It is amazing to watch the evolution of surveillance gadgets that modern technology brings us. Hidden cameras are now tucked away inconspicuously in smoke detectors, motion detectors, stuffed animals, clocks, and countless other innocuous products.
Today, it’s easy for manufacturers to squeeze a great deal of functionality into a tiny package. Integrated circuits have millions of transistors packed onto tiny chips, wristwatches offer a thousand functions, and cell phones can access the Internet and capture still and video images. Of course, those tiny integrated circuits enable the manufacture of most of these devices in the first place.
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If you're reading this, you probably own a camera or two, and maybe even a camcorder. You probably take them everywhere. And if they’re worth anything, you’re probably worried about damage from shocks and impacts. Here are two gadgets that will expand the creative possibilities of your gear and also protect it from the forces of gravity.
It was a couple of hours into a day-long shoot. It was hot out, and to say that we were sweating would be putting it lightly. Being a pretty barebones shoot, we were passing the video camera around quite a bit. Many a sweaty eyeball was pressed up against that poor viewfinder. As I strained to look through the slippery sweat-covered eyecup, it occurred to me that this might not be all that sanitary.
Ever since nanny-cams grabbed the spotlight, video surveillance has hardly been the monopoly of law enforcement. Cameras masquerading as common household objects can be bought by anyone. This raises the question: sure it's a hidden camera, but is the outward product functional? Can the clock with a clandestine camera tell time? As a value-oriented consumer, I want the cover story to be genuine, not a prop. It turns out the answer depends on the product.
Sanyo’s Xacti-branded pistol-grip Dual Cameras are ideal for capturing the memorable events in your life. Whether it’s your family vacation, friends gathering at the skateboard park, or a child’s birthday party, the Xacti cameras are typically up to the task at hand. The pistol-grip cameras in particular are easy to grasp and small enough to carry in your pocket. Unfortunately if your idea of fun involves being in or close to water, either liquid or frozen, these cameras could easily get damaged. But that changes with the introduction of the Xacti DMX-CA100, available the end of June.
You've probably seen those adventure reality shows where people like Bear Grylls, Les Stroud, and other daredevils find themselves in one perilous situation after another. Sometimes you wonder how they will make it to safety. But even more often you wonder how they were able to capture such footage in the first place. Sometimes the footage is captured by an equally nutty cameraman, but quite often the footage is captured using something like 
The trend in cameras for many years has been towards smaller sizes. Small is good when you want a camera you can carry at all times in a pocket or purse. But, when it comes to image quality, in almost every case bigger is better.
We’ve all sat through bad baby videos. The poor lighting, shakiness, and choppy sound -- UGH! That’s no way to welcome a new bundle of joy into the world. Whether you’ve decided to film the birth or capture your tike’s first 
Hot on the heals of today’s NEX-5 and NEX-3, Sony has announced the development of an interchangeable lens HD camcorder. While specs have yet to be released, Sony confirms that the cam will sport an APS-C CMOS sensor and full compatibility with the latest E-mount lenses. Sony A-series and Minolta glass will work via an adapter.
Shopping for a professional camcorder can take weeks or even months of research. Consideration of optics, format, frame rates, and more is huge in determining the right camera for you. Does anyone put this much thought into buying a camera bag? They should. I’ve owned plenty of good and bad cases over the years. Finding the right balance of protection, usability, and price has been a chore -- until I found the 
Every non-broadcast prosumer camera from Canon, Sony, and JVC has gone from 3-chip to single-chip CMOS. Not that it’s a bad thing. Simplifying sensor design reduces manufacturing complexity and lowers the cost of ownership for imaging enthusiasts. But by reserving 3-sensor builds for premium cameras, there are increasingly fewer options for the budget-conscious videographer or indie filmmaker. Panasonic stands alone as the champion of the low-cost 3-chip. Here’s their latest and greatest --
