Creative Vado Camcorder Reviewby Kaitlyn ChantryPublished on Sep 5, 2008 11:28 AM
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Picture & Manual Control
Automatic Control (3.00)When we started reviewing the Pure Digital Flip series, there was no easier camcorder to operate. The Vado is essentially a replica of the Flip in ease of use. In this section, we usually evaluate the Auto Mode on traditional camcorders, but the Creative Vado is nothing but an automatic mode. Except for the paltry 2x digital zoom, there are no manual controls in sight.
Since you can't adjust anything manually, it's important for the Vado to respond well to dynamic shooting conditions. In this regard, the Vado falls well short of the competition. Responses to changing light conditions are about as fast as the average camcorder, but the quality of the adjustment was poor. As we saw in the Video Performance section, the Vado completely overexposes bright areas in any scene with high contrast. Similarly, the auto white balance is one of the worst we've seen, distorting whites and, subsequently other colors.
You won't notice an automatic focus adjustment, since this is a fixed focus lens. Even though your instinct may be to shove the Vado in the face of your nearest and dearest, we recommend keeping everything about a foot away from the lens if you want it to be in focus.
For a camcorder that must rely entirely upon its ability to automatically adjust, the Vado does a mediocre job. The disappointing auto exposure and white balance, in fact, play a large role in the Vado's poor video performance.
Overall Manual Control (0.25)
In terms of available manual controls (or lack of manual controls), the Vado is an exact clone of the Flip. This "less is more" philosophy is a dream come true for some people—especially anyone frustrated by the increasing number of switches, dials, and settings on personal electronics. The Vado records and lets you zoom while recording (2x digital). It lets you play back your video, fast forward or rewind, and delete the clips you don't want. The list ends here, just as it does on the Flip.
In this up-and-coming genre of camcorders, the conversation is no longer about how good the manual controls are; it's about how few there are. Aside from the Flip and others like it, every single camcorder offers more manual control than the Vado—often, ten times more control. Digital still cameras that record video have considerably more manual controls and even some cell phones give you a few more options than the Vado.
As a comparison, the JVC GZ-MS100 costs a couple hundred dollars more, but offers an optical zoom and manual focus, exposure, shutter speed, and white balance.
Zoom (2.50)
None of these ultra-light camcorders include optical zoom—Creative would be hard pressed to fit any moving parts into this slim body. There is a 2x digital zoom, which operates exactly in the same fashion as the Flip Ultra. There is a gradual transition from 1x to 2x, represented by a scale on the right side of the LCD. The plus and minus buttons operate the zoom while recording, sliding the scale from 1x to 2x in just a couple of seconds. It's not possible to increase or decrease the zoom speed with varying finger pressure.
Several entry-level camcorders offer much more zoom capability, including the 35x optical zoom of the JVC GZ-MS100 and the 10x optical zoom of the Panasonic SDR-SW20. The 2x digital zoom, however, is standard for the Vado's class of camcorders. The Flip Mino and Ultra, the RCA Small Wonder, and the new Kodak Zi6 are all limited to 2x digital zoom.
Zoom Power Ratio (0.00)
There is no optical zoom on the Vado—just the 2x digital zoom.
Focus (0.00)
There is no manual focus on the Vado. Considering the limitations of the LCD panel and the intended audience for the Vado, fully automating the focus was the right choice. Though we would have liked to focus on objects a little closer to the camcorder, the Vado's auto focus is otherwise adequate.
Exposure & Aperture (0.00)
The Vado also chooses to omit manual exposure. This might have been the easiest feature to add for technophobic Vado users, but it wouldn't fit with Creative's approach to the camcorder—or, more accurately, Pure Digital's concept for the Flip.
Shutter Speed (0.00)
There are no shutter speed controls on the Creative Vado.
White Balance (0.00)
There are no white balance options on the Creative Vado.
Gain (0.00)
It would be quite baffling if Creative offered manual gain controls and no focus, exposure, shutter speed, or white balance. There is no gain control on the Vado. (In fact, only Panasonic offers this option in consumer camcorders.)
Other Manual Controls (0.00)
Sorry, there really isn't any other manual control offered on the Vado. What we've described is what you get.
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