If a picture = 1k words....

[B Walker]

The old saying goes that a picture is worth 1000 words.....so whats a video clip worth?

One of the best tools we have to promote the sport we love is use the new media in a savvy way to spread the word. Pictures are nice, but Video is what is expected and has a greater impact.

There is a new Pocket Video Camera out called the Kodak Zi8. Here is an unbiased review:

http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-camc...-33740624.html

There are 3 things about this camera that are different than any others I have looked at recently.

1) It is small and simple. Literally, my 3 year old picked it up and used it with no instruction in less than a minute.

2) It has Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS). Great for getting steady shots while bobbing up and down in a patrol boat

3) It has a sport mode (720p 60 FPS) Which also happens to be the max resolution of You Tube.

drum roll please.......

It retails at Best Buy for 149$

Put it on your wish list and lets crash the You Tube servers with vid clips next year!

BW

Bonus: It is also a very nice 5 mega-pixel still camera

Disclaimer: I am not a representative of Kodak in any way. I just got one for my birthday and am sharing the news.

[E-MOTION]

Lets see some videos you took .Go out shot some cars going up and down road .

[HRTV]

A caution note on the small flip cams while great for close up and pit action the limited 3 or 4X digital zoom will leave most Stock Mod and Pro boats looking like fast ants on the water. Not trying to be negative or rain on anyone parade, its just a fact of such a short zoom length.

You will probably get some fantastic footage of the turns if you are in a patrol boat as noted above.

[B Walker]

Unfortunately, this product only has a 2x zoom and the reviews on the electronic zoom are not favorable.

I was thinking of videos shot mounted on a boat, with the camera in a ziplock bag.

Kind of a cheaper alternative to the "bullet cams" now being used with better video quality. The electronic image stabilization which is a unique feature of this camera should really help out with dampening boat vibration and fast motion.

There are tons of test clips on you tube allready for this product:

http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...rch_type=&aq=f

BW

[Silas_53A]

Something like this would be far better (maybe not 1080p) but with 10x OPTICAL zoom, its much better suited for filming something like SO racing:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?ur...-C10&x=16&y=21
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16830144236

The key difference is its optical zoom. Which means you use lenses to increase the zoom, were digital only magnifies the image comming in. you lose all the quality.

For example. Open a picture on you computer and open it with the basic windows default picture viewer. now zoom in on one spot over and over. you will understand why digital zoom sucks.

[ram95]

Great camera?...Let's talk battery life

Nobody is talking about BATTERY LIFE. I don't know about you, but batteries are the long pole in the tent for me. You can have all the neat features, BSI, EIS, DUM, HIT, MILF, 10X,4X,2X, XXX..... if the freaking thing shuts down right in the middle of things it's all mostly for naught!

The first thing I look for in a "review" is BATTERY LIFE. The second thing I look for is: What kind of batteries are we using? Easy to get kind? Expensive kind?

Next thing I look for is: Do you need a special AC/DC adapter (should your batteries ***t-the-bed) or is one included in the package?

Once the "review" has passed these minor hurdles..... then I look at the G-wiz features.

Alex
'not a happy camper in the camera department'

[mercguy]

Huh???

Nobody is talking about BATTERY LIFE. I don't know about you, but batteries are the long pole in the tent for me. You can have all the neat features, BSI, EIS, DUM, HIT, MILF, 10X,4X,2X, XXX..... if the freaking thing shuts down right in the middle of things it's all mostly for naught!

The first thing I look for in a "review" is BATTERY LIFE. The second thing I look for is: What kind of batteries are we using? Easy to get kind? Expensive kind?

Next thing I look for is: Do you need a special AC/DC adapter (should your batteries ***t-the-bed) or is one included in the package?

Once the "review" has passed these minor hurdles..... then I look at the G-wiz features.

Alex
'not a happy camper in the camera department'

I missed have misssed the MILF setting on my camera????????

[B Walker]

Nobody is talking about BATTERY LIFE. I don't know about you, but batteries are the long pole in the tent for me. You can have all the neat features, BSI, EIS, DUM, HIT, MILF, 10X,4X,2X, XXX..... if the freaking thing shuts down right in the middle of things it's all mostly for naught!

The first thing I look for in a "review" is BATTERY LIFE. The second thing I look for is: What kind of batteries are we using? Easy to get kind? Expensive kind?

Next thing I look for is: Do you need a special AC/DC adapter (should your batteries ***t-the-bed) or is one included in the package?

Once the "review" has passed these minor hurdles..... then I look at the G-wiz features.

Alex
'not a happy camper in the camera department'

I got just less than 2 hours out of the supplied battery at high resolution (1080p), Electronic Image Stabilization on and bright backlit LED viewer. Those are the high drain settings for the camera. The book said I should have gotten 2.5 hours. Maybe so after a few charge/discharge cycles and a little battery seasoning.

The high capacity battery is on e-bay for 9.95 + shipping and is rated at 3.5 hours. 2 hours is good enough for me and the way I use it.

BW

[ram95]

Assaulting batteries

Two hours sounds pretty decent. The other factor which affects my mental state of well-being is: how long can I leave the battery(s) in the camera before it won't come on line. You know...., the camera sits in the truck for a couple weeks and I go to use it and I get the familiar 'green lite' followed almost immediately by the 'red lite' and the shutdown-sound. Talking to the camera does no good! Then, I dive for the (where the heck did I put it) battery bag only to install a battery that had been charged ( 2 weeks ago ) and get the same green-lite/red-lite scenario. Speaking to the battery bag does no good, so it's off to the drug-store (for batteries!!!).

All this is why I really like other people who take pictures - keep up the good work.

Alex