RCA Small Wonder EZ101

CNET Editors' Rating

2.5 stars
    Overall score: 5.6 (2.5 stars)

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Average User Rating

8 reviews

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CNET Editors' Review

CNET Editors' Rating

2.5 stars OK
    Overall score: 5.6 (2.5 stars)
  • Design: 6.0
  • Features: 5.0
  • Performance: 7.0
  • Image quality: 4.0
  • Reviewed by: David Carnoy
  • Released on:
  • Reviewed on:
Edited by: Philip Ryan

The good: With its nifty hideaway USB connector, the RCA Small Wonder EZ101 is a lightweight video camera that makes it very easy to capture and send low-resolution video e-mail.

The bad: The RCA Small Wonder EZ101 scratches easily; an audible clicking sound is recorded on your finished video whenever you press the button to zoom in or out.

The bottom line: While its video quality is only so-so, RCA's Small Wonder EZ101 will appeal to technophobes looking for an idiotproof way to quickly send video e-mail clips to friends and family.

Review:

Last year, when the drugstore chain CVS started selling a $30 single-use digital camcorder, we thought it was a pretty dubious idea. We're not sure how it did, but Pure Digital Technologies, the company behind the product, has removed the disposable label and added a hideaway USB connector and built-in viewer software to make a simple plug-and-play model that it calls the Point & Shoot Video Camcorder. RCA has licensed the technology from Pure Digital and is marketing the same model under the name RCA Small Wonder EZ101 for the same price ($130).

The lightweight, 5-ounce camera stores up to ... Expand full review

Last year, when the drugstore chain CVS started selling a $30 single-use digital camcorder, we thought it was a pretty dubious idea. We're not sure how it did, but Pure Digital Technologies, the company behind the product, has removed the disposable label and added a hideaway USB connector and built-in viewer software to make a simple plug-and-play model that it calls the Point & Shoot Video Camcorder. RCA has licensed the technology from Pure Digital and is marketing the same model under the name RCA Small Wonder EZ101 for the same price ($130).

The lightweight, 5-ounce camera stores up to 30 minutes of VGA-quality video on 512MB of internal flash memory (sorry, there's no expansion slot). It has a 1.4-inch LCD screen on back for instant review, so you can delete any undesirable clips right away, and it has a video output, so you can view clips on any TV with a composite-video input. The unit is powered by two AA batteries and comes with a felt protective carrying case.

Currently, there are several inexpensive cameras on the market whose sole purpose is to capture MPEG-4 video, which is more compressed--and, thus, lower in quality--than the MPEG-2 video recorded by MiniDV camcorders. Video quality is steadily improving with these sorts of cameras, but it's really designed to be viewed in small windows (read: not at full screen) or on portable devices with small screens. Though the video is generally smooth, it's usually a little grainy and sometimes pixelated. In other words, it's a step up from the video quality of a camera phone, but it's on a par with what you'd record on a basic digital camera's Movie mode.

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Average User Rating

3.0 stars out of 8 user reviews

Rating Breakdown

  • 5 star: 1
  • 4 star: 4
  • 3 star: 1
  • 2 star: 0
  • 1 star: 2

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Most Helpful User Review

4.0 stars 3 of 3 users found this review helpful

"Lot's of fun" By Techtao

Pros Small and takes video

Cons Not super clear video

Summary On a lark, I bought this small camcorder. I wanted to send a fiend of mine who lives in Australia a shot video message. This product did thee job. Since then I've enjoyed it because now I'm experimenting with my iMovie functionality. I'm an avid photographer with ... Expand full review

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Specifications

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Quick Specs

  • Lens System: Lens
  • Product Description: RCA Small Wonder EZ101 - Camcorder - Pocket - Flash card

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