At dinner yesterday, my sister-in-law mentioned that they’re looking to replace their old school video camera with something a bit more modern – compact, higher resolution, with possibly the ability to shoot stills (so they can leave their larger digital camera behind).
For a variety of reasons (hardware reliability, macro, image stabilization, and unlimited storage) I almost always recommend Kodak’s line of video cams over Flip… when not going with the video capabilities built into nearly all current still cameras. Their budget is higher, but what they possibly give up in zoom capabilities and picture quality they gain in portability and ease of use. So I suggested they take a look at the Kodak PlaySport Zx3 (pictured below) because it’s waterproof to 10′ and comes in under $150 (without memory card) — it’s something they or the kids can take into the pool or spill something on without fear, while capturing those high def video memories.
At home, I hopped onto Amazon to make sure I still knew what I was talking about and see if any reviews mentioned still shots quality/capabilities. During my research, I came across an interesting video submitted by a Flip aficionado. While I still find the Flip SlideHD a befuddling product and worry Cisco will destroy the Flip brand, Darrel’s overview is worth a watch (above) if you’re considering the Slide… or any of the other current HD Flip models (assuming you can overcome his monotone narration). Towards the middle of the video he presents a side-by-side-by-side video comparison of the SlideHD, MinoHD, and UltraHD followed by a rundown of the Flip lineup features/specs in regards to price. Check it out.
In browsing Amazon, I also found this Case Logic pouch with carabiner – perfect for hanging one of these video cameras (or my compact digital still shooter) from a belt loop. I’m planning to pick one up with my next AMZN order.
I have a Kodak Zi8, but was looking at the PlaySport too for a graduation gift. And speaking of handheld video cams, a dad at my daughter’s ballet recital this weekend was amazed by how tiny the Zi8 was. Apparently not everyone is caught up on the latest generation of camcorders. That means there’s still a greenfield market for these guys to go after.