Tag: "hd pocket camcorder"

Kodak PlaySport Zx3 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera Review

Kodak PlaySport Zx3 HD Camera – An Overview

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Kodak PlaySport Zx3 HD Waterproof Pocket

If you’re searching for a rugged mini pocket video camera then the Kodak PlaySport Zx3 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera is a great choice. This compact is waterproof up to 10 feet. This makes it a great video camera for snorkling. You can capture the beauty of the under-water or above-water world in Full HD at 1080p. The Kodak PlaySport Zx3 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera fits in your pocket – it’s compact and lightweight. It lets you capture high definition video and still images in nearly any environments.

Kodak PlaySport Zx3 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera – An Overview – Recording Features And Expansion

The memory on the Kodak PlaySport Zx3 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera can be expanded with high speed SDHC memory cards. You can use SDHC memory cards up to 32 GB. This allows you to record up to 10 hours of high definition video at 720p!

Another great feature that the Kodak PlaySport Zx3 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera has is the built-in image stabilization. This feature allows you to take video with no shaking at all. You’ll shoot videos that look like a professional had made them! Be aware though that images stabilization does result in reduced battery life. The battery life on the Kodak PlaySport Zx3 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera is up to 90 minutes. Overall that’s sufficient for most uses. You can always purchase a Kodak battery as a backup battery.

The Kodak PlaySport Zx3 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera allows you to capture video in Full HD with 1080p. The video at that mode is captured with 30 frames per second (fps). This frame rate is sufficient for most uses. However, if you want to film action or sport events then you might want to consider using the 720p recording at 60 fps. This uses reduced, but still HD, resolution but takes more frames per second resulting in a much cleaner video. If your main use for this pocket camcorder is to share your videos on YouTube, Facebook or other video sharing sites then you should use the 720p mode with 30 fps. This conserves memory and is in line with the standards that these video sharing sites support. Finally, you can use the Kodak PlaySport Zx3 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera to shoot 5MP still images with a 16:9 format.

Kodak PlaySport Zx3 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera – Built-In Screen, Anti-Glare And Zoom

The Kodak PlaySport Zx3 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera has a 4 time digital zoom. Due to the fact that the recording is up to 1080p, this zoom is rather good with an acceptable level of reduced image quality due to the zoom. In most cases you won’t even notice that the video might be slightly more grainy at the full 4x zoom setting. This mini camcorder also provides a HDMI port and comes with a HDMI cable so you can connect the Kodak PlaySport Zx3 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera directly to your HD TV!

The LCD display on the Kodak PlaySport Zx3 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera is 2 inches in size. The LCD offers an anti-glare mode that allows you to view your videos on the built-in LCD screen even in the brightest sunlight. This anti-glare mode does not affect the video you take but it reduced the glare on your screen artificially. The Kodak PlaySport Zx3 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera has both microphone and speaker built-in.

Kodak PlaySport Zx3 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera – Customer Reviews

You can find a lot of customer reviews for the Kodak PlaySport Zx3 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera. These reviews are overwhelmingly positive and the Kodak PlaySport Zx3 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera has a very high rating from customers on Amazon.com. Here’s a few things people have said that purchased the Kodak PlaySport Zx3 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera on Amazon.com:

“Just opened the camera from the box. Easy to use buttons, just charge the battery and you are good.”

“I just got back from the weekend at the river and this camera is the perfect combination of durability and quality.”

“The video quality is very good. I connected the playsport directly to my HDTV and the quality was really good, it looked like it was shot with a $500 camera.”

“I’m very happy with this camera and can’t believe the quality of HD video recordings.”

“Why do I love this thing? Well with this camera, I find it very easy to shoot, edit and share videos. The software is actually preloaded in the device so when you plug in the USB cable for the first time, it automatically starts to install the software.”

Read more customer reviews of the Kodak PlaySport Zx3 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera

Kodak PlaySport Zx3 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera – Conclusion

The Kodak PlaySport Zx3 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera is a feature rich, rugged mini camcorder. It offers great video and image quality at up to Full HD at 1080p. It’s rugged design allows you to shoot videos underwater and the Kodak PlaySport Zx3 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera allows a little fall without breaking. A slight negative is that you have to use Kodak specific batteries and cannot use standard batteries from your store around the corner.

Read more about the Kodak PlaySport Zx3 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera

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Kodak PlaySport (Zx3) HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera - Black (Camera)

List Price: $149.00 USD
New From: $84.95 In Stock
Used from: $65.00 In Stock

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Jun 30, 2011 | 87 comments View Post

HD Pocket Camcorders: Putting HD Video Recording Into Your Pockets

HD Pocket Camcorders – Where They Came From

HD Pocket Camcorders have paved the way in the last few years to put High Definition video recoding into your pockets. Lately, the trend in anything related to video has been the move to High Definition recording. Anything and everything related to video is HD now, from computers to TV’s. Even the smallest video cameras today offer HD recording. These HD pocket camcorders offer high quality video recording in a compact shape. These HD pocket camcorders do not offer all the bells and whistles you will find on an expensive, full-sized HD camcorder. However, they are a lot less pricey and they do allow to shoot good HD videos in most conditions. The results you get certainly are by far good enough for video sharing on YouTube and other video sharing sites.

HD Pocket Camcorders – Early Developments

The first pocket camcorder that came to the market was the first version of The Flip. This compact, simple, affordable revolutionized the video and camcorder market. At that time it recorded video in the standard VGA resolution of 640 x 480. Since then a lot more competitors came onto the market and a lot more features were added to these HD pocket camcorders. Today you won’t find any HD that does not record in at least one High Definition video format.

A lot of the camcorders and camera manufacturers that entered into the market of HD Pocket Camcorders since then are , Sony, and Panasonic to just name a few. Due to the compact size and the lack of some features these HD Pocket Camcorders are cheaper than the full-sized camcorders on the market. Do not expect all the features offered by a large camcorder in those pocket video cameras. You will for example rarely find any with an optical lens zoom. A lot of them will offer a digital zoom but optical zooms, which are more expensive, are usually not found in these compact video cameras.

HD Pocket Camcorders – Image Stabilization

A feature that you in the meantime find in a lot of the HD Pocket Camcorders is image stabilization. This allows to record videos with no shaking. However, due to the increased processing needed to stabilize the image digitally while you record usually results in reduced battery life when you record a video.

The standard features that you can find on most HD pocket camcorders are a reasonable sized LCD screen, USB connectivity and in many cases a single touch upload to common video sharing sites like YouTube. Some of the HD pocket video cameras also offer HDMI connectors to plug them directly into your HD TV and view the video on the large screen. Make sure you know what you want to use the HD pocket camcorder for before you buy. If you mostly want to share your videos on YouTube or any other video sharing site then you will not need a higher recording resolution than 720p. If you however want to view the videos on your HD TV at home with the highest HD resolution of 1080p then you will have to get one of the HD pocket camcorders that are capable of recording in Full HD.

If you want to record nice looking videos without the need for all the bells and whistles then any of the available HD pocket camcorders is the way to go. They are simple to use, compact and affordable. Most cost less than $200 and all provide good video recording in most situations. They are simple to use and you won’t need to go to college to find out how to shoot a video at a kids birthday party! For most private uses picking one of the available HD Pocket Camcorders is the best choice for video recording.



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Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera (Raspberry) (Electronics)

List Price: $179.00 USD
Used from: $195.00 In Stock

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Jun 17, 2011 | 80 comments View Post

Kodak PlaySport Zx5 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera Review

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Kodak PlaySport Zx5 HD Waterproof Pocket

Kodak PlaySport Zx5 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera – An Overview

The Kodak PlaySport Zx5 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera is a rugged little pocket camcorder that goes where you go. This pocket camcorder is waterproof, dust-proof and shockproof. It is waterproof up to 10 feet so it’s a perfect companion for some beautiful underwater shots near the beach. And while you take this pocket video camera with you on your diving excursions you will be able to capture everything in Full HD at 1080p. The versatility that this pocket camcorder offers is stunning. Its rugged design also forgives a fall onto the floor without any damage to the camera. The Kodak PlaySport Zx5 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera fits in your pocket but it is built to be used even in extreme environments. It’s your trusted partner to capture high definition video and still images.

Kodak PlaySport Zx5 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera – Recording Features And Expansion

The Kodak PlaySport Zx5 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera features built-in image stabilization. This little pocket camcorder allows you to take amazing underwater and surface video with little or no shaking. There is also a standard tripod stand connector on this camera. As with all other pocket camcorders with image stabilization, this feature does drain your battery life. Battery life on this pocket video camera is up to 2 hours. More that sufficient to use on your diving excursion or to record a wedding.

You can expand the memory on the Kodak PlaySport Zx5 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera with high speed SDHC memory cards. For good video results in HD you will have to make sure to use a high speed SDHC card with Class 6 or higher, preferably Class 10. This will ensure that the Kodak PlaySport Zx5 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera will continuously record without interruptions and errors.

You can capture Full HD videos with 1080p with the Kodak PlaySport Zx5 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera. This allows you to make breathtaking underwater videos in case you take the camera underwater with you. The 1080p mode captures the video with 30 frames per second (fps). This is sufficient for all non-action shots. Use the 720p with 60 fps for action and sports scenes with quick movements or for real slow motion captures. The best mode to capture video and then share it on YouTube, Facebook or any other video site is to use the 720p mode with 30 fps. The last mode that is supported by this pocket video camera is WVGA which allows for the longest recording time on any memory card. The Kodak PlaySport Zx5 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera also lets you shoot 5 MP still pictures in addition to the different video modes.

Another new feature that the Kodak PlaySport Zx5 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera sports is the macro mode. With the macro mode you can shoot and focus on small objects. The focus range starts at around 4 inches so you can get the pocket video camera really close to your object you want to film and get great results!

Kodak PlaySport Zx5 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera – Built-In Screen, Anti-Glare And Zoom

The Kodak PlaySport Zx5 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera has a built-in microphone and speaker. The LCD to view your video captures is 2 inches diagonally. The screen and the speakers allow you to quickly view the video you’ve taken. A nice feature is the anti-glare mode for the LCD screen. It artificially reduce the glare from your screen without affecting the video you shoot. This allows you to view the video you shot even in the brightest sunlight.

This pocket camcorder also has a 4x digital zoom which is surprisingly good. You will barely notice the picture getting grainy even at the extreme 4x zoom. The built-in HDMI port allows you to play your videos directly on your HD TV. Kodak provides a HDMI cable free of charge when you register the Kodak PlaySport Zx5 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera and pay for shipping and handling.

The battery on the Kodak PlaySport Zx5 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera is built-in and cannot be removed. You have to charge the battery through the camera and thus you have to make sure to bring the AC adapter with you when you bring the camera!

Kodak PlaySport Zx5 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera – Capture Modes

The Kodak PlaySport Zx5 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera offers a few very interesting and fun capture modes. You can film in black and white, with high saturation to bring out vivid colors and a 70′s film mode which contains muted colors, a little graininess and slightly green cast for captured video in a retro look. A very nice feature is the ‘Share’ button on the camera. When you’re in review mode you simply press the share button, then choose your sharing destination and when you connect the pocket camcorder to your computer the videos or pictures are automatically uploaded to the selected destinations. The share destinations include Facebook, Flickr, YouTube, Twitter and many other video and picture sharing sites.

An interesting little side-note is that the Kodak PlaySport Zx5 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera has the software for your PC preloaded. The first time you connect the pocket camcorder to your PC with the USB 2.0 connector you can download the software for the pocket video camera. MAC users will have to download the software through the web though.

Kodak PlaySport Zx5 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera – Conclusion

The Kodak PlaySport Zx5 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera is a more than solid pocket camcorder with many built-in features. The video and image quality is great for a pocket video camera at this price point. The ruggedness of the Kodak PlaySport Zx5 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera allows you to bring and use it nearly everywhere. The dimensions are 2.3 (W) × 0.7 (D) x 4.4 (H) inches which makes this camera small and handy and it basically fits in any pocket. A negative in our opinion is that the battery is built-in and cannot be charged outside of the camera. Another negative is that the HDMI cable is not included in the box. You have to request it from Kodak and pay for shipping and handling.

Read more about the Kodak PlaySport Zx5 HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera

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Kodak PlaySport (Zx5) HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera - Black (2nd Generation) (Camera)

List Price: $159.00 USD
New From: $100.99 In Stock
Used from: $65.00 In Stock

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Jun 11, 2011 | 164 comments View Post

HD Pocket Video Camera

Camera – What To Consider!

HD Pocket Video Camera

HD Pocket


When you compare a HD pocket video camera to a regular camcorder you will see that there’s quite a few differences. Mostly, the little HD at the beginning indicates a feast for the eyes. It means that you will capture your videos in High Definition on such a pocket video camera and that results in a totally different viewing experience when you watch your videos on your TV.

When looking at the different high definition TV formats you will see that there are a few formats and that you should know what they mean. Any HD pocket video camera is capable of recording video in the 720p HD format. This means that you are able to capture videos with a resolution of 1,280×720 pixels. That is the lower HD resolution that is available.

Some pocket video cameras record in the 1080p format. This captures videos with a resolution of 1,920×1,080 pixels. Often you will see this referred to as ‘Full HD’. In general you can say that the higher the resolution, the sharper the image.

If you have a computer monitor or HDTV that can show videos at 1080p then make sure you get a HD pocket video camera with a Full HD recording mode. Even YouTube allows you to upload your videos in 1080p now. Until recently YouTube and most other video sharing platforms only supported the 720p format. With the switch to have Full HD enabled you should really consider to go for a pocket camcorder with 1080p recording.

However, there’s one catch to this. Any of the HD pocket video cameras on the market that are capable of recording in the 1080p mode will do so with 30 frames per second. This means that 30 images are taken each second to make the moving video. This is enough for most situations but when it comes to action or sports shots it might result in a video that doesn’t seem fluid. In that case nearly all of the HD pocket camcorders have a recording mode at 720p with 60 frames per second. This allows you to record fast moving video and it will come out smooth and fluid.

Another downside that comes with the higher resolution is that you will need a lot more storage space to save the video. That might not be an issue for storing on your computer but its mainly an issue with the storage of the video on your HD pocket video camera. Many of the HD pocket camcorders on the market allow you to expand the memory so you can store more video. You want at least 2 hours of HD video that you can store on the HD pocket video camera.

Another thing to consider is the battery life of a HD pocket video camera. You want to make sure that you can record at least 30 to 60 minutes of recording. As these little pocket camcorders are built very compact you will not find many mini video cameras that can handle longer recording times than 60 minutes. One thing to look for is whether the batteries are standard batteries that you can simply switch or whether they are built-in or special battery packs that you can’t just get in the store around the corner. Also look out as some of the HD pocket video cameras do not have a separate charger but are charged through their USB connector. In that case you will have to have a possibility to charge through a USB connection if you take the pocket camcorder with you on a trip.

When it comes to sound you would like to see that your HD pocket video camera is capable of recording in stereo. You might have to compromise here and get your stereo recording only through an external microphone so you want to look for a pocket camcorder that has at least a microphone plug so you can use an external microphone. You shouldn’t worry too much about the audio playback quality on the mini video camera as you usually will not use it to watch a lot of your videos on it. It’s a lot more likely that you will watch your HD videos on your TV or computer monitor which can play stereo sound.

Most of today’s HD pocket video cameras do not offer optical zooms. If you look at a pocket camcorder with zoom capabilities then you will usually only find one with a digital zoom. There is quite a quality difference between an optical and a digital zoom. The optical zoom uses optical lenses to zoom the scene or object you are filming closer and you don’t have any loss of picture quality. A digital zoom takes the captures picture and then zooms into that image by basically zooming into a specific area of the picture. However, it doesn’t retake the picture or take it with a higher resolution. The result is a loss of sharpness of the captured image or video. If your video needs require a zoom capability then you want to find a HD pocket video camera with an optical zoom. Having said that, with a camera with Full HD resolution you should get good digital zoom quality as the original image or video has a high resolution and thus is very sharp.

Lastly you want to make sure you take the video screen of the HD pocket video camera into consideration. It should be big enough so you can clearly watch the video you took right after you captured it. Some of the newer pocket camcorders offer rather large screens that are touch-enabled and function also as the input mechanism to change settings, etc. Overall you want to make sure that the size of the screen is at least 2 inches diagonally. A larger and higher quality LCD display will allow you to check your captured video even in bright sunlight!

Having listed all of the important things for you to watch out when it comes to HD pocket camcorders, please have a look at our pocket video camera reviews that you can find on this site.

Pocket Video Camera Articles and Reviews:

May 17, 2011 | 0 comments View Post