Using the pocket size Kodak Z16

It’s not hard to see why pocket digital video cameras (like the popular Flip) have been a big hit with consumers: They’re inexpensive (under $200), easy to operate, and they don’t require tapes (footage is captured on internal memory or media cards and downloaded via an onboard USB connector). And with the Kodak Zi6, image quality — which was only so-so — finally enters the world of high-definition. Scenes are incredibly sharp and vivid: Reviewing a clip shot in a park, I saw details — a jet cutting across the sky, a Frisbee tossed in the background — that would’ve been MIA in other models. And like most pocket camcorders, the Zi6 records in a format that lets you instantly upload to YouTube — a perfect way to share memories with friends and familiy (and the rest of the world). The camera has some flaws: Focusing in tricky lighting can be slow, and the editing options are limited (and offered only to PC users). Still, the Zi6 is recommended to would-be auteurs who want to give a big-screen look to their home movies and viral-video antics. A-