The popular Flip camcorder might have been the device that brought pocket-sized point ‘n' shoot video cameras into the limelight, but it's now facing some stiff competition from the Zi8, a snappy little HD recorder from Kodak which, if it could speak, would probably say “everything you can do I can do better.”
Starting with price. At $199.99, it's the spendiest model in Kodak's ultra-compact camcorder line-up, which also includes the ZX1 and Zi6, but still cheaper than the comparable Flip MinoHD, which retails for $229.99.
It's also the most feature-laden, highest resolution device in the category.
With multiple recording modes, including 1080p at 30 frames per second, 720p at either 60 or 30 frames per second, and standard definition WVGA, users can decide which resolution is appropriate for each scene they shoot. Users can also snap 5-megapixel still images or grab individual frames from captured video.
What's more, it's got a few basic firmware perks common on pricier full-size camcorders that aren't yet standard in pocket camcorders, such as digital image stabilization, face detection functionality, and the ability to set microphone recording levels.
The hardware has some clear advantages over the Flip MinoHD, too, including a larger, clearer, and brighter 6.4 centimetre LCD screen and an HDMI jack to facilitate quick viewing on HD televisions (Kodak has even thrown an HDMI cable in the box). There's also an external mic jack, should you want to improve sound quality.
Its soft-stemmed, built-in USB dongle lacks the satisfying flick and click for which the Flip is famous, but it's perfectly functional. And uploading clips to sites like YouTube and Facebook – the Flip's pièce de résistance – is dead simple. Once the ArcSoft MediaImpression software (which resides on the Zi8 rather than a cumbersome CD) was installed, it took just four clicks for my video to go from the Zi8 to being published online.
What doesn't the Zi8 have going for it? Onboard storage, for one. Whereas competing pocket camcorders come with as much as 8GB of built-in memory, the Zi8 has a paltry 128 MB, which offers mere seconds of HD video recording. That means you'll need to pick up either an SD or SDHC memory card to improve capacity. They're cheap these days – you can grab an 8GB SDHC card for about $30 – but it's still an extra expenditure not required for some other pocket camcorders.
It's also a smidgeon bigger than the Flip MinoHD, measuring 62-by-21.5-by-113.2 mm. Put in more meaningful terms, the Zi8 is about the size of a couple of stacked iPhones whereas the Flip MinoHD equates to a pair of smaller candybar phones put back-to-back.
And while the Zi8 comes in three rather drab colours – black, aqua, and maroon – the Flip MinoHD allows users to completely customize its appearance when ordering online, selecting from a large selection of free designs or uploading art of their own making.
Of course, the one thing that no ultra-compact camcorder can do (save perhaps cutting edge luxury devices that cost five times the price, such as Sony's Handycam HDR-TGV and JVC's Everio GZ-X900U) is deliver image quality on par with what can be captured using a traditional, full-sized camcorder.
I tried all of the Zi8's recording modes, and while the results were fine for capturing unexpected moments, I'd definitely prefer to use a traditional HD camcorder to record important family occasions. Anything shot indoors was grainy. What's more, colours lacked vibrance and natural tone, even in ideal lighting conditions.
And while I noticed the difference that the Zi8's digital image stabilization made compared with video I've shot with the Flip, the picture was still typically a bit jittery unless I focused on being stationary while recording.
The Zi8 might be the best pocket camcorder around, but don't go trading in your full-size HD camcorder just yet. It's a supplementary device, not a replacement.
