CVS One-Time-Use Video Camcorder Review

This camcorder is, as you might expect, as unorthodox as they come, and made performing the tests challenging. For one thing, there is no way to attach it to a tripod. If you want to review what your footage looks like, you’d better look fast. The One-Time-Use Video Camcorder only allows you to view the last clip you shot. There are no forward and back buttons to scroll through clips. Other things you won’t find: zoom capability, a power cord, any ports, or even a hand strap. Total simplicity and full service are the name of the game. You must return the camcorder to select CVS locations in order to get the footage back in a DVD format.

Video Performance (0.25)
What can you ask from a thirty dollar camcorder? As you might expect, the video performance on the CVS One-Time-Use Camcorder was atrocious. Color reproduction was so bad, it’s actually hard to distinguish the noise from the color it was trying to reproduce. Pixilation was rampant. The streak of bright green that occurs on the mid-left hand side was a frequent occurrence in all footage – a glaring flaw in the optics system. That said, the color could be a little bit worse; I mean at least it's there.

Video Resolution (4.0)
The CVS Model 200 disposable camcorder captured video footage of a standard resolution chart at its only available aspect ratio -- the standard 4:3. Stills from the video footage were then exported to Imatest Imaging Software in order to calibrate the camcorder’s resolution. This model produced an image with approximately 152.4 lines of vertical resolution at its best, and 263.1 lines of horizontal resolution, generating a true resolution of approximately 40096.44 pixels.

The Front (4.0)
The front of the CVS One-Time-Use Video Camcorder is where half of the action resides. The façade gleams with a white and gray sunburst sticker. A pinhole lens is ensconced by a lens barrel possibly made of actual metal, but we have to guess it’s plastic. Underneath it sits a LED record light. To the right of the lens is the microphone.

The Right Side (1.0)
The sunburst sticker wraps around to the right, enhancing the aesthetic appeal. The entirety of the right side is also slightly bulbous.

The Back (3.0)
At the back of the CVS One-Time-Use Video Camcorder, you’ll find everything that’s not in the front. A 1.4-inch color LCD screen features prominently at the top. Ours came with a slight glitch that caused some distortion towards the edge, but we won’t ask for our money back.

Underneath the LCD screen are the primary playback controls, which just to happen to be the only manual controls on the whole camcorder: Playback, Record, and Delete. Playback will display the clip last recorded. Record begins the recording process. Hitting it again stops recording. Delete erases the previous clip. Beneath this is the on/off button. There is also a small speaker for playback audio.

For clarity’s sake, instructions for operation are included below the buttons.

The Left Side (1.0)
The left side, in Zen-like perfection, is blank.

The Top (1.5)
The top of the CVS One-Time-Use Video Camcorder is conveniently labeled with instructions for processing.

Look underneath, though, and you’ll see the secret to CVS’s file accessing. A port on top of the camcorder plugs directly into a computer behind the counter at CVS. There, an automated program imports the footage, formats the DVD, and wipes the camcorder’s memory.

Picture & Manual Control
Automatic Control (4.5)
The CVS One-Time-Use Video Camcorder is pure autopilot. Imagine our surprise when, in an auto exposure test with the Canon Elura 85, the CVS camcorder adjusted a tad more quickly, though not necessarily as accurately.

Overall Manual Control (0.0)
There is no manual control on this camcorder.

Zoom (0.0)
None. Truly, this would have been simple and welcomed addition, even if it were a digital zoom, forgoing the need for moving parts. Some camera phones are now coming equipped with zoom. I, for one, would expect to see this feature on the second generation One-Time-Use Video Camcorder.

Focus (0.0)
No manual focus on the CVS One-Time-Use Video Camcorder.

Exposure (Aperture) (0.0)
No Iris control on the CVS One-Time-Use Video Camcorder.

Shutter Speed (0.0)
No shutter speed control on the CVS One-Time-Use Video Camcorder.

White Balance (0.0)
No manual white balance on the CVS One-Time-Use Video Camcorder.

Gain (0.0)
Certainly no manual gain on the CVS One-Time-Use Video Camcorder.

Other Manual Control (0.0)
None.  Sense a pattern here?

Ease of Use (9.5)
If this camcorder was any easier to use, it would be on par with your eyes-and-brain optical recording technology.

Still Features (0.0)
None. This might also be a feature on the next generation, as the technology is quite simple.

Still Resolution (0.0)
N/A

Still Performance (0.0)
N/A

Low Light Performance (0.5)
If jumbled colors and poor resolution are your cup of tea, we may have the camcorder for you. At 60 lux, the performance looks to be on par with the Jumbotron at a nighttime baseball game. What surprised us, though, was that the CVS One-Time-Use remained relatively bright. Some far more expensive camcorders, like the JVC GR-DX307, seem to lose all color at this light. That said, your bright footage would be unwatchable in the wash of messy pixels. My favorite part is the how the grayscale and color tiles float.

At 15 lux, the One-Time-Use still retains some of its brightness, which is a shock, but the quality is poor – just enough to take the last few minutes of the party before you drop this camcorder under the couch and fall asleep. There is a lot of color loss and noise gain on the drop from 60 to 15 lux with this camcorder; however, on more expensive camcorders we have seen more drastic changes.

Zoom Power/Ratio (0.0)
There is no optical or digital zoom on the CVS One-Time-Use Video Camcorder

Wide Angle (7.2)
The CVS One-Time-Use Video Camcorder had a wide angle measurement of 36 degrees. What's pathetic is that some consumer camcorders that cost upwards of $500 aren't too far away from 36 degrees.

VCR Mode (1.0)
On-board playback only allows you to view the last recorded clip. In order to watch the rest, the camcorder must be returned to CVS and processed into a DVD.

LCD/Viewfinder (2.0)
The CVS One-Time-Use Video Camcorder comes equipped with a 1.4-inch LCD screen. For the price, it’s surprisingly good - better, one might say, than the screen on a camera phone. It has a tendency to solarize at angles, but the colors are fairly crisp. Our model had what we first assumed was slight defect only in the LCD screen which caused some blurring along a horizontal line in the center. Unfortunately, we discovered that this defect plagued both the screen and the captured footage. This is not to say that this defect will be on every one of these camcorders (obviously we only used one), but it is the one that we bought. So I wouldn't risk it again.

Defect

Audio (0.0)
There are no options for manually controlling the audio on the CVS One-Time-Use Video Camcorder. A small microphone on the front records and a small speaker on the rear plays back.

Handling (2.5)
How does one rate the handling for this anomaly of a camcorder? On the one hand, the CVS One-Time-Use Video Camcorder is only 5 ounces in weight. Though there is no proper handhold, you can pretty much grip it from anywhere and feel relatively comfortable with its stability.

On the other hand, the infinitely more advanced JVC GZ-MC100 has superior handling and is nearly the same size. Conventional wisdom would suggest that we take the CVS camcorder on its own terms. If you drop it at the wedding (or barbecue, etc.), who cares? You probably have the money to afford a second one if you were willing to fork over thirty bucks for a first.

Portability (9.5)
The CVS One-Time-Use Video Camcorder is as portable as a camcorder could be at about 4.5 inches tall, 2.5 inches wide, and an inch thick. However, there is no hold switch or anything like that, so if your keys turn on the camcorder and press record, you're kinda screwed. That said, the on/off button is slightly recessed to prevent this, though it still could happen.

Battery Life (Unknown)
The battery life is a complete mystery on the CVS One-Time-Use Video Camcorder. While is it advertised as being able to record 20 minutes of video, CVS offers no information as to how long you have to record it. There is no battery to remove or rechargeable, and no battery life indicator.

Compression (2.0)
CVS does not immediately disclose the method by which the video is captured on the One-Time-Use Video Camcorder. Clearly it is a solid state; we’re guessing a hard drive or flash drive. Footage on the processed disc is MPEG. Bottom line is it sucks.

Media (2.0)
The CVS One-Time-Use Video Camcorder presumably records to a hard drive or flash drive of some kind. In order to have access to the footage, you must return the camcorder to a CVS location. CVS advertises in their press release that all locations are participating and will produce your footage onto a DVD within an hour. Independent sources have reported problems with CVS stores not being properly equipped to handle the new product. It’s probably best to check your local store’s “post-production facilities” before making the purchase.

Editing (2.5)
The included software, VideoDVD, allows you to view the footage in a playback window. CVS actually includes two versions of each video clip, one normal sized MPEG-1 version, and one highly-compressed Windows Media File version. The latter is tailored for email. A 10 second clip can be shrunk to around 25K, which makes emailing the video files quite easy. The included software also lets you export clips individually or strung together in MPEG-1 format for editing.

Widescreen/16:9 Mode (0.0)
None.

Scan Rates/24P (0.0)
None.

Ports (0.0)
A proprietary port is hidden beneath a sticker at the top of the camcorder. It plugs directly into a computer at the CVS photo counter.

Other Features (0.0)
None.

Comparisons
Fisher FVD-C1
It is, of course, a disservice to compare any legitimate camcorder to the CVS One-Time-Use camcorder, but we have to present some balance. Though to call the FVD-C1 a real camcorder probably does it a disservice. The closest in size and recording ability is probably the Fisher FVD-C1. The Fisher has vastly superior color reproduction and sharpness. At 5.4 ounces, it’s practically the same weight and size as the CVS. You also have the added bonus of not throwing it away after twenty minutes.

Sony DCR-PC55
The Sony DCR-PC55, also in the same weight and size bracket, has only slightly better video performance (ouch!). The picture is far sharper, but the brightness is about even. Even their color accuracy is in a dead heat. We scored the PC55 quite poorly, and chalked it up to its being merely a flashy gadget. At a price difference of some $500-600, perhaps the difference between these two camcorders is merely the economic status of the gadgeteer, though to the DCR-PC55's credit, video quality is better. 

Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters (7.5)
Never was there a camcorder more geared towards point-and-shooters. Never was there a camcorder designed so exclusively for point-and-shooters.

Budget Consumers (4.0)
One-time-use anything is rarely an enticing feature for the budget-minded. A low-end camcorder from any manufacturer would be a better value.

Still Photo / Video Camera Hybrid (1.0)
No still features on the CVS One-Time-Use Video Camcorder. Sorry.

Gadget Freaks (5.5)
“Hey, look at me! I have a disposable video camcorder!” Enjoy the 20 minutes of fame, 'cause that’s all you get.

Manual Control Freaks (1.0)
Not really.

Pros/ Serious Hobbyists (0.5)
No smirking please.

Conclusion
If CVS markets this right, the One-Time-Use Camcorder could be a contender for gadget of the year. It might even end up being the new iPod, the must-have, must-see technological accoutrement. This is, of course, assuming that popular gadgetry often comes at the cost of quality. If CVS really wants to make this a successful venture, they should start including the DVD processing into the cost of the camera. As it stands, it’s a pretty raw deal. People might be lured into a $30 gimmick if they think they can hook it up their TVs for later viewing. But that’s not the case. CVS holds all the cards, and the buyer might not even know that they have to shell out an extra $13 bucks for processing. It's hard to even call this thing a camcorder. It's simply a disaster when it comes to it's feature set. The only thing it's good for is the projects of Video Art undergrads, serving as a modern day 8mm film for their video effects classes.