Genius G-Shot HD520 camcorder does 720p for $149

It's been about a day after forever ago since we've seen a new camcorder from Genius, but if you're scouting a low-end, low-cost option that'll still capture clips at a halfway respectable resolution, you're in luck. Similar to many of the DXG offerings, the G-Shot HD520 provides 720p footage for under $150, and it can also capture 11 megapixel still shots when things slow down a bit. The six-ounce device records in MPEG-4 / H.264 format and features a 2.5-inch LCD and room for up to 8GB of storage -- you know, in case you fill up the 32MB that are included, which will probably never happen. It's available now from a smorgasbord of legitimate online retailers. Full release is after the break.

Gallery: Genius G-Shot HD520 camcorder does 720p for $149

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GENIUS PUTS HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO IN THE PALM OF THE HAND WITH THEIR NEW HD DIGITAL VIDEO CAMERA

Weighing under 6-ozs and priced under $150, the Genius G-Shot HD520 offers 11-megapixel stills and HD video with H.264 compression format for exceptional quality output to today's high-resolution flat panel TVs

MIAMI (April 27, 2009) – Genius (www.geniusnetusa.com), a brand division of KYE Systems Corp., has announced a new compact, pocket-size high-definition digital video camera that excels at capturing both high-resolution stills (at 11-megapixels) and high-definition video (at 5-megapixel in MPEG-4/H.264 format) and is light enough (under 6-ozs) and portable enough to allow users to capture activities anytime, anywhere. This easy-to-use camcorder is ideal for Summer time outings, dads-n-grads, moms on-the-go or anyone looking to capture life's moments in brilliant color and detail. Launched today, the G-Shot HD520 is both Windows (Vista/XP/2000) and Mac (OS10 or higher) compatible and designed with a ultra-bright 2.5" LTPS LCD screen that can rotate up to 270-degrees to allow users to shoot videos from any angle or position.



The G-Shot HD520 comes equipped with Face Detection to track and detect faces accurately as well as Electronic Image Stabilizers (EIS) to detect and correct hand-shaking when shooting photos. The handheld camcorder has a built-in memory of 32MB and supports additional HCSD memory up to 8GB. The G-Shot easily outputs to today's high-resolution flat-panel televisions using the included HDMI cable for theatre-like viewing or video and photos can be easily uploaded to a computer for digital editing, archiving or sharing with friends. Additionally the Z-Lighting technology enhances brightness in low-light environments, perfect for everything from Mother's Day gatherings in dimly-lit restaurants to Summer sunsets on the beach. The G-Shot HD520 is also capable of shooting still photos (up to 11 megapixels), listening to music, reading e-books, playing voice recordings, and it can also be used as a portable media player..

Priced at $149, the G-Shot HD520 weighs under 6-ozs and comes complete with a 7.1 mm lens, a 5X digital zoom, and a Li-ion rechargeable battery. Interested shoppers can go to New Egg.com, Amazon.com, Tiger Direct, Buy.com or other retailers and distributors listed at http://www.geniusnetusa.com/buy.php. More information on all of Genius' headphones and products at www.geniusnetusa.com.


ABOUT KYE SYSTEMS CORP.

Genius was established in 1985. Genius product portfolio includes computer mice, keyboards, web and security cameras, speakers, gaming peripherals, remote controls, headphones, digital cameras, digital camcorders and digital photo frames. It also holds the U.S. patent for mouse scroll-wheel technology. In 2007 Genius announced a newly invented optical touch-controlled scroll-wheel for fast browsing of web pages and documents in eight directions. Genius expanded from computer peripherals into consumer electronic products that include mobile phone accessories, Bluetooth headsets, digital cameras, digital photo frames, iPod speakers and MP4 players.

[richard @ Apr 27th 2009 8:21PM]

sounds dirty

[GroovDude @ Apr 27th 2009 8:28PM]

I like it dirtay! ^_^

[The Dude @ Apr 27th 2009 8:28PM]

"Choose G-Shot so you can record in HD when you hit the G-Spot*."

*Warranty excludes damage due to acts of orgasm. Fish-eye lens and tripod not included.

[GroovDude @ Apr 27th 2009 8:30PM]

So I guess the modern term for money shot would be G-Shot? O_o

[DealGuru @ Apr 27th 2009 8:30PM]

dirty or not, we'll need a review to see the low light performance and motion blurriness

[Temo @ Apr 27th 2009 8:44PM]

I second this!!! All i want in my Camcorder is a Video IN... like a small DVR.

[Jim @ Apr 27th 2009 8:44PM]

I don't get it. For $5 more they could've bumped the memory to at least 1GB, but no...they cheap out and make it stupid.

[Wwhat @ Apr 27th 2009 10:01PM]

These things all have the same specs, so they either all come from the same factory or they simply all use the same chip to run it, which then has an internal buffer of 32MB.
Also in many instances they add a free 2GB sd card in the sale so that's covered then.

[required @ Apr 27th 2009 8:47PM]

I think the Aiptek A-HD 720P might be a better deal as it can capture and digitize source from TV/VCR/DVD/etcetera @ ~$99

[Wwhat @ Apr 27th 2009 10:02PM]

Depends on the lens/sensitivity if it's equal/better.

[bandigolo @ Apr 27th 2009 8:47PM]

That thing is fug. Looks like a 1988 Sony Walkman with a viewfinder.

[a ham sandwich @ Apr 27th 2009 8:55PM]

a non-widescreen viewfinder at that!

[paul34 @ Apr 27th 2009 8:48PM]

Hopefully the sound is decent. Can't tell you how many HD and HQ videos I've seen on YouTube where the sound just isn't full-range. Usually its barely enough for sound, but say for maybe a car exhaust vid, or a rifle shooting vid, or something - the full range sound just isn't there.

[Robrain @ Apr 27th 2009 8:50PM]

Why don't companies simply offer a default minimum of 1GB on board storage? It's not like it's expensive anymore. I remember back when a 128MB CF card for my Pocket PC was over a hundred dollars.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820326001

Cheapest 1GB SD card on Newegg is $4.35 to the consumer, and honestly, that's retail (and probably also extra money for the SD branding, I'm just talking about the memory). I know there's been deals where 1GB USB flash drives drop to around a dollar a piece. I can't imagine that any consumer would balk at an additional dollar for built-in 1GB.

Then again, that would force this company to adjust their profit margin ever so slightly to maintain that "under $150!" price point. The horror!

I'm honestly wondering who makes these decisions. Do they really think that 32MB is going to record more than a few minutes at 720P resolution? And yes, I know someone is going to say "Well, you can still use that storage for photos" and yes, I realize that, but minimum storage should still match the unit's maximum capabilities. A minimum of 1GB for anything that shoots HD/more than 10MP photos. Wouldn't it be great if all features on products were usable out of the box?

[bdav @ Apr 27th 2009 9:08PM]

Well, if you look at the image, I think you will find that this is the "Perfect HD Camcorder", so i'm not sure what you've got to complain about really.

[basroil @ Apr 27th 2009 8:52PM]

Math doesn't add up, 5MP video? That's a 3k system (well, close enough at 3000x1700) right there, and I've never seen a high profile h264 recoding device for a tenth of that. If it's 3k, then RED's out of a business with their scarlet line.

Maybe they meant 720p (.9mp) or 1080p (1.97MP) even an upscaled PAL at about .5 mp. Any way you slice it, this thing is a piece of useless upscaling junk.

[Robrain @ Apr 27th 2009 9:02PM]

Hmmm, that's really weird, and I didn't notice that at first. Maybe the box art was from when they originally had planned the camera to take stills at 5MP, and then they updated the internals to take 11MP?

I really don't think the MP thing was supposed to refer to video resolution. Who does that?

[Robrain @ Apr 27th 2009 9:06PM]

Found it on their website:

-Maximum image resolution up to 11 MP by interpolation

It's a 5MP sensor for taking photos. Upscaling FTL.

[bdav @ Apr 27th 2009 9:06PM]

Its just like any digital camera I guess - I dont think you can get the image off the CCD / through the image processor / onto the SD to run at the full frame size (I believe there are exposure issues etc too.)

[Guru @ Apr 27th 2009 9:49PM]

Should I buy this or Sony webbie hd for my daughters bday?
We trust Sony brand tho, this better specs.

[SOOPERGOOMAN @ Apr 27th 2009 9:51PM]

Jazz Elite HD Cam, same as this but does 1080i with HDMI out...pffft :P $99

[Kenneth MacDonald @ Apr 28th 2009 9:36AM]

Looks like they copied it off the Sanyo Xacti that I had a couple of years ago.

[Greg @ Apr 27th 2009 9:53PM]

Am I the only one who thought it looked like a wrench at first?

[Goatee Man @ Apr 27th 2009 10:32PM]

To me the one on the far left looked like an electric razor.

[Goatee Man @ Apr 28th 2009 12:02AM]

Far *right*, rather... Well don't I feel stupid.

[appull60 @ Apr 28th 2009 12:18AM]

Eh...

[ceejw @ Apr 28th 2009 2:10AM]

The new low end Sanyo xacti cameras have almost identical specs to this. they're just a little more expensive and a lot less ugly


http://sanyo.com/xacti/english/products/vpc_cg10/index.html

[Anita Peterson @ Apr 28th 2009 12:00PM]

NO STEREO?

What's the use of HD video if the sound is going to be horrible?

It seems to me that the industry is purposefully trying to avoid introducing STEREO sound at this stage, so they can add it later - thereby forcing consumers to buy AGAIN...

It's simply not worth investing in HD cams, if the sound will not be up to par.

Let me use an example: How many of you have seen films with the video taken from R5 releases, and the sound taken from CAM sources? It sucks, doesn't it? Well, that's exactly what's going to happen here.

At the very least, any 2.0 sound can be adequately distributed to any x.1 set-up (whether 5.1 or 7.1, doesn't matter), and create a good sense of three-dimensional sound. But with MONO, there's going to be no such thing.

[Wwhat @ Apr 28th 2009 11:01PM]

What's even more surprising is that camcorders at this moments almost never have a connector for an external microphone, even though they've been around for many many years, and even the not-cheapest ones miss that feature most often.
Mind you movie studios also tape the sound separately I guess, so you'll have to go pro all the way immediately and buy a separate recorder for sound it seems.

[Jon A. @ Apr 28th 2009 11:42PM]

Well, I do need a new camcorder...

Engadget, make it happen!

[Michael @ Apr 29th 2009 8:16PM]

I just got a Lumix TZ5 for about $200 and that shoots 720p and 9mp stills and has a great 10x optical zoom and a 3" screen. The movie quality is great.