Compactness being the theme of the next generation, Kodak decided to add in a dash of water-resistance and ruggedness to ultimate portability with the Kodak PlaySport Zx3 pocketable HD camcorder. To know if this device could accompany you on an adventure-struck journey, dig into our comprehensive review. Talking about imaging technology in India, Kodak would instantly crop up as one of the oldest and leading players. From its days of ‘you press the button, we do the rest,’ the company has moved ahead in leaps and bounds. The swiftly evolving imaging technology leaves the market with numerous categories and a string of products that fit into each of these sections. Forming one such layer of the segment, HD pocket camcorders have been paving their way into the market over the years. Pocket camcorders have created a niche market with the likes of Vado HD, Mono Flip and Kodak’s own Zi8.
Kodak made its stand pretty clear right from the device’s packaging. The box carrying the Kodak Zx3 was splashed with bubbles, assuring a device that is all ready to jump into water. The accompaniments that lay just below it include USB cord, HDMI and AV cables, battery charger, PlayStrap, user guide and warranty card. At the look of it, we felt the PlaySport Zx3 camcorder is quite rugged, compelling us to instantly get onto the testing field of robustness. The distinguished looks come with a rubberized texture sprinkled with plastic and some steel tidbits. It isn’t a great looking camcorder but decent enough to clutch.
Measuring 2.3†x 4.4†x 0.8â€, the 128g device resembles a handset. The unit we received was a mix of white, black and gray. The rim is split into glossy plastic and sober rubber black finishes while the front and backside take on white and gray shades respectively. Those who like their devices more colorful could opt for purple-gray or blue-gray combos as well.
Needless to say, the rubberized body allows its owners a firm grip. So, there are seldom chances of the device slipping off your hands. The front surface adorns a 2-inch display with Kodak imprinted on its top while ‘Waterproof 3 meters’ letterings taking its place on the lower side. Just below the screen is a four-way navigation button with a main recording button at the center. Aligning to its left side are tiny shortcut buttons to Liveview/LCD Glare shield, review mode, delete and settings. The front part of the device leaves a lot of empty space and the embedded buttons look almost minuscule. We would have preferred a larger screen as well as buttons.
The lower left side of the camcorder features a slot to attach a lanyard, another factor adding to the convenience of carrying it around. The power button is placed on the right edge followed by AV out, HDMI out and mini USB ports that are camouflaged behind a secure rubberized door with a slider access switch. A similar slider button is on the left edge that opens to the battery and SD card slot, but we needed some extra effort with this one. The four screws embedded on the front face try to portray a rugged look but somehow we felt it further weakened the style-factor. The base has been integrated with speakers and tripod mount.
The backside shows off the F2.8 lens alongside imprinted Kodak, PlaySport and EIS letterings. The microphone and IR receiver also take a seat next to the lens. The forward/backward button on the five-way navigation allowed us to choose between 5MP camera for still images and video recording options like WVGA, 720 at 30fps or 60fps and 1080p.
Coming straight to the point, we wanted to test its resistance to water and so started with some water splashing on the dainty device. It has been sealed well enough to repel intrusion of liquid. On submerging Zx3 in up to 2 meters of water, it didn’t disappoint us with the waterproofing abilities. Kodak’s this athlete calmly stayed in our pocket as we waded in a pool.
Testing its video recording capability underwater, we set on the H20 mode which is especially crafted for this purpose. We also let the camcorder taste some salt water by recording video clips of marine creatures from our fish tank and there it yet again proved its capabilities. The camera managed to capture those fun-filled underwater moments effectively and the video also emerged pretty well.
On shooting some cool videos underwater, pull it out and the sealed body shows tough resistance. Wiping off the droplets, we tried our hands at outdoor recording which was again decent. However, low light recording is one place where the camcorder proved to be disappointing.
The settings menu fills in two rows of six and seven functions each, respectively. The date/time feature is followed by settings for TV video out. We could also tweak the LCD brightness, volume and microphone functions.
The viewability in bright light can be enhanced with the LCD Glare Shield turned on. However, the images on a larger screen (HDTV) or even on the PC for that matter seemed slightly off beat. The settings also help manage electronic image stabilization, face detection and camera info with the firmware and Arcsoft software versions. Kodak also brings in several notifications with icons to indicate memory full, corrupt card, card full and so on.
On connecting the camcorder to our PC, the ArcSoft Media Impression software asked permission for installation which was a quick process with a few clicks. Though not embellished, the software is pretty decent. It let us wipe off the red eye, add effects like sepia, black and white, adjust the brightness, contrast, tint and also crop the image accordingly. It also provides info of each image like its photo time, shot time and focal length. Also, it comes with options to upload content to Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo and YouTube.
Well, we have seen several pocket HD camcorders emerge like this one. Apart from waterproofing, the PlaySport is no different and the image quality isn’t remarkable either. However, it does assure a decent video recording capability just like other devices from its fraternity. We have seen HD pocket camcorders with a higher price tag come with several glitches, so the PlaySport isn’t a bad choice for those looking to snap up a vacation camera. However, we would recommend not picking the white hue which we received unless they want it easily patched with dirt. At Rs. 7,999, the camera seems a pretty decent deal. As far as our rating is concerned, the Kodak PlaySport Zx3 has bagged an 8 on 10.
