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Published: Mar 17, 2009 Author: Michael Chiu Editor: Amber Lupala Provider: Geeks Share this article:

Closer Look at the Camera

The product

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As with all the products I’ve received from Geeks.com, the Kodak Zi6 Pocket Video Camera arrived well-packaged in a small yet protective cardboard box. As you might have concluded, the Zi6 we’re reviewing has been refurbished. While some may turn their nose away from refurbished products, I’ve typically had great success with them, especially when they come from a reputable company like Geeks.com who stand behind the products they sell. To be honest I had a hard time seeing any evidence why this item was refurbished.

The Kodak Zi6 Pocket video camera itself came very securely packaged with a bunch of accessories, including a set of rechargeable batteries, a charger, two A/V cables, a wrist strap, protective case, instruction manual, and ArcSoft multimedia software. These are standard accessories that come with the factory Zi6 as well.

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Taking a closer look at the Zi6, the first thing to notice is obviously how small it is in relation to your typical video camera. This camera is about the size of a typical Blackberry or iPod Touch, though is a little thicker than both. One side of the camera has the video screen and few buttons, while the back has the microphone, camera lens, and a button for the built-in USB. The size of the camera is really what makes this an appealing product; you can simply toss this in your pocket or purse and away you go, instead of having to lug a separate camera bag for a regular sized video camera.

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Looking at the camera’s controls, we find a small joystick in the center that acts as a cursor, record button, and also the camera’s digital zoom. There are only two other buttons to either side: the left one is the trash and stop button, and the right is the play button. The controls are easy to use while holding the camera and are intuitive.

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The top of the camera has the simple power switch, and the bottom contains the slot for the wrist strap cord and also a threaded hole for a standard 1/4” tripod mount. One piece of advice for these cameras is to use a small tripod whenever possible to reduce the amount of vibration, especially for the ones that don’t have any image stabilization.

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One side of the camera has all the ports, including a USB port (which pops out when the button on the back is pressed), an AV-out port, and an HD/composite video out port. The other side has the slot for a SD (or SDHC) memory card, a macro/landscape mode selection switch, and a slot for two AA batteries. Kodak made an interesting choice by choosing to have little internal memory and removable batteries; I personally like the choice since either can be easily replaced if they goes bad.

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Along with the camera, the package comes with two Kodak rechargeable batteries and a plug in wall charger. I was disappointed that the camera doesn’t come with a memory card as well, but then again I’d rather have the price of the camera lower and chose my own separately.