Tell yer ma and tell yer pa if they need a little, handheld video camera for taking high quality shots of the cousins messing around in the yard, then the miniature Kodak Zx1 is for them.
A successor to the Zi6, the $150 Zx1 – the “x” stands for “xtra smaller than the Zi6″ and the 1 is for the number of units that come in a retail box – is a weatherproof – but not waterproof – little camera that takes 720p video and comes in five colors.
Small, portable video cameras, even HD ones, are a dime-a-dozen these days. However, Kodak has done some good work here. This model has an SD card slot that supports SDHC cards as well as a mini HDMI port and tiny, proprietary USB port. The camera, unlike its predecessor, records directly to SD but does not have a built-in USB port for direct attachment. Instead, you have to connect the SD card to a computer separately or carry a USB cable around with you.
Video quality is quite strong, on par with any HD video mini camera, and the screen is large and bright. You can take HD, SD, and VGA quality video as well as still images.
The Good
This thing is definitely a small, inexpensive camera. It shoots great video with little artifacting and it’s fun to carry and use. The battery lasts about 12 hours on a charge – more than enough for a week’s vacation – and because it uses AAs you can replace them at will.
The new model is smaller and seemingly more rugged than the older model. A metal front and rubber buttons add to that impression but I wouldn’t take this into the ocean with you.
The Bad
This isn’t a huge deal, but the camera doesn’t take 1080i or p video – which is fine. The included ArcSoft software also only works under Windows. OS X users will have to import the video into iMovie or a similar program.
Finally, while the camera supports up to 32GB of SD memory, you still have to pay for your SD cards. It comes wil almost nothing out of the box – 128 MB ain’t much.
Bottom Line
If you’re shopping for a minicam, go ahead and pick this one up. My experience with the Zi6 and Kodak in general has been very positive and this is a nice, rugged little camera for not much money.
Photo Gallery by Picturesurf
What quality are the still photos or does it not do still ?? Is it available ??
Does it have a tripod attachment? It doesn’t look like it from the photos.
it does, yes
Good question on the tripod, since it does not have “image stabilization”.
Silly question – Kodak Zx1 or Logitech Quickcam Pro 9000? I know I wont have to tether the Zx1 to my notebook (unlike the Pro 9000), but I merely want to record some brief clips for uploading to YouTube.
get the kodak
I have the Zi6 and was definitely a great investment. It’s really easy to use. No frills but efficient. So if u don’t own a mini hd cam this is a great buy.
AA Replaceable batteries – Yay! Want. Do tell us if it does stills too.
its a beautiful mobile.looks cooooooooool
Hina, it is not a mobile but a mini HD video recorder.
Yes – this camera does stills – 3 megapixel (interpolated)
What format are the video files? Will they import into Movie Maker for XP or will I have to convert them?
Thanks.
HOW DO YOU SET THE DATE?
The date is set by bringing up the menu – press any two outer buttons (like Stop and Play) simultaneously to get in and out.
After some research, I’ve decided to fore go to size/convenience aspect of this type of camcorder and pursue a new digital camera with HD (720p 60i) capabilities (i.e. the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7 / ZS3 (granted, a $385-400 USD street price) with AVC HD Lite (check to see if your choice of video editing software can work with AVC HD Lite)
Hi, I want a nanny cam/ outdoor deer camera. Can I hook up a wall socket AC adapter to the camera? Once I hit record, and if I use a big SD card, could I record at one setting more than 8 hours of video.
I want to leave it in the woods over the day or hidden in my baby’s room over night. Will you see any lights or hear sounds? How does it record in low light indoors. I am not worried to much about low light grain, as long as i can tell what is going on. thank you
I am considering purchasing this video camera but would most likely use it more for taking still images rather than video footage.
For those who have already used this camera…what is the quality of the still images and how many images does the included memory card hold???
Should I wait for the Zx8? This looks like a nice little camera, but they are putting the USB dongle back on the zx8 and it will be full 1080P… arrhg.. I don’t want to wait though.
Please advise if you have been able to test the new one..
Thanks
The Zi8 is a fantastic gadget. Wait for it, it’s worth the wait. Full HD recording at 1080 f and a bigger LCD than Zx1. Plus has face recognition and 5 MP still capture capacity.
I am excited and can’t wait to try this beauty.