If you are not an admirer of branded products, then perhaps Chinavasion is one of your favorite destinations for buying consumer electronic goods. And if you are searching for a cheap camera with which you can record HD videos then you can take a look at Mini HD Sports Camera, the latest offering from the Hong Kong based ecommerce company.

Mini HD Sports Camera Features

Mini HD Sports Camera from Chinavasion flaunts standard imaging features packed in a ruggedized body. The 89mm high, 39mm wide and 34mm thick camcorder could record 720p high-definition videos with amazing clarity. It is one of the smallest HD camcorders on the planet. It is compact, lightweight and can easily slip into your jacket pocket.

The rugged IP68 certified camera could accompany you to your outdoor adventures. Hence, you can capture the scenic beauty of the natural surrounding with the small camera while climbing, riding, biking and skiing. Encased in a water resistant casing, the Mini HD Sports Camera could withstand up to 30 meters water pressure. You can use the waterproof camera for shooting underwater scenes while diving or snorkeling. Shutterbugs that double as adventure sportspersons can capture the exciting moments in their lives while sail boarding or surfing. Mini HD Sports Camera will be shipped with helmet strap and bicycle handlebar mount. You can attach the small lightweight camera to your helmet or bicycle handle and activate the automatic camera settings to enable the sports camera to record videos automatically while you are biking through a scenic locale.

Mini HD Sports Camera could accompany you on your nocturnal adventures. The built-in four white and four infrared LED flashes would illuminate night scenes, significantly enhancing the quality of your night photographs. The infrared (IR) shooting mode will come to your aid while shooting the darkest scenes when very little ambient light is available to illuminate the framed scene.

The small rugged camera boasts of motion detection function. The camera shutter automatically activates the moment the built-in motion detection sensor senses a movement. In this mode, your camera would capture all movements in front of its lens while you are engaged in some other activities.

The 5-megapixel CMOS sensor could capture impressive stills. It could generate photos in 2560×1920-pixel formats. High-definition videos could be recorded at a speed of thirty frames per second.

The 900mAh battery could power the camera for up to two hours when the LED light is switched off. Photos and videos captured with the small HD camera could be streamed to PCs through the micro USB port. It supports up to 32GB storage capacity through microSD card. A 4GB memory card will be shipped with the camera. The yellow colored camera will be available with a $79.84 price tag.

Should you buy Mini HD Sports camera?

If you are looking for a cheap ruggedized camera, you can opt for Mini HD Sports Camera. This lightweight video camera could easily fit into your pocket. It can record HD videos. It sports standard imaging features. If you are searching for high-end photography functions, Mini HD Sports might disappoint you. However, if you want to experiment with nighttime photography, the IR LED flash of the camera could come to your aid. The low battery life is a shortcoming of the camera. Nonetheless, there is no reason why anyone should complain of a camera that supports HD shooting at the price of a standard digital camera.

Comparison With Similar Cameras

Mini HD Sports Camera vs. Kodak ZxD Pocket Video Camera

The Chinavasion product could be a close competitor of Kodak’s ZxD Pocket Video Camera. The 50.8mm wide, 107mm high and 20.3-inch thick Kodak pocket video camera is bigger but thinner than the Chinavasion sports camera. Both the cameras could capture 720p high-definition videos. Kodak ZxD as well as its unbranded rival is water and dust resistant. However, with a protection rating of IP68, the Chinavasion product boasts of a slightly better ruggedized body than the IP43 certified Kodak camera.

Both the cameras offer similar storage capacity. Mini HD Sports Camera sports a 5MP image sensor, whereas the small Kodak camcorder remains content with a 3MP sensor. However, the pocket camera from Kodak is equipped with a more powerful battery. It can capture HD videos continuously for up to ten hours. Kodak ZxD costs $20 more than Mini HD Sports Camera.

Mini HD Sports Camera vs. Sony Bloggie MHS-FSI

Bloggie MHS-FS1 is an entry-level pocket camera from Sony. The 55mm wide, 108mm high and 15.8mm thick Sony Bloggie camera is bigger but thinner than Mini HD Sports Camera. Sony Bloggie could capture 1080p full HD videos while Mini HD Sports could only generate 720p HD videos. 5MP CMOS sensor is present in both the cameras. Both the cameras could support up to two hours of HD video recording. However, Sony Bloggie captures HD videos at 60fps speed, whereas Mini HD Sports Camera shoots HD videos at 30fps. Hence, Bloggie is more suitable for recording fast action scenes.

Sony’s Bloggie features larger internal storage space. It offers 4GB internal memory. 4x digital zoom, SteadyShot image stabilization for canceling image blurring produced by camera movements and Face Detection technology are present in Sony Bloggie. However, if you are looking for a waterproof camera, the Sony camera is not for you. Sony Bloggie MHS-FS1 costs $70 more than its Chinese rival.

Mini HD Sports Camera vs. Flip Mino HD

Flip Mino HD, measuring 100mm (H) x 50mm (W) and 16mm (D) is larger but slimmer than Mini HD Sports Camera. Just as Mini HD Sports Camera, the camera from Flip could shoot 720p HD movies. The rechargeable battery of both the video cameras could record videos for up to two hours. The image stabilization technology embedded in Flip Mino HD eliminates image blurring produced by unintended camera jerks. It features 4GB internal memory.

Photos and videos captured with the Flip pocket camera could be edited, organized and shared with friends and family with the FlipShare software preloaded in the camera. However,Flip Mino HD lacks a rugged body. Therefore, it should be handled with care. Flip Mino HD is available for $100.