Kodak Zi8

Kodak Zi8 is a compact full HD camcorder capable of taking 5 megapixel still photos and with the standard 3.5mm external microphone jack. If you are currently looking for a compact HD camcorder that can also take photos you need to read this review.

Kodak Zi8 pros:

+ Available in three colors
+ Good noise performance
+ Smooth motion
+ Good low light performance
+ Standard definition recording as option
+ 5 megapixel still photos
+ Good connectivity

Kodak Zi8 cons:

- Lens has poor focal range
- Colors not accurate in bright light
- 20 MB of built-in memory
- Poor sharpness for an HD camcorder
- No size options for still photos

The design:
Kodak Zi8 measures 2.4 × 4.5 × 0.9 in. And weighs 110 grams without the battery so it is lighter than some cell phones. The front of the camcorder houses the fixed focus lens with the built-in microphone next to it. Below them is the sliding panel underneath which is the battery compartment. The right side of the camcorder features the power button, SD/SDHC card slot and the USB arm. The left side houses the HDMI and AV-out terminals hidden under a cover, a DC-input and the 3.5mm external microphone jack. The back of the Kodak Zi8 hosts the 2.5-inch LCD screen, and a few buttons controlling settings, record and playback modes and the record button itself. At the bottom of the camcorder’s back panel is the built-in speaker. The top of the Kodak Zi8 houses only the macro switch mode, whereas the bottom hosts the tripod mount, USB arm release switch and the wrist strap connector.

Performance:
The little Kodak Zi8 can record Full HD videos with a 30p frame rate, but when you decide to record in 720p you may do so with 30p or 60p.the camcorder uses the H.264 compression. Since the camcorder has only about 20 MB of built-in memory you will have to purchase a memory card. The camcorder has a 3.5mm external microphone jack which is a rarity in compact camcorders. You also get the option to manually set audio levels.

Video quality:
The Kodak Zi8 has an automatic white balance which unfortunately does not work too well and in fact spoilt the color accuracy. Moreover, the camcorder has no adjustable color settings, or any color modes. On the other hand, the motion produced by Kodak Zi8 is really smooth and the video sharpness is just fine. In low lighting conditions the camcorder does a relatively good job, although still a bit worse than the competition such as the JVC Picsio GC-FM1, or Sony HDR-TG5V.

Still photo quality:
The camcorder can take 5 megapixel (3072 x 1728) still photos but there are virtually no manual settings of still photos. The overall still photos quality is similar to the Kodak Zi8’s video performance: the noise is good, but not the color accuracy and sharpness.
Selected Kodak Zi8 features and specifications:
Sensor type: 1 / 2.5-type 5 MP CMOS
Lens: 6.3 mm, f/2.8, fixed focus, 35 mm equivalent: 61 mm (1080p), 46 mm (720p/60 fps, 720p, WVGA), 42 mm (still)
Zoom: 4X digital
Display size: 2.5 in.
Storage: 128 MB internal memory with SD/SDHC card expansion slot
Focus modes: normal, macro
Focus range: normal >> 100 cm–infinity and macro >> 15 cm
White balance: auto
File formats: video >> H.264 (MOV), AAC LC; still >> JPEG
Capture mode:
1080p (1920 × 1080, 30 fps)
720p/60 fps (1280 × 720, 60 fps)
720p (1280 × 720, 30 fps)
WVGA (848 × 480, 30 fps)
Still (5.3 MP, 16:9 widescreen, interpolated)
Microphone: Yes
Speaker: Yes
I/O interface: USB 2.0 (high speed), AV out, HDMI, DC in, external microphone jack (support stereo)
Tripod mount: 1/4 in. standard
Other recently reviewed camcorders:
Canon Vixia HF S21, Samsung HMX-H106, Canon Vixia HF S10, Canon FS200, Sony HDR-CX500V, JVC Everio GZ-HM200, JVC Picsio GC-FM1