Depending on your aesthetic sensibilities, the DXG HD Luxe 1080p Camcorder is either a small, shiny device with a lot of flavor and a bit of bling, or its a tacky mini camcorder whose odd quilted design is fit only for the handbags of trendy teenage glam girls. Either way, the cost for the pocket camcorder is relatively low for the functionality you get. You can shoot video quickly and easily by opening the flip-style device and pushing a single record button. Then, you can upload that video to your Windows computer in seconds with included ArcSoft Total Media software and cables. From there, you can edit your movie and upload it to social media sites in mere moments.
All the necessary cords are included with purchase. They are a charging cord, a USB and AV cord and an HDMI cable. Also standard is a matching quilted case to protect your mini camcorder while you're not using it. The device and accompanying accessories are available in royal purple or cherry red.
Creating movies is the main purpose of the DXG Luxe camcorder. You can shoot in full high definition or, if you want to save space or plan to upload your video online, you can choose four lesser modes, including SVGA and QVGA. Make movies in full color, black and white or sepia color tones and choose among four white balance modes to complement your lighting situation.
If you're photographic needs extend beyond video, you can take still photographs with the DXG Luxe device, but only in color. Do this by changing the camera mode with a single click and then pressing the same record button you use for movies. Here, you can shoot in close-up or far-off mode for ultimate clarity. The video quality you can achieve with this device is very good for a casual consumer device but the photo quality is not as good as that available in with other mini camcorders we reviewed.
Whether you're shooting movies or photographs, there are multiple ways to hold the DXG Luxe. You can hold it like a pistol, pointing the screen opposite the lens, with the screen facing you. Alternatively, you can look down on the screen or even flip it to run parallel with the lens for photo booth-style videography.
Despite its snazzy and bejeweled appearance, the DXG Luxe has important drawbacks compared to other pocket camcorders we reviewed. First, you must remove the Lithium-ion battery from the device to charge it. Fortunately, that task took us less than an hour. Next, the memory capacity built in to the pocket camcorder is all but nonexistent. We recorded less than a minute of full HD video before the included 128 MB was full. You can boost the memory capacity of the flashy mini camcorder up to 16 GB by inserting a standard memory card.
The last major problems we noticed while testing the DXG Luxe were design-related. Only thin plastic doors, which seem very likely to break with heavy use, cover the openings where you plug in cables and insert the memory card. Furthermore, your device will get covered with fingerprints within the first few minutes you use it. This is particularly problematic for the touch screen display, where you change settings, because it is the same display through which you preview your video or photograph as you shoot.
The DXG Luxe camcorder is easy to use and would be a great product for a busy teenager or college student hoping to capture memories and upload them to social media sites. It would also work well for a young parent anxious to create high-quality home movies. However, the mini camcorder's flashy design may turn away some budding videographers. Flimsy moving parts and very limited built-in memory capacity are also major drawbacks, but the DXG HD Luxe 1080p Camcorder remains a strong competitor in pocket camcorder market.
