JVC has long been a major force in hand-held camcorders, but last year turned its attention to the world of pocket-cams with the release of the Picsio GC-FM1 which offered full 1080p high definition video and 8 megapixel stills. Now the company has added a couple more models to its Picsio range, the waterproof GC-WP10 and the GC-FM2.
Both of the new Picsio pocket video cameras share many of the same features. The GC-FM2 and the GC-WP10 both record up to full 1080p high definition video, can take 5 megapixel stills and have touchscreen displays taking up much of the rear.
Of the two, the most interesting is undoubtedly Picsio GC-WP10, which caters for the pool-bound tourist (or even those who just enjoy the rain) with waterproof capabilities down to 10 feet (3m). The pocket cam records up to full 1080p high definition video at 30 frames per second with digital image stabilization and has a 5 megapixel CMOS sensor which boasts "excellent low-light performance."
Dominating the rear of the 2.36 x 3.97 x 0.98-inch (60 x 101 x 25mm) WP10 is a 3-inch, 230,000 dot resolution touchscreen display. Other features include face detection, time-lapse recording, in-camera editing and the welcome inclusion of SDXC card support. Connectivity is provided by HDMI-out as well as USB and compatibility with Eye-Fi's Wi-Fi enabled SD cards offers wireless file transfer options. There's a headphone jack for private playback and the facility to record stereo MP3 audio.
The pocket cam comes with onboard LoiLoScope EX for Windows software that is said to offer quick, intuitive editing with numerous special effects and direct upload to sharing sites like YouTube and Facebook. The software can launch as soon as the computer detects a connected Picsio and Apple fanboys will no doubt be pleased to learn that the camera is also compatible with iMovie and offers the option to record to iFrame format.
As for the GC-FM2, apart from not being able to record MP3 audio and the lack of a headphone socket, its feature set is almost the same as the WP10. It's not waterproof though and doesn't offer face detection but does sport a handy pop-out USB connector. Both pocket video cameras are charged via USB, although there is an optional AC charger available.
The GC-WP10 available in late September for US$199.95 and the GC-FM2 is already listed on JVC's online store in a choice of three colors, although won't actually be available until early September for US$179.95