Vivitar's pocket hybrid camcorder — 3MP stills, MPEG-4 video to SD, 1.5in LCD, mid-2000s budget device
The Vivitar DVR-310 was a pocket-sized hybrid digital still and video camera sold under the Vivitar brand in the mid-2000s, around 2004. It sat at the budget end of the market, aimed at buyers who wanted a single cheap device for snapshots, short video clips and voice recording rather than a dedicated camcorder or compact camera.
It combined a 3-megapixel still camera (2048x1536 maximum resolution, with 1.2MP and 0.3MP options) with tapeless MPEG-4 video recording at 640x480 or 320x240. Framing and playback used a 1.5-inch TFT LCD, and files were stored to SD cards of up to 512MB. The fixed 7.7mm f/3 lens, built-in flash, microphone and speaker rounded out the package, and it doubled as a digital music player and voice recorder. It shipped with USB and AV leads for computer transfer and TV playback.
This is a curio rather than a serious imaging tool: image and video quality are basic even by mid-2000s standards, and the vertical camcorder-style grip suits casual clip-shooting more than considered photography. It appeals today mostly to buyers chasing the low-fi digicam and retro camcorder aesthetic on a small budget.
On the used market, check that the unit powers up and writes to a card, since these budget electronics were not built for longevity. The 512MB SD ceiling means large modern cards will not work, so a small-capacity card is needed. Confirm the battery compartment is corrosion-free, the LCD is undamaged, and the USB/AV leads are included, as replacements for proprietary leads can be awkward to source.