Kodak PlaySport (Zx3) HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera (Black) NEWEST MODEL Review.
"Great little camera, excellent underwater!" 2010-03-28
By Mason Winterhalter (Snellville, GA)
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3CVENCPX9P9WG I shot this using the Kodak PlaySport while snorkeling off of Ixtapa, Mexico. The water wasn't the clearest, but I did get pretty good results. It looked really great in the pool. It also looks great above water! I use it at my son's baseball games and I have been amazed at the quality. Hands down the best thing about this camera is the size. It's so easy to slip in a pocket and just carry around. Great little vacation camera. My only complaint is that the control wheel is a little small. I would often accidentally stop recording while trying to zoom in or out. You get used to it though and it is a minor annoyance. I highly recommend this camera.
"Best Water Proof HD Video and Still Camera." 2010-03-09
By Mortal Kombat (Texas)
I am a Canon diehard fan. But Canon does not have anything that compares to Kodak Playsport HD waterproof pocket video camera. At 1080P the video recording is acceptable. But, at 720p and 60 frames per second this camera rocks, the results are great. I have used it around and in water, the blue filter helps under water. I am planning to use this for our Disney World vacation this year in the Water Parks.
This camera takes 5MP HD Stills, so now I have a camera that can take video and stills on demand wet or dry. I have other camera's in the same category like Flip and Samsung both do not compare, even at 720p 60 frames per second. $150.00 pricetag is also very affordable.
Easy to carry, very user friendly to move files from the camera to the computer or directly to Youtube. Nightvision would be nice but most of my recordings will be in Daylight. Bottom line great camera and I have no cons to talk about.
"Wow! Blown away!" 2010-03-10
By J. I. Cole (Schaumburg, IL)
I've been waiting for this to be released for several months, and was surprised when I got the notice that the ship date was moved up by a month. I've had this camera only for around 12 hours but have spent a few hours with it so far, and it was definitely worth waiting for. I considered the Flip Mino but decided to wait for this to come out because of the ability to use SD cards and also to remove and change the battery somewhat inexpensively.
I'm really glad I waited, and here's why.
* Picture quality is fantastic. I've uploaded some things to Youtube, and the picture was crystal clear.
* Sound - The mic picked up a nice variety of sounds from office sounds (people typing,etc) to a loud surprise party with clarity.
* Size - It's really small. It's wide and flat. Fits in my jeans pocket and in my shirt pocket as well.
* Battery - I'm waiting to see how long it lasts, but it charged in around an hour and 45 minutes when plugged in to the wall.
* Software - I'm pretty impressed. It's simple but it does pretty much what I'll need it to do. I spent around 30 minutes messing around with it. The video uploaded quickly.It allowed for basic editing, color correction and enhancement,etc. It allows direct upload to Facebook,Youtube,Twitter,and Vimeo.
* Build Quality - It's sturdy. Not heavy but definitely "solid". I like the rubberized surface, I can imagine it will be easier to hold when it's wet. I'm very excited to be able to film my daughter swimming from inside the pool!
We own a traditional video camera but it's rarely used because it's big and bulky, the battery life stinks, and making it work with the computer is almost impossible. The Kodak is a natural companion for the diaper bag and I look forward to recording many future memories with it.
The closest to a negative may just be due to the format itself. I used the Kodak software and burned a standard def dvd from a 1080p source and the video looked awful. Very "blocky". I assumed it would at least be "dvd quality" but it's barely VHS. Of course, I could just be doing something wrong. If I figure it out, I'll revise this review!
Other than that issue, I love this thing! The other camera is going to be sold soon, this is all we need!
"Kodak Playsport Hands on Review" 2010-04-19
By Matthew Thomas
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1JGUZNU2W4U17 Just a basic hands on review of the playsport.
"The Kodak Zx3 is an utter delight and totally heavenly." 2010-04-27
By HIROHITO99 (Ft Worth, TX)
Over Christmas, my wife decided to award my awesomeness by getting me a Zi6. I loved this camera like a fat kid likes cake and took it with me everywhere that I went. Suddenly, my daughter was living her own personal Truman Show and everyone on my Facebook friends list was subject to video after video that I'd shot just about anywhere that we were of her being cute.
Not even a half a year had passed before I was totally devoted to the idea of the Zi6 but still wanting something with a little more horsepower under the hood (Image Stabilization, Facial Detection, Backlight Suppression). I was planning to go with the Zi8 but then I found this little bad boy. The Zx3 is essentially like the dashing, more adventurous midget version of the Zi8. It has the Zi8's guts but in a pint sized, water-proof body.
Pros:
1. Its freaking waterproof! In my opinion, this is almost 100% necessary with a camera that you carry around with you all the time. I'm often too stupid to come in out of the rain so the mere fact that this camera can take the moisture makes it a perfect fit for me.
2. Facial Detection, it works! The camera does an outstanding job of metering from whoever's grill that I happen to be getting all up in while using it. There's a noticeable lag when panning from the shadows to some sun-worshiping hippy but it's not that much. Maybe 1/3 of a second.
3. The image stabilization keeps my shots steady even when I'm jogging behind my 4 year old little girl as she goes from one place to the other being totally riot. It's digital instead of optical so it isn't perfect but it's still a far cry better than the Zi6. It¡¦s definitely a welcome upgrade as my footage no longer looks quite so much like every scene in Cloverfield.
4. I don't use the backlight suppression as much as I thought that I would (mostly don't need it) but its nice having it there.
5. I personally think that the low light performance of this camera is quite crunk! I've read lots of other reviews with people complaining about it but these folks probably complain that they don't get a side of caviar whenever they order a drive through happy meal. It's a pocket-sized camera. In my opinion, the Zx3 has the best low light resolution that you're going to find without upgrading to anything larger and more financially damaging to your checking account.
Cons
1. The thing runs on a proprietary battery so, unlike the Zi6 there's no more relying on AA's and Viagra to keep me going all day long. Kodak says that you'll get 90 minutes out of a full charge but they're lying to you like a bunch of dirty liars. Expect an hour without previewing.
2. Oddly, the 1080p recording mode doesn't make that much of a difference. The Zi6 maxed out at 720p and definitely got a worse picture than this Zx3 but that's mainly due to the internal processing differences between to two devices. It's not really a complaint, I guess. I've just found that 720p at 60fps is just as good or better than 1080p at 30fps.
3. This camera's lack of a macro mode makes it impossible for me to film my fungal infections to email to my doctor for diagnosis.
4. No case was provided! :( WTF Kodak? My Zi6 came with a case. True, it wasn't a very good case but it was there and I loved it! This one doesn't have one. I'm currently using one of my kid's unmatched socks to keep the screen and lens from getting scratched while it's in my pocket. Why does Kodak want me to be so ghetto?
5. The codec records in the .mov file format. This format is big and really annoying to edit in as it eats up processing power and makes your computer stupid. Know going into this that you're going to have to convert your files into a more manageable format before splicing together the next Citizen Kane.
All in all, I'd say that the Zx3 is pretty much the most amazing thing that I've owned ever since my wife got me my Zi6. The better image quality alone makes it worth the $150 that I paid for it but it's also waterproof! My wife didn't know that before I dropped it into my koi pond. The look on her face alone was priceless and worth every dollar spent.
By Mason Winterhalter (Snellville, GA)
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3CVENCPX9P9WG I shot this using the Kodak PlaySport while snorkeling off of Ixtapa, Mexico. The water wasn't the clearest, but I did get pretty good results. It looked really great in the pool. It also looks great above water! I use it at my son's baseball games and I have been amazed at the quality. Hands down the best thing about this camera is the size. It's so easy to slip in a pocket and just carry around. Great little vacation camera. My only complaint is that the control wheel is a little small. I would often accidentally stop recording while trying to zoom in or out. You get used to it though and it is a minor annoyance. I highly recommend this camera.
By Mortal Kombat (Texas)
I am a Canon diehard fan. But Canon does not have anything that compares to Kodak Playsport HD waterproof pocket video camera. At 1080P the video recording is acceptable. But, at 720p and 60 frames per second this camera rocks, the results are great. I have used it around and in water, the blue filter helps under water. I am planning to use this for our Disney World vacation this year in the Water Parks.
This camera takes 5MP HD Stills, so now I have a camera that can take video and stills on demand wet or dry. I have other camera's in the same category like Flip and Samsung both do not compare, even at 720p 60 frames per second. $150.00 pricetag is also very affordable.
Easy to carry, very user friendly to move files from the camera to the computer or directly to Youtube. Nightvision would be nice but most of my recordings will be in Daylight. Bottom line great camera and I have no cons to talk about.
By J. I. Cole (Schaumburg, IL)
I've been waiting for this to be released for several months, and was surprised when I got the notice that the ship date was moved up by a month. I've had this camera only for around 12 hours but have spent a few hours with it so far, and it was definitely worth waiting for. I considered the Flip Mino but decided to wait for this to come out because of the ability to use SD cards and also to remove and change the battery somewhat inexpensively.
I'm really glad I waited, and here's why.
* Picture quality is fantastic. I've uploaded some things to Youtube, and the picture was crystal clear.
* Sound - The mic picked up a nice variety of sounds from office sounds (people typing,etc) to a loud surprise party with clarity.
* Size - It's really small. It's wide and flat. Fits in my jeans pocket and in my shirt pocket as well.
* Battery - I'm waiting to see how long it lasts, but it charged in around an hour and 45 minutes when plugged in to the wall.
* Software - I'm pretty impressed. It's simple but it does pretty much what I'll need it to do. I spent around 30 minutes messing around with it. The video uploaded quickly.It allowed for basic editing, color correction and enhancement,etc. It allows direct upload to Facebook,Youtube,Twitter,and Vimeo.
* Build Quality - It's sturdy. Not heavy but definitely "solid". I like the rubberized surface, I can imagine it will be easier to hold when it's wet. I'm very excited to be able to film my daughter swimming from inside the pool!
We own a traditional video camera but it's rarely used because it's big and bulky, the battery life stinks, and making it work with the computer is almost impossible. The Kodak is a natural companion for the diaper bag and I look forward to recording many future memories with it.
The closest to a negative may just be due to the format itself. I used the Kodak software and burned a standard def dvd from a 1080p source and the video looked awful. Very "blocky". I assumed it would at least be "dvd quality" but it's barely VHS. Of course, I could just be doing something wrong. If I figure it out, I'll revise this review!
Other than that issue, I love this thing! The other camera is going to be sold soon, this is all we need!
By Matthew Thomas
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1JGUZNU2W4U17 Just a basic hands on review of the playsport.
By HIROHITO99 (Ft Worth, TX)
Over Christmas, my wife decided to award my awesomeness by getting me a Zi6. I loved this camera like a fat kid likes cake and took it with me everywhere that I went. Suddenly, my daughter was living her own personal Truman Show and everyone on my Facebook friends list was subject to video after video that I'd shot just about anywhere that we were of her being cute.
Not even a half a year had passed before I was totally devoted to the idea of the Zi6 but still wanting something with a little more horsepower under the hood (Image Stabilization, Facial Detection, Backlight Suppression). I was planning to go with the Zi8 but then I found this little bad boy. The Zx3 is essentially like the dashing, more adventurous midget version of the Zi8. It has the Zi8's guts but in a pint sized, water-proof body.
Pros:
1. Its freaking waterproof! In my opinion, this is almost 100% necessary with a camera that you carry around with you all the time. I'm often too stupid to come in out of the rain so the mere fact that this camera can take the moisture makes it a perfect fit for me.
2. Facial Detection, it works! The camera does an outstanding job of metering from whoever's grill that I happen to be getting all up in while using it. There's a noticeable lag when panning from the shadows to some sun-worshiping hippy but it's not that much. Maybe 1/3 of a second.
3. The image stabilization keeps my shots steady even when I'm jogging behind my 4 year old little girl as she goes from one place to the other being totally riot. It's digital instead of optical so it isn't perfect but it's still a far cry better than the Zi6. It¡¦s definitely a welcome upgrade as my footage no longer looks quite so much like every scene in Cloverfield.
4. I don't use the backlight suppression as much as I thought that I would (mostly don't need it) but its nice having it there.
5. I personally think that the low light performance of this camera is quite crunk! I've read lots of other reviews with people complaining about it but these folks probably complain that they don't get a side of caviar whenever they order a drive through happy meal. It's a pocket-sized camera. In my opinion, the Zx3 has the best low light resolution that you're going to find without upgrading to anything larger and more financially damaging to your checking account.
Cons
1. The thing runs on a proprietary battery so, unlike the Zi6 there's no more relying on AA's and Viagra to keep me going all day long. Kodak says that you'll get 90 minutes out of a full charge but they're lying to you like a bunch of dirty liars. Expect an hour without previewing.
2. Oddly, the 1080p recording mode doesn't make that much of a difference. The Zi6 maxed out at 720p and definitely got a worse picture than this Zx3 but that's mainly due to the internal processing differences between to two devices. It's not really a complaint, I guess. I've just found that 720p at 60fps is just as good or better than 1080p at 30fps.
3. This camera's lack of a macro mode makes it impossible for me to film my fungal infections to email to my doctor for diagnosis.
4. No case was provided! :( WTF Kodak? My Zi6 came with a case. True, it wasn't a very good case but it was there and I loved it! This one doesn't have one. I'm currently using one of my kid's unmatched socks to keep the screen and lens from getting scratched while it's in my pocket. Why does Kodak want me to be so ghetto?
5. The codec records in the .mov file format. This format is big and really annoying to edit in as it eats up processing power and makes your computer stupid. Know going into this that you're going to have to convert your files into a more manageable format before splicing together the next Citizen Kane.
All in all, I'd say that the Zx3 is pretty much the most amazing thing that I've owned ever since my wife got me my Zi6. The better image quality alone makes it worth the $150 that I paid for it but it's also waterproof! My wife didn't know that before I dropped it into my koi pond. The look on her face alone was priceless and worth every dollar spent.
