Kodak Playsport Excellent for Content On the Go

Posted: December 20, 2011

No matter what the occasion, the camera you use for capturing stills and video is the one you have with you, and the Kodak Playsport is especially well adapted to be there.

Slightly smaller and lighter than a smart phone, the Kodak Playsport, also known as the Zx3, is an excellent pocket HD video camera in its own right, and its compact portability makes it a real winner. Purse, backpack, glove box or anywhere else you could stash a phone, you can carry this camera.

Priced below $150, the camera is waterproof and guaranteed submersible to 3 meters. It has a rechargeable battery sealed inside, and it shoots video to an SD card (not included) in a selection of four modes, including 1080p at 30 frames per second. It also shoots 5 megapixel stills.

Its zoom capabilities are limited and it does not have an onboard flash or light source, but it is ideal for handheld point of view angles, collection of video for online use and a variety of other purposes in a fairly wide variety of settings. Its built-in microphone does a fair job of capturing audio under favorable conditions and, while you wouldn’t use it as the primary camera for a formal broadcast project, it does offer a valuable method to capture video on the fly and at a moment’s notice at a quality that is eminently broadcastable.

To see a video shot entirely with the Kodak Playsport, follow this link: http://vimeo.com/31045197 This was shot on the fly at the Texas Truck Rodeo Oct. 21. The title graphic and music were added in post of course, but the speaker’s audio was captured by the camera itself in the field. With a minimal amount of editing, the content was ready to go on the web. Elements of this video may be seen on television broadcasts in the future as well.

Compare prices on the Kodak Playsport.

BizTip By: Kevin Tate, Mossy Oak Vice President of Productions and POMA President