Kodak Zi8

Along with the Samsung HMX-U10, the Zi8 is one the very few pocket camcorders that can film in 1080p Full HD.  With a solid range of features, a large screen and a HDMI output, it's the only model in this price bracket to offer a mic input.  Can this camcorder which has bloggers and those in search of an easy-to-use camera in mind stand up to its full-sized AVCHD rivals?

Handling

From a distance, the Zi8 looks so much like a smartphone that you'd be forgiven for confusing it with one.  There's easily enough room on the front for a keyboard, but this is a pocket camcorder and the watchword here is simplicity.  That's why there's just a single row of buttons and a joystick underneath the 2.5'' screen which is of a quality rarely seen in camcorders at this price.  The four buttons give access to the menu, deleted clips, camcorder mode and playback mode.  Every time you switch it on, the device gives you a choice between four different video options: 1080p, 720p at 60 fps, 720p at 30 fps and WVGA (848 x 480 pixels), as well as 5 Megapixel still photos.

Your choice of format shouldn't just rely on how much room you have left, but also what you're planning to film.  Shooting in 720p at 60 fps is good for fast-moving sports as you get twice as many frames in the sam time period.  1080p really comes into its own on a Full HD TV.  If you're using it for blogging, then 720p will be fine, because YouTube, Vimeo and other sites always re-encode HD videos to this format.

The frame is very well made, with a shiny finish available in your choice of raspberry pink, turquoise or black.  You can navigate through the using intuitive icons which control features like adjusting the screen brightness, activating the digital image stabilisation or controlling the volume of the built-in speaker.

Video is recorded onto a SDHC card, and you need a minimum of a Class 6 card, although one isn't supplied.  It does have an internal memory, but you won't go very far with just 128 MB.  A 32 GB card can hold up to ten hours of 720p video.  You can charge the battery either using a mains adaptor or a USB cable, and it takes around two hours.  A mini USB cable for connecting the Zi8 to your computer slots away in one side.


Video Quality

So the Zi8 does 1080p: great!  But what's the quality actually like?  Well, there are 1920 pixels on 1080 lines, and that produces a lot of detail for such a small camcorder.  The results are excellent when you play them back on a TV.  The Zi8's Full HD easily beats its most direct competitors which are all capped at 720p or else 1440 x 1080 pixels.

However, the image quality suffers from two big weaknesses.  The first is caused by the miniature lens (6.3 mm at f/2.8), which poses problems with sensitivity.  You can see the result for yourself in the Face-Off where the portrait test shot of Barbie is hidden in the shadows and there's plenty of electronic noise.  The second problem is more annoying, as it's there all the time: it's the fixed focal length of just 61 mm in 35 mm equivalent.  That makes for an incredibly narrow angle of view.  That becomes extremely problematic if you want to film a large building or a group of friends: you need to move a long way back.  It's disappointing because other pocket camcorders do have wide-angle lenses: the Creative Vado HD's is at 32 mm.


There is some good news though: Kodak has paid a lot of attention to sound on the Zi8.  Apart from the built-in mono mic, the camcorder also has a mini-jack allowing you to connect an external stereo mic, and you can adjust the input volume onscreen.  This is a real bonus for bloggers who will be able to use the tripod screw to keep the Zi8 still while conducting interviews.  Unfortunately, the mic jack isn't joined by a headphone jack.

For editing, the Zi8 comes with ArcSoft software that can be installed on your computer as soon as you connect it using the USB cable.  You can import your clips, join them together, edit them and add titles before and after your films.  Once you're done, you can export a HD file or upload your video directly to YouTube, Facebook or Vimeo by providing your account details for these sites.  It's quick and easy.  Mac users can also be reassured that the Zi8's native format is MOV, which QuickTime can handle.  You can then edit them using iMovie or Final Cut.  I filmed this video in 1080p on the Zi8, then edited it using ArcSoft and then uploaded it to YouTube.

If you fancy watching your videos on a HD TV, the Zi8 comes with a HDMI cable, which is rare enough to be welcome.