My Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera Review
Hi my name is Jason and I just want to welcome you to my blog where I will be reviewing or let me say share my experience with the Kodak Zi8 HD Camera.
First of all, I the main reason I got this camera was because It was one of the few cameras that had the external mic port. I wanted a camera that was able to shoot HD videos with the ability to record superb audio without the background noise.
Before I bought this camera, my girlfriend bought the Samsung SC-DX205 Hybrid DVD & Flash Memory Camcorder from Amazon as gift for my birthday. It is a very nice camera and shoot some pretty cool videos but the problem I had was that the internal mic picked up a lot of background noise. So when you are listening to the videos, you can hear even the slightest noise in the background which can be very annoying and distracting.
So that’s when I started looking for a “better” camera that give me exactly what I was looking for. That is:
- Great Video And
- Superb Audio
After reading several reviews, I found that A lot of websites were recommending the Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera. The price was very affordable and with the great reviews I read, I was sold and decided I would give it a try.
My Experience With The Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera
I bought the Black Zi8 HD video camera on Amazon for $275. The price have since raised to $449 at the time of writing this review, ooch
I also bought the Olympus ME-52W Noise Canceling Microphone, the Vista Explorer 60-Inch Lightweight Tripod and the Transcend 16 GB SDHC Class 10 Flash Memory Card.
I got the Zi8 camera, SD card and mic within about 3 days but unfortunately I didn’t receive the tripod and had to get a refund on that.
Click Here For The Lowest Price Of The Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera On Amazon
Audio Quality Of The Zi8 Pocket Camera
I must say that I am really impressed with the Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera. I am also very impressed with the internal mic as well. Even though the main reason why I bought the zi8 camera was because it has an external mic port, the internal mic is also very good when you are close to the camera and it doesn’t pick up a lot of background noise. But the farther away you go from the camera, the internal mic quality decreases so I still rather to use the external mic as it gives a more crisps sound.
Video Quality Of The Zi8 Pocket Video Camera
I have 2 other cameras that records HD videos. The Samsung I mentioned above and I also have a Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HS 12.1 MP. Of the 3 cameras, I have to say that the Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera records the best HD videos. The videos are clearer and have a more professional look to them. The only problem I find is that this zi8 doesn’t adjust to change in lighting fast enough.
So lets say you were recording outside in the bright sun and then you decide to go inside where the lighting is much duller, then the videos can get really dark and the camera takes a while to go back to normal. Maybe like about 5 seconds. It’s pretty much like when you are standing in the sun and then go inside and your pupil takes some time to adjust.
Battery Life Of The Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera
I am pretty sure that this is of main concern to you. At least it was for me because I wanted to be able to record lots of videos for long periods of time without worrying if the battery is going to go dead on me. On the Amazon site, the product description promises up to 10 hours of battery life recording at 720p. However, my battery capped out at about 8 hours which isn’t bad in my opinion. I haven’t tested the recording at full HD at 1080p though.
The Kodak Zi8 Allows Up To 32 Gig SD Cards
Another reason why I love this camera is the fact that it supports up to 32 Gig SD memory cards. This mean you can record for long hours without worrying about not being able to store all your video footage. The zi8 camera also allows you to upload your videos directly to youtube and facebook with a simple USB connection. And another cool feature is that it also has an HDMI port which allows you to connect the camera to your flat screen and few the videos directly on your TV.
My Overall Conclusion
I’ve had my Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera for over 6 months now and I can positively say that this is an awesome HD pocket video camera. The video quality is awesome except for some low light but for the price, you cannot beat this with any other camera in this category.
I especially like the fact that the Kodak Zi8 provides an external mic jack a feature not present in other class of pocket video cameras. I use my zi8 regularly to shoot both outdoors and indoors videos and I highly recommend this camera if you are looking for a camera that is inexpensive, shoot high quality HD videos, allows superb audio quality, can record long hours and allows you to directly upload your videos to youtube and facebook and also has built in HDMI port.
I give the kodak zi8 pocket video camera 4stars out of 5.







