What’s that? A video camera that’s not part of a smartphone? Wait, those still exist? All kidding aside, there are still plenty of fun video cameras on the market that make excellent gifts. Or, you can just treat yourself to a small video camera like the Kodak PlayFull for fun. This camera isn’t going to win any prizes and it’s not the best option out there, but it is a small compact camera that’s lots of fun to use no matter where you go.

Not only is the PlayFull, well, playful, it’s also quite sleek. This tiny camera can fit into the palm of your hand and look great doing it. If you’re looking to buy a camera that’s not too expensive (this one can be purchased for around $150), the PlayFull is an excellent option for many reasons. But, like most other video cameras on the market, I do urge you to test this one out before you buy it.

The Good

Surprisingly, for a camera this size, the PlayFull captures decent video images. The PlayFull does not perform well indoors, but this is a common problem with all handheld video cameras. If you shoot a video outside in bright light, the PlayFull will meet (and possibly exceed) your expectations. In addition, the PlayFull also comes packed with a powerful little microphone that does a very good job of picking up sound that’s coming from a distance.
For some, the size of the PlayFull may also be a benefit. This video camera is approximately the size of a pack of tissues or a candy bar and weighs around 3 ounces.

This means that the screen and all of other buttons on the PlayFull are also small, but you won’t have any problem slipping this camera into your back pocket. If you travel a lot or are always on the go, it’s hard to find a camera smaller than this one. Another thing I want to point out about the PlayFull are the sharing options. Sending a video to Flickr, Facebook, or YouTube is really just a matter of selecting the right channel. In a world where sharing is everything, these options really make a lot of sense.

The Bad

As much as the size of this camera is a good thing, it can also be a bad thing. If you’re trying to view what’s on your screen simply and without too much effort, this can be tough with such as small screen. In addition, the buttons on this video camera are also very small, which can make shooting a film hard. One other thing that you’ll want to watch out for is that the PlayFull can be somewhat slow.

If you are used to instant playback and a camera that moves at the speed of light, the PlayFull may disappoint. Then again, you will get used to the speed of this camera, and, to be honest, it’s not that slow – just slower than, say, a smartphone. The PlayFull is a simple and fun camera that many will get a lot of use from.