Kodak Zi8 HD Pocket Video Camera (Raspberry) NEWEST MODEL - Zi8 Raspberry

Excellent video quality for money

2/8/2010

had a long debate on which camera to buy Flip Ultra HD or Zi8 and finally I decided on Zi8 and I am happy with my decision for following reasons -

1. I had no idea how hard it would be to keep a pocket camera stable while shooting. Zi8's inbuilt image stability is not great but its better then Flip. I have shot videos of some play at Disneyworld and even on a roller coaster. I was satisfied with the results. here is one sample video - [...]

2. I wanted a camera that can hold longer videos and flexibility to add any SDHC card into the Zi8 is an advantage. On my 10 days trip, I just had to switch my card twice. (16 GB) And I was shooting in 1080p or 720p/60 fps.

3. Zi8 does not work properly in low light conditions. I took my camera out few times at night and was not able to capture anything even in street light settings.

4. I though was able to capture fireworks and it came out pretty good. I hope Kodak would have given some settings in which we can do low light shooting. Fireworks video came out as follows - [...]

5. I am disappointed with the battery life. I believe only after shooting 80 minutes of video battery dies and since its a propitiatory battery, one has to order another one from Kodak if he plans to swap.

6. macro mode of Zi8 is a big advantage, shooting closeby stuff is really cool and I was able to capture some nice videos.

7. Taking 5MP still images is a nice feature too, not great images as compared to my DSLR but still a handy camera to have.

Cool Video Camera

2/8/2010

The Zi8 is a very easy to use video camera. The HDMI output connects straight into my 1080p TV and the video picture is great. The camera software is average, gives you the basic features. I use a extended USB cable to connect to the USB port or just remove the SD card and install it into the PC. The video picture on 720, 720@60 or 1080 looks great. Not a lot of difference between 720 and 1080. The file size is about the same for 720 and 1080? The difference may be due to 1080 mode has a smaller field of view than 720 mode. It can be charged by using the USB on the PC or buy the charger power supply. The power supply can also run the camera for those long family events. Works very well on a tripod. In camera mode the pictures look bad (again needs a tripod).
Good points - small, light, easy to use, good video picture, good display, OK battery life.
Bad points - poor zoom, must hold very still, does not replace a camera.

Kodak zi8 Excellent camera

2/7/2010

I like so much.You can add more memory with SD card. The cuality of video and photo is excellent

Sample footage of the incredible Zi8

2/6/2010

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/REZ4T0GF43IB2 Sample footage of the Kodak Zi8. Shot indoors using two lights and an external mic (Sennheiser MD 46). Shot in 720p mode. I love this ultra-portable video cam!

Kodak Zi8 is an excellent choice!

2/6/2010

Bought this for my fiancee for Christmas. She loves it. The camera is very easy to use right out of the box. It fits in a pocket or purse. The video and sound quality are even better than I expected. So far the battery has never run out on us during an event, we've even recorded one of her son's soccer games start to finish and still had battery power left.(about an hour of straight recording)

The Zi8 easily takes the recorded video and posts it to facebook, which is exactly what my fiancee wanted. The setup was easy. The initial uploading of a video to facebook is a little slow, but the video looks and sounds great. She uses a HDSC memory card and the videos come out nice and clear.

I chose this over the flip mino because of the price and ability to use memory cards instead of built in memory. Also I like the amount of add-ons available for the Zi8. In my opinion, the Zi8 is an excellent value and the best available pocket digital video recorder in it's price range. The only thing I don't like is the lack of manual focus for taking still pictures. Other than that small gripe, It's great. She's happy, I'm happy, I highly recommend it.