Customer Reviews

Aiptek PenCam Trio HD 4 GB Camcorder Value Pack (Blue)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Length:: 7:12 Mins

Here's a quick video review of the Aiptek PenCam Trio HD.

It's called "trio" because it's three gadgets in one: Video Camera at 720p 30fps (saves video in MOV format), MP3 Player (drag files to the device via USB), 5MP still camera.

Included in the package: AV cables, USB cable, HDMI cable, Wrist Strap, Headphones, Armband, Sunvisor/stand.

In this review I show you what's in the package, and an example of the video and still picture abilities of the device.

I am giving this device 4 stars. It takes a lot for me to give a gadget like this 5 stars, because there are inherent weaknesses in something of its size - namely size of screen, and a slight quality sacrifice. But overall, for what it is, it's a great gadget to play with and carry everywhere!

Length:: 0:45 Mins

Quick Summary -
Pros: Light, easy to use and carry. Discrete Video Camera. Cords included for connection to HDTV.
Cons: Low Quality Video, Video stores as a .mov file (Quicktime), 100 minutes max, not 2 hours, Low Quality Photos.

A picture IS worth a thousand words. The attached short video shows only one thing - the comparison of video quality between my older Flip Video and the Aiptek using indoor lighting. I chose to compare these two because of the similarities in actual cost.

I held both cameras and shot both very short video clips at the same time for a true comparison. As you can see, there is a distinct quality loss with the Aiptek in the video. While the Aiptek picks up the sound better (it's louder), there is an edgy harshness to the sound.

The battery is a 2-hour battery under normal conditions. HOWEVER, this camera can only store 100 minutes of video, not the 2 hours mentioned in the description. And, this total of 100 minutes is based on having no pictures or music stored on the camera.

I used the camera to take still photos (Indoors). All of the photos were of small items (for E-bay) and needed to show detail. There was significant loss of detail when using this camera, and the color spectrum was off (whites showed as yellows). I have uploaded one of the photos (in the photo section of the silver Model) to demonstrate the lack of clarity and focus.

The buttons work more smoothly on the Aiptek than the Flip, and it is narrower (although a bit longer than the Flip). While it compares itself to a highlighter, I would suggest that it is closer to the size of two highlighters.

The arm band is well made and fits both my arm and my husband's arm (with room to spare). Since my husband takes a "large size" blood pressure cuff, I would say that it will fit most sizes! It is also nice to have a stand for a table so that I can take a video of myself for my parents.

The battery is rechargeable and needs to be charged using the USB cord. For 2 hours of use it takes up to 8 hours to charge.

Video stores as a .mov file and needs to be viewed in Quicktime. To even see the file on your Windows computer, you need Quicktime, either downloaded or copied from the included disk. Powerpoint and Windows Movie Maker do not accept .mov, so you need to download a .mov to .wmv converter (free online) if you want to convert movies for use.

Law Enforcement Officers: While the camera is obviously a camera, it is very lightweight for a pocket with a nice pocket clip. The recording light is on the back, which means that it is still a discreet method of recording. It is a 2-step recording process, Pen must be turned on (side button) and the recording started (red button on back.)

I would actually consider this a nice gift for a preteen or another individual who is looking for something handy (and relatively low cost) to carry with them that includes music, digital photography, and Video clips. But, if you want a decent camera or video camera, this is not your best choice.

A solid "OK" with three stars.

The AipTek PenCam Trio HD is a multi-purpose gadget that includes an HD video camera, a 5MP digital still camera and an MP3 player. After experimenting with this device, I came to the conclusion that it is a mediocre device for imagery but acceptable for audio. I will explain each feature separately, then I will discuss some other things about this device.

First and foremost, this is billed as a pen-sized video camera. It does indeed record video, at a reasonable resolution and frame rate, up to 100 minutes worth. It's easy to work with, just set the mode, turn on the power and start recording. The audio on the recorded video is loud and clear, but the video itself is very grainy and not of the best quality. Worse, zooming in and out is not smooth AT ALL, being very jumpy and erratic. There is a light that can be turned on to enhance the light balance when recording but it is not enough to rescue the otherwise poor quality. On the plus side, there seems to be some adjustment for jitter built-in so that video recording is not too susceptible to slight movements.

The 5MP camera is very limited in capability. You can turn the flash on and off, zoom in and out, and snap pictures. There are no other adjustments and settings that can be made to improve the picture quality and as a result it is easy to take bad pictures. In fact, my cell phone's 2MP camera is better at taking decent pictures, and that says quite a lot.

The one redeeming feature of this device is the MP3 player. It does a nice job of audio playback, with decent sound quality and volume control. With 4GB memory it can hold quite a bit of music and audio.

There is no documentation with this device, at all. The print on the box is as close as you will get to having documentation, which is a terrible oversight. It is not good enough to assume that users will automatically know how to use this device, even though it is relatively straightforward. Several things about this gadget are learned through trial and error for the less electronically inclined.

*** UPDATE 11-29-2009: I was told that a mini CD with the manual should come with the gadget. Mine did not. I hope I am an isolated exception...

The screen is actually the biggest complaint I have about this device. It is small in the interest of keeping the overall device small, but it is so small as to be hard to see for some people. I struggle with seeing the image on the screen, and that's a deterrent for using it.

Another unfortunate design decision is that, in order to hear audio at all, you have to use headphones (this device includes a pair of ear buds in the package). Every other video device I have ever used that allows playback has a speaker, but this one does not. If out and about and you need to review your recordings, take the ear buds with you.

The very best feature of this gadget is the included software that installs when you plug it into a USB port of your computer. Installation takes some time but once installed it is very intuitive, responsive and seems to have packed a lot of features for interacting with the device (sending and receiving). It also facilitates interacting with YouTube so uploads are made easy.

Included in the package are all of the cables needed to interact with the gadget.

The AipTek PenCam Trio HD is a small device trying to be a video camera, digital camera and MP3 player all rolled into one unit. Unfortunately it does not work so well when it comes to its visual functions and actually underperforms some cell phones in these areas. Though a useful tool when on the go and an interesting gift idea, this gadget should be viewed as a starter unit at best and a toy at worst.

Back in the fifties if you were a kid who read comic books you were always wanting to buy an actual "spy" camera. Supposedly used by real spies to photograph military installations without being detected, kids wanted them to take pictures of things that would get us in real trouble if we were caught with say a Brownie or even an Instamatic. Of course the real problem was that it used special film that had to be developed and if you had any risque shots the lab would confiscate the film and tell your parents...or so we were told since none of use ever actually bought a spy camera.

Fifty years later, you can buy a pen cam. While it is actually a bit bigger than the Minox spy cam of days gone by, iIt does exactly what it promises, with no need to take film to a lab. It is a 5MP still cam, a 720p HD video cam and an MP3 player. Picture quality is excellent as is the video. Playing MP3's the pen cam has more than acceptable sound reproduction.

So why did I give this product 3 stars and not 4 or 5? The answer is that it is a dedicated tool in that it does three things and three things only. Any smartphone these days do the same three things and a lot more. The 4GB storage capacity is acceptable but my iPhone 3GS has 32GBs. It has a 3 MP camera, a video camera (though not HD or with a zoom), and plays my entire MP3 collection (about 20GBs). It also has a bar code laser scanner, an Amazon Kindle, a turn by turn GPS system, and room for lots and lots of applications.

So if you need 5MP, 720p HD video and have no need for a cell phone or storage of lots of music, this is a product you should consider. Otherwise look into a new smartphone as an alternative.

This is a nice, small, camcorder that is easy to use and convenient.
The videos are ok but not great. It comes with some cool accessories.
The battery seems to last a long time. This is great if you need a small camcorder and you just want to take some good video.

This was an absolute bOMB
Video was unclear and like a '50s tV show
Sound was only semi-audible
Felt clunky and cheap
battery life was close to ZERO
screen so small that playback on the device is unusable
not intuitive in video transfer to computer'
make life easy
buy a FLIP !!

Since this is a pen sized camcorder, I wasn't expecting a great picture, and I was right, it's grainy. The audio is good, the size is a plus, it fits easily in a pocket or purse and weighs very little. I remember when bringing a camcorder along could wear you out in a couple of hours!
We've taken some great videos, but I recommend it for outings when you normally wouldn't bring your camcorder, on outings where your hands are full and to dance recitals where they won't let you record the event so they can sell you a low quality overpriced DVD afterward (I still buy their DVD, but I want close ups of MY kid, thank you very much!) I wouldn't use it for Christmas or birthdays, I would use something with a higher quality picture, but it's good for what it's intended.

The software, however, don't get me started on that! I keep task manager open all the time, I get claustrophobic when there's something running that I don't need but can't get rid of, and this software fits that description. You can't remove it from the start menu using MSconfig, I tried, it always opens when the computer restarts. I finally got tired of my computer being highjacked and tried to remove it. Guess what? Every file is "shared" and can't be deleted without affecting other programs. That's pretty much my definition of a virus, you can't keep it from starting and you can't remove it.
I finally removed it anyway, even though I got dozens of pop up windows warning me it would keep my other programs from running. It's removed, and so far my other programs are fine.
I'd have given it four stars, because I expected the grainy picture as a trade off for discreteness and portability, but the software brought it down a star, for me. I'm very protective of my computer, I only want what's needed running at any given time.

This camera was purchased for the use of my young son, who really wanted a camcorder. At its original full price, it seems like madness to buy this product. There are many other more useful cameras on the marketfor less than this. But, at a price point well under $80, it was a good buy for us and worth the money. The camera is small and easy to use, and has met all of our needs thus far.

If you are trying to use this device as a dvr, don't! as it does not have a "video AV-in" like the other Aipteks.

I bought this a few weeks back. Amazon had them on sale for $43 which I thought was a steal at that price for what it can do. It's pretty basic, just takes HD video, 5 MP still pics and MP3 player. Not much as far as modifying settings, all the controls are on the camcorder itself, no menus. In broad daylight or well lit room, video and stills are more than passable. In low light, frame rate drops dramatically, almost looks like webcam quality. It's just basically a camera/camcorder that's just good to have around for any spontaneous videos or pics. (I leave mine in the glove compartment). Small, compact, just slips right into your pocket. I haven't used the MP3 function much but it works just fine, no playlist option, or anything remotely advanced but it's a plus in case you forget your main player.

I showed my co-worker some samples of videos I took and he was sold and got himself one as well and has been happy with the purchase. I would not spend more than $100 for this camcorder, not even $70, but for $43 I think that's a great price, cheaper than some 5MP digital cameras that take choppy VGA video. So if it ever goes down in price again, I say pick it up, makes a nice secondary camera or for a 1st timer, like your teen or pre-teen or someone who's never owned a camera before, nice starter. Plenty of samples on youtube and what you see there is what you get. Looks pretty good on an HDTV big screen as well.