Kodak Zi6 HD Pocket Video Camera by Kodak
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Digital camera reviews of Kodak Zi6 HD Pocket Video Camera
Digital camera Review: An unreliable product
Summary: 1 Stars
I was given a Zi6 when my son was born so I could record his life. I was very happy with the camera and we even have a video of his first minutes of life, which I treasure. The camera has trouble keeping up if you move it quickly, and it can sometimes be hard to stabilize. My other complaint is that it is nearly impossible to see the screen when shooting in outside.sunny conditions.
A few weeks ago my Zi6 started freezing. I have had it for a year and a half and taken maybe 30 videos with it. What happened was that when I would press record, the camera would video for 3-6 seconds, then freeze. I had to take the batteries out to do anything with the camera. I spoke with kodak customer care, and they advised me to try a new memory card. Well, I did this and I was very excited when the camera worked for a few 30 second videos, then it froze again. I took the memory card out, and it wouldn't come back on. After playing with the new batteries, the camera came on, but it freezes while in record mode after 1(one) second. Kodak offers no help on this product since it is outside if it's one year warranty.
Maybe this is just me, but when I pay a certain amount of money for something, I expect it to work longer than 1 year. I will not be buying a new zi6 and I plan on finding a company who will fix a manufacturer defect.
Digital camera Review: Avoid Kodak and their poor excuse for customer service....if you want something that works.
Summary: 1 Stars
I bought this product as a Christmas present for my boyfriend and it worked for only a few months before we had to send it in to be repaired. For some reason it stopped turning on, batteries charged and all. The repair people sent it back saying it was fine...but it wasn't. I can't imagine they actually even looked at it as it still wouldn't turn on, and we ended up having to send it back 3 or 4 times...all with the same explanation and getting only the same response. Oddly enough, the serial number got switched at one point...you could tell they actually took off the sticker and replaced it with another. That would have been nice had it actually been a different camera or if somehow switching the sticker made it magically work...but it wasn't, and it didn't.
The last time before we sent it back we tried to reason with them and explain that it didn't make sense to keep sending it back and doing the same thing over when it didn't produce a solution, that they we obviously have a defective product and they should just send us a new one or give us our money back. Well, they wouldn't do that and just kept saying that it would not happen again and that they stand by their repair department. Of course the product came back from the repair place still not working.
The last call resulted in them saying that at this point the product was passed a grace period which we were never told about (though of course all this back and forth ate time away from our warranty), and the best they could do was give us a $25 discount on a Kodak product or repair. Um, really? A discount on two options that don't work? No thanks - I wouldn't take you up on that offer if you were PAYING me.
Looks like I'm not the only one who has had this problem as well...so do yourself a favor and buy a Flip or anything else. Even if it's more expensive it will be worth the time you save having a product that both works and doesn't put you through a year of back and forth with an infuriating customer call center.
Digital camera Review: Bad Pixels, Non-Service, and Horrible Customer Relations
Summary: 1 Stars
Three months ago I held Kodak products in reasonably high regard and I was excited to have purchased my Zi6. As of today, I will never by any Kodak product again. Here's the story...
Early May 2009: Purchase a brand new Zi6 video recorder.
Late May 2009: Take Zi6 on vacation. Upon returning home, I discover that there are several bad (hot) pixels that light up like X-mas lights in the videos I take and are terribly evident in moderate to low-light conditions. Although disappointed, I realize that issues like these can be mapped out in software/firmware and plan to contact Kodak to have it serviced.
Early June 2009: I contact Kodak to provide me software to map out the bad pixels; they indicate that they do not offer end users the ability to map out pixels themselves. I ask the online rep to assign me an RMA number to have the bad pixels mapped out; they indicate that I should go to their main support page and use the automated services there. I go to the automated page and there is no category for bad pixels. I have to contact a rep (again) to request an RMA; finally I am sent the information after some toil.
Early June 2009: I send out the Zi6 for service to one of Kodak's subcontractors. I include the actual pixel location areas in my documentation that went out with the unit (no ambiguity here... I want bad pixels mapped out. Period.)
Late June 2009: I receive my Zi6 back and the service memo indication is that the unit was "calibrated"; I was suspicious as to why it was recalibrated and no mention of pixel remapping. I take the Zi6 on a mini-vacation over a weekend. Upon returning home, I discover that the bad pixels are still there.
Late June/Early July 2009: I contact Kodak again and complain that the unit was not repaired as I wanted; the bad pixels were not remapped. I explicitly request that the service request indicate that I want bad pixels mapped out and the rep writes it up that way. I package up the unit and send it off to the same Kodak service contractor (Precision Camera) in CT with documentation indicating where the bad pixels are located and again emphasize that I want pixel remapping service.
Late July 2009: I receive the unit back a second time and the service memo indicates the was issue and the unit checked out; I cringed that nothing was done again.
Early August 2009: I went on a late summer vacation trip and took the Zi6 along to try taking more videos (oh yeah, I took a spare camera too as my trust in Kodak had already been heading South).
Early/Mid August 2009: I review the vacation video taken with the Zi6 and yes, the bad pixels again had not been repaired by Kodak or its service subcontractor.
Mid August 2009: I contact Kodak one final time and rehash all the trouble they've put me through and the fact that they don't listen to their customers. For three months all I wanted was to have the bad pixels mapped out of the unit and instead got a huge runaround. Kodak's final reply... the unit checked out okay with the service company. (Did I mention they don't listen to their customers?)
Buyer beware if you plan to purchase a Zi6 or any Kodak product based on this experience. My opinion is that they just don't care about their customers, their service repair providers are a joke, and they don't stand behind their own products or warranties.
If you have a functioning Zi6 and enjoy it, then good for you. I'll never buy Kodak again after this waste of time and money.
Digital camera Review: Best in class
Summary: 5 Stars
I purchased Zi6 preparing for my vacation trip to FL. I just wanted to try it and if I didn't like it just return it back to store. Price was unbeatable 149 in TARGET, End of March 2009. My first impression was white balance settings and how it reacts on lighting conditions changes. I think reason is CMOS. CCD creates a little bit colder/bluish colors. Second, was how simple this device is. As an owner of LUMIX with optical image stabilization I can say that to create quality video more important is to know and follow basic video making rules, like using tripod or monopod, never zoom in and zoom out in the same clip, keep camera static/stable, do not move too much, etc.
I use my Zi for about 2 months now and still do not see any real competitors in the same class or size of camcorders. My criteria's are video and sound quality. Only pocket camera that I would prefer is Canon SD780IS, but price is $245 what is about 2 times higher than $129 in TARGET. Even Zx1 is not a competitor to Zi6 and reason is its sound reception. I highly recommend this camera as a first step to Canon HF100 or as a pocket addition to it.
Digital camera Review: Better than Flip
Summary: 5 Stars
Did a lot of research on this before purchase. Cheaper than Flip HD and better built. Kodak did it right on this device. No complaints and I've gotten a couple of others to buy one after seeing mine!