Kodak Zi6 pocket camera

Imagine you're a gadget maker and are designing a pocket-sized high definition video camera – how much internal memory do you think you'd have to provide to attract buyers?

Enough to record an hour of HD material, perhaps? Or do you reckon you could get away with half an hour? Or just 20 minutes – no, you'd probably think that would be pushing your luck.

Well Kodak's answer to this question is... 34 seconds. Yes, 34 seconds. That's how much HD footage you can record on the memory built into the Zi6 pocket video camera. If you set it to shoot in VGA mode, ideal for posting on the internet, you can fit in just over two minutes.

There's nothing on the box or in the start-up guide that tells you this, with the latter cheekily saying you can insert an SD or SDHC memory card to "take even more videos". I thought the Zi6 had broken down when it stopped recording after half a minute. This is a major own goal by Kodak because, once you've trudged back to the store to buy more memory – a 2GB SD card will hold 45 minutes of video – you discover that the Zi6 is in many ways a great little device.

A few weeks ago I reviewed the mighty Canon HF10 HD camcorder and was amazed by the range of its features and the top-class results it produced. But not everyone wants, or can afford, something as advanced and complicated as that, and the Zi6 is at the opposite end of the camcorder spectrum.

It's a bit bigger than most mobile phones but still fits easily into your shirt pocket. And it has few features and controls, which makes it simple to use.

I found the Zi6's small size meant people were much less self-conscious when I pointed it at them than they would have been with a conventional, larger camcorder. The picture on the little onboard screen was really clear. Video was a bit jerky when I watched it on a Mac, though this was not a problem when I plugged the Zi6 into a TV using the supplied cables, and the picture quality was excellent.

You connect the device to your computer using a USB plug that springs out from the side. And the Zi6 comes with software that lets you easily upload those priceless party moments to YouTube from your PC.

I think this sort of pocket camcorder is a great, fun concept but the memory issue lets the Zi6 down. I can't understand why Kodak does not include an SD card, particularly as flash memory is cheaper than it has ever been.

Price: Dh999


Verbatim

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