For the price, it's a great deal. This camera is pretty much the cheapest HD video camera you can buy. Just bear in mind that it's nowhere near as feature rich or as well built as any Sanyo Xacti that costs $200 more. It's made almost entirely of paint coated plastic, although it should survive in your knapsack or purse if you're careful. It's not going to amaze you with a terrific zoom lens or the sharpest 720p HD video you've ever seen, but it's got some nice features. First, it uses the H.264 movie format that is compatible with the iPod Touch, iPhone, iPod 5G, and the 3G iPod Nano (just be sure to use the camera's web format to ensure you have no further conversion to do for those players - only Apple TV will play the DV1 files without conversion; also, iMovie HD will still need to convert the H.264 files to the iMovie HD format). Any Mac with OS X 10.3 or higher recognizes the camera as a USB device instantly. Second, it can record 480p or 720p input from an external device through it's video input mini-port*. It can upsample 480i content to 720p (although that won't improve the original quality of what you're taping), or you can record to DV1 (480p). It comes with two outputs: a regular AV in/out and an HD out (YPP). *The input recording is like DV-R, but without a timer or programming. For television or old VHS that you want on your computer, the quality is as good as most DV-R.

What you need to know:

The video is best in daylight and bright light, otherwise you'll see noise. It tends to overexpose whites, but there's a +/- exposure adjustment setting, and setting it to -1 permanently is a good idea. Othewise, it has okay contrast and saturation. The auto white balance is actually very good, too. But when you record in 720p, there's compression that can be noticeable on a good HD display. The compression is far less noticible in 480p and in CIF (web format), but there's less resolution. Also, the digital zoom creates jaggies from poor anti-aliasing, which are more evident in HD than in 480p. There's also no shake reduction, but there is a standard tripod mount. There is a "Night" setting that does indoors. low-light, but it increases the video noise considerably. The lens is soft, which is where you can tell you've only spent $1xx dollars, but that doesn't effect TV input, which is plenty sharp (so then you know it's a mediocre lens and not the CMOS chip). And, yes, there can be some "wave" distortion when you pan around too fast (it's not visible on the LCD screen, only on large televisions), because the refresh rates for the sensor are a little bit slow. Is the performance so bad it ruins the camera? No. It's about what you'd expect from a sub-$300 camera in 2007. Which is to say, better than a $200 camera 3 years ago.

For me, the battery life of the Li-Ion battery has been about 60mins of video recording with the LCD on, and 75min-90mins of recording with the LCD off. The manual recommends you charge the camera's battery for about 4 to 8 hrs before its first use, which I did. You can get extra replacement batteries from Aiptek, but it's the same model as for a number of other cameras from Pentax and Fuji, so they only cost between $10 and $20. I like that it charges by USB, so that when it's not connected to the computer in drive mode it can charge. It also comes with a tiny AC to USB power adapter for travelling. It takes about 3hrs for a charge.

The 4x zoom is digital, it works in both photo and video mode, and it's not going to let you either zoom in very far or zoom out very far. I'd say it's a 35mm to 60mm equivalent in 35mm camera focal range. The macro mode is only for 20">12", which isn't too close.

The LCD display pivots out and can rotate around to the front of the camera. It's 4:3 aspect ratio, but when you record in HD, the screen is letterboxed. You can also close the LCD and keep recording to save battery life. This is useful when you're recording TV input.

The inputs (USB and AV) are hidden by a pull-out rubber protective strip that deserves to be treated delicately. It's attached to the camera, and rotates out of the way, but if you think you'll be rough with it enough to snap it at its weakest spot, just pull it out permenantly.

The camera operation is really easy. The menu layout is simple-minded and navigated with a 4 direction joystick. The graphics and icons are pleasing well designed. There's a main menu for the 4 modes: Settings, Camera, My Works (your recordings), and Voice Recorder. Each mode activates that aspect of the camera, and then there's a sub menu for that mode, too. In My Works, you select video shots, photos, or voice notes. The photo sub menu allows for even a photo slideshow. Everything can be operated with your thumb and index finger while holding the camera.

The 5MP camera portion is a lot like a cellphone camera (the LED on the front of the unit is just for flash strobe with photos, not video), and although it can upsample to 8MP, it doesn't improve the quality. For sharpness, its 3MP option is the sweet spot. I wouldn't say this is the cameras strongest talent, but it beats any old MiniDV camera that included a 2MP "photo" option.

There's a top mounted microphone for recording sound, but there's no microphone input if you want to do otherwise. The AV input doesn't allow just audio input from an external microphone. If you want to record an audio overdub, you'll have to do it on your computer. However, the "voice recording" mode for recording audio in WAV format works much like a digital tape recorder. And you can plug in headphones so that the internal speaker doesn't emit your playback to those around you.

It doesn't come with an SD card (you get that seperately) but it does have enough RAM for a few photos and seconds of video. I'd guess about 32MB. It doesn't make much sense to use this with an SD card of less than 2GB. It's about 2GB per 1hr of HD recording. However, it accepts SDHC cards up to 32GB (I suppose they'll be available in the future) and USB 2.0 transfers from the camera to your computer are as fast as they should be.

Overall, it was better than I expected for under $150. The camera is a bit fragile and it really deserves to have well-lit subjects, but it's a good companion device for your daily go-bag or purse beause of its size. It would make a good gift for a tween.

Bought one of these for my brother and his wife and after seeing how well it works I think I'll get one for myself. Video plays without noticeable artifacts on a 42" plasma and the images move smoothly. I was amazed to see such solid compression in only 2GB/hr. Uses standard Quicktime files! Hallelujah! Charges with USB and accepts SD memory up to 32GB. Indoor performance is nothing to shout about but certainly useable (no camera this size can really impress in low light). The sound is rather poor, as the other reviews suggest, but I can live with it. The build quality and control layout are not great but explain the low price. The moral of the story here is that you can bring it along most anywhere without a fuss. And when it comes to memorable moments, any shot is better than no shot, right?. I think I'll keep one of these tucked away in a pocket from now on. A steal for this price.

I own an expensive Sony HD camera that takes great video and decent sound. But I hardly ever used it. After taking trips to Hong Kong and Costa Rica wit the Sony, and coming back with almost no footage, because the camera was too bulky and expensive to want to carry around, I decided I needed to look into something better suited for my needs. The Aiptek is something I use all the time. I purchased this camera so I could take quick videos of my son, or anything else I wanted to post to YouTube or Vimeo. I did some research by going to Vimeo and searching for Aiptek A-HD. I found some great clips that showed me exactly what the camera can do in HD.
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br /The Good
br /Picture quality is very good. It doesn't beat my Sony, but it will beat just about any camera you could have purchased for under $2k 5 years ago.
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br /The camera couldn't be much simpler. Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder, 60-Minutes (White) is obviously the easiest camera to use, but the Aiptek is not going to stump anyone.
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br /Fast upload. Unlike the long time my Sony took to bring video in from DV, the Aiptek is super fast at transferring those movies onto my machine.
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br /Good use of space. I have a 4 gig card in mine, and it looks like I can get a little over 2 hours at full 720. Cards are so cheap now that I think I should have just got an 8 gig that should cover 4 hours.
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br /Small and light. I take this camera everywhere. I hardly ever shot video with my Sony, but this thing I use all the time.
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br /All cables included. This was a nice surprise for such a cheap camera, especially in a time of 1 game controller in $400 game system. The box included USB to mini USB, power cord, and even cords to hook up to the TV for normal and HD TV. No HDMI.
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br /The Bad
br /Sound quality. The microphone is not great, and it's set to the rear. It feels like Aiptek set this up so that the person shooting the video could narrate the shot. But the lack of a external mic jack does limit the use of this camera.
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br /No optical zoom. The camera does have a 2X digital zoom, but that's not ideal. The slightly more expensive Aiptek GO-HD High Definition 720p Camcorder with 3x Optical Zoom has 3X optical zoom if yo
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br /Construction. With a low price comes low quality material. When I got my camera in the box, the "camera" button had already fallen off. Not wanting to deal with returning the camera through Amazon, I just superglued the thing back on and it's worked fine since. The camera feels sturdy enough when you hold it, but it does feel a little cheap in the buttons.
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br /No stabilization. Since this is a cheap camera it does not come with any built in stabilization, so your shots can come out a little shaky if you're not steady handed.
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br /As a digital camera the Aiptek works about as well as most inexpensive point and shoot models. The pictures are acceptable, and the built in flash does a good job exposing details.
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br /Like most people will say, this is a great camera for the money. If you're someone who wants to take serious videos and need things like stabilization and external mic jacks, this isn't for you. But if you're someone who would like a good camera to shoot everyday events so you can post them online or save them to disk, this is a camera you should be happy with for a couple of years.
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br /It does fit the need for travel as well. It's small enough to throw in my cargo pant pocket, and cheap enough that if lost or damaged, it wouldn't ruin my vacation.
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br /I do think it's likely that I'll outgrow this camera as I want to do more video. I'm waiting to see the Sony HDR-TG1 4MP High Definition Handycam Camcorder with 10x Optical Super Steady Shot Zoom (4GB Memory Stick Included), which is about 6 times the price, but looks to be amazing. Maybe a Christmas present for myself.
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br /This camera would also be great for teens to start shooting footage beyond their camera phones. I'll likely just hand mine over to my son when I upgrade.
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br /When you transfer files to your computer they come in Quicktime, which works great for me since I'm on a Mac. This is perfect for iMovie.
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I bought the Aiptek A-HD about a week ago. I wasn't expecting too much since I only paid about $100 for the thing. But after using it for a week I have to say I'm stunned. The video qualty is very good even in low light. The pictures are even better. Pictures are sharp and the colors are very accurate. Better than my old Pentax. I have had no problems with the sound as some others I have read. My only complaint is the lack of any image stabilization, the video does tend to bounce around alot. Aiptek has finally produced something here that is not a joke. Kudos to Aiptek! For the money you can't go wrong.

I uploaded a 10 sec 320x240 video of a projector screen for example.

XBOX 360 720P compatible. Reads it (my CD/DVD with mov files xfered worked too) right from the game DVD drive or USB port. Havent checked other HD Players like Blueray. PS3 owners, let us know please.

Very versatile. Cheap flat batteries. Nice after firmware update to 2.002.
Even CIF mode is sharp for its size. (over 10 hours in that mode). Batteries are 5-10 dollars. 3rd party NP60 wall / auto charger kit is 5. I have 3 batteries now. Mini or regular tripod and remote control (for a low 10.00) are a nice addition. I like using using a monopod on occasion for a more professional scenery sweep.

Drag and drop to computer, or play MOV or JPG right from the cam USB port in any res, including Hi Def 720P, or even view upconverted to 1080P on your XBOX 360. (requires Free XBOX January 2008 Dashboard update)

Records (PVR) NTSC AV in at very good (4hrs on 4gb chip) DVD quality, and you could even use as dub say from one of the nite shots cameras on the fly, running the cord to your shirt pocket that this fits in (when your old cam runs out of tapes!!).

I mounted a 37mm ring adapter (included with the SIMA 2X SLS-20A lens or Sunpak (cheaper) CAL-1040KIT 2X) to the front (2 drops nail glue, so I can pop it off if I have to) to use my cheap SIMA SLS-05 Wide Angle wide angle and 2x SIMA SLS-20A lenses. You could make a 37mm push on friction adapter from the sima rear lens cover also. (check vimeo for clips)

Easy firmware 2.002 update adjusts sound down for better quality, and gets 4x zoom (other tweaks too.)(AIPTEK Oct 22 2007 V2.002 Oct 22 17:48:19)

No Audio Clicks or problems with this memory card. -
A-Data Turbo SD SDHC 4GB Class 6 Memory Card

Xbox 360 Pro Value Bundle
Xbox 360 Core Console System
Xbox 360 Console Includes 20GB Hard Drive


Sima Video Bracket
Sima ST-10T Mini Tripod
SIMA SLS-05 Wide Angle Conversion Lens
Sima 2x Telephoto Lens w/Updated Ring Sizes
Sima SL-10LX Universal LED Camcorder Light

Sunpak CAL-1040KIT 2.0x Tele-Conversion Lens Kit with 25, 27, 30, 30.5 and 37mm Filter Sizes

Phoenix M-Power small 0.45x magnetic wide angle lens

Global Digital 2 Pack Fuji / Fujifilm NP60 Brand New Equivalent 1200mAh LithiumIon Camera/Camcorder Battery, Long Lasting cell. It meets or exceeds OEM specifications!


Brand New Digital Camera & Camcorder Home Travel Charger with Car Adapter For Fuji NP-60, Casio NP-30 Compatible w/ Models:Fuji FinePix 50i / 601 / F401 / F401 Zoom / F410 / F410 Zoom / F601 / M603 / Casio QV-R3 / QV-R4 / HP Photosmart R07 / R507 / R607 /

This is a good camcorder for the price, but its even better with a Phoenix wide angle lens as it makes everything look cleaner and sharper. Its well worth the extra $30 to get the wide angle lens when you purchase this. Also the mic is EXTREMELY sensitive which results in loud audio. Stuffing tissue paper in the mic area reduces the wind noise, but doesn't help much with the loudness. Unless you can muffle the sound with your thumb don't take this into loud areas. Recommend video editing software that can re-encode the audio at a lower db rating. There are newer firmwares available direct for Aiptek for this camcorder, but they don't seem to help much with the audio. Version 2.02 of the firmware does lower the volume, but results in clicking sounds when people talk and you cannot roll back to an older firmware. Hopefully the audio issue will be resolved in future firmwares. If you upgrade the firmware I recommend going no higher than 1.6. This camcorder also has issues with SDHC cards so I recommend sticking to standard SD cards until they fix this in a future firmware.

For the money, I give the hardware 5 stars. I recommend a tripod since cheap cameras don't do good with motion. Video is very nice, but the sound could be better. Because the manufacturer casually forgets to tell you that you won't be able to edit your videos on a PC, I give this camera 2 stars.

Video files are complex - you have the container (.mov, .avi, .wmv, .mpeg), you have the video encoding, and you have the audio encoding. This camera creates Apple Quicktime .mov files encoded with the latest video and audio codecs. My friend was able to play & edit the videos easily on his Mac. However, if you have a PC it's a different story. On a PC, the movies will play using Quicktime or using Windows Media Player if you install the codec on the supplied CD. Editing the movies is much more difficult on the PC. Windows Movie Maker won't even open a Quicktime .mov file. My Sony Vegas video editing software will load the video, but not the sound. After digging around the Aiptek web site, it appears that their more expensive camera comes with a video conversion program. I downloaded this $30 software. It was able to convert the .mov video to Windows .wmv format, but with significant loss in quality. Haven't had as much luck converting it to .avi or .mpeg (lots of different problems happened).

Anyway, I recommend this camera if you use a Mac or if you are o.k. leaving your videos as individual Quicktime .mov files. Too bad the camera doesn't create old-fashion DVD MPEG-2 files. Most manufacturers think their newfangled video decoder is better, but at the expense of being incompatible with most software. For the same money, you might try the Flip Video camera. It's not as high resolution, but at least you can pull the video clips into Windows Movie Maker, combine them, and burn to a DVD.

It's probably more of a toy or a hobbyist camera, rather than consumer grade camera, and for one major reason - there is no image stabilitzation, so your hand needs to be *really* steady, or you need to use a tripod. Other that that, no complaints. It won't give you razor sharp high definition picture because of the real time compression to the SD card, but it's decent. It has three picture modes: Hi-def, DVD and Web. Most of the time I use DVD quality setting. The picture in this mode is way better than from VCR or even my older digital 8mm Sharp camcorder. It also takes decent photographs, comparable to cheap point-and-shoot cameras. It needs good lightning, but I have successfully filmed inside with not so great lightning conditions and the picture came out better than I expected. Overall, it exceeded my expectations. I like it a lot and I think it has a great value for the price I paid for it (~$150). I give it only three starts because of lack of image stabilization.

Bought this camera on Black Friday for $120. Excellent buy! Video Quality is impressive for an entry level camcorder. Looks particularly good on an LCD TV with the components hooked up.Very easy to use and simple. View finder does a full 360 spin for recording yourself if need be and can close viewing side up still recording, which can be helpful if you wanted to mount it to say your helmet (which i have yet to do). SD card mem makes transfering to your computer a breeze. USB style charging ala Ipod but also equiped with a separate AC plug which is really a plus. Dont record anything really long so can't judge on the battery life.

Sound quality is medicore at best but acceptable for the price. Camera for still shot pictures a little delayed. Zoom feature useless but again for the price acceptable. Bottom of camera angled so makes mounting on a flat surface impossible.


Pros-Great quality for cheap camera
Super easy to use
Fully Flipable Viewfinder
Great for Utube!

Cons-Sound quality
Camera Delay
Cant mount on flat surface

...otherwise highly recommend!

I picked this unit up over the weekend at my local Best Buy. It was on special for $149.99 which also bundled a small tripod, 1GB Kingston SD Card and a carrying case. Overall this is a pretty good value for the extra $15 - $20.

The camcorder itself comes packaged with a lense-cover, wrist-strap, composite and component video cables, USB cable, instruction booklet and CD-ROM. One note about the CD-ROM for Windows users, you might want to at least install the Windwows Media Player codec that allows you to play the output files in Media Player, as it will only play in Quicktime if you don't. The rest of the software is pretty basic and, in my eyes, pretty worthless.

The device is relatively well put togetether for this price-point with a few exceptions. The plastic is fairly lightweight and cheap feeling. The main issue I have is that the battery doesn't seem to fit snugly into the battery compartment.

The on-screen interface is fairly basic but easy to navigate using the 5-way, thumb-operated joystick. Other buttons are limited to a dedicated camera key (used to exit any menu or to take a still photograph when in video mode), mode button (used to switch to playback mode), menu button, and the trigger-activated record button. There is also a slide next to the lense for the macro function to make close-up shots clear.

The LCD display is actually quite nice. The colors and well-represented, and the display is fairly bright and easy to see in direct sunlight. The display rotates and can be flipped flat against the body of the camcorder.

The quality of the video is a mixed bag. Video can be recorded in HD, SD or Web-quaity settings. In either case, video taken in well-lit environments works amazingly well for the price of the unit. Video is smooth, color well balanced and contains minimum artifacts and other digital distortion. In anything but well-lit environments though, the results drop off dramatically.

The sound quality of the built-in microphone is, as other reviewers have noted, sub-par. I am working around this by recording seperately using a decent microphone and mixing the audio in post-production.

Speaking of post-production, my main gripe with this camera is that records video files to .MOV format, making it a nightmare for Windows users. If you have a Mac computer, you'll be all good. However, .MOV files are a pain to work with in a Windows environment. I use Adobe Premiere to edit my video, and while it does load these files, it takes forever to "conform" the videos to the project and subsequently causes frequent crashes. If you convert the files before editing, you will not only lose more time but more quality as well. If I needed more motivation to upgrade to a Mac, I think I've found it.

All in all, the Aiptek A-HD camcorder met my expectations of being and affordable, easy to use, HD camcorder.

You should know that I am probably the least "tech-y" person on the planet, so I bought this product with some hesitation, especially given that it didn't have stellar reviews.

I've tried it out a few times to video my toddlers, always inside during the daytime. The light was fine, we didn't use any extra special lighting. The HD quality was tremendous on our HD tv (although we had some trouble hooking up the sound - turns out we needed to plug that part into the sound system, not the tv. duh!) I was shocked at the quality of the video.

I thought the microphone did a reasonable job picking up the sound from a couple of yards away from my kids. It was really easy to transfer the files from the camera to my mac laptop... although I have no idea how to edit a movie or make a dvd yet.

I think someone had some concern about no image stabilization, but I had no problems keeping the camera still and the movies didn't come out shaky. You can easily hold it in your right hand, and use the palm of your left hand to help keep it stable. The zoom in and out wasn't exactly smooth when playing back the movie, more jerky, but for $150? Are you kidding?

I have spent alot more money on high end sony, sanyo, and canon cameras and none come close to the quality of the pics and video indoors or outdoors as the Aiptek A-HD does.
Now it is not perfect such as the zoom, well don't use it because the pics and video quality degrade if you use it.
The pics have very correct color and saturation. But if you are indoors and try to capture little kids moving around they will most likely come out blury. I think they have the shutter speeds set abit slow for this but otherwise great.
In short I own this for 120.00 and also a Sanyo hd1000 for 710.00 and am very happy with both and will keep them.

I needed a knock-around HD camera. Something that would fit in a briefcase, while taking video clips better than SD (standard definition) quality. So, I thought I'd take a chance and order an unknown-brand (AIPTEK), but had decent reviews here on Amazon.
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br /Much to my surprise and enjoyment this camera provides what I need. Of course, it's not like having a semi-pro, or pro-quality HD camera, but for a little guy that costs less than 150.00 you can't beat it! I took the camera out for a spin yesterday to shot some scenes with wife doggie on a field trip. The results are:
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br /* Nice, sharp HD quality video at 720. Not 1080, but who cares! The color is quite decent, and the sharpness for a little camera is terrific. While it can't match a 3 CCD HD, or a larger CMOS chip camera shooting at 1080 it does the job in a compact form factor. I do expect to take this camera with me everywhere. There was a comment here about the plastic housing...it's not that bad. I wouldn't lend it to kids, or drop it on concrete, but it's sturdy enough to survive in a briefcase, or purse if it had a small little protective hard case. Note: Purses and soft briefcase tend to be especially dusty - not a great place to stick electronics IMO.
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br /* The audio is decent. I was shooting some scenes in the car with an open window and it surprisingly filtered out most of the road noise and caught the dialog inside! The mic. is placed on top of the camera. This can cause some noise if you move your hands about the camera while shooting. However, as with any camera there is some accommodation given the ergonomics. On saying that I do wish the record on/off button was larger, and the joystick controlled a tad bigger. Folks with ham-sized fist (like me) might have to fumble around a tad more than say someone with dexterous fingers. Low light conditions came out a tad grainy. But then again, you can't expect the little camera to do everything. One of my new CMOS camera is equally as grainy as the AIPTEK in dark-lit conditions. There is a night-mode selection in the camera, but I have yet to try it out.
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br /* Transfer to Macintosh. All I had to do was hook up the USB cable and the Aiptek was recognized as an external hard drive. I simply transferred all the files into my mac and now they're ready to be edited as .mov files. So, it's a breeze to edit in imovie, as well a Final Cut. Very, very simple.
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br /* Longevity - I don't know. I've had this camera now for three days. If it breaks, I'll just get another one!
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br /So all in all, if you are shooting casual video and don't care too much about semi-pro quality video and audio this little guy will probably fill that niche well. It also shoot stills and has a flash. I haven't really evaluated that, but I would tend to use my dedicated digital still camera for that.

I got the camera for vacation and It is very easy to use and the photos and video came out very well. I didnt have a problem so much with the sound. Out of nowhere the middle joystick button broke. It moves up down, right left fine but it wont push in anymore and click like it used to. I can still use it but I have to ave very light pressure on the joystock or else it will think im clicking down allthe time. PITA. Thats the only bad flaw that I have with it. The zoom in and out flickers somtimes and you cant hold the camera still at all if its zoomed in but what do you expect for under 150 bucks.

I bought this camera to have something to take "quick and dirty" HD videos, like at family events of random topics. I'm using a macbook.
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br /I have had it for about a week and have shot a variety of subjects. If the indoor subject is well lit the camera performs adequately. Video ality in low light is better than it was with my fuji 6 MP PS. Videos import easily into the macbook as the camera is recognized as an external hard drive, and the files are quicktime compatible and can be pulled into imovie easily.
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br /Shooting with most of the lights out or outdoors at night is not terribly productive. Also, I have a shaky hand, and the lack of image stabilization may ultimately be the undoing of this camera as a long term solution.
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br /I have been using it to try to import and capture some VHS footage, and I have been disappointed in that. I have a 4 year old video of my wedding that is reasonably poor in quality. The camera detects static as a scene change and stops the capture so I am not able to import it with this camera, which is one of the things I was really hoping to do.
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br /As far as the loose battery goes, I put a little cardboard shim in there to hold it in place right off the bat. No problems there, even on a bumpy bike ride on my bicycle's tripod mount.
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br /For what I paid for it, I would buy it again, but I also got what I paid for.

I have spent a lot more money on high end sony, sanyo, and canon cameras and none come close to the quality of the pics and video indoors or outdoors as the Aiptek A-HD does.
br /Now it is not perfect such as the zoom, well don't use it because the pics and video quality degrade if you use it.
br /The pics have very correct color and saturation. But if you are indoors and try to capture little kids moving around they will most likely come out blurry. I think they have the shutter speeds set a bit slow for this but otherwise great.
br /In short I own this for 120.00 and also a Sanyo hd1000 for 710.00 and am very happy with both and will keep them.
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br /UPDATE: I have recently purchased a Kodak V1253 that surpasses this camera big time for pictures and even the video is better. The stereo sound is also an improvement.

I bought the Aiptek A-HD 720P 5MP CMOS High Definition Camcorder about a month ago, and unfortunately, haven't used it quite as much as I'd envisioned. Still, the few times that I have used it, the open, point, and shoot simplicity, the image quality, and the ease of exporting to my Macbook Pro have certainly been well worth the price.
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br /For under $150, this is a fairly impressive little camera. It works pretty well in fairly low light conditions, the audio quality is quite good, and the picture quality, while probably leaving a bit to be desired if the unit cost several hundred more, is quite good, particularly when rendered in native resolution. Manipulating and exporting the resulting video and still image files is straightforward, and the file sizes it produces can be very reasonable once converted for web delivery.
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br /With the limited opportunity I've had to use it, I can't really comment on overall battery longevity, but I can relate that after fully charging the unit via the USB interface to my Macbook, it sat around for a couple of weeks before the next use, at which point it performed as advertised, and I probably had it on for well over 45 minutes total shooting and reviewing video items, without the battery indicating it was about to give up the ghost. Looking at the numbers, however, lead me to believe that with a 4GB card in the slot, you'd probably run out of battery before you ran out of storage space for whatever you are shooting.
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br /Overall, very light weight and easy to control, with excellent preview via the screen.
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br /The only negatives to report are a slight shutter delay from the time you press the button until the camera actually captures a still image - almost a full second or so. Kind of limits the unit for 'action stills' applications. Also, in a 'busy' close up environment, the autofocus has an annoying tendency to base focus on all sorts of things except what you're shooting, but this only occurs at ranges of 3 feet or less.
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br /Generally, I'd say that I'm satisfied with the product!

Yeah, the audio isn't so great, but for the price it can't be beat for the "fun" factor.
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br /Where the camera suffers the most (besides not having an optical zoom) is at action shots - I've taken this camera out snowboarding a few times - there's a noticeable "wavy" effect on the video when panning fast or if there are many moving objects. But honestly, not that much of a deal breaker for what it is.
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br /With an 8gb SD card, you can get over 4 hours of HD footage (FYI - the battery only lasts around 1 hour)
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br /Still shots with the camera are really nice.
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br /Editing the footage with iMovie '08 is a breeze.

This junk broke within months of getting it. I was so careful with this camera, but it just stopped working. The joystick part broke and now I can not change modes or play back video clips.
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br /Just wanted to add that Aiptek gives you the run around and doesn't seem to want to honor the warranty. When called they said we need a return number. They sent us an email to replay to for the number. They never responded back with the number.
br /
br /When/if we ever get the number to return the camera we pay to ship the camera to them. They won't send a replacement for 5 weeks after they receive my camera.

This was a gift, so naturally, I'm stuck with it. Here are the pros and cons.
br /
br /Pros:
br /You actually have a camera.
br /The image quality is good.
br /
br /Cons:
br /It dies super fast.
br /The zoom is bad.
br /The sound quality is god awful. It's as if there's a garbage disposal on in the next room, that's how much random background noise there is.
br /The screen likes to do it's own thing, when I don't want it to. It flickers on and off a lot.
br /Windows movie maker is impossible to use, because the videos this thing makes are in .mov format, which sucks.
br /
br /So please, please, don't buy this camera.
br /Save up another couple of months. Get a good one.
br /I can't. I'm stuck with this one. Don't make the mistake of buying this.

Whereas the camera is okay, the files it produces are somewhat problematic.
br /
br /This is due to a conflict, that I have spent weeks attempting to resolve, between Apple's QuickTime, which hosts the videos, and Vegas Movie Studio Platinum 7.
br /
br /Other software seems to have similar issues when hosting these QuickTime files, and finding a file format converter has been problematic at best.
br /
br /For this reason, I can not recommend this camera to those editing on the Windows platform.
br /
br /If it produced true MP4 files, or QuickTime could cope with the files better when hosted, this camera would be great for the money.

The good: Inexpensive, easy to use, quick to start recording, easy to export (onto a MAC), removeable media (SD card), has a zoom, can take pictures, is light, has a flip screen for self-recording.
br /
br /The bad: Short battery life, no image stabilizer (hope you have a steady hand), and the H.264 compression is not easy to use. (To use in FCP, I downloaded MPEG Streamclip and converted to Apple Intermediate Codec, which sadly made the clip files 10x larger!). Zoom function is jumpy and microphone is so-so quality.
br /
br /Bottom line: It's the BEST out there for the price. This will hold me over until I can afford the Panasonic SDR-H200 which I REALLY want! For now, it's the best alternative, and it looks great even on a 42" Plasma TV-now that's awesome!

I like this camcorder. Great price, Great value, excellent video quality (when you are in decent lighting). But the audio is just no good. There is no external mic option. I have taken many videos with subjects speaking at normal volume literally 3 feet in front of the camera and the sound is muffled and needs to be turned way up to hear. But the person holding the camera, is heard very well. Its almost as if the mic is pointing in the wrong direction. (Well its pointing straight up, so it definitely is not in the right direction). I like this product conceptually, but being that it is useless for picking up audio ... I'm unsure of how useful it is as an 'everyday' camcorder.
br /
br /And I'm really unhappy that the video format is .MOV - I'm very computer saavy and what others have said is right: there is NO software that edits MOV files on a PC. Just about all of them need to convert the file back up to to a AVI or a MPG (needless to say, that conversion is not simple or quick).
br /
br /This is the note on the company's support FAQ: "Aiptek uses the newer H.264 high-end technology for its HD Camcorders and major software editing companies are working diligently to develop an overall compatibility solution to support this newer technology. We're currently working with a few software editing companies to help speed up the process." I've had the camera for 6 months .... I haven't seen the answer yet.
br /
br /One great and unique feature on this camera is - A/V INput. Yes, it actually can record audio and video FROM an A/V source. So you can connect this to your TV, or VCR or DVD player and record the output onto your camera. Why would you want to? For one you can watch your recordings portably and use the device as a portable media player (is not made to play MP3's though - I dont know why not). But best yet, is that the quality it records at is DVD quality and you can take that file put it on your computer and burn yourself a DVD copy of whatever you'd like.

I recieved this camera for Christmas. I was kind of skeptical because of the brand name, but it turned out to be my favorite little toy. I carried it everywhere and recorded several clips.


The Good: Long Battery Life. USB Charging. Indoor Video/Picture Quality. Ready to record once the screen opens. Easily fits in back pocket. Easy to hold. Flip screen

The Bad: Low light/nightime video quality. Zoom Feature is irrelevant. No shortcut to view photos/videos. Choppy Video when watching on PC


This camera is great for capturing those everyday, not-so-great moments in life. I wouldnt suggest this camcorder if you are seriously trying to capture important events.

The headline pretty much says it all. I originally bought the camera, along with a 4 GB memory card, for $160. It turns out it was well-spent cash.
br /
br /For non-professional and personal use, the camera does pretty much everything you could ask for. It shoots quality video in three different size versions. All files are digitally recorded on the memory card and there is no tape.
br /
br /The "Web" mode shoots video designed for upload to YouTube and is a smaller format, allowing you to easily e-mail the file. The "DVD" version is pretty comparable to that quality, but is a bit larger. The third format is High Definition, which is designed for viewing on HD TVs. When looking at this video on the computer, there isn't too much of a difference from the DVD quality, but the file is huge.
br /
br /The camera boots up quickly and holds a battery charge for roughly an hour when in video mode. The flip-out LCD screen rotates so you can actually shoot video of yourself. I've actually self-produced several news standups in DVD mode that were usable for television, although the audio was not very good because the camera lacks a microphone input.
br /Perhaps the best thing about this camera is its ease of use. The camera has several different modes: Video camera, still camera, my files and an options menu. All video and photos shot are available in the "my files" mode. The auto white balance works well, but I still prefer to do so manually (it only takes a second).
br /
br /This is not to say the camera doesn't have limitations. As mentioned, though audio quality with the built-in microphone is good, it does not have a port to plug in an external mic. Another complaint is that there is no manual focus. Users must rely on the automatic focus, which is often poor in low light conditions. On that note, the camera tends to have trouble adjusting its iris and overexposes when there is a mostly dark shot with one or two hot spots (ex: sunlight coming in through a window). The camera shoots its best video in moderate lighting conditions.
br /
br /Overall, I enthusiastically recommend the device. It's inexpensive, but functional for the casual user. It would also make a great gift for a younger person. He or she could actually use the camera, and you won't be spending a fortune on it.

Great item for its value. Very clear hd performance!'
br /definitely recommanded, however the only downside is when you recorded
br /a video, the playback volume is quite small.
br /However, this can be fixed if you view it on a TV or your computer.
br /This light weight cam worked well for me as I bring it where ever I
br /go.

This camera has decent video quality at 720p and pretty good snapshot quality. I have an 8GB SDHC card which holds lots of pictures and video.
br /
br /The downsides to this camera are low-quality digital zoom. Picture and video quality suffers under less than ideal lighting conditions. Video audio quality is only good for recoding the camera operator due to the type and position of the microphone.
br /
br /Another issue is video editing. The H.264 format is not widely supported yet but that is due to change in the near future. Editing is difficult and the format is not completely supported at a relatively low bit-rate.

I bought this as a birthday gift for my wife. She was a little tentative at first, but now she says it is "the best gift I have ever gotten." BIG husband points for that. The camera is easy to operate, and takes great video and great stills. Lightweight, small size, uses sd cards and usb cables to connect to a laptop. Just buy it, you won't be sorry.

I bought this because it was all I could afford and I needed to record kid's cermonies and events. I was worried because reviews stated problems with low light and sound. But I am happy with results. I found it easy to operate. I am famous for recording feet and shaking the camera. I did forget to turn it off and recorded some feet but I did not have nearly as many problems with camera shaking as I had with our old camcorder. I think because it is so light and small I was better able to keep my hand steady. I bought 4 GB memory card and charged it overnight before using (as other reviwers suggested). I did a few trial recordings of several seconds each to adjust the light etc before the first use and used the settings recommended in other reviews. I did not have any problems with lighting when recording in a dark theatre with stage lights. I recorded a dance performance and did not have problems with tracking, all was smooth. It does take several seconds to zoom and focus. I did not have trouble with sound for dance performance which had loud sound system. Awards ceremony in school cafeteria was harder to hear. Had no problem playing back on TV. I have not yet tried to edit on computer or burn to computer disk. Will update review when I have a chance to try it out. If anyone has tips to edit the clips together using Windows I would appreciate it. I have many individual clips since I was only recording certain performances that I would like to link together into one smooth recording on computer disk for a grandmother.

If you want a video camera to throw in your purse or pocket that takes good quality HD video in good lighting conditions then this is a five star product. If you must have more than that look elsewhere. Video in low light like most inexpensive cameras is grainy. Zoom........ very little. The still pictures are up to 8 megapixels but you shoud use a tripod and again good lighting. I like it because it is handy to take to a park, a beach, anywhere. When you want to video something you will never regret not taking you camcorder because this can fit in you pocket or purse. You just got to remember to put it there.

The Aiptek A-HD 720P is a great little basic camera for a great little price. If you are looking for a camcorder with basic features that produces high quality images and one that you can slip in a pocket; then this is the one for you. I just returned from a vacation at Disney World and took the Aiptek A-HD 720P everywhere with me. We now have many wonderful memories recorded. Do get a 4GB or larger disk to ensure uninterrupted use. A++

I haven't had any of the problems some people claim to have with this camera. It's excellent for the price and the video quality is great.

I just returned this camera...horrible! The concept is perfect, the actual product is crap. The video is OK, BUT, I have a macbook it did not sync up properly. The photos would sync but not the video. The lady at the store said it would, as did the actual packing literature, but I was unable to get video over. The still camera function on this is HORRIBLE. Worse than my 8-year-old kodak we let the kids play with. You can hold the camera PERFECTLY still but somehow 1/2 of the pictures would still be very blurry. Too bad this product was so disappointing. I had very high hopes wanted to love it....

Takes 5 weeks for Aiptek to replace and customer pays for the long distance call and the Shipping to return the item. Can't get a refund for this defective product from Aiptek or Amazon so I can just replace this myself. Next time will spend more money for a more reputable brand and buy all electronics locally instead of online.

I got mine from circuit city because it is advertised as an HD video Camcorder and after I got it... I realized that sound quality is very poor the the picture quality is excellent. every time you move your hand you hear more of your own movement and breathing or rustling than of the target your are trying to capture. the mic is on top of the camera. no external mic input. must buys a tripod cause this camera does not stand up on it's own because of it's unusual shape. This camcorder doesn't have video light for recording in dark environment. other than that upgrade the firmware or else you will be stuck with the 2x zoom cause the upgrade has 4x zoom. due to the mic issue (for video mode) I have used it mainly as a high resolution digital camera with HD quality pic when set at 8 megapixel setting. good luck... and ps... buy extra batterys and 4gig SD card if your intent to video or take lots of pic. internal memory is very small. goodluck.

until they have improved the sound quality, night video light and a better zoom power. I'd hold off and buy a typical cam corder with a weaker digital camera feature.

This camera is surprising in it's video quality and simplicity to
operate, however the Zoom and the audio leaves a lot to be desired.
I know for the price you can't expect much,but if you want serious
results, look at some other cameras.
Bob

I bought this item recently. I have much experience with DV and HDV shooting and editing.
br /
br /I know not to expect too much for this price, but I was tempted by some of the reviews/ratings on Amazon. This was to be a camera I would carry on my dirtbike and quad when riding the trails here in SE Ohio (instead of my Canon SD750).
br /
br /I can only comment on image quality for HD and 5mb/8mb pictures.
br /
br /HD video quality:
br /It's really not too bad, if you have great lighting, no wind, and you don't move the camera too much (no stabilization built-in what so ever). The zoom is digital, and there's no way to disable it (it's horrible and is not smooth).
br /
br /5mb/8mb Picture quality:
br /VERY poor. Unless you're resizing the pictures to thumbnail size, image quality is worse than taking a screen cap of a paused HD video you took with this thing.
br /
br /I will be returning this camcorder after the weekend. My Canon SD750 is almost as good for movies (although non-HD, but audio and movement quality is recorded MUCH better), and there's no comparison for taking pictures.
br /
br /If you're broke, and don't mind the many shortcomings of this item, this may be a good solution for you.
br /
br /But you're best off buying a non-HD DV cam for under $300 for much better results.
br /
br /I have a Canon HV10, which is already a year or two old, and it's quality of HD video and audio is MUCH better than this item (but also MUCH more expensive).
br /

I got this locally right after Christmas from a big box store. I wanted to use the recorder to make videos for the purposes of internet upload. Unfortunately, the sites I post at cannot take high resolution recordings. Regardless, I've found that a laptop camera is better for me as it allows me to read off the screen without the burden of having to have notes in my hands. Yet the Aiptek was an excellent deal anyway. I really like the videos I've captured with it and the display screen is a wonderful feature. Further, the digital pictures are miles better than the ones I normally take with my 2006 Fuji camera.

I read that one reviewer said that he had a problem with this software. Frankly, I have not experienced any difficulties. I even saved the pictures I uploaded to a disc and gave them to a friend. She, in turn, didn't have any problems opening them up on her Apple so I'm not sure exactly why he had those sync obstacles. I ended up buying a 4 GB card which gives me all the memory I need to complete my minimalist endeavors. Overall, this is a very good buy in lieu of its low price.

I was surprised at the quality of this little camera, have had no problems yet, recharges quickly and the quality of video was surprisingly good.
I read a couple bad reviews about the audio and planned on using an external mic.,but my audio has been clear and undistorted so far.
Great deal for the price.

I have one of these, and use it all the time. I keep it in my laptop bag, and if I ever need to record something, take a still digital picture, or otherwise, it's right there.
br /
br /The microphone is poorly placed at the top of the camera, which can make sound capture difficult sometimes. You just have to remind people to speak up when talking to the camera.
br /
br /Otherwise, the camera is a great under $200 video capture device.

I was a little hesitant to purchase the "cheap $100 video camera" but was surprised how good it works. Its not going to replace those who have top of the line video cameras but for a casual usage, or "quick video usage" it fits in your pocked and is ready to film when opened--a truly video on the go experience.
br /
br /My only regret is not purchasing the higher version for an extra $85+ but you get what you pay for--a good value and instant on video-graphing.
br /
br /I only have two "slams" and they're relatively minor ones. The flash is pretty useless for picture taking, but then again I didn't buy it for a higher end photo taking--that's what I have my Canon for.. It takes far too long for the flash to charge up after each use.
br /
br /The other complaint is that I dropped it (not major drop, but jarred it) and the battery has become loose and I thought the camera was dead. The battery doesn't move when using it so its only after it falls or is jarred greatly.. I assume its a product of it being such a lightweight camera.
br /
br /Overall, well worth $100 and is great for those "YouTube" moments to be--which is why I bought it...

This camera has impressed me. The picture quality is great, the battery life is terrific, and it has been very easy to use. Its small size can be a challenge for my big hands and some times I have trouble locating the record button quickly, but more practice should help on both counts. The fact that I can slip it in my pocket or backpack and take it with me everywhere makes it more useful and convenient than my larger 8mm camera. It also fits on a standard camera tripod. Saving to an SD card (with an internal memory as backup) makes it a better fit for me that the other digital camcorders that only save to internal memory.
br /
br /Complaints? Very few. I wish I realized that the .mov file format does not work with Windows Moviemaker but I'm going to try Quicktime Pro to see if that will allow me to edit the files. Still, the .mov files are easily uploaded to websites such as Youtube.
br /
br /I'm headed to Brazil next week, so that will definitely give the camera a workout!

This camcorder is great for the price. The only complaint I have is that it doesn't have a stabalizer.

Aiptek A-HD 720P 5MP CMOS High Definition Camcorder
br /
br /I love this camera. Does great home video recording.
br /
br /Pros:
br /* Flash based (microsd card) video recording is fast, saves space (mini dv take us space - and it's still a tape, which can jam). It also speeds up transfer from camera to computer.
br /* USB charging. I can use a generic mini usb charger or my computer (with USB cable) to charge the camera.
br /* USB 2.0 transferring (see above)
br /* Light
br /* Easy access to MicroSD card.
br /* Can be placed on a tripod
br /* HD video capture. In DVD capture quality I can get up to 3.5 hours or more on a 2gb sd card.
br /
br /Cons:
br /* Audio recording is okay. Built in microphone leaves much to be desired. It's okay for what you need but if you are in a noisy area or you need to focus your audio recording you may need to plug in a mic. But I wasn't too bothered with it because this isn't supposed to be a professional camera.
br /* (this one's not so bad) Recording button is in the front of the camera so you have to get used to the placement of the button.
br /* Still picture capture when on using the camcorder won't accept zoom. I haven't tried to use this in point and shoot mode which might accept the zoom. While recording from camcorder mode, and you push the still capture button it'll zoom out to regular and take the picture. Picture takes a full second or two to take in camcorder mode as well. Haven't tested it in point and shoot mode though.
br /
br /Overall a great product.

This handy little unit creates really nice video for the price. It's compact and easy to charge with either a power adapter or a computer usb port.
br /
br /The main point to remember when using a video camera with a slow cmos sensor like this is that you must shoot from static locations -- there is no built-in image stabilization. Bouncy, rapid movement results in screen warping because the sensor cannot keep up. As long as you're aware of this fact and use a tripod (or brace the camera against something) while filming, the result will come out great. Trying to hold the unit still in your hand will result in less-than-spectacular clips (and probably something that will make your audience seasick). Use something like the tiny Joby GP1-01EN Gorillapod Flexible Tripod to rest the camera on a bench, table, car hood, etc.

The camera is exactly what I wanted. Its small - takes great video and the audio is not nearly as bad after the update AIPTEK made to it. The low light and sometimes fuzzy audio (on multiple conversations at once) is expected from a $100 camera - but for me I expected it and can live with it without a problem.
br /
br /The only thing on this camera that you need to be forewarned about is there are zero (as far as I have found) paid/free video editing options for this camera. I have done trials on numerous paid video editing software packages and none have worked.
br /
br /Pinnacle Studio 11 says they can handle it, but that is not the case so far for me. It will import the video and the first 2 or 3 frames play and than the video goes away. This has been the case on the last 7 or 8 clips I have tried to edit in the software.
br /
br /Its my understanding (and I have not confirmed yet) that it works just fine on any of the Mac video editing programs (Final Cut Express, etc...) I am purchasing a Mac in the next couple of weeks and will be able to confirm this.
br /
br /Outside of that small hangup for Windows, the camera is great.
br /
br /**UPDATE 06-11-08**
br /It works with my MBP and iMovie08 flawlessly.

This camera is quite good. You need a memory card though. I was a bit mislead by the add. I thought it already could do two hours, but it can do about 2 minutes without the card. It's light weight and perfect for a young person to have fun. It takes nice pictures too.

Having used a video camera since they were the size of a typewriter (remember those?) all the way to the digital ones of today, I was very pleasantly pleased by this little gem. This camera will actually be one you will take with you and use on a regular basis. Operation is simple and straight forward but with enough features for 90% of the users out there. The lack of a video stabilization feature so far has had no impact on my video shots. I've not put any stress on the sound capacity of the unit yet but so far it has been fine - like most video cameras you can't make a lot of noise as the photographer since you are closest to the mic. I'm sure it lacks something there for those who are trying to record music in a large hall but, for the day to day videos you don't want to miss, this is just what I need.

This camera is cheaper and better than the FlipCamera that seems to be popular. It will not replace my minidv camcorder but I will probably use it for quick, spontaneous video creation. I am impressed with the features, the design, the menus, and its size. I hooked it up to my HDTV and the videos looked fine.

I am a professional animator/vfx artist/editor and filmmaker. This camera -- if you take a moment to familiarize yourself with the features -- does an AMAZING job for $130... Of course the audio is marginal, but in decent lighting the video is phenomenal. If you use a Mac and know what you're doing, this thing will make you laugh with the hi-def images it produces, the ease of file xsfer, etc. If you're not so savvy, perhaps caution is in order. But remember: it's 130 freakin' dollars!

I love this little camera, it's compact, very easy to use, and for home users it gives you great quality videos and pictures. It plugs right out of the box into my macbook via usb and I can open the movies directly in Quicktime or edit them in iMovie, it's flawless! I bought my first A-HD in July but lost it in October, but being relatively inexpensive, I just got another one...it's a great value.

This product is awesome. I thought I would have to pay a lot of money to be able to capture moments with my kids and family but this product has allowed me to do this without spending over $100 bucks.
br /
br /It is light to carry and you can hold it all day without getting tired. I recommend this product if you are on the go and would like to capture video or photo quickly.

This camera is awesome for the money. It takes pretty good pictures and the video is awesome to. I think it compares right with the $2000 camera my company bought for doing video shoots. I think my boss is actually somewhat pissed hehe. Anyways it moves a little sluggish in the menu system which varies depending on the battery level but other then that its pretty neat. Oh also beware its like older camera phones when it goes to take pictures there will be no quick shot Kodak moments.

The Aiptek HD Camcorder is a terrific unit at a very reasonable price. Video and still pictures are of excellent quality, the unit is small enough to carry anywhere, built-in menus and functions are very intuitive, and I now have some excellent video of my grandchildren.

I love this camcorder. We took it on a 2-week trip, and used it every day. So easy, great still pics (3, 5, or 8 mp, your choice) and very nice video. Can't comment on hd quality -- haven't hooked ip up to hd tv yet, but have downloaded video to computer to watch, and it looks pretty good. Camera is very small, fits in a pocket. Comes with battery (about 2 hrs record time) and cords for hooking up to pc (downloading content and recharging battery), watching video on tv (reg and hd, separate cords included), and regular ac charger. We picked up an extra battery (about $15) and a 4G video card (none was included w/camera) (about $20). This gave us 4 hours of recording time before recharge and download were necessary -- plenty for our needs. Super easy to use, auto adjusts to most conditions. Didn't do well at night, even on night setting, unless object you were filming was well lit againt dark background. (We tried to film some ducks swimming at night, and just got black.) Camera has a tripod fitting, but we didn't have a tripod with us, so video can be shaky if you don't hold camera still -- not too much of a problem, except when we were on a boat. All in all we were very pleased with this camera, and price is fantastic. Plan to give at least one as a Christmas gift this year. (Be careful when you use zoom, give camera time to self adjust before snapping pic, or it will be blurry.)

It is a good product to record memorable moments of your life and your loved ones. Zooming is average, but do not use it often. I use mostly for outdoor and the picture is very good.
br /Camcorder is very light and fragile I'd say, so be prepared to use it gently and do not throw it on the ground when you girl will dump you-it is not a camcorder's fault it is your idiotic behavior.
br /Overall excellent product and I'd recommend to purchase!!!
br /

Is little, but well design. The HD camcorder that cost low as $132.99 is a must have for YouTube video maker. The resolution of the video is 1280X720; 30fps. Capture picture at 8 mega Pixels; record a/v input video (ex: it can be record video games and DVDs), but may required a/v adapter; also it is a voice recorder. Come with a charger, a/v cable, component cable, and software! Is a little device that has ton of features that you can't refuse to pick this baby up and start to recording stuff!

first this is a fun little camers at a great price the major drawback is the sound recording it easly gets overloaded and distorted so forget about recording the kids band concert the sound is so bad all you hear is a big mess

I recently purchased the Aiptek A-HD 720P. I thought it would be a good idea to experiment with it before I wrote a review. Here are my thoughts...
br /
br /I love this camera. I thought, for the money, I would get a decent camera that I could just throw in my bag and go, and get a fairly OK picture out of it. It exceeded my expectations and then some. First of all, it is really the coolest looking gadget. The perfect size to take anywhere, and fairly sturdy. I read some other reviews talking about the camera's frailty - if you're not throwing it around the room and are generally careful with it (which should be standard for any electronic gadget), you'll be fine. Also, this camera is SO easy to use. Basically, open the screen, take off the lens cap, hit record and go.
br /
br /The picture quality is VERY good. In low light, it tends to be a bit grainy, but I fully expected that. In good lighting (especially anything outdoors in daylight hours) the picture is beautiful - on my PC AND on my 42" Hi-Def TV. It's hard to believe that I am getting a crystal clear Hi-Def picture out of this little inexpensive camera.
br /
br /Sound quality is pretty OK. Not nearly as bad as some others have said. The mic is on top of the camera, so if you're recording and speaking, you come in loud and clear. Everyone else is medium, but audible.
br /
br /I also love that this camera hooks up to my Hi-Def cable box so that I can upload TV shows on to the camera, then ultimately to my iPod. It is a fanstastic feature.
br /
br /As far as uploading to my computer, I had no real issues. I had to play around with what program would play back video the best. I ultimately went with the software that came with the camera. The videos can also be converted to iTunes compatible (took a while with my PC to convert, but once it was done, it looked great).
br /
br /The camera also takes very good still pictures and has a flash (FYI - the flash is only used for still pictures - does not function for video). Also, very straightforward and easy to upload pics.
br /
br /All in all, 2 thumbs up for Aiptek. I highly recommend this camera to someone, like myself, who wanted a nice, easy to use, small-sized, inexpensive HD camera that can literally be taken anywhere.

This camera might be able to technically record at 720p but compression is higher and motion is chopy in my tests. The D1 mode yeilds the most balanced video. The lens is fairly slow, F3.0 and is somewhat soft. It's also fixed so it can be difficult to judge focus at times.

low light shooting? I'd say the minimum the sensor and compression can handle would the amount of light in a standard bathroom with two 60 watt bulbs or around 50 lux. Any less light and the compression and sensor noise start to become noticeable.

video in is a nice feature. quality is ok. playback on a computer is poor but on a stardard def tv (tested on 20" memorex) was almost good. It was watchable.

the built in flash is a joke. but it could be used to trigger other cheap ($20) slaves

picture quality is better than most camera phones but the lens is the weak link. they claim the sensor is 5mp so why on earth would you want to interpolate in such a cheap camera? You don't gain anything. if anything there is a loss of quality.

memory: if you have files on the internal memory, you can only access them once the SD card is removed. you have to get the firmware updates via email from tech support. The rear port cover is annoying, record button is small. It should have been placed where the flash is.

I am a DP and photographer by profession. I bought this camera because it is small, shoots on SD, $120 and you can take it anywhere.

this product works very well. I like the style and the HD quailty is amazing. I still need to use it more, and I will on my vacation to the Bahamas in June.

I read all the reviews and thought I was getting value for a small hand held...WRONG! During vacation the camera froze in camcorder mode, it wouldn't turn off unless you removed the battery, it says its "full" with 4 files (total approx 100MG on a 2G card). I thought it would be good to have a small camcorder that could give HD 720 quality and be a handheld...I was WRONG. Reading reviews on other sites also confirms this. Now I have a nice expensive, plastic paper weight. Don't know about the other "flip model" camcorders, but this one is a bust.
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This is a decent camcorder for the price. I like the way you can hold it and the fact that it uses SD cards, the quality is certainly NOT HD though. Its a little grainy. The mic on it is meant for indoors, don't expect good quality if you're outside even if it's quiet. The other problem is the battery (btw Amazon does not stand behind their products, they refer you to the manufacturer). The battery quit holding a charge after 3 or 4 months, now it dies immediately after being charged. I hope a REAL company makes a similar camcorder as a similar price.

I used this inexpensive hd video camera for in-cockpit video for a race car. It did a really great job.

Great hd picture and when used with lab studios its possible to get 1080i film quality videos with some filtering. A defenite must buy.

I bought this camera so that my family could have some fun making little movies about ourselves. My son has really liked it and I have felt comfortable too. I am not technologically advanced like my son is, so feeling comfortable with a video device is really good. I'd recommend this camera to most anyone who just wants to be able to take moving pictures, is not too worried about sound quality, and doesn't want to worry about technophilic stuff. I haven't edited on my computer yet but am hopeful that my child will figure it out for me.

I just checked it out at target. To sum it up it's a $120 toy. It just doesn't deliver on a HD level. The HD recording is a blurred mess. On the DV1 setting the video is near the quality of my miniDV camcorder, but it lacks many features. The fixed lens does not focus on close-up objects. Objects two or more feet away appear fine, but at those distances the audio turns tinny. I would not consider this an equal to a miniDV, nor would I really use it to record home videos. I'm giving it one star because if flat-out does not deliver on what it promises.

To begin with, this is -not- a conventional digital camcorder.
Unless you find it too toy-like as others have found, it seems to be delivering exactly what it promises:
The lowest cost HD DVR for sale on the market.
A point-and-shoot eight megapixel digital camera.
Digital playback device that can show Quicktime media (when storage cards greater than four gigs are used (max 32 gig SDHC) (compatible with Apple products).
The quality is excellent and the only drawback I've seen so far is that the playback speaker is too small and delivers very nasty tinny audio. Much like the audio from almost any small microspeaker. Use your headphones when watching playback. Much better.
Of all the video resolutions you can use,(there are three) the smallest (CIF)(352x240) gives you the most bang for the buck in storage....
A two gig SD card will hold up to 320 minutes of video. That's -five- hours plus! You'll need to recharge the battery at least a couple of times to fill a one or two gig card at that rate.
The middle resolution is (D1) (720x480) is very close to VGA (slightly wider) and you can only cram 144 minutes full video onto a two gig SD.
The HD resolution is full true HD (1280x720) and will only record for 60 minutes before filling up that same two gig SD card. However, there are larger cards available now, and I still like have a few extra two gig cards in my pocket.
Battery life is estimated to be 90 minutes (factory spec) but I haven't pushed that far yet. My other Aiptek, the IS-DV, maxxes out at VGA (640x480)resolution, cannot handle longer than 48 minutes before depleting the battery.
The difference? The IS-DV is 2 year old design, and Aiptek is pushing the envelope.
Final verdict?
This is a very good product, worthy of consideration from both first time buyers and jaded users who are used to far more expensive gadget loaded camcorders.
It weighs nothing, a cellphone is slightly smaller, and the battery lasts and lasts. It has very few moving parts, and only one mechanical slide switch that operates the macro mode focusing.
I can't wait to see what's next, Aiptek. Perhaps even smaller? More resolution? Image stabilization?

I'd rate this a nine out of ten, the only fault is that playback speaker.
And it's not really a deal breaker, in my opinion.

Aiptek simply does not care about customes satisfation, the only care about selling cheap products.
br /If you buy Aiptek you get no quality whatsoever. As you all can see I am very frustrated since I bought one of this cameras, it never worked properly, I have sent countless e mails to Aiptek requesting for a part that broke from the camera, and they never answered.
br /beware!!!

This camera has excellent quality images and video, but when it comes to audio it SUCKS!
br /DUring playback of a video you hear clicking noises (from using the zoom feature) and internal noises (from the camera). NOT WORTH the MoNEY. SAVE an additional 100 bucks and buy something better!!!

this piece of junk dosent pick up sounds very well,then ater 2 months it didnt pick up sounds at all,and it dosen't zoom in that good,then the joy stick broke,then the speaker cover fell off,no wonder this cam corder was only $100

I bought this camera about a year ago with the intent of making home videos. Actually I had done some research on camcorders, and since I didn't want to spend a boat-load of cash, I decided on the flip video camcorder. So I went to Best Buy to purchase one, but when I got there, the employee insisted that I get the aiptek a-hd camcorder. I was pumped, I had a new camera, and I was going to go shoot some footage. I captured the stuff I wanted, and plugged in the camera, after several moments the software included popped up , as soon as I opened the software, my monitor became pixelated and unable to read. After several attempts I realized that I had been sold a Hi-def camcorder, and I am not in possession of a hi-def computer monitor. So now here I am 10 months later with a camcorder that I can't use. Buyer Beware, only buy if you think your computer can handle it

This product is just horrible. I never expected it to be great, but the quality of this camera was just unacceptable. 720p must be done using interpolation because there is just NO detail in the picture. Also, if you move the camera at all while recording you will notice a fishbowl "wave" as the picture first updates from the top left to the bottom right.

A software bug came as soon as I tried setting it up: the date wont set. You can tell it the date all you want but it wont store it.

The battery wont even last me 20 minutes while recording. Playback can almost reach 30 minutes if you've got the lcd turned way down.

The design is horrible leading you to a very painful position. Holding this camera for more than a few minutes hurts my wrist badly as you have to hold your wrist crooked to get a straight picture.

Lowlight is actually surprisingly good and if you're just looking for a cheap night camera this might fit the bill.

DVR features are the one redeeming quality of this device. The DVR works flawlessly and battery life isn't really an issue as you can just leave it plugged in. My biggest problem with this, is that much better DVRs exist for the same, or lower price. It's still a decent feature and is the only reason I gave it 2 stars.

Overall, don't get this camera at all unless you just want it for a standard def DVR or a constantly plugged in camera to be used in the dark.

4x digital zoom, and led lights . are not incuded in this model. the lens angle wil force you to hold a downward grip. the flash will becoveered, and the record button located on front too small foryour index finger? the camera micseems just a tad lower not a problem as the go is over sensitive?

the Camera has no issues or maulfunctions
the batter ylife is good over 1 hour plus, Low light is not as powerful as the Go
but 170.00 at the debut it is a steal for "NEAR DVD QUALITY" it is a h-def came 720P excellent film there are great videos at sites
here is a Full blown view ENJOY
go to metacafe look for Aiptek A-HD 720P hi def review