Aiptek PocketDV Z200LE Camcorder [MPEG 4 Recording (720*480 pixels), 5 MP CMOS sensor, 2.4" LCD Display, 3* Optical zoom, upto 24* with Digital zoom, records onto SD card] Camcorder Best Buys

Not Mac compatible - dreadful sound, and is it really MPEG4? - 28 Jan 2008

3 out of 3 found this review helpful.

Bought with good expectations, but not great expectations. I was really disappointed! Looks goods, easy to operate, fits in your hand nicely and it's light.

The IMAGE looked good on the small screen - although that's the only place I got to see it because it's recordings aren't compatible with a Mac, so I can't really comment on quality. However, it is sold as a MPEG4 recording device, but only gives ASF, JPEG, and WAV formats. OK, ASF is a codec for MPEG4, but it isn't compatible with any software I have, and I have all the software that comes with a Mac such as iMovie and iDVD, plus I also have Adobe's complete master software collection worth £2,300. Nothing I own can open these files. Because Adobe's master suite is both Mac and PC, I can only assume it won't work with the PC version either.

The AUDIO is awful. There is an overpowering amount of hiss being recorded, even in a dead quiet room, AND the camera's auto focusing is clearly audible on playback - the only thing I can compare the focusing to is somebody 'slowly' eating a crunchy biscuit!! The slightest movement of your hand, or of the subject activates the focus mechanism, and it can be heard on every recording I have made almost every second. It ruins the enjoyment of your images.

I contacted AIPTEK directly to see if I had a faulty camera; they seemed confused. So, I asked if they would expect to hear the cameras internal focusing mechanism on a recording, and they outright said yes!

I don't often discredit a product so, but this really got my hackles up, especially when AIPTEK say they expect to hear such noise! I have a seven year old JVC DV camcorder; the image quality is OK, but the sound is far superior to this product. I certainly can't hear my JVC camera focusing anyway.