HP outs eight still, motion cams for PMA 2010

HP this morning grew its camera line significantly by adding not just new point-and-shoot cameras but also its own camcorders. The V5061u and V5560u are some of the least expensive camcorders ever to shoot at 1080p but still carry 3-inch touchscreens and motion-tracking focus. They primarily trim prices by using a 5X optical zoom lens and omitting a significant amount of internal storage, opting instead for SDHC.

The V5560u's chief advantage over its counterpart is support for proper widescreen 1080p (1920x1080) versus a 4:3 ratio (1440x1080), but it also takes dual SDHC cards and supports running on AA batteries for tourists who might not have the option of recharging the lithium-ion pack. HP prices the V5560u and V5061u at $199 and $169 respectively and expects these, along with most of the other cameras launched today, to be available during the spring.

The introductions also see HP getting into pocket camcorders for the first time and will lead off with the V1020h. Like the Flip Ultra HD, it captures at 720p and has its own built-in USB connector to upload videos as well as HDMI to preview footage at native resolution. The PC builder, however, leaves just 128MB of memory built-in and instead depends on SDHC cards to give it more storage. Software-based IS is the other highlight of the camcorder, which ships in the summer for $109.

Still image cameras are headed up by the PW460t and CW450t. Both shoot at 12 megapixels with 4X lenses and use touchscreens as their key interfaces; the two primarily differ in display size and batteries, as the PW460t uses a 3-inch LCD and a lithium-ion battery where the CW450t uses a 2.7-inch panel and AA batteries. The differences put their respective prices at $149 and $109.

The rest of the line is more conventional. The PW550z is the most advanced of the lineup today and centers on a 5X wide-angle (28-140mm equivalent) lens along with a 2.7-inch LCD and lithium-ion pack at its $149 price. The CW450 and SW450 are effectively non-touch versions of the CW450t and PW460t and will cost just $99 and $129 as a result.

V5560u and V5061u





V1020h



CW450t



PW460t



PW550z



CW450



SW450

By Electronista Staff