(+) Ultra-compact dimensions, fun automatic tools, good performance for the asking price (-) Cluttered menu layout, camera buttons are scarce, specs are almost identical to the Samsung ES15
Advantages: discreet, serviceable performance, inexpensive, readily available, good fun Disadvantages: poor low-light performance, audio often adrift with video, high background noise a problem
The product reviewed here is NOT 'wireless'. THIS Swann PenCam is a tiny 'non-wireless' colour video camera housed in a ball-point pen. The device produces date and time-stamped MJPEG AVI files: 352x288 video at 12 frames per second and mono audio in PCM format at 8000Hz/128kbs - these figures derived from G-Spot. Right now the Swann PenCam costs fifty-nine pounds ninety-nine pence at Maplin.
For this sort of money Swann's little gadget gives very acceptable results in daylight. But under low/artificial light, performance is not so hot. What's more, the audio is usually out-of-synch with the video, and the built-in microphone 'gain' is rather high, meaning that, on playback, the voice of the person with the PenCam in his/her breast pocket could be slightly distorted. Excessive background noise, as encountered on public transport ...
Advantages: Great budget camera, very good picture quality for age/price. Disadvantages: Not manufactured anymore. See review for details of others.
This is a webcam from the German manufacturers " AIPTEK ". Not a company I had heard of when I received this as an unwanted gift.
A little history about the company from their site.
http://www.aiptek.com.tw/
1997: AIPTEK were founded in the Hsin-Chu city in Taiwan.
2000: AIPTEK created the World's 1st PenCam
2001: We introduced World's No.1 Point-&-Shot DV.
2002: We were awarded the iF Design Award for our Network Camera, ANC6000(W)
2003: We announced our first IPO.
So what will it do for me? I hear you ask well, in essence this is a webcam only, and thus you will not be using it as a digital camera, but along with Windows movie maker you can capture videos with it (640 x 480 Pixels, 704 x 576 Pixels). However the supplied CD software will only allow capture of single framed pictures.
PACKAGING ...
The 20th century produced an abundance of exciting new technologies: the airplane, the home computer, the Internet… now, as the 21st century unfolds, we have seen the birth of an exciting new technology: the Aiptek PenCam. The original model had the unique ability of being able to be used as a Web camera, digital still camera, and digital camcorder, all in one compact device that can hide in the palm of your hand! If you need to get in touch with your business associate on the other side of the world, use the PenCam as a PC camera for video-conferencing. Suppose you want to send a snapshot of your newborn baby to your parents? The PenCam can also be used as a digital still camera! Now suppose your baby is taking his first steps: shoot a quick video in digital camcorder mode and you can send it out before he even falls down!
compact, easy to use, superb pictures 
