Genius G-Shot HD520 easy on the pocket in more ways than one

If you’re in the market for a camcorder that isn’t too hard on the pocket when it comes to both size and cost, then the Genius G-Shot HD520 could be just the thing for you. Capable of capturing 11-megapixel still images or 5-megapixel video in MPEG-4/H.264 format, the camcorder has a pistol- grip form that is compact enough to slip into a pocket and carries a comfortable USD$149 price tag that is sure to appeal in these economically uncertain times.

At that price, you’d be excused for thinking the HD520 would be a little light on in the features department, but Genius has managed to squeeze in face detection, electronic image stabilizers (EIS), Z-lighting technology to enhance brightness in low light and integrated HDMI connectivity for hooking up and playing back 720p recordings on HDTVs.

The unit, which weighs 6 ozs, also features a 2.5” LTPS LCD screen that rotates up to 270 degrees, comes with a 7.1 mm lens, 5X digital zoom, and a li-ion rechargeable battery. Images are stored on the unit’s 32MB built-in memory, with support for additional HCSD memory of up to 8GB.

It also seems Genius wasn’t content with a camcorder that is restricted to just capturing images so they’ve given the HD520 some portable media player capabilities. These include the ability to display e-books and play music and voice recordings, although there’s no word on the multimedia formats supported – so don’t go throwing your iPod in the trash just yet.

Although the Genius G-Shot HD520 can’t match the specs of some better known brands, such as Sony and Canon, at USD$149 the Genius offers a highly competitive deal – a cheaper opportunity to capture your global economic crisis-afflicted memories.

Darren Quick