Kodak Zx1

The Kodak Zx1 offers a few things that other high-definition pocket camcorders don't. It's water-resistant (thick rubber covers protect the ports) and it comes with an HDMI cable for viewing footage directly on your HDTV. But testers say the Zx1 isn't as easy to use as Pure Digital's Flip UltraHD (*Est. $160) and Flip MinoHD (*Est. $160), and its low-light video doesn't look as good. Testers notice a few more things about the Zx1 that may be pros or cons, depending on your viewpoint: It records to memory cards (not supplied), with only seconds' worth of built-in memory. It runs on rechargeable, replaceable AA batteries rather than a slimmer internal battery. Finally, it connects to a computer via a USB cable rather than the pop-out USB arm most pocket camcorders have. Otherwise, the Zx1 shares all of the usual pocket-camcorder flaws: visible hand shake, 720p video rather than full 1080p HD shot by pricier camcorders, almost no manual controls, no optical zoom and a digital zoom that pixilates the image. The Zx1 does shoot still photos, but experts say they're not very good.

CamcorderInfo.com includes a few pocket camcorders -- including the Kodak Zx1 -- in its authoritative ratings, which are based on extensive expert testing. CNET, The Washington Post, Laptop Magazine and the U.K.'s Pocket-Lint.com also test the Zx1 and compare it with other pocket HD camcorders. User reviews at Amazon.com give an idea of the camcorder's real-life performance.