Kodak Zi6 HD Video Camera

Kodak Zi6 HD Pocket Video Camera

I LOVE my Kodak Zi6 pocket video camera. Maybe you’ve heard of other pocket camera such as the Flip MinoHD, but let me tell you, that’s not the only HD camera in town! In fact, I personally think the Kodak Zi6 HD Video Camera surpasses the Flip Mino in a number of ways, which is why I chose to buy it instead.

First of all, the Kodak Zi6 records video in full high definition 16:9 720P at 60 frames per second. You can also choose to film in HD at 30 frames per second, or VGA if just want to upload something to the Internet quickly. It stores the videos on SD or SDHC cards that can be up to 32 gigs in size, which can theoretically store five hours of HD60 video. I’ve been using a four gigabyte SD card with mine, and can get almost an hour of HD60 video, which is more than enough for my purposes (uploading home videos to the web).

Of course you can always take still pictures with this camera as well at up to 2048 x 1536 resolution, and they come out nicely. The video format defaults to H.264 or MOV for video files, AAC LC for audio files and JPEG for still photographs.

Using the Zi6 is a cinch. Turn it on and it starts up within a few moments. Just press the record button and start filming in gorgeous high definition. The viewfinder LCD screen is crystal sharp and brilliant, measuring a large 2.4 inches across (noticeably larger than the Flip MinoHD’s 2 inch screen) and providing an excellent picture. It’s got a 2x digital zoom. I personally don’t like using digital zooms, but I guess it’s adequate for its designed purpose.

What’s a convenient feature about the Zi6 is that it’s simple to upload your videos straight to YouTube with the built in USB. Just plug it in to the nearest computer’s USB port, and you’re ready to upload your files right to YouTube or e-mail them to your friends. You can also watch your videos on your home HDTV by hooking it up to cables that are included in the package with the Kodak Zi6.

The Kodak Zi6 HD Video Camera is powered by two standard AA batteries — a nice touch is that Kodak includes two pre-charged NiMH rechargeables in a miniature charging station. The Zi6 very small and fits easily into a pocket, and is easy to operate with even one hand.

The package comes with a nice carrying pouch, and also comes with Arcsoft media editing software that allows you to do some video editing of your own. I’m pretty sure you’re going to want to use your all favorite video editing software, unless you don’t have one at the current time, in which case the bundled software is sufficient if not spectacular. You can trim your videos, add pictures and transitions, and add music tracks and captions.

The main advantages the Kodak Zi6 has over the Flip MinoHD is that the Flip has a built in non-replaceable battery, and built in non-expandable 4 GB of memory. The Zi6 takes regular AA batteries but you can find anywhere, and has an SDHC slot that you can swap an unlimited number of cards into. Finally, the Kodak records video that has richer colors and more contrast than the Flip.

And for the low price, the Kodak Zi6 HD Video Camera simply cannot be beaten. I love mine, and I don’t think anyone can go wrong with it.