Kodak PlaySport

As promised, here’s our review of the Kodak PlaySport digital video camera.   Having been introduced to the PlaySport at CES earlier this year, we’ve been excitedly waiting for this device, amongst others to successfully fill the niche all-purpose ruggedized digital video camera market created by the active lifestyles of the modern generation.   Initial response to the PlaySport has been positive, and we’re looking to confirm this trend with actual video and still picture samples in a variety of tests.

Technical Specifications

Sensor:  Type 1/2.5 5MP CMOS sensor
Lens:  5.54 mm, 35 mm equivalent
48 mm @ 1080p
36 mm @ 720p
36 mm @ 480p
36 mm still capture
Zoom:  4X digital
Image Stabilization:  Electronic
Display size:  2.0″
Storage:  128MB internal memory of which only 20MB is available for video/photo storage
SD/SDHC card expansion slot up to 32GB
Focus range:  39.4″ to infinity
White balance:  Automatic
File formats:   Video – H.264 (MOV), AAC LC
Still – JPEG
Video Capture mode:   1080p—1920 x 1080, 30 fps
720p / 60 fps – 1280 x 720
720p / 30 fps – 1280 x 720
480p / 30 fps – 848 x 480
Still Photo Mode – 5.3 MP, 16:9 widescreen, interpolated
Microphone:  Monaural
Speaker:  Yes
I/O interface:  USB 2.0, Composite Video out, HDMI
Tripod Mount:   1/4″ Standard
Power:  KODAK Li-Ion Rechargeable Digital Camera Battery KLIC-7004
AC Adapter
Dimensions:  2.3″ x 4.4″ x 0.8″
Weight:  128g without battery
Warranty:  1 year
Package Contents:  KODAK PLAYSPORT Video Camera
KODAK Li-Ion Rechargeable Digital Camera Battery KLIC-7004
Adapter and cable for charging
HDMI and AV cables
Wrist strap
User Guide
ARCSOFT MEDIA IMPRESSION Software for Kodak (on-camera)
PC Requirements:  Windows or Mac

Testing Method

Obviously, stand alone testing of the Kodak PlaySport will, to some extent, be fairly subjective.   We’ll take sample video and stills in various settings and conditions and evaluate the quality of those clips.  We’ll make some of these test samples available for readers to download and evaluate to draw conclusions independently.   We’ll also provide objective data on battery life, recording time for a given amount of memory at various quality settings, and features of the bundled software.

Unboxing, Setup, and Initial Thoughts

Below is a video unboxing of the PlaySport.

After its unboxing, it took approximately 2 hours to fully charge the internal, replaceable battery using the included USB to AC power adapter.   The PlaySport can also charge via direct connection to a PC or laptop USB port.   Although we didn’t test this to fully charge the battery, Kodak estimates that charging via USB port could take up to 4 hours.  Through our regular sustained recording and viewing of videos during testing, the 3.7V 1000mAh battery lasted a little under two hours.   Fortunately, the PlaySport uses the ubiquitous Kodak KLIC-7004 battery, for which a spare can easily be purchased.

Conveniently, all the software included with the PlaySport is stored on the camera’s internal memory and can be installed directly from the camera onto any computer to which it is attached.   The remaining unused internal memory is so small that PlaySport owners are pretty much required to buy an additional flash memory SD card of class 4 speed rating or higher.   Potential buyers should consider this in their overall cost of ownership estimates for the PlaySport.  We get 3 hours of video from our 16GB class 6 SD card at the 720p/60fps and 1080p quality settings (4.5 hours at 720p/30fps).

A USB 2.0 connection provides simple access to the video/picture files within the framework of the Microsoft Windows file system, so third party software isn’t necessarily required to access these items – although the ArcSoft Media Impression software will do this job as well.  The PlaySport stores its video files as h.264 compressed .MOV files.  Kodak boasts that the included ArcSoft Media Impression software can:

• Edit and trim videos
• Add a voice-over to narrate your footage when editing on a PC
• Add pictures and music to your videos to make cool mash-ups
• Grab and edit still images from video frames to get that perfect shot

As a portal to organize the media generated by the PlaySport, the included software is adequate, but you won’t be editing the next Hollywood blockbuster with it.  We probably won’t use the included software long term.

After pressing the power button, the PlaySport is ready to shoot video in under two seconds, thus capturing spontaneities should be easy.  The digital zoom feature, unlike the power-on time, is very slow.  It takes several seconds to traverse the full range of the PlaySport’s zoom capability.  A fully zoomed video also looks grainy relative to wide angle shots.  It’s probably a good idea to avoid using the digital zoom if possible.  While the PlaySport doesn’t have a macro recording mode, it seemed to focus on text at distances as close as 5 inches.

Video and Still Image Tests

As listed above, the PlaySport has several available video quality modes.   For the purpose of this review, we generally ignored the 480p (WVGA) mode since the whole point of using this camera is to capture high definition video, although it does adequately record video at this resolution.  At the highest resolution (1080p), the video quality is really good when the subject material involves very little high speed movement.  Otherwise, it tends to be coarse and skewed.   The most desirable resolution and frame-rate on the PlaySport camera is 720p at 60fps.   The video at this setting is flicker-free and smooth (even when shooting high action scenes) and looks great on both a computer monitor and large screen high definition TV via the PlaySport’s HDMI port.  The electronic image stabilization, which can be disable in the camera’s settings, does help to smooth out jitters from a nervously shaking hand, but as with all pocket video camcorders we’ve used, the resulting video tends to be shakier than traditional palm-strap style camcorders.

When shooting outdoors, one has to be very aware of windy conditions.   Even a mild breeze tended to overwhelm the built in microphone, which is located on the front of the camera near the lens.   And without an external microphone adapter, there isn’t much of a solution to this problem.   Otherwise, the microphone did a decent job picking up sounds in the vicinity of the user.  Audio captured indoors is crisp and clear.   More distant sounds tended to be more muffled but still audible.

When filming in bright environments, the LCD screen has a high-bright mode that brightens the on-screen image (not the actual video) to overcome glare.  This helped in all but the worst glare situations.

Several of the video samples from which these opinions were formed can be viewed below or downloaded using the links (since video sites like YouTube convert and compress video, the embedded videos may not portray actual camera results).

720p 30fps

720p 60fps

1080p 30fps

Underwater 720p 60fps

While boasting the ability to take 5MP stills, the image quality from the PlaySport doesn’t compare to the quality one could expect from even a sub-$200 dedicated pocket digital still camera.   The pictures were not very crisp, especially in poor lighting conditions where the PlaySport struggles to capture both video and stills, but were comparable to what one may be used to achieving on smartphone cameras.   An LED flash would have been nice, but let’s not forget that this is a $150 digital video camera.  Pictures can be taken at the approximate rate of 1 photo every 4 seconds, which was annoyingly slow.  Also, pictures have a 16×9 aspect ratio, which isn’t standard.   Overall though, when wanting to preserve a memory via still picture, having the ability to take decent 5MP photos (when the lighting is good) is a nice supplement to the video offerings of the PlaySport.  Check out the samples below.

KPICASA_GALLERY(KodakPlaySportTestPhotos)

Other Features and Thoughts

While the PlaySport is rated for underwater usage up to depths of 10 feet (with all port covers secured), replicating true colors at these depths is difficult.   As light travels through water, the longer red wavelengths are absorbed, thus imparting a “blue tinge” to photos and videos.   To compensate for this effect, Kodak has included an “underwater” mode on the PlaySport which attempts to re-balance the colors by amplifying the red portion of the spectrum.   It does a decent job but is not perfect.  Accessing the underwater setting is not trivial and requires several keystrokes within the PlaySport’s settings menu (a dedicated button would have been nice).   It’s also very important that users remember to turn this feature off when it’s not needed, otherwise your non-submerged videos will be grossly discolored.   But overall, the very fact that we’re able to shoot high definition under water video is really cool and worth highlighting.

While testing the PlaySport underwater, we hadn’t considered the device’s buoyancy.   Nor had we connected the included strap to secure the camera to our wrist.  So it was surprising when the PlaySport was dropped in a pool of water and “sank like a rock”.   Therefore, it’s probably a good idea to use the included wrist strap to prevent the PlaySport from getting away from you when strong currents are present.   And although Kodak says the PlaySport can be used in salt water, it recommends a freshwater rinse-down after usage in such environments.

Connecting the PlaySport to a TV, HD or otherwise, is as simple as connecting the appropriate cable to each device.  Playback is controlled via the PlaySport in the same manner as it is when viewing videos and pictures on the camcorder itself.  Fast forward and rewind (up to 16x) and slow motion (down to 1/16x) playback modes are available.  The small doors on the side of the PlaySport that open to reveal the video and USB ports, as well as battery and memory compartments, are a little tricky to close and require manual latching to ensure they’re completely sealed.  It’s important that users master closing these doors since the waterproof rating and characteristics of the PlaySport are nullified otherwise.

Conclusion

So is the Kodak PlaySport worth its $150 price tag.  We think so.  It’s hard to justify spending several hundred (if not thousand) dollars on a delicate high definition digital video camera considering the availability of this device and others like it.  The PlaySport is small, lightweight, and rugged, yet provides most of the quality of more expensive products.   But unlike much more expensive video cameras, users can take this thing almost anywhere without worrying about dropping it or getting it wet (really wet).   It doesn’t require dedicated luggage, special lenses, or bulky tapes and batteries.   It’s a pocket camcorder plain and simple that just so happens to shoot really good high definition video.  Personally, I’m really going to enjoy taking the PlaySport on family excursions to preserve high quality video memories in places I never before imagined possible.

This review provides an independent and objective opinion of its subject.  The authors did not receive compensation in the form of monies or free products from any party seeking to influence the outcome of the review.  If demo units were furnished by the manufacturer, they were promptly returned after the author’s evaluation period.