Kodak zi8 or Kodak Playsport Compact Video

mommy2threets

Earning My Ears
Joined
Feb 24, 2011
Messages
29
I have narrowed it down to one of these instead of the Flip . . . .

Playsport is waterproof but other than that I am not sure what the difference is. . .

Does anyone have either one - would like to see some honest reviews/opinions. :)
 
I use both equally. The video filmed underwater is great. I can't really see what I am filming, so just point in the general direction. Hard to see the screen underwater. I have only used it at waterparks in clear water. For land videos I use the Z18, which also has great videos.
 
I, too, am trying to decide between the two. I want to use it for my daughter's ballet classes and recitals so I thought the Zi8 might be better since they say it captures better lowlight images, but I know I would love the watersport one on our cruise...still trying to decide! :confused3
 

I have the playsport and LOVE IT!!! I love that it is waterproof (just in case it get thrown in water) It is very durrable as well.
 
Thanks. I am leaning towards the zi8.

One of the things I would like to do is take still photos with it as well as video. I don't have a pocket camera so I would like it to take decent photos. I do have a digital camera for when I need it but it is not a pocket camera and can be cumbersome.

Does the zi8 take decent photos. Is it better than the playsport?

$89 is a great price. It is on amazon for $99 and I have some gift card money there from rewards sites - so I will probably get it from amazon.
 
I saw a deal on the Flip on another thread and got my Flip at Staples for $40! I know you don't want a Flip but thought I'd mention it. Can't beat $40!
 
I saw that thread. :) I originally thought I wanted the Flip. After doing a little research I decided on the zi8 because I don't think you can take still pictures with the flip (??). And with the zi8 and the right SD card I can take up to 10 hours of video which would be great when on vacation. The kodak also got better reviews.
 
I have the playsport and LOVE IT!!! I love that it is waterproof (just in case it get thrown in water) It is very durrable as well.

I agree with all of this. DH got me the Playsport right before our December trip (actually as we were leaving for the airport) and I loved using it on our trip. We took pictures with it along with a ton of video.
 
I agree with all of this. DH got me the Playsport right before our December trip (actually as we were leaving for the airport) and I loved using it on our trip. We took pictures with it along with a ton of video.

Is the zi8 better overall than the playsport. I don't really need the waterproof feature but it would be nice to have if the units are essentially the same except for this feature. I get the feeling from reading about them that the zi8 might be better.
 
We are thinking about a playsport as well. Can someone tell me the actual quality of the photos/video? How do they compare to other point and shoot cameras? Thanks!
 
We got both a flip and zi8 for christmas. (cant comment on the sport) But we ABSOLUTELY LOVE our Zi8! I use it alot with the dogs and get some good pics and video. (if i can learn to aim it...lol) The draw back, no zoom and no flash, those two things frustrate the heck out of me at times.
 
We bought the Kodak Sport at Target as an open box special a few days after Christmas.
It DOES NOT work in low light situation well at all. For videos or for stills, it just isn't a great camera.

To be completely honest, I am not very impressed with it overall.

For stills, you REALLY have to be very steady, allow it to focus, and then be very gentle pressing the button.

The battery life is NOT good at all. In no way is it an ALL DAY camera. For a day at a Disney park, you would need to take your charger cable and sit down for an hour or so to let it charge, or buy an extra battery to carry around.

For outdoor shots it works very well, however it captures at a very narrow angle. You will find yourself backing up - and backing up - and backing up - to capture anything but people - and even at that it would take horrible group photos.

I also find it annoying that it records a few second of video on every single video you shoot.

I love the size - it's very compact.

Another thing I don't love is the screen. You can't see anything in daylight, and if you wear polarized sunglasses it is going to cast wavy lines all over the screen when looking through your sunglasses.

Plus it is a little annoying to switch back and fourth between still and video.

It has also locked up on us once already.

I am a photographer, so I am used to shooting with a Canon Digitial SLR, so while the size was really nice, the features, and function of the Kodak Sport leaves much to be desired.

We bought it for my wife - and after using it on a two week trip to Mexico and California, I don't think I'll be using it again. I'm in the market for a high quality point and shoot, simply because a DSLR isn't exactly a great vacation camera!
 
We bought the Kodak Sport at Target as an open box special a few days after Christmas.
It DOES NOT work in low light situation well at all. For videos or for stills, it just isn't a great camera.

To be completely honest, I am not very impressed with it overall.

For stills, you REALLY have to be very steady, allow it to focus, and then be very gentle pressing the button.

The battery life is NOT good at all. In no way is it an ALL DAY camera. For a day at a Disney park, you would need to take your charger cable and sit down for an hour or so to let it charge, or buy an extra battery to carry around.

For outdoor shots it works very well, however it captures at a very narrow angle. You will find yourself backing up - and backing up - and backing up - to capture anything but people - and even at that it would take horrible group photos.

I also find it annoying that it records a few second of video on every single video you shoot.

I love the size - it's very compact.

Another thing I don't love is the screen. You can't see anything in daylight, and if you wear polarized sunglasses it is going to cast wavy lines all over the screen when looking through your sunglasses.

Plus it is a little annoying to switch back and fourth between still and video.

It has also locked up on us once already.

I am a photographer, so I am used to shooting with a Canon Digitial SLR, so while the size was really nice, the features, and function of the Kodak Sport leaves much to be desired.

We bought it for my wife - and after using it on a two week trip to Mexico and California, I don't think I'll be using it again. I'm in the market for a high quality point and shoot, simply because a DSLR isn't exactly a great vacation camera!

thank you. This is the info I was looking for. I wonder if the zi8 is the same? My regulary camera is a cannon digital SLR (although I am not a photographer)- which is why i am looking for a pocket video that can also take stills.

anyone know anything about the Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG10? That got some great reviews too - more expensive than the zi8 though.
 
I got the Flip and couldn't decide if I liked it. My mom wanted a PlaySport only because it has the SD card and the Flip is only 2 hours. So I got the PlaySport and the Flip (ultraHD). I absolutely hated the PlaySport. To begin with it took forever to charge. I have read many reviews saying the battery is terrible and only lasts about an hour. I have also read about people actually getting water in the camera even though it is waterproof. It was hard for me to figure out how exactally the battery or sd card went.

I supposed the Flip and the PlaySport might be about the same as far as the video quality but I definitely liked the Flip better. I also got the older Flip when it was on sale for 57.00 for my son and my mom likes the picture on that one better than on my Ultra HD Flip.

If there was a pocket video camera that was good in low light I would like to find it but compared to the PlaySport, my Flip seems MUCH better in low light.

Just my opinion :).

I know you said you were not interested in the under water part but I thought I would share a video of my son that his swim teacher took using the PlaySport. For some reason the pictures he sent me won't open so I can't share them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0PCqKMERUU&feature=youtu.be

pepperderr
 
I work in the journalism department at a university. We bought 18 Zi8's last year for our students. This year we were looking at the Playsports, but decided to stick with the Zi8's because they were better for our students' broadcast and web videos. (The playsport doesn't have an external mic port and the Z's do). I made a great video on iMovie with the Zi8 and also took lots of still shots. I am very happy with the quality. I think the big question is do you need underwater video or not?
 
Thanks everyone. After reading everything here I think I am going with the zi8. I don't really need the underwater feature - just figured it would be a nice extra if the cameras were equivalent in other aspects.
 














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