Kodak Zi8 review

We've already mentioned that the Zi8's video quality doesn't stand up to comparison with that of more expensive camcorders, but it's worth saying again. Those looking for broadcast-quality footage will need to look elsewhere. At 1080p, for example, the image demonstrates noticeable softness and bleached-out tones, with plenty of break-up accompanying any sudden movement of the camcorder.

There are other things to moan about, such as the lack of an optical zoom, or the fact that you can't angle the fixed screen to film something over people's heads. At this price, however, it's possible to excuse such issues.

Convenience and cost advantages are tempered somewhat by the absence of any meaningful internal storage. There's 128MB of on-board memory to play with, but, if you want to record anything more than a nanosecond of 1080p footage, you'll need to invest in a separate SD card. That said, the inclusion of an HDMI cable (mini HDMI to full HDMI) is surprisingly generous.

Conclusion
The Kodak Zi8 has all the limitations you'd expect from a fully automatic camcorder with no optical zoom lens, but, thanks to its neat design, simple operation and relatively high-quality video and photo output, it manages to hold its head high among the rest of the pocketable pack.

Edited by Charles Kloet