Creative Vado Now Available In HD

[Hooch Tan]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/12/08/creatives-vado-hd-pocket-cam-now-available/' target='_blank'>http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/12/0...-now-available/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Creative introduced today the Vado HD, the successor to the Vado released back in May. It captures video in 720p and is the only pocket video cam to feature HDMI connectivity and an included HDMI cable that provides 1080i output to an HDTV. It also comes with 8GB of built-in memory that can hold up to two hours of HD video. The Vado HD also features a 2-inch LCD screen and a built-in USB connector so you can quickly connect to your PC and share your videos using YouTube or Box.net."</em></p><p><em></em><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com//dht/auto/1228876874.usr20447.png" /></p><p>While I don't have a camcorder myself, the release of these tiny digital HD camcorders makes them more tempting each year.&nbsp; I'm sure there's still a large market for large, high quality video cameras, pocket camcorders are much easier to carry, making it that much more likely for me to have it when opportunity knocks.&nbsp; The big attention getter about the new Vado for me is the HDMI connectivity, which makes it easy to connect it to a TV.&nbsp; Unfortunately, I find the estimated two hours of recording time a little tight.&nbsp; Anyone who has gone on vacation knows this means you'll have to cart along your laptop to offload every day or two.</p>

[Macguy59]

The video quality in good lighting lags behind the Mino HD and Kodak Zi6. In low light conditions it's terrible.

[Vincent Ferrari]

The video quality in good lighting lags behind the Mino HD and Kodak Zi6. In low light conditions it's terrible.

I'm not surprised, actually. I have the Zi6 and the original Vado and the quality on the original Vado was abysmal. It was nice that it was only $99, but man was it awful. The Zi6 is really good, and Gizmodo, who picked it as their Editor's Choice, says that the Zi6 is still better than the Vado HD. When you take into account the Zi6's removable memory, AA batteries, and lower price tag (even if you factor in a 4 Gig SDHC card), the Vado HD is no bargain in any sense of the word.

On the plus side, of course, is the included Mini HDMI cable, but my Zi6 came with component cables and frankly those are just as prevalent on HD televisions.

Yeah... I admit it... I'm a bit of a Zi6 fanboy ;-) I told a friend yesterday that if they upgraded the Zi6 in any way, I'd blindly buy the upgrade without batting an eye. ;)

[Macguy59]

Yeah... I admit it... I'm a bit of a Zi6 fanboy ;-)

Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaa :D

The video quality of the Zi6 and Mino HD are fairly close in ideal conditions but the lower the light level gets the more the Mino HD outperforms it IMO. I also think the Zi6 over saturates colors (by a good bit) in some cases. Definitely like the Zi6's larger LCD. Neither is a bad choice but I think the Mino HD handles a greater variety of shooting conditions. Too bad they can't find a way to build in image stabilization at the same price point.