For people who still want a dedicated video camera and were despondent when Flip recently closed its operations, the new Olympus LS-20M might be able to fill that void. This dedicated pocket video cam has got a focus on audio captures, making it a multi-purpose device.
The LS-20M will capture video in 1080p and records audio in 24-bit with variable gain. The onboard screen is only 2 inches, which might make it a little difficult to see what you’re shooting. In addition to full HD, it also does 720p and 640×480. It captures everything at 30FPS.
One thing that is nice about this gadget is the high-quality 96 kHz/24-bit Linear PCM audio recording and stereo microphones on the front of the camera.
I do question the usability of the LS-20M though. There are a lot of small buttons on its face, which could get confusing, and the lens is located at the top of the device, between the microphones. I guess you’ll end up pointing this device like a remote, so I’m not sure how you can look at the screen while recording. It does support something called “Reverse Angle Recording” which allows upside-down recording, so maybe that will help. The Olympus LS-20M should be available in June for about $300 (USD).
[via CrunchGear]
