19 - 03 - 2024
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INTRODUCTION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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   I've always found camcorders to be one of the very few fascinating electronic devices around since they can hold all your precious memories unaltered forever or at least for as long as you'd like. Surveillance cameras may not be exactly the same as camcorders but they too have their purpose and who can deny the significance of letting you keep an eye on things even if you're far away? So it's not really surprising that when the first action cameras started to emerge a few years back i also developed an interest in them although i can't say i was really impressed by the first few attempts. Quite a few years have passed since then and now action cameras have not only gotten smaller in size but they also feature higher grade hardware components allowing them to record up to FullHD 1080p resolutions with bitrates that in some cases rival the ones of regular handheld camcorders. Not everyone however has use for 1080p and so Zetta has introduced an SD (Standard Definition) intelligent security camcorder the Z12 which we took for a ride to see what it can do.

 

   Zetta is founded by a group of research engineers specializing in areas from large-scale system integration to embedded system engineering, through the use of advanced digital, wireless and multimedia signal processing technologies. Zetta’s business strategy is to design, develop, manufacture and market electronic products and systems in exceptional quality but yet at affordable low prices. The ultimate objective is to use necessary and minimum materials to create truly great electronic products. We want to enable people over the world to readily experience the happiness and satisfaction of using our products. We are committed to successfully bringing our digital video recorder, DVR, to the world by inheriting the mentality that stresses diligence and teamwork, with the passion for making products and the premium placed on customer service.

 

   Although the Z12 can be used as an Action Camera the SD resolution of 640x480p was something we didn't really like from the get go since we all felt that this was bringing back memories from a long time ago. Of course Zetta is quite clear that they didn't release the Z12 as an action camera but rather as a security camcorder which consumers can use for surveillance purposes, while driving to record any unpleasant situations and why not even just for fun so the lack of a higher resolution may not be such a bad thing after all at least not for such use. There are however two features present in the Z12 that are enough to separate it from the crowd its very compact size (and low weight) which makes it possible for it to get mounted virtually everywhere with just the use of a 3M double side adhesive sticker and its motion sensor recording. Whether or not these two features can negate the low resolution issue is something which we will see later on in this review.

 


 

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

specs

 


 

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Zetta ships the Z12 in a small white/red box with the wireframe of a car as background and a medium sized product picture at the front.

 

 

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The four main uses the Z12 was designed with in mind are illustrated on the left side.

 

 

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It seems that Zetta thinks that 13 months warranty is something unique so there are a few words about that on the right side.

 

 

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The features of the Z12 are also mentioned at the rear with the help of 4 drawings.

 

 

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The box contains the Z12 intelligent security camcorder, mini-USB wall charger, USB to mini-USB cable, car lighter adapter (for use with the USB cable) and the user’s manual in two languages.

 


 

THE Z12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Z12 is made out of hard plastic, measures 76mm in length, 43mm in width, 19mm in height and weighs just 46g.

 

 

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You all know how we like to show exactly how large a device is compared to the competition so here's the Z12 right next to the ATC9K and the Chameleon by Oregon Scientific two medium sized action cameras.

 

 

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As you can see the main problem with the Z12 is its lens since you can't use such a tiny one and expect quality so the resolution of 640x480 paired with the viewing angle of 63 degrees were expected.

 

 

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On the right side we see the Zeta logo along with the microSD port, the mini-USB port and the model number (12).

 

 

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On the opposite side we see the mode selection switch (surveillance, on the go, custom), on/off/recording LED and the power on/off button.

 

 

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A small reset button is placed at the bottom right next to a large sticker with the electrical requirements of the unit on it.

 


 

SETTINGS - SOFTWARE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Perhaps the only thing that impressed me was the Zetta widget a small program that allows you to configure every aspect of the Z12 fast and easy. You can download the latest version from the official Zetta support page.

 

 

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So from here you can set the time or sync it with your PC, pick the mode you want to use out of 6 pre-configured ones, adjust all the quality settings (resolution, video quality, frame rate etc), enable/disable the microphone and finally set the various recording triggers.

 


 

AUDIO/VIDEO/PICTURE QUALITY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Unlike when we tested the ATC9K this time we were able to test the Z12 while on a road trip and to do so we attached it on the dashboard of a car with a 3M adhesive sticker (did the trick) instead of using a full sized base. To check the battery levels not only did we record the entire trip (almost 120 minutes) but we even recorded the way back without having to recharge the Z12 (Zetta claims it can be used for a full 8 hours). From the entire trip we isolated two different pieces to showcase the image quality of the Z12 both in low light situations and while on broad daylight. To download the clips (21.4MB & 19.4MB) you just need to click on the images bellow. Be sure to turn down the volume of your speakers/headset prior to watching the clips cause the built-in microphone was unable to cope with the music coming from all 8 speakers of the car (although it did just fine when recording voices).

 

TUNNEL RECORDING

tunnel recording

NATURE RECORDING

nature recording

 


 

CONCLUSION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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   Standard definition has been obsolete for many years now so when we checked the specifications sheet of the Z12 and we saw that it could only record in 320x240/640x480 resolutions we were somewhat baffled. Had this been 2005 such resolutions would be considered great but now with so many compact cameras in the market capable of recording HD and FullHD resolutions it really doesn't make much sense at least not if you think about it as a normal camera. What saves the situation somewhat is that the Z12 is actually not a standard camera but a surveillance gadget (that's also why we placed this review in our security section) so although it's evident from our vids that both the resolution and audio recording are quite mediocre they should be sufficient for surveillance use. The motion sensor is also something we almost never see with compact cameras and although it does have a small delay (naturally) it works as advertised and according to Zetta the Z12 can remain on standby/motion recording mode for up to 90 days. The Zetta Widget control software is not something we expected and was actually a pleasant surprise since it's very easy to use and offers a plethora of adjustable settings. Build quality on the other hand is not superb but quite good for its size. Last but not least we did find annoying that Zetta doesn't supply a few adhesive tapes/stickers with the Z12 for easier placement, it's not like the cost much so we hope they will listen to our recommendation.

 

   There are four things that save the Z12 Intelligent Security Camcorder and these are no others than its compact size, motion sensor recording, Zetta widget software and price since it currently retails for just USD59.95 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for around 50Euros inside the EU. The timing of this review is actually very good since a few months back the Z12 was priced well over USD100/100Euros a price tag which would really disappoint us. Still currently the Z12 is priced ok and although not really what we're used to it does have its uses so if you care little about having the best video and audio quality and just want a surveillance gadget then we do think that you should give the Z12 Intelligent Security Camcorder by Zetta a chance, it might surprise you. Worth mentioning is that Zetta just released the Z15 model which sports FullHD resolution recording for more demanding users so naturally we will do our best to check it out as well.

  

 

PROS

- Size/Weight
- Motion Sensor Recording
- Audio Trigger Recording
- Vibration Sensor Recording
- Battery Life (10 Hours Recording / 90 Days Standby)

- 3 Easy To Use Modes (Via External Switch)
- Zetta Widget
- Price (For Some)

 

CONS

- Video Recording Quality (Up To 640x480)
- Audio Recording Quality (96kbps)