Kodak PlaySport (Zx3) HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera (Black) NEWEST MODEL | 
| Brand: Kodak
Category: Photography
List Price: $149.00
Buy New: $126.00
as of 7/29/2010 07:33 CDT details
You Save: $23.00 (15%)
New (24) Used (3) Refurbished (1) from $120.00
Seller: ARC74
Rating:  309 reviews
Sales Rank: 6
Color: Black
Media: Electronics
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Batteries Included: Yes
Display Size: 2
Battery: 1 Lithium-Ion
Minimum Focal Length: 5.54
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 0 x 0 x 0
Warranty: 1 year warranty
MPN: 1442102
Model: 1442102
UPC: 041771442101
EAN: 0041771442101
ASIN: B0030MITDK
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | Waterproof up to 10 ft. (3 m) | | • | Full 1080p HD video | | • | Electronic image stabilization | | • | Brilliant 2.0 in. color display | | • | Capture 5 megapixel HD stills (16:9) |
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Product Description
Heads up, adrenaline junkies. The KODAK PLAYSPORT has as much appetite for adventure as you do. And it's not afraid to get wet. This audacious little camera can plunge up to 10 ft under water and capture the entire experience in full 1080p HD. And you don't need to worry about blurry footage when things get a little shaky. With built-in image stabilization, the KODAK PLAYSPORT will stay steady as a rock. From the waves, to the slopes, to the mud-soaked trails, this baby was made for the extremes. Show them what you're made ofin HD
- Take the plunge with the waterproof digital video camera capable of shooting up to 10 ft under water
- Go anywhere rugged design enables full 1080p HD video recording in just about any environment
- Start bragging with amazing 5 MP, 16:9 widescreen HD still pictures
Make a colorful statement
- The KODAK PLAYSPORT Video Camera was designed with you in mind, right down to the colors it comes in. We took cues from the environment—from nature, to climate, to the adrenaline rush it provides—and transformed it into attention-grabbing colors that help you stand out from the crowd.
Don't let sun glare ruin your recording
- Simply use your camera settings to turn on the LCD Glare Shield feature
- LCD Glare Shield feature gives you two filters to choose from that help you see your subject on the display screen in reflective outdoor situations
- These filters are only applied to your display screen, not your footage, so everything you record will look as great as the moment you shot it
Smooth, stable, and always able
- Get sharper videos and less blur thanks to built-in electronic image stabilization
- Accidents happen luckily the PLAYSPORT isn't afraid of a little fall, it can take it
- Capture your friends in all their glory with smart face tracking technology
- See more details and accurate colors with incredible low-light perform
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 309
 Great little camera, excellent underwater! March 28, 2010
Mason Winterhalter (Snellville, GA)
485 out of 489 found this review helpful
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3CVENCPX9P9WG I shot this using the Kodak PlaySport while snorkeling off of Ixtapa, Mexico. The water wasn't the clearest, but I did get pretty good results. It looked really great in the pool. It also looks great above water! I use it at my son's baseball games and I have been amazed at the quality. Hands down the best thing about this camera is the size. It's so easy to slip in a pocket and just carry around. Great little vacation camera. My only complaint is that the control wheel is a little small. I would often accidentally stop recording while trying to zoom in or out. You get used to it though and it is a minor annoyance. I highly recommend this camera.
Best Water Proof HD Video and Still Camera. March 9, 2010
Mortal Kombat (Texas)
144 out of 145 found this review helpful
I am a Canon diehard fan. But Canon does not have anything that compares to Kodak Playsport HD waterproof pocket video camera. At 1080P the video recording is acceptable. But, at 720p and 60 frames per second this camera rocks, the results are great. I have used it around and in water, the blue filter helps under water. I am planning to use this for our Disney World vacation this year in the Water Parks.
This camera takes 5MP HD Stills, so now I have a camera that can take video and stills on demand wet or dry. I have other camera's in the same category like Flip and Samsung both do not compare, even at 720p 60 frames per second. $150.00 pricetag is also very affordable.
Easy to carry, very user friendly to move files from the camera to the computer or directly to Youtube. Nightvision would be nice but most of my recordings will be in Daylight. Bottom line great camera and I have no cons to talk about.
Wow! Blown away! March 10, 2010
J. I. Cole (Schaumburg, IL)
58 out of 60 found this review helpful
I've been waiting for this to be released for several months, and was surprised when I got the notice that the ship date was moved up by a month. I've had this camera only for around 12 hours but have spent a few hours with it so far, and it was definitely worth waiting for. I considered the Flip Mino but decided to wait for this to come out because of the ability to use SD cards and also to remove and change the battery somewhat inexpensively.
I'm really glad I waited, and here's why.
* Picture quality is fantastic. I've uploaded some things to Youtube, and the picture was crystal clear.
* Sound - The mic picked up a nice variety of sounds from office sounds (people typing,etc) to a loud surprise party with clarity.
* Size - It's really small. It's wide and flat. Fits in my jeans pocket and in my shirt pocket as well.
* Battery - I'm waiting to see how long it lasts, but it charged in around an hour and 45 minutes when plugged in to the wall.
* Software - I'm pretty impressed. It's simple but it does pretty much what I'll need it to do. I spent around 30 minutes messing around with it. The video uploaded quickly.It allowed for basic editing, color correction and enhancement,etc. It allows direct upload to Facebook,Youtube,Twitter,and Vimeo.
* Build Quality - It's sturdy. Not heavy but definitely "solid". I like the rubberized surface, I can imagine it will be easier to hold when it's wet. I'm very excited to be able to film my daughter swimming from inside the pool!
We own a traditional video camera but it's rarely used because it's big and bulky, the battery life stinks, and making it work with the computer is almost impossible. The Kodak is a natural companion for the diaper bag and I look forward to recording many future memories with it.
The closest to a negative may just be due to the format itself. I used the Kodak software and burned a standard def dvd from a 1080p source and the video looked awful. Very "blocky". I assumed it would at least be "dvd quality" but it's barely VHS. Of course, I could just be doing something wrong. If I figure it out, I'll revise this review!
Other than that issue, I love this thing! The other camera is going to be sold soon, this is all we need!
A Fine and Versatile Video Camcorder, Exceptionally Easy-to-Use April 7, 2010
Lawrence H. Bulk (New Jersey USA)
48 out of 52 found this review helpful
This Kodak PlaySport HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera (Black) NEWEST MODEL (Model Zx3) video camcorder was offered to me through the Amazon Vine program and, even though I already had a Creative Labs Vado HD Pocket Video Camcorder 3rd Generation,120 Minutes (Black) - NEWEST MODEL, which I like very much (and received just last month, also through Amazon Vine), I decided to order this Kodak one so I could have a camcorder to use and my wife could have one as well.
Let me state up front that I REALLY like this little camcorder. It is small, lightweight, convenient to slip into a pocket, and it is quick and easy to use. I think its price is very good also, certainly for what you get. (Of course just about the same can be said for the Creative Vado.)
That said, and now that I have both of these camcorders, I have to say that it is hard for me to decide which of them I prefer. They both have small advantages and small disadvantages in their respective feature sets.
For example, the Creative Vado has a built-in (attached) flexible USB connection which makes transferring videos to a computer REALLY easy. If you wish to transfer videos via USB with the Kodak, you must use a separate USB cable (which, by the way, IS supplied with the Kodak unit, as are ALL necessary cables, such as video cables, etc.).
But, as the Kodak uses a separate SDHC card (such as this Kodak High-Speed 16 GB 60x Class 4 SDHC Flash Memory Card KSD16GHSBNA060), transferring video is a snap merely by removing the card from the camcorder and inserting it into the SD slot on your computer (or an external card reader if your computer is an older one which has no SD slot).
(Please note that I have NO experience with the video software included with either of these camcorders. My wife and I use the Ubuntu Linux operating system on our computers; thus the included software is inoperative. In any case, Linux makes transferring files so easy and intuitive, we would have no need of the software even if it did work on our computers.)
Unfortunately, the Kodak does NOT come with even a small SDHC card as standard equipment. If you want one (and you can't truly use the camcorder without one), you MUST buy it separately. This obviously adds to the cost.
However, a MAJOR advantage of using a card is that you can choose the size you want and you can buy and carry several should you decide to do so; if, for example, you are on a vacation and do not wish to frequently transfer the videos to your computer, it is not necessary to do so with the Kodak. You can keep the video on your card and, when it is filled, you merely insert a fresh card. (The disadvantage of using cards is, of course, the cost involved.) With the Creative, which uses a built-in memory and has no means of expansion, you MUST periodically transfer the video to your computer - but, with it, there are no additional costs involved. (Another advantage of having more than one card is, if a card somehow becomes corrupted or damaged, you merely replace it with another, spare, card.)
As far as picture quality goes (and, of course, that is THE most important thing!), both of these camcorders appear to be equal in the quality of the pictures they produce, that is to say, excellent. My wife and I have been surprised and pleased with the images produced from the Creative Vado (our first camcorder) and now with this new Kodak model. The images, as viewed on a computer screen, are really fine. I can't imagine anyone complaining about their overall quality. The auto-exposure works very well with both camcorders and the sound is about what you would expect (better if you are closer to the subject). (The Creative offers the option of using an external microphone, purchased separately, which would improve the sound quality.)
The Creative Vado has three picture settings, two of which produce wide-screen (16:9) movies, and the third one which produces "standard" (4:3) images. All of the Kodak's picture settings (there are four) produce wide-screen movies.
The Creative creates MP4 files and the Kodak creates MOV ones; in both cases I convert them to AVI files which I much prefer (AVI files are generally smaller - with no loss of quality that I can see). The Creative has a means of adjusting the picture brightness (sensitivity); the Kodak does not but the resulting videos, taken in varying degrees of brightness (indoors, outdoors) appear equal.
The Creative has one fixed LCD-brightness (viewing) setting; the Kodak has three (normal, bright, and black-and-white); the bright LCD setting makes outdoor viewing of your subject easier but does not affect the resultant video.
Both have a digital zoom (of minimal usefulness) and the Kodak offers image stabilization for stills (the Creative does not). (The Kodak can also be used under water.) Based on my admittedly limited use (thus far) of both, I should repeat that the video (and still) images are about equal in quality. (I did notice that, during one "shoot" of our granddaughter inside a local supermarket and using the Creative Vado, initially the image appeared WAY too red but, within about 10 seconds or so, it had "settled down" to look more naturally color-balanced; I have not yet had the opportunity to try a similar shoot using the Kodak.)
The Kodak offers 1080p images as its top quality; the Creative offers 720p. For home movies, in my opinion, the difference is minor (but I have not looked at the images on a large screen as yet; I have watched them only on my computer).
The Kodak at first appears to be lower-priced than the Creative but, as I indicated above, the initial price may be deceiving. The Creative has 4GB of built-in memory (and no means of expanding it) but the Kodak, with a minimal amount of built-in memory (29 seconds of video at the smallest file setting), MUST be used with an SDHC card. This can be any size you wish, up to a claimed 32 GB; the larger the card the more it can hold but, of course, the more it will cost. I bought the 16 GB Kodak card I mention above and it holds about 4 hours if shooting at 720p or 3 hours if shooting at 1080p. (The Creative holds about 2 hours at its 720p mid-setting, which is the one I use. Its maximum quality setting is 720p HD and, at that setting, it holds about 1 hour of video.)
I do not know how long the battery will last between charges on either of these camcorders but it seems to me (just empirically) that the Creative one will last longer. In any case, I bought (for both of them) spare batteries, spare chargers, and brand-specific camera cases. In addition I bought the necessary video cables for the Creative and a remote control for the Kodak. Some of my Kodak options are still in transit - the remote is on back order - and have not yet arrived. I have all of the Creative options I ordered. (By the way, both camcorders have removable and replaceable batteries - really a rarity, and a welcome one, these days.)
Both camcorders offer similar features and adjustments but those on the Kodak appear to be more straightforward to use than those on the Creative. The Kodak offers real buttons as opposed to the Creative's touch areas and the presence of those buttons makes operation easier, at least for me. (The Creative does have a menu button as well as a "delete" button on the side and an on/off button on the top; the Kodak has all the buttons on the rear [facing the operator] except for the on/off button which is on the side.)
The menu options on the Kodak are more intuitive and easier to access and change than are those on the Creative but the differences are not major.
I want to mention that the Creative Vado is black all around (the "controls" are indicated with silver-on-black markings - except, of course, for the white "record" button which is actually a real button!) but the Kodak, though black (or purple or blue, as you choose) on the side facing the person being photographed, is white on the side facing the user and, at least for me, this makes seeing and using the buttons somewhat easier, though this too is not major.
The Kodak comes with a wrist strap (the Creative does NOT - and it should!), a feature which I like very much, though the camcorder with the strap attached fits only rather clumsily into its Kodak 1047398 Pocket Video Case. The Creative fits perfectly and easily into its Creative Labs Vado VF0570APS Pocket Video Camera Mesh Pouch (Silver) and, in it, is smaller and thinner than the Kodak in ITS case. The Creative case has a belt loop and the Kodak case has a shoulder strap.
The Kodak is noticeably heavier and slightly larger than the Creative. Its instruction manual (actually there are two - one printed, which comes with the camcorder, and an "extended" user manual which you download from Kodak's web site) is excellent, much better organized, more comprehensive, and easier to use and understand than that of the Creative.
When you get down to brass tacks, with the Creative Vado, the only options you REALLY need are Creative Vado A/V Cable - Video / audio cable - composite video / audio - RCA (M) - mini-phone 3.5 mm 4-pole (M) - 4.6 ft if you want to play your videos through a standard television (an HDMI cable is optional yet even Creative itself does not appear to offer one specific to this unit - nor does Amazon!) and the case. With the Kodak, you should buy the case and, of course, you NEED an SDHC card. Overall, then, despite a lower "basic" price, the Kodak is probably somewhat more expensive overall (but it does come with all necessary cables including an HDMI one). If you are cash-strapped, you need buy NO options for the Creative but you WILL need an SDHC card for the Kodak. If you were to buy a 2-to-8 GB card, the Kodak would then be less expensive overall than the Creative; the 16GB (or 32 GB) card would make the Kodak the costlier of the two.
I'm still mulling over the "problem" of which to give to my wife and which to use myself. At this point, due to the ease of transferring files to a computer, I may let my wife try the Creative Vado to see if she likes its operational characteristics; she would need only to plug in the attached USB cord; there is nothing extra she need use (with the Kodak, you need to use either an external USB cord or you need to remove the SDHC card from the camcorder and insert it into the slot on your computer). But, then again, with its buttons, the Kodak is much more straightforward to use when actually taking video or pictures.
Decisions, decisions!
I have to say that I like them both and I highly recommend them both. If I were really "pushed" to make a choice between the two, I think I would (very) slightly favor this Kodak model partly because of its real ease-of-use (including much better instructions), its removable storage, and its option to increase the brightness of the LCD screen for better outdoor viewing in bright sunlight (however neither the Kodak nor the Creative is easy to view in very bright sunlight) but someone else might feel differently. (Due to its heft, it feels more substantial to me but that's a VERY subjective opinion.) I want to state definitely however that this Kodak PlaySport HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera (Black) NEWEST MODEL (its "official" model name is Zx3) is a fine camcorder and I believe that everyone who buys one will be as pleased with it as I am.
Thank you for reading this. I hope it has been of some help to you.
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Update: April 23, 2010
Last night I "finally" got around to projecting images taken with this camcorder onto my 110" diagonal (16:9) screen using my PT-AE4000U LCD XGA 16:9 1600 Lumens HDmi Svid 16.1LBS Hdtv. As expected (see the relevant update to my review of the Creative Labs Vado HD Pocket Video Camcorder 3rd Generation,120 Minutes (Black) - NEWEST MODEL for more details), the images produced by the Kodak (taken, by the way, at 720P, NOT its "best quality" setting 1080P) were spectacular. They had excellent and accurate colors and sharpness; the monophonic sound was fine. The next time I take video with this camcorder I'm going to try the 1080P setting though I can't imagine that it will look much better than what I saw last night!
You can't go wrong with this Kodak PlaySport HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera (Black) NEWEST MODEL and, to tell the truth, the same statement applies to the Creative Vado HD. Though they are different in their attributes, their "strengths" (all major), and their "weaknesses" (all minor), I really like them both very much.
I thank you again for reading this.
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Update: July 14, 2010
Having owned this Kodak PlaySport (Zx3) HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera (Black) NEWEST MODEL and the Creative Labs Vado HD Pocket Video Camcorder 3rd Generation,120 Minutes (Black) - NEWEST MODEL and using them side-by-side, overall I now prefer the Creative one. It is just as easy to use as the Kodak, its images, at 720p, appear to be as good as Kodak's 1080p images, at least on our 110" screen, and the Creative's battery lasts much, much longer. Even though the Kodak can hold, with a 16GB SD card, much more video than the Creative, its battery runs out before you can take even a fraction of what the card can hold. I have a spare battery and I strongly recommend that you buy one too. Even with two fully-charged batteries, the batteries both run out well before the card is filled.
Neither camcorder is perfect and I could be happy with either. I think most people would feel the same. But, having had and extensively using both, overall I prefer the Creative. (Of course if underwater or foul-weather video is of even slight importance to you, this Kodak is, of its type, the only game in town.)
As always, it's your call. Thank you for reading this and I hope it has been of some help to you.
The Kodak Zx3 is an utter delight and totally heavenly. April 27, 2010
HIROHITO99 (Ft Worth, TX)
32 out of 34 found this review helpful
Over Christmas, my wife decided to award my awesomeness by getting me a Zi6. I loved this camera like a fat kid likes cake and took it with me everywhere that I went. Suddenly, my daughter was living her own personal Truman Show and everyone on my Facebook friends list was subject to video after video that I'd shot just about anywhere that we were of her being cute.
Not even a half a year had passed before I was totally devoted to the idea of the Zi6 but still wanting something with a little more horsepower under the hood (Image Stabilization, Facial Detection, Backlight Suppression). I was planning to go with the Zi8 but then I found this little bad boy. The Zx3 is essentially like the dashing, more adventurous midget version of the Zi8. It has the Zi8's guts but in a pint sized, water-proof body.
Pros:
1. Its freaking waterproof! In my opinion, this is almost 100% necessary with a camera that you carry around with you all the time. I'm often too stupid to come in out of the rain so the mere fact that this camera can take the moisture makes it a perfect fit for me.
2. Facial Detection, it works! The camera does an outstanding job of metering from whoever's grill that I happen to be getting all up in while using it. There's a noticeable lag when panning from the shadows to some sun-worshiping hippy but it's not that much. Maybe 1/3 of a second.
3. The image stabilization keeps my shots steady even when I'm jogging behind my 4 year old little girl as she goes from one place to the other being totally riot. It's digital instead of optical so it isn't perfect but it's still a far cry better than the Zi6. It¡¦s definitely a welcome upgrade as my footage no longer looks quite so much like every scene in Cloverfield.
4. I don't use the backlight suppression as much as I thought that I would (mostly don't need it) but its nice having it there.
5. I personally think that the low light performance of this camera is quite crunk! I've read lots of other reviews with people complaining about it but these folks probably complain that they don't get a side of caviar whenever they order a drive through happy meal. It's a pocket-sized camera. In my opinion, the Zx3 has the best low light resolution that you're going to find without upgrading to anything larger and more financially damaging to your checking account.
Cons
1. The thing runs on a proprietary battery so, unlike the Zi6 there's no more relying on AA's and Viagra to keep me going all day long. Kodak says that you'll get 90 minutes out of a full charge but they're lying to you like a bunch of dirty liars. Expect an hour without previewing.
2. Oddly, the 1080p recording mode doesn't make that much of a difference. The Zi6 maxed out at 720p and definitely got a worse picture than this Zx3 but that's mainly due to the internal processing differences between to two devices. It's not really a complaint, I guess. I've just found that 720p at 60fps is just as good or better than 1080p at 30fps.
3. This camera's lack of a macro mode makes it impossible for me to film my fungal infections to email to my doctor for diagnosis.
4. No case was provided! :( WTF Kodak? My Zi6 came with a case. True, it wasn't a very good case but it was there and I loved it! This one doesn't have one. I'm currently using one of my kid's unmatched socks to keep the screen and lens from getting scratched while it's in my pocket. Why does Kodak want me to be so ghetto?
5. The codec records in the .mov file format. This format is big and really annoying to edit in as it eats up processing power and makes your computer stupid. Know going into this that you're going to have to convert your files into a more manageable format before splicing together the next Citizen Kane.
All in all, I'd say that the Zx3 is pretty much the most amazing thing that I've owned ever since my wife got me my Zi6. The better image quality alone makes it worth the $150 that I paid for it but it's also waterproof! My wife didn't know that before I dropped it into my koi pond. The look on her face alone was priceless and worth every dollar spent.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 309
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