InitImp

It has been a long time since I have posted anything on the Vado HD, but I finally have one in my hands.  It was a birthday gift from my sweet girlfriend and I can’t thank her enough.  I unboxed it last night for some initial impressions, and I am feeling very optimistic about this device.  I have never owned any sort of camcorder so I am a novice, but I think I am going to have fun with it.

Form:

Creative put together a nice presentation for this device.  The packaging was attractive and the camera came with everything you would expect plus a few extras.  The usb cable and rechargeable battery were expected, but I was pleasantly surprised to find a silicon skin, screen protector, and HDMI cable.  Creative did skimp on the paperwork as there is no full instruction manual, but the quick start guide is really all I needed to get started.

The device feels comfortable in the hands, and it is lighter than I expected.  Most devices that claim to be “pocket friendly” aren’t really ever going to fit or feel comfortable in your pocket, but the Vado HD is smaller and lighter than some cell phones.  It is a little hard to hold steady at first due to its unusual shape and feather weight, but after a few minutes it feels natural.  Overall, the form is aesthetically pleasing and serves the device well.

Function:

The  2″ screen on the Vado HD is a real treat.  It is vibrant, and relatively easy on the eyes for being so small.  The buttons and interface are both minimalistic and intuitive.  The power button located on the side of the device is the only button that seems out of place because it is lacking a lock mechanism.  I worry that I might accidentally turn the device on or off while it is in my pocket or in its case.  The swivel USB connector magnetically latches in place, which is something I am very fond of.  The included battery has an estimated life of 2 hours, but it is easily swapped so you can carry extras if you need to record longer.

Recording is extremely simple.  I powered on the device and pressed the big red button and I was shooting video before I even realized it.  The camera came programmed to shoot in HD+ (720p fastest bitrate), but you can change it to HD (720p normal bitrate) or VGA quality if you want to save space.  I decided to leave it at HD+ for testing.  I recorded a few clips inside, but I have heard the camera performs better under sunlight.  Unfortunately, it is fairly dark and cold outside so that will have to wait.

After recording I plugged the device into my laptop and the drivers loaded automatically.  The Vado HD software is already on the devices memory and it popped up after the drivers were installed.  The interface is extremely simple, and I didn’t have any problems with bugs or slowdown.  The software allows you to manage your video collection, edit your videos to some degree, and share them.  As of now the only instant upload options on the software are youtube, photobucket, and box.  I don’t have an account with any video sharing sites, and I was reluctant to sign up for any of those so I made a Vimeo account (which wasn’t as great as I thought it would be, but that is another story for another time).

I trimmed my video to the right size, saved it, and uploaded it.  The whole process was seamless, but it could have been simpler if I would have opened an account with one of the supported video sharing sites.  The upload process with Vimeo took an hour so I watched my newly created video on my PC and via the HDMI cable on my Toshiba Regza.  As expected for a relatively inexpensive and small device, the video didn’t look perfect, but it did look really great on my PC.  The quality on my 37″ Toshiba was a little less acceptable, but nothing to complain about.

Finally, the upload finished and I watched it on Vimeo.  It is by far the worst of the 3 viewing experiences I sampled, but it is still not bad for a compressed uploaded video.  You can watch it below, but I would recommend going to Vimeo and actually watching it there so it isn’t clipped down into a tiny box (what is up with that wordpress!?).  Be sure to turn HD on for the best possible quality.  Alternatively, I think you can download the original clip from my Vimeo channel.

INIT IMP:

The first few hours with this device were pleasing, and I can see myself using it on a regular basis.  It has decent video quality, and it is small enough to take anywhere.  I am anxious to see how it performs under natural light, and low light.  If you are interested in capturing spontaneous video clips, recording small outings, or even making family videos this is an indispensable treasure.  I don’t think it would stand up to shooting a feature film, but that isn’t what it was designed for.  The software is simple enough for anyone regardless of computer literacy, and the price isn’t too restrictive.  I look forward to hours of fun and memories with the Vado HD.

[Buy]