Camcorder News

Kodak announced the new Zi8 camcorder this morning, the third model in the company's burgeoning ultracompact budget line-up. Improving on the previous models, the Zi6 and the Zx1, the new Zi8 offers a larger 2.5-inch LCD, face tracking, image stabilization, and '1080P' recording (not indicating if this means 1440 x 1080, like the Sony Webbie camcorders, or 1920 x 1080).

The Zi8 shares many of the same features as its predecessors – an upright, highly portable design, stripped down menu feature list, and uploading software primed for YouTube, and now Facebook. Kodak is clearly unafraid to borrow some popular elements from the Flip camcorders series. As with the Zi6, it offers a flip-out USB arm for connection to a computer.

Kodak appears to be stepping up its game in the hotly contested market budget camcorder, however. The Zi8 is the first in the category to offer a microphone jack, and has a larger LCD than the Flip camcorders (the Sony Webbie CM1 has a 2.7-inch LCD and the Sanyo VPC-CG10 has a 3-inch screen). The addition of image stabilization also bodes well, but it's unknown if this is a feature that can be turned on and off. In its press release, Kodak also claims to have improved the low light performance.

The real question is whether feature add-on is the path to a larger market share. The Flip camcorder has steadfastly avoided it, choosing instead to improve on style and minor performance enhancements. Sony, Kodak, RCA, Creative, Sanyo, and others have all tried to carve their own niche by offering one additional feature or another, and so far none have caught up to the Flip juggernaut. Kodak efforts to date have yielded mixed reviews, and it will take a stellar camcorder to make a real name for itself.

The Kodak Zi8 will be available in multiple colors (blue, red, and black) starting September 2009, retailing for $179.

The new Kodak Zi8 from the back