The Best Digital Video Camera under $200 !

Being away from friends and family, I wanted a video camera to capture exciting events and memorable moments.  I also wanted a camcorder that would allow me to store data, upload to the web and send directly to friends via computer.  After reading many reviews and pounding the pavement, I finally decided on the Kodak Zi6. I was looking for a small, quality, easy to use, and affordable digital video camera and am very pleased with the Zi6.

-----My Tech Qualifications:-----

I am not a technology buff, geek, nerd, or highly technologically skilled. When it comes to new technology, I am rather inept and inexpert.  I know my way around a computer and have delved into other gadgetry such as cell phones, digital cameras, digital picture frames, handheld gps devices, depth finders, and sonar’s. Prior to obtaining the Kodak Zi6, the last video camera I owned was held with a hand and rested on a shoulder. It also used the obsolete and awkward video cassettes which were played in VCR machines.  I had not used a video camera for about a decade mostly because the one I owned went by way of the dinosaurs. I don’t even own a VCR anymore and have stacks of old tapes which I am currently converting to data files and storing on memory cards.
I have been keeping a half eye on video cameras for a couple of years now and letting price catch up to technology while educating myself on the advancements.  Being away from friends and family but doing so many things I wanted to share with them by medium other than written word and still photography, I finally decided to bite the bullet and buy a digital video camera.  I also want to capture video of family members while they are still with us and others while they are young and growing. I take it fishing, golfing, and generally everywhere with me. I even learned how to post on YouTube since obtaining the Zi6.

-----The Budget: -----

I gave myself a budget of $200 which is a round number. It could be around $250 or around $100.  I wasn’t ready to buy anything that would put me in the poor house; I wanted one for home use and not production or professional usage. I also didn’t want anything too cheap that would be hard to use, take poor quality footage, or break.  I started my search by asking some friends but didn’t get very far so I began researching on the internet and making trips to local big box and electronic stores to view the merchandise and get acquainted with the field.  I perused a bunch of reviews, watched YouTube videos, checked out several models in stores and eventually decided on the Kodak Zi6 for several reasons.

-----Reasons I bought it: -----

Price: I think that under $200 is a good price for a digital camera for what I wanted and needed and this one fit the bill. I paid $159 for the unit and accompanying accessories and spent another $30 on an extra memory cards.

Memory:  Most of the digital video cameras under $200 come with a built in storage system.  I really looked into the Flip family but was turned off when I discovered they utilize internal memory and are limited to about an hour of footage storage. When I take a day of fishing I need to be able to record several hours of footage. I take trips, outings, and sightseeing and an hour is simply unacceptable.  Most of the reviews I read about them were good other than this very large hang up.  I would recommend looking at these if this is not a problem for you and compare it to the zi6 from Kodak. Back to the Kodak, what I really liked about it was the fact that it accepts SD and SDHC cards. This allows me to choose how much storage space I want and when I get low I can just exchange the full card for an empty one. 

Accessory Pack: Usually I don’t go for the accessory pack and the last thing that makes up a buying decision for me is what the company throws in the box with a featured unit. But with the Zi6 I was impressed when I discovered they include the rechargeable batteries and a battery recharger.  Also included are a tripod, connection cables, a protective bag and case, and the software.

Name brand: When I don’t know a lot about a specific field like I previously mentioned, I always lean towards a reputable business or a name brand.  I have used Kodak products for several years and have been happy with them. They make a good quality user-friendly product and the Zi6 is no exception.  These were the reasons I bought the Zi6 camera, now I will tell you about using it.

-----Ease of use:-----

The package I bought came with two sets of rechargeable NiMH batteries and a charger. I couldn’t resist trying it out right away and tested it in the parking lot when I got to my vehicle. You are supposed to charge the batteries before using but two of them went directly into the unit for a test run.  The unit itself is not very complicated to use at all. I like how quickly the power comes on and you can start recording instantly. The old camcorders would take several seconds before starting up, focusing, and beginning to record. This one is a power slide and a record button which starts recording under a two second count.  This is especially nice when keeping the unit in my pocket and pulling it out to record things as they happen.
As far as recording goes it is very easy. The record button is also a toggle knob. Before starting to record the user has the option to decide which level they want to record with, the standard HD is recording at 30 frames per second. By simply pushing the toggle knob to the side, the user can choose between 60 frames per second, VGA, or still photo.  
Everything being recorded shows on the display screen on your side of the camera when recording. The toggle knob is also the zoom in and zoom out. Simply push it up and it zooms in, push it down and it zooms out.  It always starts recording fully zoomed out. I have found it to zoom in very mechanically in the 60 HD modes. It seems to zoom in a little smoother in the 30 frames per second mode. This gives the person recording a little bit less of creative panning or zooming options while recording.
After a clip has been recorded, to view it or erase it, just push the one button on the right and the clip comes up on the screen numerically. To erase a clip push the only button on the left and an X or checkmark comes up to confirm deletion.  Simply toggle up and push the toggle knob in to erase a clip. It is very simple. To view a clip, bring it up and push the toggle knob in. By holding the toggle to the left it plays the clip in reverse or rewinds it at various speeds chosen by the user.  Same goes for watching a clip from the start, push the knob to the right and the clip speeds up.  The speeds are displayed numerically with an X much like a DVD player.

-----Uploading:-----

This is one section that is very easy especially for a beginner like me.  I have both desktop and laptop computers and have installed the ArcSoft Media software which came with my camera on both. The camera uses removable memory cards for memory which pop in and out of the camera very easily.  The memory cards are incredibly easy to use. I upload to YouTube from the Arc Media and have not tried uploading directly from the camera yet.  The camera has a USB connection which is spring loaded and pops out from the side of the camera.  Clips can be directly uploaded from the camera through a USB connection. I have not used this because I like to edit clips first and I don’t use the internal memory that came with the camera because it is very small and I use memory cards.  The internal memory is 128 MB. No wires necessary for transferring clips which is nice.

-----Screen:-----

The screen is a 2.4 inch LCD screen which is very crisp and clear. It can be viewed from side angles just about as well as from straight on.  The playback is great when reviewing a clip. When recording the screen shows very crisp as well showing the colors pretty close to life like. I have noticed the colors are brighter and clearer on a television or computer monitor then the camera itself but it is not a huge difference or issue to me.  I think the designers put a lot of emphasis and hard work into creating a camera with a great display screen building the camera around this feature.

-----Software:-----

I am not overly impressed with the ArcSoft MediaImpression Software that came with the unit.  It is very basic with limited editing options. I will be doing some research to find and secure some different video editing software with more in depth editing options. This software allows the user to cut clips. 
The options associated with this software when viewing clips are, Make Picture, Import, Media Player, Make Movie, Media Converter, Video Email, Upload to YouTube, and Easy Archive.
I really like the Make Picture option. With this you can watch a video and actually take the clip down to the millisecond and make it into a still photo at the perfect time. The photos come out clear and crisp and this feature is incredibly simple to use.
The Import feature is nice for using the USB connection that comes built into the camera.
The Media Player simply plays a selected clip.
The Make Movie choice is the one that disappointed me because of the lack of options. Standard choices are add music, and add clips, or cut clips. You can also make a pre and post page for the movie giving the editor the choice of a title page and credits. But that is about all. You can also choose transitions between clips such as fade and such. Like I mentioned earlier, I will be looking for more sophisticated software for making and editing videos.
I have not used the Video Email and Easy Archive options yet but have used the Upload to YouTube. That option is nice and takes out a couple of steps making a shortcut for the user.  You have the option of having the software remember your YouTube user name and or password.

-----Different shooting modes:-----

Standard HD 30 FPS: I have found this to be very clear and I use it for most situations. It is the default mode so when starting the camera or making a new recording, if you do not toggle to a different setting the camera will default to 30 frames per second.

HD 60 FPS: This is extremely clear. It will use more memory and I think more battery shooting in this mode.  Every once in a while I notice on playback that some frames are skipped during this mode.  This is a major concern with this camera.

Photo and VGA: This is just a simple snapshot with a 3 megapixel lens. It is an auto focus and is not much more than a point and shoot. I don’t really use this option because I can make pictures from video clips choosing just the right instant to make the clip into a still photo.

Clarity: I am very impressed with the clarity of both filming and viewing with this unit. The screen is very large and clear for watching a clip or playing it back.  When I watch the clips on my HD television it is incredibly clear.  Same goes for my laptop. When I upload to YouTube however some crispness and sharpness is lost in the transferring process.  Colors are vibrant and bright.

-----Zoom Modes:-----

There is a switch on the upper portion of the camera for shooting at close or far ranges. The far range is portrayed by a mountain and the close range by a flower. The switch is one of the few switches on the camera that is not electronic or digital and is more like a slide. I use the mountain range for just about all of my shooting. The slide moved erroneously once and was noticeably blurry at ranges over five feet.
The built in zoom which is controlled by the central toggle switch is displayed on the side of the screen.   When starting a new recording clip the zoom starts panned out.  By pushing the toggle switch upward, the lens zooms in on the target. I am not overly impressed with the zoom of this camera.  It seems very mechanical and does not zoom in or out smoothly. I basically jump in and out. It does however focus at every zoom level and immediately during the zooming process which is nice for the price paid.

-----Price and Availability:-----

This is a popular little camera and is easy to find. I bought mine at Wal-Mart for $160 but have found it at several locations. Just about all major retailers carry it because Kodak is such a popular name.  You should have no problem finding one and probably a better deal than I found. If I had a little more patience I could of found a better price but I was ready and wanted it NOW which means it usually will cost the consumer a little more.