The world of digital camcorders is accelerating along at the same pace as the computer industry, gathering more and more incredible features in ever smaller packages. Take, for instance, the new pocket video camera that have been developed recently. At this moment, it is primarily a competition between just two products: the new Kodak Zi8 and the Flip Mino camcorders.
Both products have been meticulously designed to garner the advancing market of easy to use and exceptionally portable camcorders with built in capabilities that make sharing the videos on the computer and loading them up to the common social networking sites immensely easy. Let’s do a quick digital video camera review of these 2 products.
Flip and Kodak are both legitimately proud of their individual product lines, and make it simple to find lots of information online. Of course, one of the most influential features to everyone is the price, and you will recognize that they at exactly the same price point, $179.99. So far it’s a tie.
One noticable distinction between these 2 is that the Kodak Zi8, like most pocket video cameras, has an extremely small amount of internal memory — only 128 MB. The Flip has a much higher capacity of 2 GB, 16 times as much. Score 1 for the Flip.
However, and this is substantial, the Kodak relies on the use of SD/SDHC memory cards to advance it’s storage capabilities. The Flip Mino leaves you no room for accession. The Kodak digital video camera can manage up to a 32 GB card for those who want to go all out. What does that mean? Up to 10 HOURS of video recording! Score a big plus for Kodak.
One of the characteristics that is alike between them is they both share a very functional built in USB swing-out arm, so you don’t need camera specific cables. You can just pull out the arm and plug it instantly into your computer and begin sharing. Down with cable clutter! It’s even.
Both come with video and picture editing software, but only the Zi8 has HD capable video recording, and a HDMI output on the camera itself to connect directly to your HDTV for prompt viewing. Kodak wins.
But beyond this, it really isn’t much of a contest. The Flip Mino, and even it’s big brother the FlipHD, which costs considerably more, can’t hold a candle to the importance and caliber of the Kodak Zi8. For the same price, you get a vastly larger view screen, built-in image stablization, full 1080 pixel HD video, and the reliability that comes with the Kodak name.
Countdown result: the race between these 2 models is not even close today — the Zi8 pocket digital video camera is first class. Of course, don’t anticipate Flip will sit by quietly as their market share disappears.
