This review is from: Pegasus PJ-003 4 GB USB SPY Pen Camcorder Portable Video Camera (Black) (Electronics)
Length:: 3:11 Mins
The Pegasus JP-003 4GB Spy Pen is actually a fairly cool gadget. The video quality is surprising good but the still photos are very hit and miss, at best (see video).
Physically, this is a BIG pen that will be noticed if used in front of others. Fully assembled it measures 6" long and is about ½" in diameter at the widest part (not including the pocket clip). Those with small hands will have trouble holding this for writing over long periods of time.
Using the Video and Photo features take some practice as the documentation is just awful. I like that the Pen acts like a USB thumb drive, with the video and photo files saved in their own directories. The videos are saved as standard AVI and the photos are JPG, so no additional software is required to view the media files (at least on a MS Windows PC, not sure about MAC).
The Spy Pen recharges when connected to the USB port or you can use the included AC adaptor and cable. One note of caution, always use "Safely Remove Hardware" before removing the Spy Pen from the computer or you will risk hanging the pen (I had to wait for the battery to die before getting control back).
The two main issues I had with the Spy Pen were, 1) It is hard to tell where the lens is pointing when it is in your shirt pocket, and 2) There is a "time\date stamp" on the video and no instructions on how to change it (mine is set to 1980).
What's included:
The Pen Body (Top and Bottom sections)
3 Pen Refills
AC Power Charger
USB Extension Cable
2 pages of documentation (almost useless)
Overall I am happy with this and will likely give it to my kids when I'm done playing with it.
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This review is from: Pegasus PJ-003 4 GB USB SPY Pen Camcorder Portable Video Camera (Black) (Electronics)
The Pegasus PJ-003 was ordered as an impulse buy on a Black Friday special. Knowing what I know now, I would probably not order it again but I will not return it because it could teach my kids computer file management, image processing, patience and possibly some skills they might need if they ever decide to work as spies.
PACKAGING
Surprisingly, it comes in a nice case with everything nicely organized and protected with plastic foam. The following are included in the box:
- The true 'pen' lower half of the pen - includes the retractable ink refill.
- The upper half has the USB Type A male connector, 4GB RAM, camera, mic, status light and reset point.
- 3 additional black ink refills.
- AC/DC adapter that outputs power over a femail Type A USB port.
- Type A male/Type A female cord that can be optionally used with either the AD/DC adapter or to connect to a computer.
- Manual - eight 3"/2" folded pages written in the most atrocious English imaginable.
- Quick Start Guide - 2 paragraphs that attempt to translate/explain the manual's incomprehensible instructions on how to take pictures and shoot videos.
OPERATION
The pen can be charged by plugging it directly into a computer's or it can be plugged into the provided AC/DC adapter's USB port. The provided extension cord can be used with either methods if needed.
Once charged, it operates as follows:
Off
---
- Press the button until status light turns on (yellow) to place it in standby mode.
Standby (light is yellow)
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- Press button for about 1/2 second and release. When the light turns blue, you are in VIDEO mode and recording video.
- Press button until light turns blue to enter the PHOTO-taking mode.
- Wait for one minute and it will turn itself off.
Video (light is blue)
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- Press and release button to switch to STANDBY
- Keep button pressed to turn off.
Photo (light is blue - I know, it's confusing)
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- Press and release button to take a picture. Light will briefly flash 'yellow' then turn back to 'blue'.
- Press button until light turns yellow to go back to STANDBY.
It takes some practice but it works.
OUTPUT
You will get .AVI files for video and .JPEG for photos at 640*480 resolution. The quality is, as expected not very good but a steady hand could produce acceptable video and pictures - as in it's possible to recognize people by looking at their faces and identify their surroundings as 'indoor' or 'outside' but high-quality spy work is another matter - I would not consider this a professional tool of the trade. The quality of the photos appears to be higher than that of the video, probably because I tend to keep the pen steady while taking pictures.
On a Vista computer the Pegasus was recognized immediately as an external drive. The photos and the videos are kept in separate folders and can be easily copied, renamed or deleted. Surprisingly, the videos actually place a date/time stamp of the picture but there is no documented way to actually set the date and time so they will carry what appears to be Beijing time.
OVERALL IMPRESSIONS AND RATING
This could be an interesting toy for a 12-14 yr. old but it can't imagine a true spy using it for actual spy work. I would say it's 'okay' at the price I bought it during the Black Friday sale but I would not buy it at the current price - so get it on sale if you have kids that would have a use for something like this. Please see the first 'comment' to this review for more information.
Between 2 stars (don't like it) and 3 stars (it's okay)... 2 stars is probably the fair rating considering the impossible to read manual, the lack of any warranty, the inability to properly set the date/time and the awkward way it is operated.
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This review is from: Pegasus PJ-003 4 GB USB SPY Pen Camcorder Portable Video Camera (Black) (Electronics)
I bought one of these 4GB camera pens from overseas - not from Amazon, but the same specs and look. The picture quality was surprisingly good - for the 2 hours it worked before it quit responding. With an Amazon purchase you at least have someone standing behind the product. It is cheap and fun - I might buy another. It is interesting that one of Amazon's suggested tags is "complete crap" - perhaps because of the 2 star rating I give it. I would not call it crap, just a cheap toy.
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This review is from: Pegasus PJ-003 4 GB USB SPY Pen Camcorder Portable Video Camera (Black) (Electronics)
The company that makes this pen seems to have spent more on the packaging than the actual product.
My issues:
1. The instructions are, at best, gibberish.
2. As a pen: Either the mechanism was broken out of the box or the design is defective. To expose the ball pen, rotate the pen body... like every other "fancy" pen. The problem is when it's time to write: The slightest pressure causes the pen to retract back into the body.
3. As a video recorder: Video quality is poor at best. Audio is almost non-existant. I used the pen two or three times ("Hey check this crazy pen out") before it died. It powers up, but will not record or automatically shut off. The computer no longer recognizes it.
Summary: It's a pen, a camera and a video camera.... and does all three functions equally poorly.
Returning the product.
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