Sharp VNEZ1 MPEG-4 Internet Viewcam
The Sharp VNEZ1 Viewcam is fundamentally different from a regular camcorder; it is actually more similar to a Webcam in size and in the quality of video it takes. However, unlike a Webcam, the Sharp VNEZ1 Viewcam has the huge advantage of not having to be tethered to a computer. Its rotating lens let us record at a variety of angles and put ourselves in the picture. The Viewcam doesn't give you incredibly high-quality video, but the video you do shoot takes up relatively little memory, making it easy to send over the Internet. The Sharp Viewcam uses MPEG-4 (Moving Picture Experts Group-4), a recently introduced-high compression format for video, which is three times as fast and requires one-third the storage space of MPEG-1. Video quality ranges from 1/4 VGA at 320 x 240 resolution (but only two to five frames per second) down to Normal resolution at 160 x 120 dpi and five to 10 frames per second. Video has to run at a minimum of 30 frames per second to look completely smooth, so the Sharp Viewcam's video is jerky. However, the quality is acceptable if you're used to Internet video. The camera also takes stills in JPEG format at 640 x 480 dpi. The Sharp VNEZ1 Viewcam runs on four AA batteries, which makes it easy to resupply this video camera with power, but--like most digital devices--it drains batteries quickly. For video playback on PCs, the Viewcam uses Microsoft's ASF (Advanced Streaming Format). One of the biggest drawbacks is the Viewcam's dependence on Windows 95/98; Mac users are out of luck. The Sharp VNEZ1 Viewcam also scored major points with us by recording on standard SmartMedia cards instead of proprietary memory. Although it only comes with a 4 MB card, which holds about seven minutes of normal-quality video, the Sharp VNEZ1 accepts cards with a maximum of 32 MB of memory, which holds one hour of video. The extra memory moves the Viewcam up from the rank of cool gadget to a serious multimedia recording tool. The included SmartMedia floppy disk adapter made it easy to transfer our videos to our PC. The Sharp VNEZ1 Viewcam's software was also useful, automatically creating HTML for video Web pages and letting us adjust the bit rate for transfer over the Internet. Overall, we were impressed by the quality and performance of the Sharp VNEZ1 Viewcam. |
We were
impressed with this tiny, lightweight video camera. While it won't give you perfectly
smooth video, the Sharp VNEZ1 Viewcam's cutting-edge MPEG-4 compression format and
removable, standard SmartMedia memory make it easy to make and send Internet-ready video.
The camera's straightforward interface adds to its ease of use. Plus, its supercompact
size (approximately 3.5 inches square) allows you to slip it into a purse or a pocket for
unobtrusive filming.