lens. Good for recording videos in compact size.
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br /+ Video and Audio tracks are exactly synchronized (i.e., audio talking matches video of talking).
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br /+ Audio microphone sensitivity is very quiet, and does not have a hum or hiss noise like some other small camcorders.
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br /+ Maximum memory is 2 GB Compact Flash, and it works good, and at highest video setting (640 x 480, 10 frames per second) recorded video of length: 3 hours, 46 minutes. (I use faster speeds SanDisk Ultra II, and Kingston Elite Pro 2 GB CompactFlash.)
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br /+ Good video recordings in compressed format of MPEG-4 ASF. (ASF uses 1/3 the file space of AVI formats of my former Aiptek DV-2, Aiptek DV 3100.)
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br /+ For long recordings, can turn off LCD screen by closing LCD lid, and camcorder will continue recording (and save battery).
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br /+ Also, takes good still pictures in daylight. Has 10-second self timer for still pictures.
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br /+ Also, can be used as a "audio recorder" to record voices and sound.
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br / + The Aiptek DV 5100M is the best Aiptek model I like. I formerly used earlier Aiptek DV-2, Aiptek DV3100, Aiptek Fidelity 3100. I tried, and found unsatisfactory, and returned the Aiptek DV 5100F ("F" had flash), and Aiptek IS-DV2. (A minor downside, I had to modify my 5 foot tripod with a longer soft nylon screw to fit into the DV 5100M extra deep plastic tripod socket.)
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I ordered this camcorder and gave it a test drive for a couple of days. I sent it back to Amazon because the sound was awful. It picked up a narration from the camera operator, but anything from a dog's bark to a conversation five feet away...forget it. Saying the sound was muffled isn't strong enough. The other reason I returned it is because it was obviously previously owned. The box had been opened, the batteries had been inserted, and, the biggest clue, it had someone else's Christmas movie on the internal memory. So if you order this (don't) and yours comes with an out-of-focus silent Christmas tree and a long shot of someone's bathroom, that's the one I sent back.

It's OK if you own a PC computer running Microsoft software. It should have been plainly stated in the description that the video file won't download and run on a MacIntosh.

I got this for my 13 yo daughter, who really wanted a video camera to play around with. The Aiptek seemed to be perfect; simple to use and not too expensive. Well it's not particularily easy to use: The picture was very difficult to get into focus (manual focus that doesn't seem to make much difference). It is faily inexpensive, but you will want to expand the memory (Compact Flash) which now is fairly cheap, but you will need several at 64mb. Sound is barely audible. If your budget is tight and this is all you can afford; wait a year until better products fall into this price range. You will be much happier and won't have to dispose of this unit. Our solution was to buy a well rated low end dvd unit for around $400. This is for the family, but she can use it. She's happy with the "awsome unit", and I was able to upgrade from my 8mm unit, so it's a win-win. (With her using it, her being a teenager and all, I got an extended, free replacement type warrantee, however.)

Bought this for my son to replace his broken JVC camcorder. It was one fifth the price of the old one he had and he loves the features, compactness and ease of use much better than his old one.

I purchased this camera for my 15 year old son. He's really enjoying it. Make sure you purchase a CF
br /memory card for the extra storage. The good news is they work well and if the loses it were not out a
br /bunch of money and if it breaks we purchased the warranty.

I bought mine in the summer of 2005. With a 2 GB CF card, I can take a 3 to 3 1/2 hour video. The still pictures come out as clearly as digital cameras costing 4 times the cost of this unit, and this camcorder is smaller than most digital cameras. Of course the video quality is not as good as a larger, much more highly priced camcorder, but the videos come out well. It comes with accessories, which, for this price I'd not have expected, i.e., the carrying case and tripod. I don't know if they changed tripods, because someone posted about the long plastic screw: my tripod has a very short metal screw. All in all, considering price, ease of use, and quality, I have to give this 5 stars.