Review: Kodak Zi6 compact camcorder

The pocket-sized Flip camcorder was one of the top-selling gadgets this summer, and it’s inspired a slew of imitators, including Kodak’s new Zi6.

Priced at £129.99, the Zi6 is about £30 more expensive than the Flip, but justifies that price by capturing high-definition video in the 720p format (1,280x720 resolution), which is much sharper and clearer than the 640x480 resolution of the Flip.

You’ve also got a choice of several shooting modes. The standard high-definition mode shoots at 30 frames per second, or you can shoot at 60fps for smooth slow-motion playback. That’s a nice touch and it’ll no doubt come in handy for those ‘you’ve been framed’ moments.

You can also drop down to 640x480 resolution if you want to, or shoot still photos at three-megapixel resolution. The 2.4in LCD screen is bright and clear, so it’s easy to hold the camcorder in one hand and quickly frame your shots. The Zi6 is also quite solidly built, so it’ll survive the occasional knock while it’s tucked away in your pocket.

Video is captured in the H.264 format used by devices such as the iPod and Playstation Portable, so you can easily transfer your videos onto an iPod or upload them to Youtube.

The Media Impression software that comes bundled with the Zi6 provides simple editing tools, as well as an option for uploading files directly to Youtube, and it’s actually pre-installed on the Zi6 so you don’t even have to waste time installing it from CD (though a CD is included as well). Media Impression only runs on PCs, but Macs can still handle the Zi6’s H.264 video files and use Apple’s iMovie software for video editing and sharing on the Internet.

The only minor disappointment is that the Zi6 has a mere 128MB of internal memory (compared to the Flip’s 2GB). This barely holds a couple of minutes of high-def video, so you’ll need to budget for your own SD memory card. Even so, the Zi6’s compact design and high-definition video make it an excellent choice for anyone who wants to shoot high-quality video clips without fuss when they’re on holiday or just out with friends.

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