Kodak Zx1 - High Definition Pocket Video Camera (Black) - €58 delivered [Amazon]

The Kodak Zx1 is one of a new generation of minicamcorder that is designed to make it incredibly easy to shoot, share and enjoy high quality video.

Introducing a new generation of compact video camera

With the explosion of sites like YouTube, Facebook and Vimeo there is now huge demand for easy ways to shoot and share video clips. So, enter The Kodak Zx1. Designed with action and adventure in mind the Zx1 has a rugged design with a rubberised finish on the back for good grip and is NEMA rated IP43 making it dust, water and ice resistant. With a compact design it’ll fit nicely into most pockets and the brushed steel front with rubber buttons looks great and makes it a joy to use. The Zx1 is powered by 2 standard AA batteries, 2 pre-charged NiMH batteries and a charger come in the box but if you ever run out of power, replacement AA batteries are readily available.

HD quality

The Zx1 stands out from many of the other minicamcorders on the market because it shoots stunning quality 720p HD video at upto 60 frames per second (fps). You can choose other video modes simply by clicking the left and right arrows on the keypad selecting HD 60fps, HD30 fps, VGA or still camera. The biggest advantage of the high resolution is that it’ll look great when blown up. This isn’t so important if you only view video on a small window on your PC screen but with the Zx1 footage you can scale the video to full screen and retain image sharpness, for the best possible picture the Zx1 has HDMI connectivity so you view the videos on your HDTV. Both HDMI and standard composite cables are included in the box. On the go you can view your clips on the 2 inch LCD screen with the option of slow motion and you can find the best bits using the four speeds of fast forward and rewind, up to x16, or simply go forward or back frame by frame. The Zx1 also includes a mic and speaker to capture and playback sound and the high speed processor in the Zx1 adjusts exposure and autofocus quickly. For rock solid video the Zx1 features digital blur reduction technology and tripod mount if required.

With the Zx1 you’ll never run out of memory, whilst many minicamcorders feature small internal memories, the Zx1 has an SD card slot which can take upto a 32GB SDHC card good for upto an incredible 10 hours of video at HD 30fps (1GB = 20mins). And if you run out of memory on the go you can simply change to a new card.

Easy to share

The Zx1 comes with ArcSoft MediaImpression software which is automatically installed when you connect the Zx1’s USB connector to your PC. The software is incredibly easy to use and allows you to organize your videos and features an easy one button upload to YouTube and Vimeo. You can also re-format your video clip to the best resolution for sending on email at the touch of a button. To put you in the directors chair there’s a basic ‘movie maker’ feature which allows you to add text screens for a titles at the beginning and credits end of the movie, edit clips, sequence a number of clips to tell your story and add music. A media convertor also makes it easy to transcode your videos for viewing on other common devices like an iPod or Kodak picture frame and you can burn DVD’s for viewing on TV and archiving. Uploading your videos is easy too simply connect the Zx1 to your PC with the USB connector and the video’s automatically upload and are ready to use! The ArcSoft software is not Mac compatible, but if you own a Mac its easy to transfer your videos simply buy dragging and dropping to your desktop as you would for any USB device and you can edit your video using iMovie.

Ready to go

No need to buy any extra cables or batteries. Included in the Zx1 are 2x AA NiMH rechargeable batteries, a battery charger and HDMI, composite AV and USB cables. However, although there is 128MB of internal memory on the Zx1 you’ll need to buy an SD card to shoot a useful length of video.

Features

* Shoots 720p high definition video
* Pocket-Size, weather-resistant design
* Storage 128 MB internal memory with SD/SDHC card expansion lot
* Easily edit, create and upload to YouTube with built-in software
* Record direct to SD/SDHC memory card (approx 20 min. recording per 1 GB at HD 30 fps).