I'm a journalist and also a grandfather who loves to record all kinds of moments from special events to brief, impromptu, heartwarming experiences. And, like most people today, I've already got more than one video camera. First, most of us have at least one, and maybe a couple of different, video apps on our smartphones. Then, we've probably also got another camera or two we've picked up through the years, right? In our case, we own several older-format cameras we don't use anymore, plus a newer Go Pro that we love for its tiny size and super flexibility.

So, the real question for most customers is: Why buy another video camera?

In this case, I wanted one simply to use for family outings and vacations that I could toss into a corner of our travel bags without taking up much room. This basic camera itself fits into a little case about the size of a standard can of soda pop. The kit does include an additional microphone attachment, plus a plastic handle that might make it a little easier to grasp. I did not find much audio difference with the additional microphone attached, so I have not even been toting that along. I don't need the plastic handle, either. So, the main value of this modestly priced camera for me is its portability. (Despite my Go Pro's tiny size, all my Go Pro gear now fills a plastic case that's the size of a large cereal box. I simply don't want to lug it all along everywhere I go. This new camera, though, is always in a corner of my tote bag.)

The microphone does have value. I will say that if you want a video camera to film meetings or interviews, perhaps set up on a small tripod, which is something that I've done over the years as a journalist, you will get better directional sound with the added microphone. I'm just saying: For our family outings, I don't need to bother with it and I want this gear as small as possible.

I was disappointed that the camera does not come with an SD card. I own plenty of SD cards from other devices, so I was able to quickly grab a couple of those. However, be sure you're equipped with an SD before you head out with this new box! And read the instructions carefully, because this won't take larger than a 128Gb card. If you're like me, you may already have some of the larger-capacity cards on hand, which won't fit this camera. The fact that there's no SD card in the gear here is the reason I'm giving this 4 and not 5 stars.

Overall, from my own road test of this camera, it's a reasonably priced choice for high-quality family videos with a small footprint in my bags.