Pocket DV5 Camcorder - DV3500

This really is a remarkable little gadget...especially for around $150.00 US. It's too sophisticated to be a toy, but not quite developed enough to be a primary camera. But I keep it on my hip and I've captured cool pictures and video that I would have missed if I hadn't had it. My only real beefs about it are the lack of an autofocus and the plastic doors being flimsy. But once you get the hang of setting the focus for still pictures, I think it performs pretty well for the money. Again, it's a low end camera so you're not going to get a low light aperature and superior optics. But this is a great camera to throw in the bag for trips. The fact that you get an MP3 player, voice recorder, and webcam just add frosting to the cake. I'm looking forward to the next generation of this camera with a more versatile lens and autofocus...then there will be nothing to complain about at all. Overall, I'd say this is one of my favorite electronic gadgets and well worth the $150.00.
John Nesbitt, Snohomish, WA USA - 8th June 2004

Two months ago I sat reading reviews on firebox.com about pocket DV cameras...so I thought I would add my views since making a purchase. The Pocket DV5 is great. It is very small (fits in the palm of your hand...and in your pocket when out and about. Very easy to use - yes...after two months I have decided to read the 'user guide' to ensure that I am getting them most out of it. I would suggest that you purchase an SD card which gives you about an hour of video and loads of space for pictures...plus you can use the SD card in your PDA. We took the DV5 on holiday and left the traditional camera at home. It worked a treat. The print quality is 'excellent'. So...if you are looking for a compact digital camera with video, voice and MP3 buy the DV5 now.
Tim Brooke, Leeds - 6th May 2004

I bought this camera in March and it arrived the next day. It's smaller than it looks in the pictures. I'll do the same thing as the other guy: Pros: It's relatively small, plays MP3 files, picture quality is good and the movies are what you'd expect from this price of camera although they are of a high standard playing on your computer but not on you TV as it gets pixelated badly! Cons: To get at the usb port headphone and AV socket you have to open a flimsy cover which truly does look like its going to break. Auto white balance is rubbish but you can do it manually if you have time. You get about 50 minutes of video on 320x240 and 30fps which isn't all that bad on a 256mb card. MP3 files take up about 1MB a minute and pictures on highest resolution about half a MB. I was able to record an episode of the Simpsons and the quality was perfect, however I found it worked better on a flat screen TV to reduce flicker as well as 50hz. When taking photos with flash and using the loudspeaker it seems to eat batteries so use rechargeables (they are not supplied). I think this camera is great and perfect for small home videos and a bit of fun.
David, essex - 21st March 2004

Pros:

• Video quality is quite good considering the price. Looks like 80's VHS
• Stable i.e. does not lock up
• Plays MP3 files
• Very good resolution even with interpolation
• Comes with all cables to connect to PC or even TV to view videos and stills
• High build quality + Looks really good !

Cons:

• Auto white balance is a little retarded
• Stills taken in poor lighting don't look too good even with flash
• Headphone socket is inconveniently placed making it difficult to use as an always ready mp3 player
• Front cover for usb, video out and earphones is very fragile. Looks like it's going to break anytime
• SD cards are expensive. 256 MB will get you an hour of video on normal quality. 2 of these will set you back at least £100 at least.

Conclusion: Ideal for casual home/holiday videos on a budget. Great toy to play with and have with you at all times.
kevin, London - 18th February 2004

I have become quite a follower of the Pocket DV range. I started out with a DV2, then upgraded to a DV4 when I saw the features that it came with and now I've got a DV5 (because some git pinched the DV4 and I missed it terribly). The bods at Aiptek have come up with another blinder although to be honest I'm not sure if it's quite worth getting the DV5 if you already have the DV4. The major difference is the fact that the video format is now MPEG 4 which means you get the same good quality videos but taking up less memory. Obviously a good selling point for those of you with smaller SD cards (for first timers, you need an SD card, the on board memory will not last long). The other new features this time round include three different picture modes (standard, black and white and classic) and the exposure adjustment in video mode enabling you to lighten up your videos if you're in a dark room (or darken them if you're in a bright one!). Apart from that it has a much more rounded look to it and this time, the flip-out screen doesn't stick out at all. A small cover on the front keeps the USB, headphones and A/V out sockets protected from the elements (not sure if it's better than the DV4 version of this though) and not sure if I like this or not but this time, the SD card is protected from the elements behind the battery cover. This, unfortunately, means that every time you want to remove the SD card (admittedly, not all that often) you will have to open the battery cover and lose the date and time in the process so you'll have to re-set them. The only other gripe I have is that they seem to have put a protruding lens back on the front as opposed to the DV4 that had the lens set inside the camera which means we’re back to having no lens cover. Annoying for those of us who take the camera with us everywhere and subject it to a fair beating. I know it doesn’t sound like I’m giving a particularly glowing review but this camera is, in actual fact, the dogs danglies on a sunny day. Don’t know if that makes it better than standard dogs danglies, I’ll leave that up to you to decide. If you’ve got the DV4, I’d give it some serious thought if you want to upgrade but if you’ve only got the DV3, DV4 or are in the market for your first digital camera then look no further, this is the one you want. Two very enthusiastic thumbs up!
Matt Kik, Sheffield, UK - 12th February 2004