Reviews or opinions on Kodack Zi8

[lovetheclassics]

Has anyone had experience with this? It is very small and inexpensive.

[Fran Guidry]

Originally Posted by lovetheclassics

Has anyone had experience with this? It is very small and inexpensive.

I've had one for a few years. Here are some YT videos featuring the Zi8 on my Homebrewed Music YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-RR_RDgS0A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=env3UPYfhBA

And some from my slack key channel:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcyGO9BJOWg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nMBVr-BQ3k

Oh, yeah, and the Zi8 is shooting the picking hand in this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZY7iLldvL0 I hit the Macro switch on the Zi8 for this shot, which was cool. I forgot to switch it back for my next shoot and got a bunch of very blurry hula dancers - oooops.

You can also check the Homebrewed Music blog, but right this minute my hosting service is having problems.

** Edit ** The blog is back.

http://www.homebrewedmusic.com/2009/...h-audio-input/
http://www.homebrewedmusic.com/2010/...the-kodak-zi8/
http://www.homebrewedmusic.com/2010/...the-zoom-q3hd/

I also have a few videos documenting a problem I had with my Zi8 - intermittent noise. After considerable back-and-forth my Zi8 was replaced under warranty.

The external mic input is not as useful as we might wish, because it seems to have some auto-level processing going on which raises the noise in quiet sections. But it's definitely handy to be able to place a mic separately from the camera. Video quality seems about typical for fixed lens all-automatic cameras in this price range. One reason I like and use the Zi8 is the AC adapter which comes with the cam. Along with the use of SDHC cards for storage, this little cam will shoot for a loooong time. The battery is also easily swapped. Although it's not a standard drug store item it's widely available and inexpensive, so it's not a big deal to carry a couple of spares if I'm shooting where there's no AC. All in all the Zi8 is my current preference among the fixed lens pocket cams I've tried.

Fran

[mr. beaumont]

They're decent, and very easy to use.

Most of the vids on my site and YouTube Channel were done with one.

[ferg]

I love my Zi8. I think the pairing of a Zi8 with a Zoom H2 is a great rig for capturing acoustic performances. For those that don't want to bother with syncing audio and video after the fact, the mic/line input is a nice feature many other small recorders don't have. That being said, even with a decent mic, I'm not in love with the audio quality, which is why I use a separate device with the audio almost all of the time.

The following videos were shot with a Zi8 indoors in a room with the windows closed and just a regular room light on (like one that's attached to a ceiling fan):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRbaRM4CpH8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mARKCCy2SZ8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piAG0dkk9XU

This was shot at a distance in a fairly dark club:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_59pnlcNN4I

And a better lit (but not bright) coffeeshop/wine bar:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFq-OJCsG1U


I used a separate audio recorder for all of the above. Here's a couple of clips of a separate mic going into the Zi8 (it was an AT822 mic):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd2_uyYYPco
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7aoiDlEdWw

On another note (something to keep in mine when watching clips), I find that the audio quality on youtube goes WAY up when watching in 480p vs 360p. I know a lot of folks watch everything in 720p, which is probably even better, but since it defaults to 360p, I figured it was worth noting.

[Steve Berger]

Will a Rode NT4 stereo mic connected via mini plug work as well with the Kodak Zi8 as an H2 does?

[ferg]

My feeling is that R0de NT4 connected directly to the Zi8 will probably sound better than an H2 connected directly to a Zi8. I'd imagine it would be in the ballpark of the clips I put using the AT822.

However, I don't connect the H2 to the Zi8 - I record the audio separately then sync them up afterwards. The inferior audio of the Zi8 (and most camcorders) is not just a function of the built-in mics, the actual processing of audio stinks (IMO). So, while you can improve it by using a better mic, it's best to record the audio using a dedicated audio device then sync them in post.

[Steve Berger]

Originally Posted by ferg

My feeling is that R0de NT4 connected directly to the Zi8 will probably sound better than an H2 connected directly to a Zi8. I'd imagine it would be in the ballpark of the clips I put using the AT822.

However, I don't connect the H2 to the Zi8 - I record the audio separately then sync them up afterwards. The inferior audio of the Zi8 (and most camcorders) is not just a function of the built-in mics, the actual processing of audio stinks (IMO). So, while you can improve it by using a better mic, it's best to record the audio using a dedicated audio device then sync them in post.

Hey thanks ferg. Synching is what I think I am trying to avoid. I'm really just looking for the easiest, but still fairly high quality audio/video solution.

I use an iMac and just wanted to be able to import into iMovie, clip the head and tail and post. I'm not very technical and consider myself a 'reluctant recorder'. Synching and video editing sounds challenging and I just want to play my guitar and pos som videos.

[Fran Guidry]

I don't know what the syncing issues are in iMovie, but syncing is literally a snap - make a sharp sound while recording the video and audio and you'll have spikes in both waveforms that make alignment painless.

I've used various stereo mics into the Zi8, it's functional. The noise, distortion, and frequency response leave a bit to be desired. The audio in the Q3HD is much cleaner and more accurate, but requires a preamp when using external mics and Zoom gets a nice price premium for providing better audio.

Fran

[Steve Berger]

Originally Posted by Fran Guidry

I don't know what the syncing issues are in iMovie, but syncing is literally a snap - make a sharp sound while recording the video and audio and you'll have spikes in both waveforms that make alignment painless.

I've used various stereo mics into the Zi8, it's functional. The noise, distortion, and frequency response leave a bit to be desired. The audio in the Q3HD is much cleaner and more accurate, but requires a preamp when using external mics and Zoom gets a nice price premium for providing better audio.

Fran

Hi Fran . . I was hoping you would weigh-in as I really value your opinion.

I appreciate your input on the syncing issue. If however, I did not want to sync . . . in your opinion, everything else being equal, will I get a better sound for solo acoustic fingerstyle guitar using (just) the internal mics of the Zoom Q3HD, or using the Zoom H2 as an external mic with the Kodak Zi8 (and by-passing the Kodaks internal mics)?

[Fran Guidry]

Rather than give you my opinion, let me point you to some clips.

The Zi8 with a bunch of different mics: http://www.homebrewedmusic.com/2010/...the-kodak-zi8/

The Q3HD with and without the H2: http://www.homebrewedmusic.com/2010/...the-kodak-zi8/

And the Q3HD placed for audio rather than video: http://www.homebrewedmusic.com/2011/...the-zoom-q3hd/

I would also say that the optimal choice is the H2 (or other powered mic type source) into the Q3HD.

Fran

[Steve Berger]

Originally Posted by Fran Guidry

Rather than give you my opinion, let me point you to some clips.

The Zi8 with a bunch of different mics: http://www.homebrewedmusic.com/2010/...the-kodak-zi8/

The Q3HD with and without the H2: http://www.homebrewedmusic.com/2010/...the-kodak-zi8/

And the Q3HD placed for audio rather than video: http://www.homebrewedmusic.com/2011/...the-zoom-q3hd/

I would also say that the optimal choice is the H2 (or other powered mic type
source) into the Q3HD.

Fran

Fran . . . I took a longer look this morning at all this info on your Homebrewed Music site and found it extremely helpful. Thank you very much.

[ferg]

If you absolutely, positively do not want to fool with syncing, and your only 2 options are Zi8 + external mic (or H2) or Q3HD by itself, I would go with the Zi8 + H2 UNLESS your satisfied recording your videos at the weird angles as depicted in Fran's video where he placed the Q3HD for optimum audio.

If you want to frame your video in any normal sense, I think it's really important to be able to place the mic(s) much closer to the source than the camera would be. The 2 options above each have their drawbacks: the Zi8 + H2 means your recording on the Zi8 internally, which is far from ideal and the Q3HD means your mics are far from the source which, IMO, kind of defeats the purpose of having a decent audio recorder.

You know - it's too bad that Zoom doesn't make something like a cheaper version of the Q3HD without mics, but with the same audio recorder - basically that could take a stereo input from a unit like the H2. Either that or a version with a detachable mic unit that you could put an extension cable between or something.

[Steve Berger]

Originally Posted by ferg

If you absolutely, positively do not want to fool with syncing, and your only 2 options are Zi8 + external mic (or H2) or Q3HD by itself, I would go with the Zi8 + H2 UNLESS your satisfied recording your videos at the weird angles as depicted in Fran's video where he placed the Q3HD for optimum audio.

If you want to frame your video in any normal sense, I think it's really important to be able to place the mic(s) much closer to the source than the camera would be. The 2 options above each have their drawbacks: the Zi8 + H2 means your recording on the Zi8 internally, which is far from ideal and the Q3HD means your mics are far from the source which, IMO, kind of defeats the purpose of having a decent audio recorder.

You know - it's too bad that Zoom doesn't make something like a cheaper

version of the Q3HD without mics, but with the same audio recorder - basically that could take a stereo input from a unit like the H2. Either that or a version with a detachable mic unit that you could put an extension cable between or something.

Ferg . . . Thank You very much for your input.

[ferg]

In the interest of contributing to this thread, I shot the following video this weekend...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp5VQ3dXCYs
(I highly recommend when watching youtube vids, you watch in at least 480p, as I find there's a big difference in the audio between 360p and 480p)

This was shot using the Zi8. I recorded the audio directly on the Zoom H4n which was placed about 1 foot in front of the camera. If I get a chance, I'll produce a similar clip with just the camera's audio (it's awful). Unfortunately, I didn't think to hook up an external mic to the camera so you could truly see the difference between using an external mic or H2 directly into the camera.

However - this weekend, I'm doing a show at a playhouse where I should have plenty of time to set stuff up beforehand, so I'll try to do that.

One final note: there is some audible hiss on this recording. Because I didn't really have time to check levels and all that beforehand, I had to set the recording level of the audio recorder very low then boost it after the fact. If the audio level is at any reasonable level, this is greatly diminished.

[Fran Guidry]

One of the things that makes posting to YouTube "interesting" is the constant state of change. Doug Young was testing some upload ideas the other day and noticed that the audio is being encoded at a higher rate than previously, at least for the higher resolution video formats.

I used Download Helper to capture four versions of your clip, the 720, 480, 360, and 240. I then used MediaInfo to get stats on each file. In these four examples the 240 file has 56 kbit audio, the 360 and 480 deliver 128 kbit AAC, and 720 arrives with a 151 kbit AAC stream.

The video encoding for all the higher resolution streams is AVC at 23.97 fps. The 240 res stream is Sorenson Spark.

All this could, in fact will, change at any time. There's a definite shift toward HTML5 which could make Flash video obsolete. YT is already accepting and delivering professional cinema formats that exceed the Blu-ray standard 1080i. We're really just getting started on this internet video thing.

Fran