Creative Labs Vado HD 720p Pocket Video Camcorder with 8 GB Video Storage and 2x Digital Zoom (Black) OLD MODEL
by Creative Labs
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Creative Labs Vado HD 720p Pocket Video Camcorder with 8 GB Video Storage and 2x Digital Zoom (Black) OLD MODEL
Customer Review: Highly Recommended!
Summary: 5 Stars
I purchased a Vado HD about a month ago on a whim in preparation for a trip around Europe, thinking it might be nice to have some video footage of the things we do and see on the trip. I have owned several bulkier video cameras in the past and am a developer at an online media company, so some of this review will be a bit technical but it should be useful for everyone. I have used the Vado HD for about a month now, taken and processed many hours of video, and have even put together a DVD of some of the footage for friends.
First and foremost, I am very impressed by the Vado HD. Creative opted to use the state of the art H.264 video codec, the image quality is excellent given the limitations of a small image sensor and the device is extremely easy to use. Unlike my DSLR I can hand this to family and friends and they are able to use it in one try, just press the big button. This is extremely useful around children, grandparents, etc.
Image quality is dependent on the amount of available light and the amount of motion (including global motion / shaking of the camera). Less light results in a less clear and noisier picture. More movement results in a less clear picture and possible encoding artifacts. So, if you mostly record in decent lighting and try to hold the camera still or use a tripod then the image quality is absolutely excellent. The camera auto-adjusts exposure settings to your current environment, but realize that it can take a second when moving from very light to very dark environments and such. If you plan to film a lot of night scenes you need to remember there is a limit to the amount of gain the camera will use, so if it is very dark you will get near black video. The sensor is just too small to add much gain to the signal. The video format is 1280x720 H.264 Main, level 4, at 30 frames per second with a bitrate around 8000kpbs. The video is progressive (not interlaced).
Sound quality is about average for such a device. The audio format is Microsoft ADPCM, one channel at 44100kHz. Try not to directly face the wind and you should get decent quality. It can't be compared to a powerful dedicated directional or wireless mic system, but remember the purpose of the device.
The container format used is AVI rather than MP4, which has a few implications depending on the operating system you use. Apparently it makes life easier on Microsoft Windows, but I've never tried using it with Windows. On Mac OS X 10.5 it works fine as long as you install the Perian Quicktime codec pack, which adds support to all applications using the Quicktime library (Quicktime Player, iMovie, Final Cut, etc). If all you care about is playback then VLC will play the files beautifully without installing Perian. Ubuntu and other Linux distributions will play the files out of the box (or automatically install the required components and then play the files). Kdenlive, PiTiVi, and OpenShot support the files perfectly for editing.
The Vado HD is a USB mass storage device, so it is literally plug and play. The files show up on a disk and you can watch and/or drag them to your computer easily. The Vado HD is really that easy to use.
In my opinion the bitrate is pretty high for the quality, but that's probably a limitation of the hardware encoder in the camera. When storing the files on my computer for editing or archiving I will generally transcode them using FFmpeg, an excellent free video processing tool. The settings I recommend for others are:
ffmpeg -i VID00001.AVI -vcodec libx264 -vpre default -crf 23 -acodec libfaac -ab 128k VID00001.mp4
In my experience the above will result in H.264/AAC in MP4 at a bitrate of around 5000kbps and an SSIM of 0.985 (very near the original quality at 60% of the original file size).
An issue that you most certainly will run into is the shakiness of your videos, especially when moving around / walking with the camera. I've found the free AviSynth DePan plugins to be extremely useful for combating this, but it does require running AviSynth through wine or a virtual machine on both Mac OS X and Linux, as AviSynth is Windows-only. Recent versions of iMovie now include a deshake feature so this should be less of a problem for Mac users. After deshaking the videos look much more professional and are far less likely to cause your friends and family to experience vertigo.
There was one severe issue that I ran into that should be mentioned. A week ago I turned on the Vado HD and when pressing record the screen would go black. Nothing was recorded and nothing worked. I was able to format the device by turning it on with the play and trash buttons pressed. After the formatting everything works beautifully again, however if I had any important videos on the device they would have been permanently erased. Since this happened it has not happened again, and I'm likely to call it a filesystem corruption one-time fluke. If it ever happens to you, don't panic, just format the device. Be aware that you should copy your videos off the device when you can, just in case. Backups are always a smart idea! Also note that formatting the device removes the included software bundle for Windows, so if you are a Windows user you may care about that. I don't and it gave me an extra few minutes of recording time when it removed the software.
Overall I have to say this is an amazing device. High quality video in your pocket, everywhere. I carry it in my jacket pocket everyday now, taking it out from time to time to film friends or interesting things I see about town. You really can't beat it for the price and the features. The Creative Vado HD just works, and it works well. I recommend it to anybody wanting to get into filming or wanting to document trips or his/her life. I am extremely happy with the purchase and would buy it again (and may actually purchase another one as a gift).
Customer Review: Perfect for travel or uploading....
Summary: 5 Stars
Recently, I had decided to purchase an HD camcorder for my upcoming trip to Shanghai, China. The last camcorder I bought was nearly 20 years ago, believe it or not, a Sony tape machine. The technology has advanced just a wee bit the past couple decades!
In looking at my alternatives, I was almost set on buying one of the Canon flash units, probably the Vixia HF100. However, as I learned from my old Sony experience, the odds of my using the camcorder extensively was nil. One of the issues is size; a regular camcorder such as the Canon is relatively compact and lightweight, but it doesn't fit in the pocket. I will be less likely to use what I don't carry around with me.
Thus, my attention turned to the pocketcams. Now, I know they aren't "full HD", i.e. they record in 720P rather than 1080i, and with their slower bitrates and smaller lenses, the picture quality just won't match up with the most popular HD camcorders on the market today. However, after thinking about it, I realized that form factor was more important to me than getting the top picture quality, and from what I had read on Amazon and elsewhere, these pocket HD videocams have remarkably good pictures anyway. Plus, with the embedded software that boots up when plugging the camera into the computer's USB port, it's easy to upload to a video site like YouTube. Heck, these gadgets are so convenient, I might actually use it to broadcast my own videos to the world after my stay in China!
That, and the dirt cheap price of about $300 less than the cheapest of the regular sized HD camcorders made this an easy decison to go small. After all, in a couple years I'll be able to get one of those regular units if I desire for at least $200 less than today's prices, and they'll have more and better features. Not that I'd really want to have the Canon HF100 or a successor at that point, but at least I know I could own one AND a pocketcam in the future for the price of a Canon alone today.
So, with that decided, I had to pick between the Flip Mino HD and the Creative Vado HD. The Flip is much better known, and Creative seems to have a marketing problem. You can't find it anywhere except on their own website, Amazon, and maybe one or two other e-tailers. The cute gadgets, which should be big sellers, cannot be found anywhere in the Denver area since the big box retailers don't carry them. That's a shame, because I think Creative would have a hit on their hands if they distributed it widely. Maybe they still will do that since it's a pretty new product, but so far, no dice. Thus, I am only the 36th person to write a review for this product on Amazon. That's really a low number for such a neat device.
Getting back to the Vado HD versus the Flip, I have to say that after doing the due diligence, the decision was easy. The Vado HD is a clear winner, with more built-in memory, a larger LCD screen, included HDMI cable for connecting to an HDTV, and superior wide-angle lens which gets more stuff in the field of view. All the video tests I saw on YouTube and Vimeo proved to me that the Vado just does a better job taking HD videos than the Flip. So, after doing this research, I ordered one.
My Vado HD arrived today. I have been playing with it all night, and LOVE it. It's so simple to learn, and even smaller than I had imagined from the pictures on the internet. It's smaller than even my iPod Touch! Fits right into the front pocket.
Connecting the camera to the HDMI and TV was easy, and the vibrant picture filled the screen. You have to remember that it's small and light when taking videos, and has no image stabilization. Keep the camera still in your hand, and make the movements when panning gentle or else you may have an unwatchable video. Tripods help too. With a little practice, though, the video results will be smooth and impressive.
The connection to the computer went just as advertised, with the Vado Central software booting right up. Uploading to YouTube was a snap, but the upload time is on the tedious side (over 10 minutes for a 2 minute video). Maybe recording simple videos would upload faster in "HD" mode rather than the default "HD+" mode, which takes up twice the memory. The latter mode is for detailed scenes such as when I take shots of landmarks in Shanghai in 7 weeks. A video clip that just has me as a talking head could easily look good in the lower HD or even the available SD mode.
I'm thrilled with how well the video looked on my computer screen as well. It was a snap to copy the file to my hard drive and watch it on Windows Media Player in full screen mode. Very sharp detail and good exposure. It's amazing how vibrant and detailed the video can be from such a tiny gizmo with a pea-sized lens. Unless you're a videophile or need professional looking videos of a friend's wedding or other special event, the quality will suit your needs.
Especially given the price and tiny size, the Creative Vado HD is a great value. And it's something you will use, again and again, due to its extreme portability. IF UFO's exist, someday I predict it will finally be caught on video with someone's Creative Vado HD or similar gadget. This product is elegant in its simplicity, and could really penetrate the masses like an iPod if marketed correctly. It's that good.
Customer Review: Forget the Zi6 and the Flip, THIS is the ONE to buy!
Summary: 5 Stars
The Creative Vado HD is hands-down the best option among the current breed of three pocket-sized 720p camcorders. Sony's entry into the market segment will surely shake things up next month. Meanwhile, the Vado HD's field of view (wide angle lens) reigns supreme and makes its competitors inferior despite their other advantages.
I'm an Emmy award-winning reporter/photographer with a serious set of HD gear as my main equipment at home. I was looking for a back-up camera for use in cop ride-alongs and for home use to capture my toddler when my 3-chip Sony HDV camcorder was left behind because of size/weight/etc.
The Flip Mino HD started the whole craze and I can see its small size/price was attractive. After quite a bit of web research, including the excellent side-by-side video comparison of the Flip Mino HD and Kdoak Zi6 on YouTube, I concluded the Zi6 was superior in picture quality and features for its price point ($150).
The Zi6 is awesome. The macro feature has a fixed focal length of 2" and can take detailed close-up photos better than any camcorder of any price/size. The 60-frame mode also captures fantastic slo-mo shots at twice the frame rate of other camcorders.
However the Kodak designers clearly made a compromise on the lens. They decided since it has no optical zoom, they would "cheat" by keeping the field of view a little tighter (zoomed in) than one would expect. The result is disappointing during real-world shooting. In a car or at an intimate gathering when you're just a couple feet from your subject, the Flip and the Zi6 can't frame a head-and-shoulders shot. They get just the face with the subject's hair and chin cut off by the frame. This simply isn't practical for the vast majority of shooting situations I could envision at work and at play.
So I ordered the Vado HD from Amazon for comparison before taking the Zi6 back to the store for a refund.
The Creative Vado HD has a wide field of view with a comparable image quality found on the Zi6. The lens is superior, though the codec and compression seem just a bit lower quality than the Zi6. At low light, the Vado is darker but does not suffer from the slow-shutter-speed blur that the Zi6 imparts to achieve lower-light sensitivity. The picture is stunning for a camera this size and the HDMI output to TV is a big plus.
The Vado HD is considerably smaller than the Zi6. It comes with the 8GB of storage already built in for two hours recording time at highest quality. The Zi6 requires the purchase of additional SD or SDHC storage which is both an asset and a liability. The Vado can shoot for two hours and then you have to upload to a computer whereas the Zi6 can keep shooting until you run out of SD cards (think vacation).
I use a Mac and found the .avi files of the Vado HD just as easy to use as the .mov files of the Zi6 when editing in Final Cut Pro or viewing in Quicktime, so long as you download the free Perian plug-in. In both cases, rendering is required to import the video into a timeline.
The Vado HD can be recharged using the USB connection (lithium ion removable battery) while the Zi6 uses rechargeable AA batteries and an external charger. The biggest advantage of the Zi6 is that you can use standard AA alkaline batteries in a pinch.
But let's get back to why the Vado HD wins hands down: the wide angle lens. It not only captures MORE of the scene in a single frame, it is STEADIER. A fact of videography is that the more you're zoomed-in, the more shake is amplified in the image. Conversely, the wider the shot, the less shake appears in the image. While neither camera has an image stabilizing system, the wide angle lens makes the Vado HD appear much smoother.
The microphone on the Zi6 does seems superior to the Vado. That and the 60 frame slo-mo mode, along with the macro feature, could be the difference depending on your chosen application. I'd actually like to have both cameras in my tool kit if the budget allowed.
But the Vado HD is the clear winner for me. Add the $29.00 underwater housing good to 5m (16 feet), and you've got a great system for shooting in the rain/pool/snorkeling/exterior car mounts, etc.
Oh, you'll see a lot of reviews saying this camera is shaky -- you've got to have a steady hand. It's light and the viewfinder is "screen only," meaning there's no camcorder-style eyepiece viewfinder. In my experience shooting video in Iraq, relying on a screen on any camcorder can be deceiving. As your hand moves, the screen and the background make the shot look more stable than when you're looking through a viewfinder. And that extra anchor point against an eyepiece makes the camera more solid. Finally, this is a VERY SMALL and VERY LIGHT camera. Practice shot composition and holding things steady (not walking for example, slower pans and tilts) and you'll be very happy. Add a Gorilla Pod for portable stability!
So instead of spending $150 on the Zi6 and $50 on SD cards, buy the Vado HD for the same $200 and get a better camcorder.
Customer Review: Very Sleek, Simple, and What I was looking for
Summary: 5 Stars
My rating is rated for what it was I was looking for.
In my own view this camera was perfect for me. Mainly due to the price and decent quality.
If you were to compare buying a 8G memory card along with a Pocket Camcorder with good/great quality I'm sure it would probably run more then what this cost with it all together at least I would think it would.
So far I like what I see, and I had no issues with it or its program that is included on the device memory itself. I havent really tried out the program, I only installed it which only took seconds to install and I didnt really play with it cause you dont have to go through the program to copy or remove the videos, you can do it straight through your computer folder. So my rating on the "software" was just fair for the moment.
My main reason for getting this particular camcorder was due to the fact that I only want it for recording videos. Most of the other camcorders which state they are of extreme quality, take photo shots as well, reason being for why you have to come out the pocket for them because your not gonna want a device that has simple or bad quality on the screen for your view if your going to take pictures. I have my own highly quality expensive professional looking Digital photography camera, so again I mainly wanted this device because its video only. I have twin boys that are learning to walk and its harder carrying a bulky digital camera around to film clips, and where I live there are psycho drivers so another reason for it was so I could pack something simple and small in my purse so if someone hits me, I have something to film proof and so on.
Quick list of things I liked: (I honestly Like the whole thing period)
A/V port (Audio/Video which allows you to connect it and view from your tv)
HDMI USB cable included and port on the device (Which allows you to connect it straight to a computer if you have the capability for it. I havent tried it but I have the connection port on my laptop, but Im guessing it could be used for as a direct camera. Which is nice cause my laptop comes with a camera built in but if that were to go out, then I can attach this one and use it as back up.)
Safety case included even though the device itself feel sturdy enough
Ridiculously easy to us, not complicated at all
Durable buttons, they dont seem cheep or wiggly
The battery is removable and you can buy a replacement right off of Amazon unlike many others where you have to go through the company cause the battery is made into the device.
Only thing I would of liked:
Personally, It would be nice if you could still stick in a memory card in it and have the internal 8G, but im sure then the device would be pretty bulky then. But for a pro, at least the 8G is already there, where other pocket camcorders have problems with certian card (G) sizes or card types even if it states it accepts all types or even the specific sizes it states.
I hoped this helped, I feel this camcorder is good enough for what I want to use it for. Video is clear, sound is good when you play back videos "on your computer" (sound played off of the device is still clear but its really low even on the highest level but its not like your really trying to keep the clips on the device so I dont feel that should be really qualified as an issue or a con). If you want something simple, well worth the price, just so you can make easy viewable clips with no distortion that you can transfer straight to your computer with ease. Then this is the one for you.
But if you want something where you can take pictures and videos, and replay the video constantly (then you'll probably complain about the sound level on the device itself even though we know your gonna put it on your computer anyways where the sound comes out nice and clear). Then you might be someone who will be unhappy with this. so spare yourself the complaining and blow your money on something more expensive and higher then 100 to make you feel like you got something worth such high quality when the video quality on this, I personally see is really good.
Customer Review: Amazingly tiny and a great thing to have in your pocket
Summary: 5 Stars
Okay, the video quality will probably not blow your mind or anything. It's not a Canon hv20... but I got an open-box Vado HD from Amazon for $160 and it's more than good enough for $160. The sound quality is... functional. It's mono and pretty rough sounding. If having high-quality sound is important, you might consider getting a stereo portable recorder anyway. But it works.
The video quality is as good as can be expected for the price. It looks pretty good, but since it's pretty compressed, it doesn't stand up well to extreme color grading.
However, there is a lot to like about this camera:
1. Wide-angle lens - the Vado has the widest lens of all the cheap pocket HD cameras, which leaves everything in more or less in focus.
2. Wide-angle lens - since all of the pocket cameras lack image stabilization, the wider lens causes moves and shakes to appear less noticeable than on the other pocket cams (especially the Mino).
3. Interface - it features a very simple and intuitive interface.
4. Feel - it's tiny, light, and the rubbery mat finish feels good, seems reasonably tough and doesn't show fingerprints.
5. Features - 8GB of built in memory and replaceable rechargeable battery. Having the option of inserting a spare battery is nice.
These are not dealbreakers, but here are the things that are not awesome about the Vado HD:
1. Annoying on/off chime - there is no way to disable the ringtone that chimes when you turn the unit on or off. I'm assuming this is to discourage upskirt cam people or something, but I think it's kind of obnoxious for the rest of us who might like to shoot in a quiet place without disturbing others.
2. USB thingy - the USB plug is located on the bottom of the unit off to the side, which makes it impossible to prop the unit up against something without holding it. It's not everyday that I'd want to do that, but I just don't see why they couldn't have made the bottom level.
3. weird AVI codec - a lot of programs have difficulty reading the format that the Vado HD records. It's an AVI with a fairly non-standard codec. I would definitely prefer that it recorded to Quicktime files, as they seem to play better with more software suites. Final Cut will import them, but than makes you render for playback in the timeline. As a workaround, I batch convert all of the .avi files to Apple Intermediate Codec files for working within Final Cut, so that I don't have to render every time I make an edit. It's not a huge deal, but it's not really ideal either. Premier on the Mac won't even import the files... and this is after downloading the special .avi codec. I'm not sure if it's possible to get the files working on Premier on the Mac without converting them via Quicktime first.
UPDATE: I have since begun editing on Premiere on the PC, and it works great. I have also finally watched the videos on my 32" LCD and the picture looks pretty amazing - way better than you would expect from something that costs under $200 and fits in your pocket.
Okay, that was longer than I meant for it to be.
In summary, it's a pretty amazing little camera. Don't expect the same video quality as a $500 HD camcorder and you won't be disappointed. But for less than $200, it rules. Even if you have a fancy camera, you might end up using this more, because you really can easily fit it in your pocket. It's smaller and lighter than most current cell phones.