Kodak Zi8 1080p Pocket HD Camcorder (Black)

 

 

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I'm fairly happy with this camera, but if you are interested in purchasing one, here's my two cents:

PROS: relatively inexpensive; unlike the Flip UltraHD Camcorder, 120 Minutes (Black), it does 1080p; uses SD or SD HC memory cards, which means you'll never run out of space (and you could get more than the Flip's 120min, though battery life might be a limiting factor); there's 2 lens settings--extreme close-up, and everything else; easy to use; very portable, with built in image stabilization (which I'll qualify, as it is not as good as it sounds); HDMI cable included (these are notoriously expensive in stores, and since it's not a standard HDMI cable, you'd have to be careful when ordering online); plug and play in your HD TV; the free ArcSoft software is something you'll get a kick out of--try the "watercolor" effect, it's pretty cool; replacement (rechargeable) batteries are inexpensive as well (around $10, shop around and you can get 2 for $10, see High Capacity KLIC-7004 Digital Camera Replacement Lithium-Ion Battery Compatible with Kodak KLIC-7004, Fuji NP-50, Pentax D-LI68); microphone jack allows you to upgrade the sound quality (microphones range in price from $10 to over $250 depending on how much you love this toy).

CONS: though it does 1080p, in low light, you'll have a tough time believing it is indeed so--low light image is sub-par; there's a zoom feature, but it's really the opposite of smooth; audio from the built in microphone is really poor (but even a $10 to $20 external microphone will make up for that in a very noticeable way); an SD HC memory card is not included, and the on-board memory is simply not enough (to qualify this, you can get an 8GB card for $20 , a 16GB for twice that; at the present 32GB are waaay too expensive to consider for this camera); for those that are gadget happy, the menu options are best described as spartan; lastly, no case is included.

If you've recently purchased a digital camera, it might double as an HD camcorder, and you wouldn't need this.
My advice is, before you purchase it, go to a brick and mortar store, ask a salesperson to hook it (or a similar product, as most stores won't carry this brand) up to an HD TV to get a notion of what it can actually do (this is horrible advice--I'm recommending you take advantage of the sales clerk when you don't intend to purchase from the store--but viewing the recording on its tiny screen can be deceptive in terms of video quality). Also, be aware that you'll need to spend some extra $ for an SD card at the very least.

Added on: some other reviewer has a maddening problem with me pointing out the poor audio, and does not seem to understand why I'm saying this--the Kodak people must agree with me however--see their product description, it points out you can get great audio, stereo, IF YOU USE THE JACK FOR A MICROPHONE! I've tried recording without a microphone, and it sounds like "this", and I tried with a cheap Sony stereo microphone (used costs $10) and it sounded like "T H I S". Jeez, I gave it a good review, why do some have to take it so personally; I find people with 60" tvs can be very touchy, and somewhat condescending... I've come to love this camera, I use it even for photos and half the time they turn out great (so I just take twice as many photos); but I don't sleep with it under my 60" pillow, and pet it while whispering "my precious, my love". The only thing that bugs me is that I paid almost full price...

For daytime shots, the video and photos look great. I wouldn't use it to replace an SLR/DSLR, but for everyday use, it's still an excellent product.

The only setback is it's lack of flash. This makes night-time and low-light shots very difficult to take.

Aside from that, the rest of it's available features are great: internal USB connection (so you don't have to drag a cable around), up to 32GB of SDHC storage, easy-to-use button controls, macro/landscape modes, etc.

Hi!
The kodak Zi8 is perfect. It's small, it takes good images and the sound is fine. You can also use a microphone thanks to the mic jak!!

If you want to see what it can do, take a look at the video I made to show how good Zi8 works.
It's bilingual.

[...]

Buy it you will love.

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4.0 out of 5 stars good for what it does
Pleased when I've used it.
Use it to take family videos.
Pros
-good quality
-small, easy to carry (so you do)
-easy to use/transfer etc... Read more

Published 7 months ago by J. Crane

4.0 out of 5 stars Great for small projects!
I bought the cam to use for training vignettes for e-learning modules and it's exceeded my expectations. It's very user friendly and the built-in USB is great for uploading. Read more

Published 7 months ago by MAGSAP

4.0 out of 5 stars Zi8
The product itself is great and the software with it has caused me many difficulties as I try to bypass, uninstall it and recover two dll files it eliminated.

Published 8 months ago by Carol A. Munro

4.0 out of 5 stars Pleasantly Surprised
I've been using the Kodax Zi8 for the last month. With bright light (snow) and low light levels, the exposure and video quality suffer, but this is the cost for an automatic... Read more

Published 11 months ago by Niran

3.0 out of 5 stars Does OK job.
For the price, the Zi8 does an ok job of recording video, but it can very quickly get grainy in moderately lit areas. Read more

Published 13 months ago by MarioBro

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent for it's price
I mainly bought this to capture 720/60fps videos and make slow motions of my badminton practice. Most of pocket camcorders (Even Sony and Panasonic) doesn't shoot in 60p. Read more

Published 13 months ago by Jackie

5.0 out of 5 stars Great product
Of all the cameras I researched, this one was the only one that offered the ability to record with it directly plugged in via having to depend on battery. Read more

Published 13 months ago by Ron Page

4.0 out of 5 stars great little camera
For the money, this is a great buy, it takes nice photos, and I'm pleasantly surprised at how great the videos are. Read more

Published 13 months ago by onlyforbrian

4.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Cam for a great price!
Love this VidCam. Easy to use, just aim and shoot. Setup is very quick too. Quality is quite amazing for this little package, though it doesn't replace either a dedicated Video... Read more

Published 14 months ago by Heath

4.0 out of 5 stars Great camera
I am impressed with the quality of this little camera. It's the best handheld pocket cam out in my opinion. Read more

Published 14 months ago by JoshuaHof

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