DXG intros ultra-budget 720p camcorder

Entry-level camera maker DXG today introduced one of the least-expensive HD-capable camcorders on the market. The DXG-569V is capable of recording a full-speed, 720p (1280x720) picture and uses a similar H.264 encoding technique, letting users edit videos directly in newer video editing tools or upload videos to YouTube without having to first change video formats. The camera primarily trims costs by dropping optical zoom in favor of a 2X digital zoom with LED flash for focus.

Outside of video, the 569V also captures 5-megapixel native still shots (8 megapixels when interpolated) and records voice memos. The camera includes 32MB of memory for voice and emergency video storage but also draws on an SDHC card slot that supports cards up to 8GB and higher. DXG makes cost the selling point with a black or silver camera selling today for $170 from Radio Shack and similar outlets.