# Kodak PlaySport HD



## Krug (Mar 27, 2010)

I have the Zi6 and it takes great video as long as you aren't moving. The cameras are very easy to use and take high quality video. I am going to be either picking up a plysport or Zi8. I definitely would not ever buy anything without motion stabilization again.

Just my 2 pennies.

Good luck,

Krug


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## iturner82 (Apr 28, 2010)

Is the Zi6 just the older version of the Playsport? Does the playsport have image stabilization? I'm probably getting it for sure


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## h4m0 (Mar 9, 2010)

GoPro HD cameras are meant to be good - not used one - but I would check them out before you buy the kodak!!

Sam


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## iturner82 (Apr 28, 2010)

h4m0 said:


> GoPro HD cameras are meant to be good - not used one - but I would check them out before you buy the kodak!!
> 
> Sam


Ya, I've seen alot of people with them, but I'm not looking for a helmet cam. Thanks though!


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## Krug (Mar 27, 2010)

iturner82 said:


> Is the Zi6 just the older version of the Playsport? Does the playsport have image stabilization? I'm probably getting it for sure


According to the Kodak website, the Playsport has image stabilization, so you should be fine. As for whether or not the Playsport is the 2nd generation to the Zi6, I don't know. After looking at the Playsport last night on Kodak's sight, I'm going to buy one and give the Zi6 to my Ma.

You might check e-bay...sometimes you can get a good deal...also keep an eye out in your Sunday paper for places like Office Max or Staples. I got my Zi6 from one of these stores on sale for 1/2 price.

Krug


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## iturner82 (Apr 28, 2010)

Thanks for looking into that Krug. Let me know how it works.


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## Miles_K (Nov 21, 2009)

Sorry to bump an old thread, but I was thinking about getting one of these. Anyone got some feedback on it?


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## Deviant (Dec 22, 2009)

Here's some test videos.

YouTube - kodak playsport hd

I've had 2 kodack cameras, one video, and I've since stayed away from them. Perhaps they've improved build quality since then (a few years) but I'd much rather see you go with a GOPRO before a kod-yack. Again this is personal experience so someone else may have a good review because I've never used the "playsport" specifically. Just my 2 cents.


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## iturner82 (Apr 28, 2010)

Miles_K said:


> Sorry to bump an old thread, but I was thinking about getting one of these. Anyone got some feedback on it?


No problem. I will probably wait to get it for awhile, until closer to next season.
I have actually read so many great reviews for it, that it is more reliable than the flip cams, I'm very commited to getting it.


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## Miles_K (Nov 21, 2009)

Well im bumping this this thread again. I was doing some filming yesterday on my schools ski trip. Nothing serious or anything. Anyway, I thought the playsport's quality was pretty good in the foggy conditions. I have a few videos to show as examples. All were shot in the 1080p setting.
Here's a night time video. I'll post another one soon.

Untitled on Vimeo


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## Jeb (Feb 26, 2011)

*Love this cam*

I love my PlaySport. I usually shoot in 720P and I find the results to be quite good. I've had both this camera and the FlipHD and I think the imaage stabilization on the Kodak is superior. 

More importantly, the PlaySport is bomb-proof. Its worth a lot to be able to pull it out on a wet day and have confidence you aren't going to mess it up. 

I'd be curious to hear how people are mounting this/using it during snowboarding. Seems a little large to be mounting on a helmet. 

As for the GoPro argument: the PlaySport shoots with the best small HD cams, but it's literally less than half the cost of a GoPro set up.


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## Jeb (Feb 26, 2011)

Miles_K said:


> Well im bumping this this thread again. I was doing some filming yesterday on my schools ski trip. Nothing serious or anything. Anyway, I thought the playsport's quality was pretty good in the foggy conditions. I have a few videos to show as examples. All were shot in the 1080p setting.
> Here's a night time video. I'll post another one soon.
> 
> Untitled on Vimeo


Sweet vid. That came out great. I wish it were 10x longer! :thumbsup:


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## LuckyRVA (Jan 18, 2011)

Jeb said:


> I'd be curious to hear how people are mounting this/using it during snowboarding. Seems a little large to be mounting on a helmet.


Sorry to reserect this thread from the dead. I just ordered this strap from Kodak's website KODAK Essential Action Mount / Body Strap

Looks like you'll be able to mount it to your chest, legs or arms (maybe even your head or helmet) using this thing. Can't wait to try it out.


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## BoardWalk (Mar 22, 2011)

Jeb said:


> I love my PlaySport. I usually shoot in 720P and I find the results to be quite good. I've had both this camera and the FlipHD and I think the imaage stabilization on the Kodak is superior.
> 
> More importantly, the PlaySport is bomb-proof. Its worth a lot to be able to pull it out on a wet day and have confidence you aren't going to mess it up.
> 
> ...


 
I have one as well. It's been dropped a couple of times and still works great, also it takes great underwater video. They recommend that you don't take it below 10ft but I've taken it a little deeper with no issues.


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## carvebeast (Dec 13, 2010)

i have the zi8 (basically the playsport minus a few new features from what i understand). it is very portable and definitely takes high quality video for being in the genre of handheld cameras. the one downside is the fact that i would agree with a few of the things said about image stabilization earlier in the thread. the zi8 has "image stabilization" which really doesn't mean much, seems to me like its just a marketing gimmick. follow cam shots are pretty tough to keep steady on the snow. with that said, i've never used a pole/mount setup and have been meaning to, i think that would help things significantly. shoots great in 720 at 60fps, great in 1080, and really takes remarkable video when shooting from a tripod.


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## rephreshed (Aug 21, 2010)

i have the zi8 and i love it!! the only drawback of the playsport is that it doesn't have a mic jack. if you're looking for sound, the playsport is a no go.


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## Miles_K (Nov 21, 2009)

It's been almost a year since i've had this camera. Definetly worth the money. It has great quality. It's very tough. It has pretty decent battery life (An extra battery is a must-have though). It is very portable, and you can barely notice it in a jacket pocket. It does has a few downsides though. As mentioned by others, the image stabilization isn't the best, and It has a very narrow lens (A cheap fisheye attachment fixes that).

Overall It's a great camera at a cheap price, and I definetly reccomend it.


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

How do you take vids using this camera? Telescoping pole? strapped to your chest? With the sideways snowboarding stance that doesn't seem ideal.


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## LuckyRVA (Jan 18, 2011)

Donutz said:


> How do you take vids using this camera? Telescoping pole? strapped to your chest? With the sideways snowboarding stance that doesn't seem ideal.


I haven't used it while riding yet but the body mount/strap comes with a smaller strap to use on your arm or leg.


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## dangerranger (Apr 8, 2011)

my brother put together a playsport helmet cam for his bike , i can post pics if you want?


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## BoardWalk (Mar 22, 2011)

dangerranger said:


> my brother put together a playsport helmet cam for his bike , i can post pics if you want?


I would like to see that.


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## LuckyRVA (Jan 18, 2011)

I'd like to see the pics as well. Thanks.


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

Yeah, people have a natural tendency to adjust their body to keep their head steady. A vid taken from a head-mount would naturally be a lot steadier than one taken from chest or (worse yet) leg.


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## dangerranger (Apr 8, 2011)

here they are. it took a 1/4 inch bolt, which we drilled a hole for into the helmet. make sure that the hole you drill is at the desired angle for the camera to get a good view. if you need, you can go back and redrill a new hole if the first one didnt work. then we placed a washer on both sides of the helmet (inside and top of the helmet). then tightened it all together with a hex nut. from there you put a wing nut on so that you can tighten the camera to the bolt. i would recommend that you coat a washer with electrical tape to put in between the wing nut and the camera to keep the camera more stable and protect the camera's body. if you guys need, i can draw up a diagram to show exactly how this all fits together. all in all, its about a $5 project.


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## BoardWalk (Mar 22, 2011)

dangerranger said:


> here they are. it took a 1/4 inch bolt, which we drilled a hole for into the helmet. make sure that the hole you drill is at the desired angle for the camera to get a good view. if you need, you can go back and redrill a new hole if the first one didnt work. then we placed a washer on both sides of the helmet (inside and top of the helmet). then tightened it all together with a hex nut. from there you put a wing nut on so that you can tighten the camera to the bolt. i would recommend that you coat a washer with electrical tape to put in between the wing nut and the camera to keep the camera more stable and protect the camera's body. if you guys need, i can draw up a diagram to show exactly how this all fits together. all in all, its about a $5 project.



Looks feasible, thanks.


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## LuckyRVA (Jan 18, 2011)

danger, has your brother posted any videos online? I'm curious to see what the view looks like.


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## dangerranger (Apr 8, 2011)

here is the link
‪Snowboarding and Mtn. Biking‬‏ - YouTube
unfortunately there arent any shots with the helmet cam while snowboarding, but here are the shots of him while biking. I would believe that the shots would be much smoother while snowboarding, just due to the fact that the movements are much smoother, and less bumps.
0:22
1:21
1:43- had a fisheye lens
1:53- follow cam using the helmet cam rig
2:08
hope that helps. most of the snowboarding shots i used a pole mount that he also made, that one seemed to work quite well


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## dangerranger (Apr 8, 2011)

actually at 4:02 there is a helmetcam shot while he was boarding


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## LuckyRVA (Jan 18, 2011)

yeah, looks much smoother when he's snowboarding than biking. 

oh and lol at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V76JsqPRigI&feature=player_detailpage#t=121s


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## dangerranger (Apr 8, 2011)

haha, yeah. that was one of the shots i insisted he put in the video. hes got some talent with the whole videography thing too. put that together himself and he is 10 years old


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## SPAZ (May 2, 2009)

Hey man, I don't know if you've bought the camera yet but the camp I worked at last summer used one of these to make a video for the campers to take home with footage throughout the summer. The sensor on it is pretty small so while it records 1080p, it will get pretty funky once you start moving. For the same amount of money, the GoPro will give you slightly better video quality. However, I was about to buy the PlaySport because it also takes still pictures, a feature that the GoPro lacks. If you need to take still shots, go with the Kodak. If not, I recommend the Go Pro HD.
Have a good one,
SPAZ


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## LuckyRVA (Jan 18, 2011)

SPAZ said:


> Hey man, I don't know if you've bought the camera yet but the camp I worked at last summer used one of these to make a video for the campers to take home with footage throughout the summer. The sensor on it is pretty small so while it records 1080p, it will get pretty funky once you start moving. *For the same amount of money, the GoPro* will give you slightly better video quality. However, I was about to buy the PlaySport because it also takes still pictures, a feature that the GoPro lacks. If you need to take still shots, go with the Kodak. If not, I recommend the Go Pro HD.
> Have a good one,
> SPAZ


The Playsport ZX5 (new edition) can be had for about $120. I believe the GoPro is about twice that.


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## etschmall (Nov 7, 2010)

LuckyRVA said:


> The Playsport ZX5 (new edition) can be had for about $120. I believe the GoPro is about twice that.


No, you could get the GoPro 960 for $150, and the quality is almost as good as the 1080, which 2 of my friends have.

and with the gopro, you won't get the god awful wind noise as much.


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## Cr0_Reps_Smit (Jun 27, 2009)

SPAZ said:


> However, I was about to buy the PlaySport because it also takes still pictures, a feature that the GoPro lacks. If you need to take still shots, go with the Kodak. If not, I recommend the Go Pro HD.
> Have a good one,
> SPAZ


also just throwing it out there but the gopro does take pics as well. it can take single shot, triple shot, multi shot(every 5,10,30 or 60 secs) and a delayed timed shot.


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## etschmall (Nov 7, 2010)

Cr0_Reps_Smit said:


> also just throwing it out there but the gopro does take pics as well. it can take single shot, triple shot, multi shot(every 5,10,30 or 60 secs) and a delayed timed shot.


Yes, but after having mine for about 6 months, I have never used this feature (intentionally), I have used the camera from everthing from BMX, snowboarding, on my vacation in Mexico, and scuba diving.


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## Cr0_Reps_Smit (Jun 27, 2009)

yea me neither, i didnt buy it to take pictures. just stating that it in fact does take pictures since spaz was under the impression that it didnt.


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## etschmall (Nov 7, 2010)

Overall the gopro is much better in my opinion, because you could mount it to just about anything, whereas the kodak, you have to hold all the time, unless you make a mount yourself.


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