Hewlett-Packard: NUH-UH! You’re a big fat liar, Kodak! We’re the cheapest cost-per-page.

Kodak: Pfffft!

Hewlett-Packard: Stop it! I’m telling! Hey CrunchGear! Kodak is being mean!!

CrunchGear: What? Huh? Don’t make me stop this car!

Full disclosure: Hewlett Packard’s PR team asked us to compare the HP C6380 against the Kodak ESP 7 with the intent of showing HP’s superior quality, in addition to evaluating the cost-per-page comparison. No gifts or money were given to me. I didn’t get to keep the printers, only the photos I printed out.

I’ve long been a fan of HP printers, and when I was a lowly sales clerk at an office supply store all those years ago I would almost always recommend the HP DeskJet 600C over the competing Epson and Canon printers (I told you it was years ago!).

My personal preferences aside, I am a rational adult, and able to read the fine print on marketing websites. So let’s take a look at the claims made by both parties, and see what caveats and exceptions exist. Then we’ll dig into the subjective aspects of both printers.

Kodak throws down the gauntlet
Kodak has a fancy website, www.printandprosper.com, at which they will calculate for you how much money you’re wasting with your non-Kodak printer. According to this site, the HP C6380 costs $221.20 extra per year over the Kodak offering.

There’s a big ol’ asterisk after that number, and the fine print links to www.kodak.com/go/inkdata, which allows us to drill down to the U.S. detail report.

HP pushes back
The Truth About Printing is HP’s response to the Kodak advertising campaign. It’s a marketing effort, too, so don’t expect to see a lot of nitty-gritty numerical analysis without some clicking.

Instead of trying to fight on the cost-per-page issue, which they’ll pretty clearly lose, HP instead claims that their product is superior. Some of the features that HP touts will be pretty compelling to most users. Individual color ink tanks, for example, mean less waste. Some HP features, like Bluetooth printing from iPhones direct to HP printers, are of interest to only limited subsets of users.

Devil in the details
Way back when I was selling HP DeskJet 600C printers, the leading contender was the Canon BJC-600. The HP printer used a tri-color ink tank, while the Canon used separate tanks for each color. At the time, I let my passion for HP products influence my salesmanship, and I steered many a customer toward the tried-and-true DeskJet, even though the Canon afforded a more economical long-term outlook. If you use a lot of blue ink — because your company logo is solid blue, perhaps, — the separate ink tank design will allow you to replace just the blue ink when it runs out. When you run out of blue in a tri-color tank, you end up throwing out perfectly good ink just so you can insert a new tri-color cartridge to replenish your supply of blue.

The HP C6380 uses five separate ink tanks: cyan, magenta, yellow, photo black, and regular black. When you run out of one, you only need to replace that one. The Kodak ESP 7 uses two ink tanks: a five color tank and a black tank. If you exhaust all of one color, you’ll need to replace all five colors, regardless of how much may be left of those other colors. It may well be cheaper to replace the five color tank every time, but is that the kind of wasteful behavior you want to encourage, let alone participate in?

The other major difference between Kodak and HP is the kind of ink they use. Kodak uses pigment based inks, while HP uses dye based inks. Both produce great results most of the time, and ink type alone probably shouldn’t be a determining factor when selecting a photo printer, but there are some differences that are worth exploring.

Objective tests
Did you know that the ISO — the International Standards Organization — actually has tests for photo printers? ISO standard DIS 18935 is “Determination of indoor water resistance of printed colour images”. The test basically involves submerging a photograph in water for 60 minutes and seeing what happens.

So what happens? The Kodak pigment based printer ink is susceptible to water. A single drop of water on the photo is enough to remove substantial amounts of pigment, effectively ruining the photo. The HP ink, which is dye based, is not affected by the drop of water at all. No amount of smudging or scrubbing resulted in any blemishes.

The Kodak print is on top, and you can clearly see the blemish left from smudging a single drop of water. The HP print, below, shows a slight streak, but that faded as the water dried.

Submerging both photos in water for even a minute is enough to see the damage that can occur. The Kodak paper curls pretty badly. And the pigment suffers from water as just described. The HP paper retains its form, and resists the adverse effects of water.

The Kodak print, at the top, curls pretty badly after only a minute in the water. The HP paper stays firm, and holds its shape.

Subjective tests
I printed a lot of photos from both of these printers. The truth is that the output quality of each is superb. There are modest differences that result from pigment versus dye based inks. To my eye, the pigment based inks generally produce deeper blacks, but as a result they tend to lose some details in the dark portions of photos. For example, the photo in the top of this post: the Kodak printer is black, and when printed on the Kodak printer it looks sharply black. The same photo printed on the HP doesn’t look quite as black, but I can see more reflection on the surface of the printer — a detail which is lost in the Kodak print.

I actually like the HP print better. I like seeing the details in the photo. As an amateur photographer, I like knowing that some of the nuance I see in the lens will be reproduced in the print out. My lovely wife prefers the Kodak print, claiming that the colors are sharper. Who am I to argue with my wife?

I found the Kodak Windows driver to be much better than the HP, though. This has nothing at all to do with cost per page or output quality, but should be a concern when selecting a printer. I hate printer drivers that take over your computer, and ruin your life with popup reminders about your printer. The Kodak driver had a much smaller footprint, and was much less invasive.

For the average user, both printers include software to touch up photos before printing them. For the sake of completeness, I polluted my system with these applications, so that I could include their utility in my discussion. Both did a perfectly fine job — basically just auto adjusting the color levels, which you can do yourself in Photoshop or the GIMP. The Kodak touch-up process was remarkably faster, though. It brightened up the photos and sent them off to the printer in no time at all. The HP software churned and churned, finally showing a slightly enhanced version of the photo, which I was prompted to save as a copy before sending to the printer.

A word of advice: please show your family members how to use some dedicated photo editing software — Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, GIMP, Acorn, heck even Picnik — so that they can adjust colors and crop photos on their own, without using the half-baked software usually included with the printers.

The Bottom Line
As I’ve said several times, I like HP printers. I buy HP printers myself. It’s just something I do, the way my dad only buys Ford automobiles. My preference for HP does not prevent me from recognizing good stuff from other vendors, though. The Kodak ESP 7 — and presumably most of the other Kodak printers on the market today — is a perfectly acceptable printer. Were I to receive one as a gift, or if it were the only printer available for me to buy, I’d be completely satisfied with it. Output quality is good, print speeds are impressive, and the overall featureset is noteworthy.

I’m as leery of Kodak’s marketing claims as I am of HP’s rebuttal claims. Cost-per-page is an important consideration when buying a printer, but it’s not the only consideration. If cost-per-page were the only thing that mattered, we’d all print our photos at the nearest drug store, or Wal-Mart.

Pocket video cameras might eventually be killed off by the iPod horde, but that doesn’t mean that the current crop aren’t worth your time. The Kodak Zi6 HD is a nice little camera and Woot has a nice deal one ‘em today.

Amazon sells the pocket cam for $122, but if you can deal with a refurb, Woot has one for only $69.99. You even get your choice of black, pink, or red. The little camera can capture 720p video at 60 fps with 16:9 aspect ratio. All that media gets stored on a SD/SDHC card and you can get about 40 minutes to fit on a 2GB card. Don’t expect production quality video out of it, but we use these cameras all the time and they get the job done.

Oh man, we nailed it. Remember that dumb Kodak viral video we posted where a marketing dude was showing off the latest Kodak product but it was blurred out Japanese porn-style? Well, we said it would be an updated pocket camcorder and it’s a new, 1080p-recording pocket camcorder.

The Kodak Zi8 packs a lot into the small form factor. It has 1080p recording, along with face tracking, image stabilization, an external mic jack and a 2.5-inch LCD. All your precious moments will be recorded onto an SD card. Just like the Zi6, videos can be uploaded to YouTube directly, but this model also supports Facebook uploads.

At $179, the Zi8 comes in $20 under the MSRP of the Flip UltraHD. Hopefully the quality of the new Kodak passes the Flip as that little camera is a tad disappointing despite the 720p video recording mode. Expect the Zi8 to hit stores sometime in September.

KODAK Zi8 Pocket Video Camera brings sleek style and high-performance to pocket video

Easily shoot and share high-quality 1080p HD video

Rochester, NY, July 29, 2009 – Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:EK) today announced an exciting new addition to its popular line of Digital Video Cameras – the KODAK Zi8 Pocket Video Camera, featuring a sleek design, high-quality full 1080p High Definition video capture, and built-in electronic image stabilization.

“Images and video have tremendous power to help us stay connected to family and friends,” says Phil Scott, Worldwide Director of Marketing, Digital Capture and Devices and Vice President, Consumer Digital Group. “The KODAK Zi8 Pocket Video Camera makes it easy to spontaneously capture HD video – of heartwarming moments, of ‘can you believe that?’ moments, and of just plain laugh-out-loud moments – and then quickly and easily share them.”

The slim and stylish KODAK Zi8 Pocket Video Camera is designed to meet these needs at the touch of a button — no lens cap, dials to turn or settings to adjust. The new camera’s range of advanced features includes:
• Full HD 1080p video capture wherever you go;
• Built-in electronic image stabilization for sharper videos and reduced blurring;
• Vivid 2.5″ color LCD;
• Flexible swing-out USB arm for fast uploading, sharing, and charging;
• 5 MP 16:9 widescreen HD still pictures;
• Easy upload to Facebook and YouTube;
• Compatible with PC and Mac operating systems;
• Record up to 10 hours of HD video* with the expandable SD/SDHC card slot that can hold up to 32 GB;
• Capture family and friends in their best light with smart face tracking technology;
• See more details and accurate colors in low light;
• External microphone jack;
• In-box HDMI cable;
• Record from a distance or playback on your TV conveniently with optional KODAK Pocket Video remote control;
• Grab attention and define your style with the ultra compact design, stunning looks, and a range of colors.

Uploading to Facebook and YouTube
The KODAK Zi8 Pocket Video Camera provides one-button upload to Facebook, the premiere social networking and sharing website. Content can also be quickly and easily uploaded to YouTube, the world’s most popular online video community. The built-in software on the camera allows seamless upload of your video and pictures from the same desktop interface used for video editing and movie creation.

Accessories
A range of accessories are available for the KODAK Zi8 Pocket Video Camera, including:
• KODAK SDHC Memory Cards, available in 4, 8, and 16GB capacities customized for optimal video capture;
• KODAK Pocket Video Remote control;
• KODAK KLIC-7004 Lithium Ion batteries;
• KODAK Flexi-tripod;
• KODAK Adventure Mount for helmet, handlebars and more;
• KODAK cases, camera bags and neck straps.

Pricing and Availability
The KODAK Zi8 Pocket Video Camera will be available in aqua, raspberry and black** from September, 2009, and retail for US$179.95 MSRP.

It’s pink.

via This Guy

I’d imagine by now you’ve seen this picture of Megan Fox snubbing this poor little portly boy at the London premiere of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. If you haven’t then you need to get out from under the rock or watch The Soup or something.

Anyway, Fox inadvertently snubbed the affections of this boy and wants to make it up to him, but the origins of this boy remain a mystery and have made it difficult for Fox to contact him. So, Kodak is pitching in $5000 to anyone who can provide info to help bring the two together. If you have any legit information to help make this happen then shoot an e-mail to yellowroseboy at gmail dot com.

I wonder how much it would cost to have plastic surgery, so that I can be reunited with Megan Fox?

It’s a sad day, film fans. Kodak will retire its Kodachrome film, citing, um, its near commercial relevance. Sales of Kodachrome film only account for 1 percent of still-photo (that is, not including movie film and all the digital equipment) sales.

And thank God for the AP, reminding us that Paul Simon song. I don’t know who Paul Simon is, but that’s OK.

There’s only one lab on Earth that still processes Kodachrome.

There’s one famous photo that I guarantee you’ve seen that was shot using Kodachrome:

I don’t know, I think using film is more fun than shooting digital, largely because it’s so anachronistic.

I suggest looking through Flickrfor fun Kodachrome photos.

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.

I’ve been avoiding this moment for a month. Before I left for Europe, Kodak sent me their latest ultra-zoom camera, the Z980, and I’ve been carrying it for over 30 days and through five countries. I’ve taken about two hundred photographs and I’ve gotten to know this thing fairly well. My initial conclusion? I’m going to say this just to get it over with: I miss my DSLR. Now, read on for a bit of clarification.

The Kodak Z980 is Kodak’s $399.99 ultrazoom camera. It is a 12-megapixel monster with 24x optical zoom and flash. It has a huge 3-inch back LCD and a false, LCD-based viewfinder. There are multiple modes including Manual, Scene, Auto, and Aperture- and Shutter-priority. It also takes video in full HD. It also takes panoramic photos using a built-in stitching system.

First, my quick look from a few weeks ago:

The Good – The zoom is quite stunning. I doubt many of us have used a lens this long and the ability to bring distant scenes into focus without much blur is impressive. This is by far the camera’s biggest selling point.

The pictures are clear and nicely balanced. In the bright sunlight we were able to take consistently acceptable vacation snaps. With a bit of tweaking we were able to get strong performance in most light although most of the best shooting was outdoors. The panorama mode, for example, was dead simple and allowed us to take some cool shots of Malta and Rome.

The camera has a nice wide ISO zone from – 64 to 6400 – and bracketing. There is no manual white balance but it shots 1fps in burst mode.

This, in a nutshell, is fine for 80% of the prosumer market. Birdwatchers and vacationers will enjoy shooting with the Z980. However, I have reservations about recommending the camera to those who might fall into that 20% set of consumers who are looking for something a bit more powerful than a standard point-and-shoot.

The Bad – Because that’s what the Z980 – a point-and-shoot bolted onto a large lens. And the lens, a SCHNEIDER-KREUZNACH VARIOGON, is great. The click speed is about as fast as a standard point-and-shoot and although you can reduce the wait by turning off preview mode you still have about two seconds lag between most photos unless you’re in a special mode. At 12-megapixels you suffer from both lag and then, when you check the pictures on the LCD, you discover the poor quality of the LCD which blurs the pictures to heck and back and offers a pale imitation of what you can expect when you see the pictures on the desktop.

Then you stumble upon some decidedly odd design choices. Instead of depending on the orientation sensor built-in the camera has a “sideways” switch which activates a buttom on the right edge of the camera and changes the way the buttons on the back work. This decision is baffling and Kodak explained that they couldn’t get the position sensor to work under the requirements they had in terms of design and price. They even included a little thinger you connect to the bottom to make it easier to hold – and bigger. This camera doesn’t need to be any bigger.

Finally, the physical design is garbage. For example, the lens cap is junk. It fell off constantly and the camera lay in my bag with the glass exposed for most of the trip. One good drop and this thing is toast. Once the battery compartment opened randomly spraying batteries all over the street. In real world travel this is a major issue.

Finally, this thing is big. It takes four AA batteries – included – and is as big as a Canon or Nikon DSLR. So there we find the crux of my argument: why buy a $399 ultrazoom when you can get a DSLR with similar functionality and buy a zoom lens. Now, the most obvious reason against this course of action is price and if that’s your only concern then go out and get the Z980 right now if you need the 27x zoom for a specific purpose. It’s a strong camera and there are ways to work around its limitations.

However, the additional features and speed you’d get for a $200 bump in price with a DSLR – excluding the zoom lens – is fairly compelling. The ultrazoom category is obviously very specific to the consumer and I see a place for it. The Z980 is a good camera. It takes great pictures and is fun to use. But I missed my Rebl. I would have been fine not being able to take the tip of a church steeple from 500 feet away. The artifacts I got when shooting with the zoom lens were quite distracting. As you can see from this zoom example, the power and potential is stunning but the results are less so.

The Zoom

Bottom Line – Kodak makes a nice camera. They’ve redefined the low-end of the market and this is a strong addition to their portfolio. But, again, I’m not a fan of ultra-zoom cameras. This camera is bulky and its relative limitations hamper its otherwise impressive and pleasing performance. Comparing and contrasting this model with slightly more expensive DSLRs is a must, just as you would when dealing with any ultrazoom camera from any manufacturer.

We’ve been excited about the Zx1 since they announced it at CES and now it’s finally arrived. This successor to the popular Zi6 is a mini-camcorder with direct-to-YouTube capability along with an SD card slot for storage expansion. This new model is weatherproof but not submersible, something you’ll discover if you drop it into the toilet.

This wee camera is considerably smaller than the first model and does not have an external USB jack. It also uses a proprietary USB jack, which makes us sad clowns. However, you can also simply pop out the SD card.

The camera records at 720p resolution onto SD and SDHC cards. It will sell for $150 this month and comes in 5 colors. Look for a full review in the next week.

The mailman just brought Kodak’s $399 Z980 24x zoom camera and I wanted to get a video up for you all before I gave it a more careful look-see. I’m fairly impressed so far, especially for a lower-cost ultrazoom camera. I’m down on ultra-zooms because it’s not quite a DSLR and not quite a point and shoot – this thing is actually quite bulky – but so far I’m OK with this monster.

Leading the introductions is the new KODAK Z980 Digital Camera, featuring a wealth of power and versatility, including a 26 mm wide angle, professional quality, 24X image stabilized optical zoom lens and a vertical shutter release with detachable vertical grip.

“Photographers looking for more from their digital camera will find it in the Z980,” Blake said. “Our innovative Smart Capture feature makes camera adjustments automatically, delivering brilliant images automatically in virtually any setting.”

The new KODAK Z980 Digital Camera offers:

Kodak’s exclusive Smart Capture feature, which analyzes scenes and adjusts camera settings to deliver beautiful pictures more often;
26 mm wide angle/24X Schneider-Kreuznach Variogon Image Stabilized Optical Zoom Lens;
HD picture and video capture;
Vertical shutter release and detachable vertical grip, for greater comfort and control when shooting scenes vertically;
Hot shoe for optional KODAK P20 zoom flash;
Available at US$399.95 MSRP from Spring, 2009.

This is all about to change, because the Kodak archive announced that they have donated a large portion of their images to the British Library, with the intent that they be conserved and displayed to the public. The archive contains advertising photos, along with images of the Kodak buildings and their employees.

The British Library has the the first exhibition is scheduled for October, and this particular show will be focused on 19th century photography and the technical side of development.

It’s got a 10x stabilized optical zoom, which is awesome, and has a 10-megapixel sensor. Its screen is 2.5″ and it’s got a “versatile AA battery solution.” Ahem. So does my Teddy Ruxpin. Anyway, at $200 it’s a better buy than Canon’s offerings there and rather more zoomy than Nikon’s. Not nearly as svelte, though. They’ll be available in April.

The suit, brought to the International Trade Commission, is a bunch of posturing by all the companies involved and is basically a play to get one or more of the companies knocked out of foreign markets for a little while, at least until the dust clears. Will it ever fly? No, but at least the lawyers get a little cash.

I have no idea what’s going on here but Samsung is fighting back against Kodak on some sort of patent issue because Kodak was originally suing Samsung. First, Kodak filed a complaint to the International Trade Commission citing patent infringement against LG and Samsung on Kodak technology.

The patents dealt with image capture, compression, and storage as well as a preview method. Fair enough. Kodak worked hard, after all!

But now Samsung is fighting back with it’s own lawsuit in what seems like a fairly cynical move. Samsung isn’t even talking about what it’s suing over:

“Samsung Electronics plans to respond actively to this litigation (by Kodak),” said Lee Eun-hee, a company spokeswoman.

Details on the Samsung patents or Kodak products mentioned in the complaint were not available.

Come on, kids. Let’s just relax and settle this over a few rounds of Street Fighter IV. I’ll go get the Pepsi!

This $75 8-megapixel point and shoot lasts about a week and suffers from bad image quality, broken LCDs, and battery door issues.

“This was a Christmas present I was looking forward to,” reports ‘S’, a C813 owner who submitted a one-star review to Digital Camera HQ, “until I tried to turn it on.” While S was successful in getting the C813 to turn on, they found it devoured batteries of all types in mere minutes. There are dozens of these reviews on our DCHQ Product Page for the Kodak C813, with many more to be found at other review sites around the web.

We’re big Kodak supporters here at CG and when they’re on, they’re on. Clearly the C813 is too good to be true and you’re better off paying $25 more for a fuller featured camera that won’t fall apart. They recommend the Canon A470 and we’re saying something like the Samsung L210 is another good piece of kit.

We all know the benefits of OLED and seen the figures on how much energy it saves and all that jazz, but do you know how it actually works? Well, you’re in for a treat, friend. Sit back, relax and enjoy this 4.5 minute video. The next time anyone asks what OLED is just direct them to this video. It breaks it down pretty well. It’s a shame they aren’t ready for the masses, though.

via BBG

The Zx1 is set to be released in April for the extremely reasonable price of $150. My dad likes to take video when he’s skiing and I can’t think of a better option for him (aside from the Canon 790IS we got him for Christmas… Chris you still owe me for that) and others who need something compact, durable, and straightforward. It does the YouTube thing, will work with SDHC cards up to 32GB, and even comes in several colors. Only testing will tell, but from what I can tell the Zx1 appears to make mincemeat of the MinoHD for $100 less.

I’ll make a point of hitting this thing up at CES and give you all updated impressions. Here’s the full press release:

Rugged new KODAK Digital Video Camera enables on-the-go HD video capture

Never miss a moment with pocketable and weather-resistant video companion

Rochester, NY, January 8, 2009 — Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:EK) today introduced the new KODAK Zx1 Digital Video Camera, a compact and rugged digital device that enables “go-anywhere” High Definition recording.

The Zx1 allows users to shoot and share high-quality video quickly and simply, with 720p HD video capture – at 60 or 30 fps – a vibrant 2.0-inch LCD screen, and built-in software for easy editing and sharing of content to YouTube™ and other social media and networking websites.

“More than ever, people want to capture moments on the go and quickly and easily share them,” says John Blake, General Manager Digital Capture and Devices, Vice President, Eastman Kodak Company. “The Zx1 is a fun and interactive way to engage in this kind of storytelling – it’s both small and smart, and enables people to record virtually anything, virtually anywhere, and then quickly upload content to video-sharing and social networking websites.”

The KODAK Zx1 Digital Video Camera is designed to meet these needs at the touch of a button — no lens cap, dials to turn or settings to adjust. The new camera’s advanced feature set includes:

* Pocketable 720p HD video capture at 60 fps
* Weather-resistant design that stands up to splashes, dirt and more – IP43 certified;
* High-quality video capture in bright light or low light – from the beach, to the nightclub;
* Easy editing, personalization, and uploading to YouTube or other Internet sites with built-in video software, ArcSoft Media Impressions for Kodak;
* Expandable SD/SDHC Card slot for memory cards up to 32 GB, that can record up to 10 hours of HD video*;
* Easy HDTV playback with included HDMI cable;
* Sensitive, low distortion microphone that provides crisp, clear audio;
* Pre-charged AA Ni-MH rechargeable batteries and battery charger included, saving money and avoiding waste from used batteries;
* Vibrant 2.0” LCD;
* Available in five colors: black, red, pink, blue and yellow**;
* Remote control compatible (remote control sold separately).

Uploading to YouTube

YouTube is the world’s most popular online video community, and the Kodak and YouTube relationship enables consumers to quickly and easily upload videos to YouTube from the simple and powerful video editing software that comes with the camera.

Accessories

A range of accessories are available for the KODAK Zx1 Digital Video Camera, including:

* KODAK SDHC Memory Cards, available in 4, 8 and 16GB capacities customized for optimal video capture;
* KODAK Adventure Mount for helmet, handlebars and more;
* KODAK Flexi-tripods;
* KODAK cases, camera bags and neck straps;
* Remote control;
* Battery options include AA, CRV3, and KODAK Li-Ion Rechargeable Digital Camera Battery KLIC-8000.

Pricing and Availability

The KODAK Zx1 Digital Video Camera will be available from April 2009, and retail for US$149.95 MSRP.

*Record approximately 20 minutes per 1GB at HD 30fps.

** Color availability may vary.

About Kodak

As the world’s foremost imaging innovator, Kodak helps consumers, businesses, and creative professionals unleash the power of pictures and printing to enrich their lives.

To learn more, visit the newly redesigned http://www.kodak.com and follow our blogs and more at http://www.kodak.com/go/followus.

More than 70 million people worldwide manage, share and create photo gifts online at KODAK Gallery –join for free today at www.kodakgallery.com

First up, the glass is 26-millimeter wide angle lens with that mega aforementioned zoom. Behind that is a 12-megapixel sensor housed in a dSLR-like body that even features a detachable vertical grip, hot shoe, and a vertical shutter release. (nice) Plus, it comes packing with an HD video capture mode Kodak’s so-called Smart Capture feature that automatically adjusts the settings for brilliant images.

Sounds like you, Mr. P. Tom? MSRP is set at $399 when it drops sometime this Spring.

Press Release:

Kodak expands its line of Smart Capture enabled digital cameras  

New models include Powerful 24x zoom and sleek compact with 5x zoom  

Rochester, NY, January 8, 2009 — Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:EK) today announced new additions to its digital camera line, led by the high-zoom KODAK Z980 Digital Camera, featuring outstanding control and Kodak’s innovative Smart Capture feature that consistently delivers high quality images.  

Featuring a wealth of power and versatility, the KODAK Z980 Digital Camera offers a 26 mm wide angle, professional quality, 24X image stabilized optical zoom lens, a vertical shutter release and a hot shoe, all at an affordable price. 

The Z980 enables serious photographers to easily handle both long-distance and wide-angle shots, and boasts Kodak’s innovative Smart Capture feature, which automatically adjusts the camera’s settings to deliver brilliant images automatically. 

“The Z980 is an ideal camera for photographers looking to do more and get more from their digital camera,” said John Blake, General Manager Digital Capture and Devices, Vice President, Eastman Kodak Company. “The versatile lens, combined with our exclusive Smart Capture feature, lets consumers shoot great pictures in any setting — from daylight to night or from close-ups to landscapes, the camera makes adjustments automatically.”

The new KODAK Z980 Digital Camera offers:

• Kodak’s exclusive Smart Capture feature, which analyzes scenes and adjusts camera settings to deliver beautiful pictures more often;
• 26 mm wide angle/24X Schneider-Kreuznach Variogon Image Stabilized Optical Zoom Lens;
• HD picture and video capture;
• Vertical shutter release and detachable vertical grip, for greater comfort and control when shooting scenes vertically;
• Hot shoe for the optional KODAK P20 flash;
• 12 MP for prints up to 30”x40”;
• Bright and detail-rich 3-inch indoor/outdoor color display;

• Compatible with new KODAK WI-FI Memory Cards and KODAK SDHC/SD Memory Cards;

• Available at US$399.95 MSRP from Spring, 2009.

 
 
Kodak also introduced new models to its M-Series Digital Camera line, led by the KODAK EASYSHARE M380 Digital Camera. A sleek but powerful digital camera for style-savvy consumers, the M380 delivers an innovative feature package led by Kodak’s Smart Capture feature, and also boasts a 10MP sensor, 5x optical zoom, and 2.7” LCD. The M380 will be available in black, red and teal, and retail at US$179 MSRP from March, 2009; 

Also new to the KODAK M Series Digital Cameras are: 

• KODAK EASYSHARE M340 Digital Camera, offering Smart Capture, 10MP sensor, 3x optical zoom, 2.7” LCD, in a slim body design; available in blue, blue-green, silver, and red, and retailing at US$149 MSRP from March, 2009;

• KODAK EASYSHARE M320 Digital Camera, featuring Kodak Perfect Touch technology providing automatic red-eye reduction, shadow lightening and more, 9MP sensor, 3x optical zoom, 2.7” LCD; available in black, silver, red and blue, and retailing at US$129 MSRP from February, 2009.

 
Accessories

A range of accessories will be available for the new KODAK Digital Cameras including KODAK Li-Ion Rechargeable Digital Camera Batteries and battery charger kits; KODAK SD and SDHC High Performance Memory Cards; KODAK Camera Bags and much more. 
 

About Kodak  

As the world’s foremost imaging innovator, Kodak helps consumers, businesses, and creative professionals unleash the power of pictures and printing to enrich their lives. 

To learn more, visit the newly redesigned http://www.kodak.com and follow our blogs and more at http://www.kodak.com/go/followus.

More than 70 million people worldwide manage, share and create photo gifts online at KODAK Gallery –join for free today atwww.kodakgallery.com

Voicemail. The company is eliminating voicemail. Personal, I hate voicemail but I cannot see eliminating it from a major company. How much can a voicemail service actually cost? I guess enough to justify the cut.

From the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle,

The Rochester area’s third-largest employer plans to do away with its voicemail system. In a memo sent to employees this week, Kodak indicated it will flip the switch shutting off its employee voicemail on Dec. 31, as the company’s current voicemail contract expires.

Honestly though, if there was a way for me to cut voicemail out of my Verizon bill for some monthly savings, I would do it. I hate voicemail. If you get my voicemail when calling me, hang up and send me a txt message. Sounds like Kodak employees are going to have to employ a similar tactic expect with email instead.

via PDNPulse