Category — Camcorders

Kodak is jumping into the pocket video camera game with the Kodak Zi6 camcorder.

Kodak Zi6 Camcorder

For under $200 bucks, I think this Kodak camcorder has strong potential to do well. It’s modeled after those Flip camcorders that can instantly upload to Youtube via USB. You really can’t go wrong with a simple, inexpensive, and sleek camcorder. The Kodak model is also instantly equipped to connect your HDTV and display up to 32 GB of video footage. And as an added bonus, this pocket camcorder records in 720p resolution!

I’ve always been suspicious of the ultimate longevity of those other pocket video cameras, but Kodak is a brand most people trust and I suspect these camcorders will hold up. Find out more about the Zi6 here.

Source: Camcorder Info

If you’ve been chomping at the bit to try straight to memory stick high definition recording, you might want to give the Sony HDR-CX7 1080i camcorder a try. In addition to it’s much anticipated memory stick recording feature, the Sony HDR-CX7 includes a Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T lens, and Steady Shot image stabilization technology.

The 1080i’s swiveling screen, a 2.7 inch wide Clear Photo LCD Plus, includes touch screen technology for easy menu adjustments. The camcorder swivel screen adjusts to almost any angle, so it looks like you’ll have comfortable on-screen viewing while you record.

Weighing in at just 15.9 ounces, the Sony HDR-CX7 1080i includes 20X digital zoom, 9 shooting programs, and special effects capabilities including sepia, pastel, monotone, and old movie.

Somehow it never occurred to me that I’d be using hybrid and camcorder in the same sentence. Well, I just did and here’s why:

The leading camcorder manufactures—from JVC to Panasonic and many others—have all come out with hybrid models that do more than standard issue camcorders have ever done before.

Why is it called a hybrid? Check this out: they use both a huge—usually 39GB—hard disk drive AND a micro slot from SD cards. In other words, you get greater mileage by far!

With one of these new cameras, you never have to worry much about (as we used to say) “running out of film.” You can fill up the hard drive, stick in an SD card, and keep shooting.

After all, would you want to run out of space just as your kid is about to hit a home run or the bride and groom are about to cut the cake?

If you buy one, think of the bragging rights you’ll have with environmentally concerned friends when you can say you have a new hybrid.

I can see the opening scene now: Phelps shoveling down his 12,000-calorie breakfast, ending with those chocolate chip pancakes. There must be tons of footage available already thanks to all of those digital camcorders and video cameras that have been following him around.

I haven’t thought about swimming much since I was a kid, but watching Michael Phelps at the Olympics made me notice that something is missing from my life: the opportunity to eat whatever I want and not have it show.

Thinking of Phelps and all of the technology-assisted broken records as the subject of a film made me think of how Hollywood has looked at sports over the years. Here is a short list of my personal favorites:

1. Bang the Drum Slowly
2. The Natural
3. Hoosiers
4. Field of Dreams
5. Chariots of Fire

Rocky just rates an honorable message in my book.

Yesterday, while watching Michael Phelps win some gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, I wondered to myself what camcorders were being used to broadcast the event.

Turns out Sony tricked out NBC’s crew with its new XDCAM system, which included 30 PDW-700 camcorders and 170 PDW-HD1500 recording decks.

“It’s rewarding to be an integral part of one of the major HD television sports events in the world,” said Alec Shapiro, senior vice president for sales and marketing, Sony Electronics’ Broadcast and Production Systems Division. “The broadcast requirements for the Games continually increase in scope and complexity, and are a perfect showcase for our HD production technology. This year, Sony’s new 2/3-inch XDCAM HD system, as well as all our proven HD equipment, will play a major role in the coverage of the Games, bringing viewers at home an unforgettable experience.”

That’s quite a professional feat to be the major sponsor of the Olympic games! The image and sound were flawless. It’s like the entire event is one big commercial for Sony professional camcorders. Panasonic, Canon, and JVC have comparable hd systems for broadcasting, but having the Olympics as part of your company reel certainly must give Sony a leg up over its competitors.

Source: Market Watch