Digital Cameras Ratings: Panasonic SVAV10 MPEG4 e-Wear Digital Camcorder w/ Still Mode/MP3/Voice Recording & 64MB SC Card (Silver) Review

Average Reviews:
3.8 out of 5 stars

(More customer reviews)Although I can appreciate the positive reviews from people who like gadgets, there are simply too many things wrong with this device - no matter what use its intended for. I'll summarize the low points:
1. Terrible video quality. Even though you expect it to be low resolution (320x240 in the highest quality mode), you don't expect it to be motionless - which it very often is!
2. Flash washes out close-ups. I'd blame this on the unit's size but, unfortunately, almost all Panasonic digital cameras suffer this same fate. Even the high-end models. (NOTE: The pictures are, as expected, low res 640x480)
3. The battery must be recharged using a wall adapter. This is absolutely the biggest drwaback to the unit because if you want to travel with it, you have to add the size of the bulky AC adapter to make it at all useful. This s a HUGE design flaw considering the use for which this device is intended.
4. The battery takes 2 hours to charge and DRAINS IF IT IS NOT USED. Panasonic even admits this in the manual and tells you to remove the battery when the device is not in use. What this means is that you either have to use this gadget every day, or remove the battery after every use, or expect to charge the device before every use. With a 2 hour charging time, none of these options are feasible.
4. MP3 files require special encoding using Real One Player. If you're expecting to just transfer your MP3 files to an SD card and play them in this device, better think twice. You can't do it without using the included software. Another serious drawback.
5. The case is made of cheap (but lightweight) plastic. Too flimsy for my taste.
6. The included travel pouch is useless. They should have included a real case for free.
Summary:
The device does a lot of things, but nothing terribly well - even for techno-junkies. In fact, the only real positive feature is the unit's small size, which is rendered meaningless considering you have to travel with the AC adapter in order to charge the battery. And it's rendered even more meaningless considering the battery drains itself even when the unit is powered down. So there's no way to get around the need to carry around a bulky charger which takes too long to charge anyway. Obviously, standard off-the-shelf batteries would have added a little extra size. But it would have been well worth it. So, what we're left with is a cool gadget that you'll probably never use. And that's quite a shame because, like so many other Panasonic products, they had the right idea with the wrong execution.
My advice: Hold out for better things which are sure to come.

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Product Description:
Panasonic's e-wear line of tiny, wearable music players started a sensation. Packed with even more technology, the unique e-wear players add multi-media recording and playback capabilities... and more fun than you can imagine.All this, from wearable units that fit in the palm of your hand, or around your neck, or strapped to your arm - thanks to the super portability and huge data capacity of the SD Memory Card.The amazing SV-AV10 heads up the new e-wear line. It's a 4-in-1 A/V SD recorder and player with a flip-out, 2-inch LCD screen. Of course, this versatile e-wear unit can play back MP3 and AAC audio. It can also record and play back MPEG-4 video and digital still photos, chronicling the action as it happens. It even has a built-in flash. And, it can also function as a voice recorder, to capture and play back quotes, lectures, or just your friend's jokes. Incredibly, the unit's footprint is smaller than a business card. Weighing less than 3.5 ounces (without battery), this unique device is always ready-to-wear and primed to party.The SV-AV10 e-wear A/V recorder/player can hold approximately 30 minutes of MPEG-4 video, or about 880 JPEG images, in the standard mode (QCIF, 200kps) on an included 64MB SD Memory Card.