My Aiptek IS-DV2 Digital Camcorder Review

At $40 for a camcorder, what can you expect, right? Well, when I bought the Aiptek IS-DV2 digital camcorder on Black Friday in 2005, I had a little more in mind.

Having said that, as I write this, it is December 2008. So, it has lasted for over 3 years, which is more than I can say for most of my technology. It's small, lightweight design makes it unexpectedly durable. I can't say how many times I've dropped this camera, but it remains intact, for the most part. I've also used it to upload quite a few videos to Youtube, and it is rather easy to do so.

This camera fits in your pocket which makes it quite convenient for recording your kid's sports games, without having to lug around a big piece of equipment. This camera also packs a still photo function, sound recorder, and MP3 player, which makes it like a Swiss Army camera (Not literally, of course. I'm sure the Swiss Army uses more high tech cameras.) It has an expandable memory, so there's really no limit to how much you can record with this.

A feature that I enjoy, is that it runs on AA batteries. There are probably mixed feelings on this feature, but I enjoy it. If you're out and about, recording something and your batteries die, then you're only a convenience store away from continuing where you left off. Whereas, with a more expensive camera, you have to go back home to charge your battery, effectively ending your day.

Now, for the things that I don't like about this camera. First of all, there is no "On" button. When you open the LCD screen, the camera turns on. When you close it, the camera turns off. That means that not only can you not record anything secretly with the screen shut, but if you accidentally bump the screen closed then it stops your recording.

Playback is also rather annoying. There is no rewind or fast-forward feature. You can pause while you are watching something, but if you want to see something at the beginning, then you have to either completely start over, or plug it into a computer and use a Media Player.

My biggest problem with the camera, however, is that it needs A LOT of light to see anything. If you are in a dimly lit room, then you will get very little, if anything at all. If it is night, forget about it. The camera has a "Nightshot" feature, but that only picks up a little bit more light and it lowers the resolution to the point of being useless. Everything becomes more choppy than anyone would ever want to watch. Even with all that, though, shooting at night is still impossible.

So, would I recommend this camera for you to buy? Well, it all depends on your purposes. It's a nifty thing to have, if you want to record a well-lighted sporting event, or if you want to make some short Youtube films during the daytime, or if you just need a cheap way to keep video blogs. However, if you are into a long-term film making process, looking for something professional, or even looking to record at night, then you should keep looking.