The picture I can with a clear conscience described as good. The pictures are clear and also look at faster movements still look good. Also on the LCD TV via HDMI I recognize no formation of small blocks or other indifferences. Despite the lack of the image stabilizer during camera movement or movements is fairly quiet.
However, the A100 needs good lighting conditions. Outdoors the camcorder actually filming in any weather tidy when you adjust the white balance to "Automatic". Indoors it depends on the brightness and the type of lighting, but the mode is used for the white balance, you can find out with a few test shots.
The camcorder offers optical course not, but only digital zoom. And that is even surprisingly well and can be quite impressive. However, the Zoom is anyway merely incidental, as a good amateur filmmakers rarely makes use anyway.
The sound is not bad in itself, even in stereo, but it will be all background noise recorded. If you switch the power off, operating the zoom or move only once the fingers, is heard all that. Here one would have expected from a favorable manufacturers like Aiptek more, because the sound processing already annoying huge.
Remedy creates an external microphone, whose acquisition is almost mandatory. Well, for example, is a notebook microphone as the Hama notebook mini microphone or the like. While the undesirable noise not disappear unfortunately also, but they are nevertheless reduced significantly.
The housing is made of plastic and certainly not the highest quality but looks passable, and fits comfortably in your hand. The buttons also act rather favorable, especially the switch for the zoom. Moreover, the housing is not bolted, the camcorder can not be opened as in the case of repair.
The LCD screen is good, you can see the picture in all lighting conditions. The menu system is a bit cumbersome and at the beginning rather confusing, but when you get used to darn, you find yourself along well.
The battery life is, according to the manufacturer's instructions for 90 minutes, and more than an hour I had the camcorder probably already in use without the battery is empty. NP-60 replacement batteries and a charger are available at affordable prices.
The included software for editing is clear and easy to handle. The camcorder does not pause function and stores each recording as a new movie, but with the software from ArcSoft can cut the individual movies without major problems and put together. The finished film can burn not only on DVD, but also as Blu Ray, of course, including menu and chapter divisions. For the somewhat ambitious amateur filmmakers, the software may be a bit limited, but she has all the necessary basic functions.
I want the A100 just want to display the film, but of course I also have the photo function subjected to a test. The images are acceptable, but can not compete with those of my several years old and still like to use Kodak CX7430 Cybershot itself. The result of strong As with the video function also depends on the pictures on the lighting conditions. Outdoors you can expect in daylight in general with decent images that are sufficient for prints 10x15 cm. However, the light comes in indoor settings from the page, the photos tend to over-exposure, resulting in a blue tinge and ghostly pale faces. Gladly are photos in rooms too dark or reddish. For snapshots still in order, during a vacation or golden wedding, it should already be a real digital camera.
Who is filming or much larger intends of course, is better off with a high end camcorder. But who can not spend much money / or who want no more expensive camcorder needs an opportunity Filmer, for the Apitek AHD A100 is a useful device.
