Affordable, small, unkompliziert- but limited in the ways

First things first: Cheap, small, lightweight camera. Relatively simple to operate, multiple automatic functions.
Recommended for beginners with limited budget. Particularly useful for videographers without a computer. Well suited for uncomplicated family videos-not recommended for ambitious filmmakers with higher claim.

Scope of supply:
Camcorder
Video Cable
CD with user manual
Quick Reference Guide
USB cable
Charger / USB
Accumulator

The camcorder is very light and small. With dimensions of approximately 110x60x60 mm to fit into any travel bag and also in a small evening purse. The housing is made of plastic, the workmanship is good, the surface (unfortunately) in piano finish. The screen that flips down and can be Lathe displaying on the display adapts in rotation and is thus never on the head. The surface of the display reflects, making it in daylight outdoors unbrauchbar- it is advisable to retrofit an antiglare by adhesive film. On delivery, you can use the display as vanity mirror benutzen- else but nothing, not even to take pictures or movies. One sees nothing on it then.

Video can be recorded in HD, but not in FullHD 1280x720 goes in 25 frames / s, 720x567 / 50B / s is available in two proportions, 16: 9 and 4: 3 with 16: 9 just the 4: 3 format additional black border actual sense of the wide format thus not entirely reveals itself.
Photos can be added to 1696x954, 1280x720, 1600x1200, 800x600. Photography is parallel possible during video recording.
The supplied video cable is used to transfer recorded movies or photos to a TV or VCR. The transfer is carried out analogously. Not included is an HDMI micro cable which certainly represents a useful accessory for many, so that the data can then also digital or similar to a television transmitted, unless you want, and the device has an HDMI input.

On the supplied CD to the camera's instruction manual is available in many languages, the German language in the German folder. The manual is on the whole course, but has some typos and is occasionally a little holprig- proofreading could be careful here. Really annoying that is not my view but.

The included printed Quick Start Guide I found difficult to understand and quite nutzlos- there working with pictograms, whose meaning is likely to remain hidden in all languages. I at least gave some illustrations and nothing remained incomprehensible.

The USB cable is used as a charging cable to the computer and also for the transmission of films and videos from the camera to a computer. The camera itself is a software for transferring data is stored, I come back to it later. In addition, a charger for 220 volt outlet in the delivery, so that the camera can also be used without a computer.

The supplied battery pack is a IA-BP105R, alternatively, an IA-BP210R be used with higher capacity. The included battery lasts according to the manufacturer for about 110 minutes of video, depending on the mode that can vary though. The purchase of a second battery and an external charger is certainly not a bad idea.

A memory card is not supplied, to using SD cards up to 2 GB, SDHC or SDXC cards are better from 8 GB with a speed of at least Class. 6

Handling:
I got along well with the device and took about an hour to make me understand the operating instructions of the camera familiar. The menus are self-explanatory and functional okay and I, with the concepts was certainly the fact that I own several cameras already largely familiar. The powerful automation of the camera easier to operate at the beginning of course, very, disadvantage is that creative filmmakers come very quickly to the limits, because in addition to the Focus nothing is fully manually adjustable. I think that the camera is well suited for people who simply want to document only family celebrations or excursions. That should also be the target group the camera.

The one negative was the location of the connections for USB is me etc.- can the camera only with the lid open charge Very negative noticed me is the protection of the lens, who will enter manually opened and closed as a rule, which is also forget and then is Camera with lens unprotected in his pocket and dirty or stuck on a shelf. Here an automatic solution when turning on / off would be nice.

Image Quality:
In good lighting conditions and a simple subject, the camera achieves a considerable quality that makes a lot of fun. In bad light you have to make compromises, then the image tends to color noise, among others. The autofocus works well, but is very slow when zooming.
The automatic white balance is useless and led me to significantly discolored photographs. I therefore recommend to make a manual white balance with each shot in any case.

Against a shake image stabilizer is installed, which should be always on, in my view, is working unless using a tripod. He reassured the image actually a lot, but does not start any movement off as is the low weight of the camera a disadvantage heavy equipment filming quiet simply because of the inertia of their mass. The zoom of the camera overwhelmed the ability of the stabilizer quickly, also it was said, is in high zoom levels either a tripod is necessary or you have or not with restless image stabilizer Life.

The camera has some Creative Styles like Noir "Western" or BW "- The contrast or saturation to change I would recommend not to use this mode when the video anyway bearbeitet- the computer as a gag for those who shoot the. are playing only on a tape or watch on TV, that's nice.

Sound:
The recorded sound roars something that is audible especially in silent scenarios. Pressing of controls and zooming is clearly heard in a quiet environment on the recordings.
When photographing or filming, the camera is in the default loud noises, a Shutterklick when photographing, a different sound when you press controls, etc. which facilitates the operation because you get acoustic Feeback, whether actually a button click has been accepted, but can be very annoying if If, for example trying to film or photograph shy animals. My advice. disable these sounds, which is easily possible to happiness.

Software:
The camera has a software for Windows XP, Vista and 7 integrated, which can be installed on the computer, Intelli-studio. The software allows editing images and movies, video editing and the titles on a basic level. It can be used according to instructions not as good for 64-bit operating systems, what I can- confirm an update failed. MacIntosh owners get no software included. Who wants to get acquainted with the advance features of Intelli-studio and the service is among others on several Youtube videos to the software. An USB itself dei camera behaves like a drive (it must be switched on to), so that the data will simply be transferred with resources can, using the software is not absolutely necessary.

Conclusion:

Well, I think:
+ Compact format
+ Light weight
+ Easy operation
+ Automatic functions
+ Reasonable price
+ Huge optical zoom range
+ Fast lens

Not so good:
-kaum manual controls
-no FullHD
-only low resolution of the sensor and thus only low image resolution
-schlechter Auto white balance
-limited picture and video quality (chromatic aberrations, color noise)
So to hear the sound in -Rauschen silent scenes, zoom in recording
-Focus In high zoom levels slow to unusable
Overwhelmed image stabilization at high zoom levels
-spiegelndes display unreadable in daylight

The camera is not suitable for ambitious filmmakers, or even professionals. But well suited it is for those who incorporate large easy and without wishing to make videos and doing more have uncomplicated documentation of their experiences in mind. The camera can be used without a computer. It is cheap, easy to use and very compact.

With hard sunlight it is overwhelmed by the contrasts, because of the reflective display hardly operate and prone to significant chromatic aberrations (color fringing at light / dark transitions). In low light, it tends a little to the color noise. She has problems with focusing at high zoom levels, the sound roars something.

But it is quite useful in low light conditions, making since then good video quality even macro shots I found very pretty with it. In the long focal length or the distance to the biggest optical zoom Movie object has been relatively large Being I guess at least 2 meter, the lens can not otherwise focus during operation. But in general the focus is on the long focal length depending on the subject and is not always successful, so it's caution.

Favorable small family camera is quite recommendable and for family celebrations, animals well suited in the garden and so on. They also dominated a lapse, so you can for example sit and watch as they grow plants or flowers provided a tripod when Open-.