Gadgets Blog » Camcorders

Best Digital Cameras for Under $100

Dan Evans — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 18:50:17 +0000

To begin with a good old-fashioned cliche, a picture’s worth a thousand words. While this may have been true when photography was less accessible (thanks largely in part to film), nowadays, it’s likely that a single photo has depreciated in its value of words. [I immediately think of some of my college student friends, and their oft-overzealous photo habits, but I digress.] The beauty of many point-and-shoot cameras in in their simplicity, and thanks to some breakthroughs in technology, some great quality photos are available via cameras for which you need not break the bank. With their simplicity, anyone can be documenting life’s precious moments easily. Here’s a guide to some of the best digital cameras for under $100

Kodak Easy Share C180
Kodak’s line of digital cameras have had their ups and downs in the past, but their latest batch of easy-to-use models have, for the most part, been winners. The premise of the EasyShare series is that by pressing the red “share” button, you can send the image to an online account where you have immediate access to it. It’s a nifty idea, but this camera has other features that make it worth checking out. Face recognition technology and 10.2 megapixel image quality makes for great shots, especially when there’s ample lighting. The EasyShare C180 can also take videos, and it has a 3x optical zoom. Granted, most of the features have been trimmed down from more expensive EasyShare cameras, but that is to be expected in a model like this. The biggest drawback with this camera (and with most inexpensive cameras in general) is that photos tend to be dark and blurry in limited lighting. This camera is available through Smarter for $79.39.

Samsung SL40
As I’ve researched this article, I’ve discovered that many of the cameras within this price range (at least the ones that are worth anyone’s time) have a lot of the same features. This can be both a positive and a negative. Your opportunity cost for picking one over another is relatively small, but it can be hard to find features that differentiate something like the Samsung SL40 from the Kodak EasyShare C180. Both cameras sport 10.2 megapixels, 3x optical zoom, and similar digital technology like face recognition and image stabilization. However, the EasyShare comes in several unique colors, such as metallic teal. The choice remains yours. A good strategy would be to see the cameras you’re looking at in person at a department store. As is often the difficulty with buying items over the internet, it’s hard to know exactly what a product is like before you hold it in your hands. This camera is available through Smarter for $79.99.

GE A1050
General Electric isn’t usually thought of as a maker of digital cameras, and that’s perhaps why this model is such as steal. Without the brand name recognition, the price surely must have gone down because the A1050 sports some great features for its modest price tag. It has a compact 25mm body, with 10.1 megapixels for image quality. With face recognition and image stability, the unit also sports an excellent 5x optical zoom, giving it great versatility for long and close-range shots. The good news is, for any of these cameras, you’re going to have a great entry-level unit that can take lots of great photos, so be sure to pick one that appeals to you in terms of its size, color, and any other personal preferences. This camera is available through Smarter for $77.

Record That: Flip HD

colleen — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:33:50 +0000

After the holidays is the best time to buy yourself some expensive but much-coveted gadgets. These next few days before the holidays are over (which you could say is January 2nd) are crucial for shopping savings. From television screens to camcorders, don’t miss your chance to buy some quality items on the cheap. With New Years Eve coming up, you want to make sure you’ve got all of the documentation and festivity materials in order: the champagne, the champagne flutes, the hors d’oeurves to keep people from blacking out before midnight, the countdown clocks, party favors, noise-making machines etc.

You want all of that material to make the night great, but then also the cameras and camcorders to record the festivities for years to come, and for the people who might have a fuzzy memory come Monday. I recommend the new Digital Flip MinoHD, a compact handheld device that you can dance with, move around with, etc and still record all of the happenings! Get it on the cheap now at eCrater.com and other select stores with all of the post-holiday savings. Check it out here:

Pure Digital Flip MinoHD Black Camcorder Records 60 Minutes – F460B from eCrater.com: $142.00

Happy Holidays!

Find Great Deals on Gadgets on Cyber Monday

colleen — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:32:20 +0000

Cyber Monday, oh how I breath a little easier on this day, when I can shop till my fingers drop online for gadgets, cameras, televisions and video games at the best prices. It’s my favorite pastime anyway, shopping online to find the best deals on electronics and gadgets, but Cyber Monday is even more of a thrill, because the prices have been cut by enormous amounts and I don’t feel guilty about self-gifting while finishing off my holiday shopping at the same time. Amazon.com is ready to rule the day with their special electronics and gadgets Cyber Monday interface, with all the special deals featured right on the main page. With special deals such as buying a Contour HD and getting an $100 Amazon Gift Card, or Shoot-and-Share Camcorders starting from $89, Amazon.com knows how to trigger our credit cards like no other. So let’s get out there and join the party, get some happy spending going to stir the economy and our gadget collections.

Amazon.com offers the greatest selection of electronics and gadgets. But today the prices are unbeatable! Here are some of the featured items, brought to you by the one and only Cyber Monday:

Flip UltraHD Camcorder, 120 Minutes : $151.99

Celestron CPC 925 StarBright XLT GPS Schmidt-Cassegrain 2350mm Telescope with Tripod and Tube : $2,450.99

Find deals on electronics at Smarter.com.

Affordable Camcorders: Save on Saving Memories

colleen — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:28:57 +0000

How are you preparing for Thanksgiving? Are you the designated cook in the family, basting the turkey days in advance to have the most delectable turkey of the season, maybe you’re even handpicking the cranberries for the sauce yourself? Maybe you’re the organizer, making sure everyone has a place at the table and Great Aunt Mindie has someone to pick her up at the nursing home. But as I suspect, you are probably the techno-elite of the family, and you’re in charge of capturing for posterity the Thanksgiving festivities. You need to hone your camcorder steadiness and photoshop skills to get all the food stains off niece Betty’s Thanksgiving formal wear in record time–but wait, don’t have a camcorder just yet? Then stop right there! You need to get that first.

There are plenty of camcorders on the market, but you want to make sure you get exactly what you need. Not too much memory, not too much bulk or fanfare. Here are some real affordable products that you won’t feel bad getting some mashed potatoes on:

Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG10BK Camcorder – 720p – 10.0 MP – 5 x optical zoom: $169.95

PURE Digital Flip Mino F360 Camcorder – 0.31 MP: $99.00

Shop for discount camcorders at Smarter.com.

Secret Agent Super Spy! 4GB Pen DVR Camcorder for $39.95

gadgets — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 19:40:41 +0000

From: $39.95

How James Bond is this?

I dig the possibilities this pocket-sized and totally disguised camera presents. A must-have for investigative journalists and undercover reporters, or people who need to document life as it happens, but without a huge camera alerting everyone to be on their best behavior, this stealthy mini camcorder combines the latest technology with the utmost convenience. Take real-time video anytime, anywhere.

Charge time is 30 minutes, and with the press of a button the blue light signals your pen is recording. And bonus, it really works as a pen. Not compatible with Mac OS for some reason but that’s what we have PCs for.

Features

Smallest fully functioning digital video recorder (DVR) in the world
Easy to use “One Touch” record button
Real time record any video and audio evidence instantaneously
4-in-1 ultra compact design for special usage
Ballpoint pen
Works as a 4GB USB drive
USB Plug & Play Compatible
Built-in rechargeable Lithium-ion Battery

Specifications:

Video Format: AVI 352(W) x 288(H) Pixels
Video Colors: Full Color
Video Frame Rate: 12 FPS
Data Rate: 34kbps
Microphone: Built-in
Audio/Voice Format: PCM 128kbps
Flash Memory: 4GB (Approx. 28 hours Recording time)
Video File Size: >2200KB per min
Power Supply: USB Port
PC Compatibility: Plug & Play
Connection Interface: USB 2.0 (USB 1.1 Compatible)
Data Transfer Speed: 700kB/s (Read) 600kB/S(write)
System Requirement: WINDOWS 2000/XP/VISTA
Battery Type: Built-in Rechargeable Lithium Battery
Battery Up Time: Approx. 1.5 Hours
Dimensions (mm): 150(H)x15(W)x15(D)
Weight: 50g
Available Colors: Black

Contents:

1 x 4GB Pen Camcorder
1 x AC adapter
1 x USB Cable
1 x Mini CD Drivers (Window 98 only)
User Guide

Get one for a friend and you can score free flashing beer mugs from Shop4Tech. Use coupon code B2S17 during checkout to get 17% off everything and Free Flashing Beer Mugs with purchase over $60 from Shop4Tech.

Shop for DVR camcorders at Smarter.com.

Buy Camcorder: Save $50 on Sony Handycam Camcorder

nick — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:35:19 +0000

Don’t let those memories disappear forever.

Whether you’re a new parent wanting to capture those first baby steps or you’re into making home movies, camcorders are a best way to keep reliving those great memories of the past.

And Smarter can help you save when you’re shopping on a new Sony DCR-SR220D 120 Handycam Camcorder. This digital video recorder has an 180x optical zoom, a 2.7″ LCD display so you can easily view what you’re recording and a built-in zoom microphone.

Originally priced at $999.99 at Sony.com, the price has been slashed down to $899.99 and with our $50 coupon, you save a total of $150!

Enter in this Sony coupon during checkout: SR22SAVE50

This discount expires July 19th.

To check out more Sony coupons on Smarter, click here.

To go to Sony.com and see this camcorder, click here.

Micro Stainless Steel Digital Camcorder: $149.99

nick — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 16:51:06 +0000

After spending a night out on New Years and watching everyone snap photos and getting blinded at every angle with their digital cameras, I noticed some people with video cameras as well. But video cameras can get bulky and are hard to carry around at times. Well not this digital camcorder.

This Micro Stainless Steel Digital Camcorder is about the same size as most digital cameras, but this camcorder can shoot DVD quality video and also 5.4 megapixel photos just in case you don’t have your digital camera handy.

This camcorder also comes with software that allows you to transfer videos to your iPod, PSP or cell phone.

Right now this camera is going for $149.99 on ThinkGeekcom, so check it out.