Kodak Isn't Joking Around With New PlayFull Camcorder
Kodak's second generation Playsport and new PlayFull camcorders were announced today at CES.
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Kodak unveiled its newest ultracompact camcorders today at CES in Las Vegas, Nevada. The first is an updated version of last year's successful Kodak Playsport, while the second is an entirely new camcorder from Kodak called the PlayFull. While the naming conventions may be silly, these two camcorders pack a number of interesting features in an attempt to give give Kodak an edge in the ultracompact market.
The new PlayFull camcorder features Full HD 1080p recording along with a 5-megapixel still image capability. There are also four capture effects on the camcorder that allow you to shoot with high saturation, sepia tones, black & white, or a 70's film look. The camera comes with an SD/SDHC card slot, an HDMI cable, and a built-in USB arm.
The second generation Kodak Playsport is an updated version of the previous camcorder of the same name. The camcorder is still waterproof up to 10 feet, but Kodak has now expanded the coverage to include shockproof and dustproof as well. New features also include an autofocus mechanism, underwater white balance, face tracking, and the aforementioned capture effects that are also found on the Kodak PlayFull. Like the previous Playsport, the second gen model records Full HD 1080p video, includes digital image stabilization, and has a 2-inch LCD.
Kodak claims that both of these new models are the "world's only cameras with 3-step sharing," but we're not quite sure what this claim means (what is a "step" exactly?). Nevertheless, the camcorders do seem to have a simple sharing capability with Kodak's new "Share" button and a variety of on-camera editing features that allow you to trim your clips without connecting the camcorder to a computer. The built-in editing software on the Playsport and PlayFull is also compatible with both Macs and PCs.
The Kodak PlayFull is set to retail at $149, and it will be available in silver, blue-silver, purple-silver, and blue-black colors. The second generation Kodak Playsport has an expected price of $179—that's $30 more than the original Kodak Playsport—and will come in black, red, green, white, or aqua. Both camcorders will be available in Spring 2011.