345 Responses to “Kodak PlaySport HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera NEWEST MODEL (BLUE)”

1. Scott L. Cammack "fishing for Christ" says on: 25 March 2010 at 11:55 am

   An amazing pocket camcorder at an even better price! (Rate 5/5)

   I bought this for my wife for her birthday after reviewing every style on the market it seems like. This one stood out at me for many reasons, but mostly because the high quality reviews it recieved compared to those twice it’s price, and unlike the pricier ones it is water proof. The size is amazing, the exact same as my Palm Treo cell phone. Shipping only took 2 days, that was standard ground UPS. We have been playing with it nonstop for the past couple days. The quality of the video is very good, but make sure you have good lighting especially when using the camera mode. I think this is something every parent is going to want to catch every moment of their kids growing up since they can take it to the pool, the beach, or video their football game in the rain.
2. R. Sanderson "Mr. Wicked" says on: 27 March 2010 at 4:08 pm

   Pretty freakin’ awesome (Rate 4/5)

   It’s a neat camera. I love it more than the Flip cameras. My only problem I wish the video files from the camera can be used with other video softwares. Unless you have a mac, you have no worries. Though Kodak was nice enough to include a software for PC users.
3. JS "JS" says on: 29 March 2010 at 2:51 pm

   So Far So Great! (Rate 5/5)

   I’ve only had the Playsport for a day but I can say so far it is great. Took about two hours to charge with the wall outlet adapter. I took some test clips of my kids and they came out very nice using 720 at 30fps. The low light video did come out a bit grainy but that is to be expected in a camera at this price level. I haven’t taken any outside footage yet but I would assume it would look great. The software is very easy to use and I had a minute to play with that. I also viewed the video directly on my TV using the included HDMI cable and it looked great. Fot the price this camera is hard to beat
4. John Tu says on: 29 March 2010 at 5:46 pm

   Well I thought this camcorder would be just like Zi8 with improved features. But after trying it with some indoor and outdoor test shots it becomes apparent that the white balance is way off. White walls look blue-ish and there’s no way to adjust it. If I turn H2O mode on it becomes too red. Just take a look at this comparison video and you’ll know what I’m talking about: youtube(dot)com/watch?v=ihxsDM3EwLs&feature=channel
   
   It would be better if the software that came with it has color temperature adjustment feature, but sadly it’s not included. Hope a firmware upgrade comes out soon to fix the issue.

   Low light videos are a lot grainier than I had expected. I’m starting to wonder if my Playsport really is the one used for these awesome videos: youtube(dot)com/user/666evlgrl

   Other than these two disappointments, the camera seems pretty solid and impressive.
5. R. Sanderson says on: 29 March 2010 at 8:32 pm

   It’s a neat camera. I love it more than the Flip cameras. My only problem I wish the video files from the camera can be used with other video softwares. Unless you have a mac, you have no worries. Though Kodak was nice enough to include a software for PC users.
6. Paul Farnsworth says on: 29 March 2010 at 10:21 pm

   I was pleased when this camcorder shipped early, right size, right price and easy to use. Indoor video is bit grainy, outdoor is great. It comes with a charger in the box and is a lot handier than most.
7. Scott L. Cammack says on: 30 March 2010 at 12:52 am

   I bought this for my wife for her birthday after reviewing every style on the market it seems like. This one stood out at me for many reasons, but mostly because the high quality reviews it recieved compared to those twice it’s price, and unlike the pricier ones it is water proof. The size is amazing, the exact same as my Palm Treo cell phone. Shipping only took 2 days, that was standard ground UPS. We have been playing with it nonstop for the past couple days. The quality of the video is very good, but make sure you have good lighting especially when using the camera mode. I think this is something every parent is going to want to catch every moment of their kids growing up since they can take it to the pool, the beach, or video their football game in the rain.
8. Jason Smith "Jason" says on: 30 March 2010 at 1:11 am

   Awesome little camera! (Rate 5/5)

   I just got my Playsport in today and so far it has exceeded my expectations. I took a few short videos and played them on my TV. The picture quality is very good, even on my 36″ TV.

   I was able to quickly figure out all the basic controls and within 5 minutes was able to easily navigate through all of the settings.

   Pros:
   Video quality – even does 1080P
   Takes pretty good stills – 5PM
   Size
   Waterproof
   Ease of use
   Price is much cheaper than the Flip MinoHD

   Cons:
   No optical zoom, but that’s to be expected in a camera at this price point
9. Mortal Kombat "AVPhile" says on: 30 March 2010 at 2:33 am

   Best Water Proof HD Video and Still Came! (Rate 5/5)

   I don’t understand how people can review components and features of a product that’s not even part of the product to begin with and rate the product low. I also don’t understand when a review uses another product for comparison; compare apples to apples, not grapes to watermelons. If you read the specs before buying you would know that the Playsport does not come with a built in flash, external charger, macro, optical zoom, etc. Although they would be nice to have, it’s just not relevant to this recorder, and would change the pricing for this product. For $150, the Playsport has its spot.

   I felt it was necessary to review the Playsport based solely on its included components and features. With that said I purchased the Playsport because its pocket sized, lightweight, and portable to catch those once-in-a-lifetime moments I would have otherwise missed with my old camcorder, since I don’t like carrying a brick around with me everywhere I go.

   Review based on 720p/60fps…

   Great video quality. However loses some of that quality in low light situation. Turning on any light source(s) would definitley help.
   Audio is clear and does pick up distant noises, but best up closer.
   The digital zoom operates smoothly, with little to no jumpiness when zooming in or out.
   LCD glare filter changes the contrast settings of the screen to help with sun glare.
   EIS (Electronic Image Stabilization) helps but I imagine would not take much to go past the design limits. I think the Playsports design actually helps contribute to EIS because how nice a fit it is in your hand which helps keep the recorder steady.
   Size and durability. Feels very sturdy. The rubberized coating should make it easier to grip when it gets wet. Plus no annoying finger marks.
   Plug and play. Easily connects to a TV using the supplied HDMI or component cables.
   Battery charges via USB or 120V adaptor.
   Have not tried the underwater feature or any still shots yet, but am excited to try it out at the pool come summer. Hopefully it doesn’t disapoint.

   The Playsport read/writes at 9mb/s. Kodak recommends using a Class 4 SDHC card up to 32gb. I bought a Lexar Platinum II SDHC Card, Class 4, 16gb, 60x 9mb/s, works like a charm. At 1080p or 720p/60fps records about 3 hours, and at 720p/30fps records over 4 hours. Using more than a Class 4 card would be a waste of money since the Playsport can only perform up to 9mb/s, not to mention the problems I read about people using higher class cards (Kodak ZI8 model) and the device shutting off or freezing. May not affect the Playsport but it is the guts from the ZI8.

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