Archive for March, 2008

Last week I ordered a High Definition Digital Camcorder. It’s the Aiptek AHD200 720p and it cost £109 from QVC UK. They also threw in a 2GB SD Card, but apart from that extra which was exclusive to the QVC deal it also comes with remote control and a case.

It arrived today so I’ve only had a brief time to play around with it but the thing I love about it is the simplicity – it’s very straightforward to use. I don’t need anything expensive or fancy with a ton of features, so this is perfect for my needs.

I’m ill with Tonsillitis and a horrible influenza type virus at the moment, so the chances of me getting out with the intention of shooting any decent footage over the coming days is slim, but hopefully I’ll be able to get something before the Easter Weekend is over and then I’ll give more of my review.

I did take a 10 second test video and uploaded it to YouTube before I realised how that site completely strips any quality. I was pointed in the direction of blip.tv by Graham so I opened an account there and will post any decent stuff there in future. Then I remembered I had an account at Vimeo and was very pleased to see that they now present HD Videos without ripping apart the quality. So, I uploaded my very quick test clip here. I think you can really see how vibrant the colours are on my screen.

So, initial thoughts on the Aiptek AHD 200 from a very quick play while being slightly unwell is very positive indeed. The RRP on this model is around £150 – I’m just glad I was watching QVC at the right moment to bag their special offer. I’ll write more about it when I’ve had a good opportunity to get out and about with it.

EDIT – Wednesday 19th March 2008

Some video shot today of the dog, by my other half. Feel free to add me as a contact on Vimeo

My new digital camera that I talked about here arrived a couple of weeks ago. Not so pleasant weather (wind, rain, stormy stuff) mixed with me being occupied with other things meant I haven’t had the opportunity to get out for a significant period to play with it. I’ve played around doing super macro shots and I’m very impressed with it.

I’ve been reading the manual for the camera and there’s a lot for me to master. I can have so much more control over the aperture which I’m really looking forward to learning more about. I am not planning on any night shots just yet because I’m not quite comfortable with how to do so. Plus, it’s a little bit chilly and murky in the evenings, so not quite the weather for standing still long enough for a slow shutter speed or indeed take lots of test shots to get it just right.

I’ve been buying up some extras for the camera including 2GB SD card, case, rechargeable batteries and a charging unit for the batteries. I’ll always carry four spare batteries with me. They’ll fit comfortably into the front of the case. Of course, the good thing about a camera that does take AA batteries is they’re readily available almost anywhere, meaning I should never get caught short. I’ve also read some reviews for the particular batteries I’ve bought and they apparently have a very long life.

Today has been one of the nicest days we’ve had ever since I bought the camera. Not windy, not wet, clear-ish blue sky and not bitterly cold either. So, I took the opportunity to have a zoom across the Tyne Bridge into Gateshead where the Angel of the North stands, welcoming people into the region via the A1. In all the 10 years he’s been opening his arms to those entering Gateshead/Newcastle, I haven’t once got right up to him close enough to take some quality photos of the big fella. I have only ever taken these two shots as we’ve driven past.

I put the camera onto Landscape mode and took around 35 shots. The sun was in a bit of an odd position but I think I got some nice photos. Luckily it was fairly quiet around there today – just myself and a Japanese tourist taking some photos. Both of us being kind enough to step out of the way while each of us took photos. I really could have used a wide angle lens to fit the entire wing span in. I’d have to stand back some distance to get all of him in. You just don’t appreciate how massive he is until you’re stood at his feet. One of my favourite shots from the afternoon is this one…

The jogger running past just demonstrates the sheer scale of this breathtaking landmark. I am also impressed with the zoom on this camera with these two shots.

You can see my other shots from the afternoon, here.

So, really pleased with how my shots turned out, in this first outing for my new Fuji S5700 7.1MP Digital Camera. I’m so glad I finally moved on from my 2.1MP SONY Cybershot otherwise the shots wouldn’t have been anywhere near as good – and of course the race against time regarding the lacking battery would have taken the pleasure out of it.