Camcorder perfect for kids, but not perfect

A couple of months ago, I received an e-mail describing an inexpensive little video camera that's easy to use and makes it easy to post recorded video clips on community sites such as Grouper, Google Video, and MySpace.

With these features, it seems clear this camcorder is designed for kids.

Because I happen to have a 13-year-old who's interested in shooting video and possibly posting the footage, I figure it would be appropriate and fun to check it out.

I also figure there are plenty of parents who would prefer their kids learn to shoot video on an inexpensive camcorder and be able to process and share the video independently, with minimal parental help.

The one I'm talking about is the Pure Digital Point and Shoot Camcorder. It's small and light (like a compact camera), inexpensive ($130 for the 30-minute model; $170 for the 60-minute model) and runs on two AA batteries.

It's reported to be easy to record the video, then watch it on the camcorder's 1.4-inch screen. When you're ready, pull out the USB arm and connect the camcorder to a PC to save the video clips and watch them on the computer screen.

Then, if you want, you can share the footage via e-mail or by posting it on a Web site.

You can also watch the video on a TV by connecting the camcorder using the included connection cable.

To save multiple videos on a DVD, you can transfer them from the camcorder to the PC and use an authoring program to create and burn the DVD.

Alternatively, you can take the camcorder to a retailer (such as CVS, RiteAid or Longs Drugs) for processing and burning on a DVD.

Let's get started. Well, actually, it's near dinner time at our house, so I begin cooking. Since my husband can't wait, he pulls out the camcorder, presses the Record button, and captures me stir-frying vegetables.

We replay it on the little camcorder screen and it looks pretty good, which is saying something, since my husband rarely uses any camera. Luckily, this camcorder really is easy to use.

Later, I move the video he took to the next step, which is to install the software, view the video on my computer and save it on the hard drive. I try sharing the video and am given three choices: send it by e-mail, send it in a greeting card or post it on the Internet.

I decide to e-mail the 24-second video to myself. When it arrives, I open the message and discover I have to click to the Grouper Web site where my uploaded video is stored.

I click and am taken to a playback screen where the video clip loads and waits for me to push Play. I do, watch it and am disappointed the quality is a lot lower than what we saw on the camcorder's screen.

Why? Video files are generally reduced in size (which reduces quality) for e-mailing and Web posting. Plus, the site's viewing screen is larger than the camcorder's small playback screen (a smaller screen makes the video look sharper than when it's enlarged on a bigger screen).

Besides the lower quality of the video, I notice the Grouper Web site is loaded with ads and other distractions.

Kids might not mind this level of clutter (or they're grown immune to it), but I'd rather not.

When my video finishes playing, the site puts up clips of three additional videos for me to watch. Today, these feature a rock concert; there are many others.

Next, I try uploading my video to Google Video, and that footage looks even worse than what's posted on Grouper. However, Google Video contains less clutter and fewer ads.

From there, I can post the video on a blog or on MySpace. But this footage is of such poor quality I wouldn't share it further (never mind that the cooking trivia isn't worth sharing, anyway).

I also try e-mailing the video in a greeting card. Though the video quality is the same (not good), it's couched in a colorful thematic design.

Finally, I try shooting some video clips outdoors in hopes that better lighting might improve the quality. It doesn't.

Still, just because my videos aren't particularly good doesn't mean you can't do better. I've seen a few videos made by others (perhaps using other camcorders) posted on the Grouper site that are reasonable, though most are fuzzy like mine.

It's my daughter's turn, and it takes only a minute to show her how to record video. She shoots a few clips when a friend comes over, though none is worth saving, never mind posting.

Her next try involves taking video of teammates at a karate tournament; those clips are better, or at least more interesting. Again, when e-mailed or posted, the quality isn't very good.

In sum, I'd have to say that although the video that plays back on the camera's display screen looks pretty good, what others view in an e-mail or a Web site is not.

On the other hand, I assume the same recorded video clips stored on a DVD and played back on a TV screen would look a little better, since those clips don't have to be reduced in size (hence quality) for DVD storage and playback.

All in all, the advantages of this camcorder are that it's inexpensive, easy to use, and it's easy to e-mail and post video clips that others can watch.

Even though the video quality is not great, kids may want to share their footage with friends, and distant grandparents, for instance, may enjoy getting some view of family members in action, rather than nothing at all.

Write Linda Knapp at lknapp@seattletimes.com; to read other Getting Started columns, go to: www.seattletimes.com/gettingstarted