Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera (Black)

Best camcorder if you're on a budget and need external mic input

Check out my sample footage video on Youtube. On Youtube search "djeror zi8 low light"



In my previous review of the Kodak Zi8 I was pretty frustrated at the fact that whenever I used the built in microphone the recorded videos had an annoying high pitch whine that made the audio from my videos almost unusable. Kodak recognized that this was an issue and created a firmware update that fixed the problem. It also fixed a few other things like the previous issue of the image getting darker as you zoomed in. They seem to have fixed all of the major problems with this firmware fix.





I do tech product reviews so I need the following things:



- External mic input - most of my videos are shot wearing a lapel mic

- Macro mode - I have to get close to little tiny screens

- SDHC memory - I go to all day trade shows I need 10+ hours of video

- Power options - I need to be able to shoot while AC power is plugged in or use a large external battery.

- Under $200 - I'm poor.



Because of these requirements no other camcorder can fit my needs. One cool thing about this camera is that it is much more upgradable than the other pocket cameras on the market.





Con:

-The built in microphone is OK now that they fixed the whining noise but it's still not amazing.



Work-around:

- Don't use the internal mic... I use an Audio Technica lapel mic for 1 person interviews.Audio Technica ATR-3350 Lavalier Omnidirectional Condenser Microphone For events I ordered a Sony stereo mic to use instead of the built in mic. Sony ECM-DS70P Electret Condenser Stereo Microphone . Although I wish that Kodak made the internal mic better for the most part I am kind of excited that the Sony stereo mic will give me much better sound than any of the standard internal mics that any of the pocket cams have.







Con:

-Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) sucks a lot of juice. Also the Zi8 uses a proprietary battery rather than cheap swappable AA's. Battery life when shooting non-stop is 1hr 16min in 720p 60fps with EIS on. If you turn off EIS you get about 1hr 41min at 720p 60fps.



Work-around:

- Use the USB to power cable that comes with the camera in conjunction with an external battery source. This is a must if you are going to be recording for more than an hour with EIS cause that's about what the internal battery will give you. Tekkeon TekCharge Rechargeable Li-Poly Battery You can just stick this battery pack in your pocket and connect the charging cable to the Zi8. This will allow you to record for a super long amount of time. I haven't tested to see what my total record time with the battery pack will be but it should be around 5X the standard recording time. (about 6 hours with EIS on almost 9 with it off) This gives you the best battery life of almost any camcorder. Sure it's an extra cost but when you're at an all day trade show you don't have to worry about running out of juice.







Con:

- Image stabilization can't rescue video you shoot while moving around. Any camera motion makes video awful.



Work-round:

- Accept the fact you should probably be using a mini tripod with this camera or at least stand still. Also although it takes a bunch of time to process if you have the new iMovie the image stabilization processing you can do is light years beyond what the EIS in the Kodak Zi8 can do.





One more important note. Make sure you buy high speed SDHC memory cards for this thing. If your SD card is not fast enough the camera will record for like 2 seconds and then stop with an error. It took me a while to figure out why the camera kept stopping recording when in HD mode but worked fine in SD mode. It was because of my old SD card. You need to make sure your SD card has a write speed of at least 9MB/s if you want to record in 1080p. These high speed cards cost more but you need them for any camcorder that is going to record HD video to them it's not just the Zi8. I think most Class 6 high speed SDHC cards should work.



If you want to get the most out of this camera plan on spending an extra $100 - $150 in order to buy upgrade items. Personally I've come to the conclusion that the extra expenses were worth it. It all depends on what you plan on using the camera for. For a typical mom purse cam this would not be my recommendation I would say go with a Flip Ultra HD. But for someone with particular needs like mine this camera may be the only one that fits the bill.More detail ...

Flip Ultra Camcorder 2nd Generation 120 Minutes (Black)

Excellent Compact Camcorder

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R36XMSX3O7L286 I've made a video review using the Flip Ultra Camcorder so that you can see the audio/video quality (Keep in mind I had to compress the video a little bit for Amazon) and I also show how to use the camcorder.



In my opinion this is an excellent camcorder for a novice or someone who just wants an easy to use camcorder that is small and compact. I personally don't need more than 2 hours recording time and it's wonderful not having to purchase tapes.



The price is actually less than many digital cameras. I've wanted to own a camcorder for a long time and the Flip Ultra has finally met my standards for: quality value and ease of use.More detail ...

Flip UltraHD Camcorder 120 Minutes (White)

The camcorder SHOWDOWN: I've done the product comparisons for you

If I'm going to spend more than a hundred bucks on an item or somewhere around there I do extensive research first to know I got the best bang-for-the-buck and consequently dodge any potential future buyer's remorse.



I've realized that the time I spend doing my product comparisons is often time that others don't have so I may as well share what I can.



I'll start by saying that you'll see my "Verified Amazon Purchase" on the Flip HD Ultra Camcorder review because obviously that's the one I wound up buying and I'll share with you why. But what I like in a camcorder may not suit your own needs so I'll break it down and let you decide what's best for you via what I found out:



Here are the pocket camcorders I compared:



Flip UltraHD (will be referred to as "F")

Flip Mino HD 2nd generation (Will be referred to as "M")

Creative Labs Vado HD 8 GB 2nd generation (Will be referred to as "CL")

Kodak Zi6 Pocket HD (Will be referred to as "K")



Why HD cameras only? Brighter colors and better images wider images







HD SHOOTING TIME:

F: 120 minutes.

M: 120 minutes

CL:120 minutes

K: 25 minutes with batteries they included 120 minutes if you buy an SD card



MEMORY:

F: 8 GB

M:8 GB

CL: 8 GB

K: internally only 30 MB recording space but it has 32 GB expandable SD/SDHC card slot. Because it comes with such small recording space you really need to buy an SD or SDHC card to maximize its potential but the potential is really good and this will increase your ability to shoot longer.





RESOLUTION:

All 720p which is excellent just one step below the top 1080p format.



MICROPHONE:

F: Stereo

M: Mono **Update** They are now putting Stereo Mics in the Minos as of 2010.

CL: Mono

K: Mono



SOUND:

F:Premier AAC audio. Best stereo sound quality but still not great in winds

M:Good sound quality. Still not good in winds.

CL:Poor sound quality; had issues with sound and picture not being in sync.

K:Poor sound quality





ZOOM:

F: 2x

M:2x

CL:2x

K: poor quality zoom on the one I tried but I still think it's 2x. It has a great macro focus for very close-up objects if for example you see a bumble bee and want to shoot it on a leaf a few inches away! Kinda cool.



CAMERA SIZE AND WEIGHT:

F: 4.3x2.2x1.2 4 oz

M: 3.9x2x0.6 3. 3 oz

CL: 3.9x3x0.6 3.5 oz

K: 5.5x2.5.0.9 5.6 oz



SHIPPING SIZE AND WEIGHT:

F: 6.2 x 3.1 x 3.1 inches ; 11.2 ounces

M: 2 x 0.7 x 3.9 inches ; 1 pound

CL: 3.3 x 7.9 x 6.3 inches ; 11.2 ounces

K: 4x 5x 2.5" 2.4 lbs





TECHNICAL DETAILS:

F: USB cable pops out of the back so you don't need to keep up with a separate cable. Comes with Flip Video rechargeable AA battery pack (recharges when connected to USB); also supported by standard AA batteries. Note: Some sets come with the HDMi mini included and others come with the rechargeable battery pack on Amazon. Looks like one or the other but of course if you need both you can buy the other.

M: USB cable pops out of the back on this one as well. Has child safe button to prevent accidental deletion of videos. Internal lithium ion battery recharges through built-in USB arm

CL: USB in camcorder. Included in box are HDMI cable (nice) USB extension cable(nice)silicon skin (cool) & rechargeable battery.

K: Included in box are HD and AV cables and wrist strap and rechargeable batteries and battery charger. Has built in USB arm.



SPEED:

F: 30 frames per second.

M: 30 frames per second

CL: 30 frames per second

K: choice of 30 frames per second or 60 frames per second.



VIEWING SCREEN: All 2" except the Kodak was the largest at 2.4"





IMPORTANT NOTES:

F: Best low-light performance for the mini cameras (though not perfect at all) and least amount of blurring and dropped frames in my opinion. Best color. Only one with stereo sound. You can get an underwater case for this one! Though that may sound crazy for a Texan we use the camera non-stop on vacations and even when we aren't IN the water we are around the water...on boats in the sand with sea mist etc. Then we can dive in and record the fish. Comes preloaded with flipshare software...just plug in to computer and it pops up. Only one with stereo sound.

M: Colors don't appear as good on the Mino as the other cameras. Thinnest camera. Make sure you get the one that only comes in the color aluminum or brushed metal. If it comes in any other colors it is the 1st generation MinoHD and they improved upon that one in the newer models. Great audio. Better shooting in low light than most mini cameras. Camera comes preloaded with FlipShare software. Can get still images through flipshare software.

CL: Decent filming in low light but not nearly as good as the Ultra or Mino; Software is preloaded in camcorder.

K: This is the only camera that I compared without the built in image stabilizatin which corrects for shaky images. What appears to be metal in picture is actually a chrome colored plastic. That said this had the largest viewing screen of all of them. 2.4" Very poor in low light and seemed to have far more shaking and blurring. It also takes still pictures but they are really really poor quality...same as a lesser-quality cell phone pictures but good in a pinch if you want a still shot and have no cell or camera I s'pose. Heaviest for a pocket camera. Software is not preloaded in camcorder but a cd comes with it.





HOW CNET'S EDITORS RATED THE CAMERAS:

F Excellent

M Excellent

CL Very Good

K Very Good



And finally the reviews of the Flip from experts swayed me quite a bit:

Fast Company: "Flip Ultra HD is Pure Digital's "Best Pocket Camcorder Yet." 6-09



USA Today: "New Flip Ultra Video Cameras Might Flip Your Switch" 4-09



Business Week: How do you Invigorate a Recession? Look to i-phone Flip Kindle and Zip Car For Answers



There were lootttts more I came across when researching the Flip Ultra HD but those are some of my favorites.







CONCLUSION: Clearest picture and sound was important to me expert reviews that pointed to the Flip UltraHD as well and I liked the built in software and the case I can get to shoot underwater. It is the number one selling camcorder as well. So that was my personal decision-making process. However keep in mind that if you need reading glasses none of that will matter if the 2" screen is too small for your viewing the shots easily for playback in which case you may wish to get the Kodak if that's important to you..



Also: No matter which one you get you will probably want a mini tripod if you ever want to be in the shot yourself do don't forget those.



Also note: It's confusing because when these manufacturers make changes in the camcorders they do not change the names on the new versions nor do they change the names if it's an HD version or a non-HD version so be sure you look for the "HD" after the brand name and look for "2nd generation" or "newer version" on the Mino and Vado if you like one of those better so you don't get the older models.





Hope my obsessive comparing and contrasting for my own purchasing assistance helped you as well even if what you wanted in a camera was different from me. :-)

















More detail ...

Flip UltraHD Camcorder 120 Minutes (Black)

The camcorder SHOWDOWN: I've done the product comparisons for you

If I'm going to spend more than a hundred bucks on an item or somewhere around there I do extensive research first to know I got the best bang-for-the-buck and consequently dodge any potential future buyer's remorse.



I've realized that the time I spend doing my product comparisons is often time that others don't have so I may as well share what I can.



I'll start by saying that you'll see my "Verified Amazon Purchase" on the Flip HD Ultra Camcorder review because obviously that's the one I wound up buying and I'll share with you why. But what I like in a camcorder may not suit your own needs so I'll break it down and let you decide what's best for you via what I found out:



Here are the pocket camcorders I compared:



Flip UltraHD (will be referred to as "F")

Flip Mino HD 2nd generation (Will be referred to as "M")

Creative Labs Vado HD 8 GB 2nd generation (Will be referred to as "CL")

Kodak Zi6 Pocket HD (Will be referred to as "K")



Why HD cameras only? Brighter colors and better images wider images







HD SHOOTING TIME:

F: 120 minutes.

M: 120 minutes

CL:120 minutes

K: 25 minutes with batteries they included 120 minutes if you buy an SD card



MEMORY:

F: 8 GB

M:8 GB

CL: 8 GB

K: internally only 30 MB recording space but it has 32 GB expandable SD/SDHC card slot. Because it comes with such small recording space you really need to buy an SD or SDHC card to maximize its potential but the potential is really good and this will increase your ability to shoot longer.





RESOLUTION:

All 720p which is excellent just one step below the top 1080p format.



MICROPHONE:

F: Stereo

M: Mono **Update** They are now putting Stereo Mics in the Minos as of 2010.

CL: Mono

K: Mono



SOUND:

F:Premier AAC audio. Best stereo sound quality but still not great in winds

M:Good sound quality. Still not good in winds.

CL:Poor sound quality; had issues with sound and picture not being in sync.

K:Poor sound quality





ZOOM:

F: 2x

M:2x

CL:2x

K: poor quality zoom on the one I tried but I still think it's 2x. It has a great macro focus for very close-up objects if for example you see a bumble bee and want to shoot it on a leaf a few inches away! Kinda cool.



CAMERA SIZE AND WEIGHT:

F: 4.3x2.2x1.2 4 oz

M: 3.9x2x0.6 3. 3 oz

CL: 3.9x3x0.6 3.5 oz

K: 5.5x2.5.0.9 5.6 oz



SHIPPING SIZE AND WEIGHT:

F: 6.2 x 3.1 x 3.1 inches ; 11.2 ounces

M: 2 x 0.7 x 3.9 inches ; 1 pound

CL: 3.3 x 7.9 x 6.3 inches ; 11.2 ounces

K: 4x 5x 2.5" 2.4 lbs





TECHNICAL DETAILS:

F: USB cable pops out of the back so you don't need to keep up with a separate cable. Comes with Flip Video rechargeable AA battery pack (recharges when connected to USB); also supported by standard AA batteries. Note: Some sets come with the HDMi mini included and others come with the rechargeable battery pack on Amazon. Looks like one or the other but of course if you need both you can buy the other.

M: USB cable pops out of the back on this one as well. Has child safe button to prevent accidental deletion of videos. Internal lithium ion battery recharges through built-in USB arm

CL: USB in camcorder. Included in box are HDMI cable (nice) USB extension cable(nice)silicon skin (cool) & rechargeable battery.

K: Included in box are HD and AV cables and wrist strap and rechargeable batteries and battery charger. Has built in USB arm.



SPEED:

F: 30 frames per second.

M: 30 frames per second

CL: 30 frames per second

K: choice of 30 frames per second or 60 frames per second.



VIEWING SCREEN: All 2" except the Kodak was the largest at 2.4"





IMPORTANT NOTES:

F: Best low-light performance for the mini cameras (though not perfect at all) and least amount of blurring and dropped frames in my opinion. Best color. Only one with stereo sound. You can get an underwater case for this one! Though that may sound crazy for a Texan we use the camera non-stop on vacations and even when we aren't IN the water we are around the water...on boats in the sand with sea mist etc. Then we can dive in and record the fish. Comes preloaded with flipshare software...just plug in to computer and it pops up. Only one with stereo sound.

M: Colors don't appear as good on the Mino as the other cameras. Thinnest camera. Make sure you get the one that only comes in the color aluminum or brushed metal. If it comes in any other colors it is the 1st generation MinoHD and they improved upon that one in the newer models. Great audio. Better shooting in low light than most mini cameras. Camera comes preloaded with FlipShare software. Can get still images through flipshare software.

CL: Decent filming in low light but not nearly as good as the Ultra or Mino; Software is preloaded in camcorder.

K: This is the only camera that I compared without the built in image stabilizatin which corrects for shaky images. What appears to be metal in picture is actually a chrome colored plastic. That said this had the largest viewing screen of all of them. 2.4" Very poor in low light and seemed to have far more shaking and blurring. It also takes still pictures but they are really really poor quality...same as a lesser-quality cell phone pictures but good in a pinch if you want a still shot and have no cell or camera I s'pose. Heaviest for a pocket camera. Software is not preloaded in camcorder but a cd comes with it.





HOW CNET'S EDITORS RATED THE CAMERAS:

F Excellent

M Excellent

CL Very Good

K Very Good



And finally the reviews of the Flip from experts swayed me quite a bit:

Fast Company: "Flip Ultra HD is Pure Digital's "Best Pocket Camcorder Yet." 6-09



USA Today: "New Flip Ultra Video Cameras Might Flip Your Switch" 4-09



Business Week: How do you Invigorate a Recession? Look to i-phone Flip Kindle and Zip Car For Answers



There were lootttts more I came across when researching the Flip Ultra HD but those are some of my favorites.







CONCLUSION: Clearest picture and sound was important to me expert reviews that pointed to the Flip UltraHD as well and I liked the built in software and the case I can get to shoot underwater. It is the number one selling camcorder as well. So that was my personal decision-making process. However keep in mind that if you need reading glasses none of that will matter if the 2" screen is too small for your viewing the shots easily for playback in which case you may wish to get the Kodak if that's important to you..



Also: No matter which one you get you will probably want a mini tripod if you ever want to be in the shot yourself do don't forget those.



Also note: It's confusing because when these manufacturers make changes in the camcorders they do not change the names on the new versions nor do they change the names if it's an HD version or a non-HD version so be sure you look for the "HD" after the brand name and look for "2nd generation" or "newer version" on the Mino and Vado if you like one of those better so you don't get the older models.





Hope my obsessive comparing and contrasting for my own purchasing assistance helped you as well even if what you wanted in a camera was different from me. :-)

















More detail ...