Sub-$100 Camera Comparison
The growth of the police state means into an increased likelihood that someone wearing a badge will attempt to violate your rights. One of the surest way to safeguard your rights is to document such interactions. Innovation and competition means cameras are cheaper than ever. We compared a number of sub-$100 devices to help you make a decision.
Mini 300 Spy Glasses – $35
Records in .AVI, 30fps, 720×480 video, 1280×1024 picture, Lithium battery, 1+hr record time, ~2hrs standby time, power on then press camera button once for picture or hold until flashing for video
+novel, leaves hands free, after 45sec of inactivity powers-down,
-set time via .TXT file wasn’t accessible on MAC
Overall: decent entry-level option, a bit bulky to be discrete (may be able to lessen profile by wearing a hoodie or hat, or my just leaving glasses sitting on a shelf or table, as if they’re regular shades)
Cobra Digital Spy Pen – $50
+inconspicuous, functional (pen writes), Lithium-ion battery, USB-ready, video and picture modes, 4GB internal memory
-reliability is questionable, time-consuming to switch between picture/video mode, unable to set time via MAC (told to create .TXT file with current date/time, rename, drag to root directory)
Overall: ok but not the first device I’d recommend
Philips Digital Voice Tracer LFH0622 – $60
+Lithium Ion battery, specific use, easy to use, lots of storage time, USB-ready, 2GB means hours of storage
-none known
Overall: easy to navigate and performs without error, solid
Olympus VG-120 Digital Camera – $75 (used)
+14megapixel, 5x optical zoom, 3″ LCD screen, can load with big SD card and store lots of content
-uses propitiatory cord (included) rather than regular USB cord to export
Overall: solid for still pictures, good for video, slim so apt to carry
Venon Snake Eye Micro Sports Cam – $85
records in .AVI, 25fps, 640×480
+Li rechargeable 2hr run-time (records at 1GB/40min), VOX 250hr standby (65db+), lots of mounts, micro SD or USB,
-doesn’t take pictures
Overall: a pretty good option though you’ll sacrifice some quality for small size
Flip Slide HD – $100 (used)
simple to use, upload directly to YouTube, Facebook
+12hr of video storage, reliable
-despite calling the microphone “wide-range” it isn’t the best, zoom isn’t the best, can’t use gloves while using
Overall: solid option, portable, easy to use,
BarryCam Key Camera – $100
keyfob camera, take pictures 2560 x 1920 and video 720×480 at 29FSP, records in MPEG, 90min battery
+2GB microSD included (~75min record time), offers returns and has warranty, offers package with personal analysis, comes with USB cord
-was initially sent two and the spring in the key wasn’t functioning, it was replaced with a model that didn’t operate as advertised
Overall: not recommended in current iteration, hopefully bugs will be worked out in future models
More:
ZionEyez – more discrete than the Mini 300 Spy Glasses above, you can Bluetooth the video stream to your phone and share it in real-time using a free livestreaming application
Your own drone – opportunities abound
Handbrake.fr – convert .AVI content to .m4v to edit via a Mac
