Kodak Zi8: the perfect pocket-sized video camera
Having a digital camera is great for photos, and if you have a point & shoot DSLR, also great for the occasional video, but what happens when you want something more robust? You get a dedicated video camera, of course. But before your wallet starts cringing, relax. Today’s video cameras don’t cost the hundreds (or thousands) of dollars they once did. Better still, they’ve gotten smaller. The Flip paved the way for handheld video cameras that are often smaller than your cell phone (that’s certainly true for me!). They run on small, rechargeable batteries, use internal memory or optional external storage, and often come with their own connected USB port, so you don’t have to worry about lost cords.
The Flip is certainly a possible choice, but my personal favorite is the Kodak Zi8. The Kodak Zi8 shoots in high-def, has an external microphone jack for stereo audio recording, a flip-out USB arm, and the ability to hold SD cards up to 32GB (something the Flip doesn’t have — it offers internal memory only). I was lucky enough to receive a raspberry-colored Kodak Zi8 for Christmas, and it’s made me a very happy girl. With an impressive battery life, crisp viewing screen, high quality videos and an easy-to-use options section on the video camera, it does everything I could want it to do. It can also take widescreen and standard videos, and there’s even a still photos mode. Its small size and included lanyard make it a snap to secure on my wrist or tuck in my pocket.
The Kodak Zi8 is just $199, so if you’ve been pining for a dedicated video camera, definitely give this bad boy a try! It’s also available in black and aqua, if red isn’t your thing. 