| Jazz Elite HDV-188 5MP HD Video Camera
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In Use (continued):
The next set of images show the thumbnail browser for movies (below left) and photos (below right). While the camera will open to the last photo or video shot, you can navigate to the thumbnail page, which makes browsing multiple files quick and easy.
 
The final set of images of the screen show examples of what the menus look like. The below left image shows a handful of settings related to shooting movies, while the below right image shows settings related to taking pictures. You can do all sorts of things you might expect (such as changing the resolution and adjusting flash settings), to other things that are more of a novelty (like adding custom photo frames or shooting in black and white).
 
The lists below provide links to unadulterated photos and videos taken straight from the HDV-188. These may not represent the best you can do with the camera, but they show what the casual user might get without fiddling with settings, controlling the ambient lighting, and so on. (Be warned, these are all large files).
Sample Photos:
» "2009 Honda Pilot" - Shrunk to 1024x768 this doesn't look too bad, but the blue tones seem off.
» "Happy Birthday Mr. Hand" - A goofy demonstration of the picture frames available.
» "Toxic Review Sample" - showing that close ups generally come out grainy and blurry.
Sample Videos:
» "Pilot Again" - A quick tour around the same Honda Pilot... Video looks pretty good.
» "Time Square Before Sunset" - A bit of motion blur, but good colors.
» "Behind the Barriers" - A moment of confusion as I walked out on to 44th street to be greeted by the NYPD and Secret Service (Sarah Palin was apparently inside).
I have used the camera for a couple weeks now, and I am getting better at using it. I prefer a camera that works great with minimal thinking, but this one does require a bit of setup for different conditions. In those few weeks I have grown rather satisfied with a few things, including the overall quality, convenience as a camera and PMP, and battery life of several hours (I can't say how much beyond two to three hours, as I keep connecting to my PC where it charges via USB).
Two things I have not been able to learn to do with the camera is take close up pictures or reliably aim the camera in bright sun light. No matter the settings, close up pictures, especially indoors, always come out blurry. I flip the switch between mountain and flower, add more light, and so on, but nothing seems to help. The issue in bright sun light is that the 3" LCD is completely washed out. With no optical view finder, I am left to guess whether the camera is aimed properly since the screen appears jet black.
The other negative that gets to me is the flash. When you are looking directly into the LED of the flash it is blindingly bright, but it just doesn't put out enough light to illuminate anything I am trying to photograph. The range and intensity are just too weak. On top of that, the flash is positioned right where it is most comfortable to put my index finger while holding the camera. So even if the flash goes off, for the most part it is blocked by my finger and I have to do a second take.
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