Coke Can Spy Camera

I've always been fascinated by spy cameras. Not that I want to engage in anything dishonest or immoral but just the fact that they are so discreet. They come hidden in just about anything now but most are outrageous in price. I don't know who would spend 400.00 to have one hidden in a regular looking alarm clock, wall outlet, kleenex box etc. My first one I ever got was the popular one disguised as an ink pen, and the pen actually writes. You could usually get one for around 20.00 and they weren't too bad, they just didn't last very long.

Who would ever expect a soda can?

This was one of the coolest things I've seen and not a bad price for what you get? If you shop around on the internet you can find them for under 200.00. If you order from various Chinese electronic manufacturers then you will cut the cost in half. I think I spent 90.00 for mine counting shipping so I was pretty happy.

I've used it at different parties, holiday gatherings, watching parades, listening to local bands etc. You can either hold it or set it down somewhere and nobody would suspect a thing. I think from a legal standpoint as long as it is not hidden in public or private bedrooms or bathrooms then you are okay to use it. I remember when I first got mine and didn't tell anyone. I would do some random filming and then show the playback and my friends and family were shocked and wondered how the heck I did this. I've had a lot of fun with mine.

What can it do?

It is a fully functional video and sound recorder with 4GB worth of storage. It is activated by either pressing a button on the bottom of the can or a separate remote control, that is included. Using either button or control, you press for a few seconds you will see a flashing pin hole size LED light on the side of the can near the bottom. Once the flashing stops, the light goes out and you are recording. To stop, press again and hold a few seconds and the light will appear once and go out and you are done. It is very important to make sure you stop the recording before you turn the can off by the on/off switch also located at the bottom or your footage will not be saved. The bottom of the can contains a magnetized cover concealing all of the controls in case someone were to pick it up. The camera itself is pin hole sized and is inconspicuously placed near the lettering on the can, you can only see it if you look very closely and know what you are looking for. The playback resolution is 640 x480 which is standard for these types of devices. It is not a bad picture but obviously not a super sharp image that you would get from a digital camcorder costing hundreds more but still worth keeping for memories etc.

The instructions say that the battery can last up to 10 days with the can on but not specific on how long the actual recording time is. I've gone 6 hours or more but I recharge after that because I would hate to run out in the middle of something. I have a feeling it would go a lot longer. Recharging is easy. It comes with a USB cord that one end goes to the can and the other to a USB port on a computer. The light comes on to indicate charging, you can leave the on/off switch on off during this time. Once the light goes out then you are fully charged. Once you plug in the cord you will also have access to your playback. Just like with any flash drive it will ask you if you want to view the files, say yes and it will display what you have recorded in 30 min intervals. After each 30 min, the machine will save that file and start a new one. From there you can save, move or delete like you would with any other file on a device.

If you are looking for a non expensive, fun little camera for all kind of uses then this might just fit the bill. People are still amazed when I show them. The 4GB of storage will hold a lot of video so it can used as another flash drive as well.