Kodak Zx1 Camcorder Review

by Kaitlyn Chantry
Published on Jun 5, 2009 9:40 AM

 
Intro Product Tour
Color & Noise Performance Motion & Sharpness Performance
Low Light Performance Compression & Media
Manual Controls Still Features
Handling & Use Playback & Connectivity
Audio & Other Features
Sony MHS-PM1 Comparison
Flip UltraHD Comparison Kodak Zi6 Comparison
Conclusion Photo Gallery
Specs and Ratings


Kodak Zx1 versus Sony MHS-PM1
• The Sony excels at bright light performance, but the Kodak has superior low light video
• Both can take still photos, but neither is very good at it
• The Kodak has AA batteries; the Webbie has a rechargeable lithium battery
• The Sony has a better control interface, but too many menus and options are confusing
• Both record to memory cards (SD/SDHC vs. Memory Stick) and have mediocre software
Audio & Other Features (Page 12 of 17) Flip UltraHD Comparison

 

When you look at the Kodak Zx1 and Sony Webbie HD MHS-PM1 side by side, they appear to be pretty similar camcorders... especially when you have pink and purple models. Aside from their compact appearance, these are two very different products.

In bright lighting conditions, the Sony blows the Kodak out of the water: there's far less noise and an accurate white balance results in far better color performance. Take the camcorders into low lighting conditions—like Fourth of July fireworks or a popular club—and Kodak comes out on top. Footage is far brighter with the Kodak, resulting in better colors and less noise. The Webbie's superior sharpness won't help if you can't see your friends' faces in that bachelorette party video. Neither is a good option for a still camera: there's no flash, barely any features, and the low-resolution photos aren't any better than what you'd get with a cell phone camera.

 

 



The differences go deeper than performance. The Kodak runs on AA batteries; the Sony is a rechargeable lithium battery. The Sony has a unique swivel-head for easy self-recording; the Kodak does not. The Sony has a good joystick and a small zoom toggle; the Kodak has an unwieldy d-pad. Neither offers the streamlined user experience of the Flip series: the Sony has a lot more options and finding them is no easy task; the Kodak has fewer options but using the d-pad and ambiguous buttons is not intuitive. We had fewer problems installing the Kodak software, but neither the Kodak nor the Sony software is as foolproof to use as the Flip software, which is also Mac-compatible.

 

 

  Comparison Specs
 
  Kodak Zx1 Sony MHS-PM1
Price $149 $199
Primary Recording Media SD/SDHC memory cards Memory Stick PRO Duo
Secondary Recording Media 30MB internal memory 12MB internal memory
Image Sensor 1/4.5-inch CMOS 1/4.5-inch CMOS
Effective Pixel Count 1,600,000 Unknown
Mic Input None None
LCD 2.0-inch 2.0-inch
Viewfinder None None
Weight 152g (5.36 oz.) 120g (4.23 oz.)
Dimensions 50.1 x 107 x 20mm
(1.97 x 4.21 x 0.79 inches)
55 x 103 x 24mm
(2.17 x 4.06 x 0.94 inches)
HD Yes Yes
Frame Rates 720/30p, 720/60p 720/30p
Compression MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
Maximum Bitrate Unknown 9 Mbps
Optical Zoom None None
Stabilization None None
Battery AA (ships w/ two AA batteries,
rechargeable via DC wall charger)
ships with NP-BK1
(removable lithium battery)

 

  Scores
  Kodak Zx1 Sony MHS-PM1
Color 2.36 7.83
Noise 4.5 7.77
Video Sharpness 8.43 9.77
Low Light Sensitivity 9.66 0.97
Low Light Color 9.42 8.29
Low Light Noise 9.16 8.89
Battery Life 120 minutes 115 minutes
Ease of Use 6.25 6.0
Editing 8.0 6.0

 

Noise Comparisons
Kodak Zx1
100% Crop
Sony MHS-PM1
100% Crop

 

Required Illumination *
* the lower the lux required, the better the performance



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