This is another in the Kodak EasyShare line. And just like its predecessors it is a very easy camera to use. I feel it is designed for the masses. But even though it is designed for the average individual it is still a very powerful digital camera. There are plenty of options and settings that will keep a novice satisfied for many years to come.

The camera capabilities
F-stop
This goes from f8.0 to f2.8.

Shutter speed
It goes from 1/1000 to 16 seconds.

ISO speed
80,100,200,400.

Media format.
It uses a SD card.

Zoom capabilities.
The camera is a 10x optical zoom.

Image capacity
In internal memory is 32 MB so don’t expect that to come into play.
For a 256 memory card you can expect to have around 150. Depending on what you’re shooting this will change. If you are doing pictures of your children playing in nice green grass then expect a capacity of just under 100. If the pictures have a lot of black then you can expect to have over 300.

Still image format.
JPG
My images averaged 1.6 MB. I had some that were as little as 0.5 MB and other were over 3MB. Quite a range.


Movie format
The movie format is .mov and it goes up to 640x480. It doesn’t have image stabilization so if will shake a little if it is not on a tripod. On average, from my experiments, I found that it used about 200KB of memory per second. When I was moving in the video the video got really choppy. It gave me a headache just looking at it.
Overall the movie function is not what you are going to get this camera for. In my view it is only there to capture cute video of family at the spur of the moment.

Resolution
5 Mega Pixels

Auto orientation
It orients the picture on play back so that all picture are up right when viewed on the screen. Lets say you take a picture of something and you tilt the camera 90 degrees. When you view the picture the camera will tilt the picture 90 degrees back so it is seen upright.

The auto focus
The auto focus works pretty well but it is a little slow. Takes 1-2 seconds to focus on an object while zoomed. When not zoomed it focuses in less than a second. The one thing I do not like is I do not have the option to easily control the focus myself like on my F100.
Auto focus has three options; single auto focus, continuous auto focus, and accessory lens auto focus. I couldn’t stand the auto focus because it was constantly adjusting the focus even when I didn’t want it to. So I just left it at single auto focus.

Shooting speed
It shoots close to 2.5 images a second. While not fast enough for professional usage at sporting events, it should be enough to keep a mom or dad happy during a little league game.

LCD screen
When I first saw this screen I said “WOW”, that’s nice. It is 2.2 inches across and is a hi-res screen. You get a really good idea of what the final picture is going to be like without having to download it onto your PC or Mac.
You have the option of turning off the screen and using the LCD eyepiece. You do not have the option of turning off both screens.

Light sources
This camera has a built in flash up top. Just slide the open button and it pops out.
In addition you have a plug on the left side for plugging in an external flash. The flash work as well as a fix flash can on a camera like this. The automatic feature with the flash worked well.

Picture taking modes
These are controlled by the top wheel and you have the following settings.
Auto- PHD setting (push here dummy).
Program- Automatically adjusts the settings for you but you do have some control if you wish to.
Aperture priority- You set the aperture and everything else compensates. Great if you are trying to get dimension in a particular shot or trying to blur the background.
Shutter priority- You set the shutter speed and everything else compensates automatically.
Manual- You control all of the setting manually.
Custom- You can customize the camera settings like aperture, shutter speed, etc.
Video- Capture video.
Favorites- View your favorite photos.
Scene modes- There are 14 different modes that attempt to make the automatic shots even better for nitch situations like children, self-portrait, etc.
Sport- Uses a faster shutter speed.
Portrait- Sharp image of the user with indistinct backgrounds.

Other Features
Self-timer- Gives the user 10 seconds to get into the picture after pressing the button.
Pre-tagging- Allows you to pre-tag photos for automatic upload to your PC. You can also tag to have them printed on your computer or printer setup.
Display on a television- You can output your photos on a television.
Slide shot- Automatically shows your current pictures on your memory.
Date tagging- will list the date and time.
Auto shutoff- The unit shuts off in about 1 minute if it is not being used.

Transferring photos
I downloaded the photos to my computer using a USB cable and Kodak Easy Share Software. The set up took about 1 minute (it has to set up for each different camera you use.) And downloading of the pictures took a couple of minutes. It was very easy.

Output ports
I really like the designs of the ports. They are all out of the way and covered. It is a beautiful design. On the left are the port of an external flash, DC adapter, USB adapter, and A/V out. They are all covered with a hard flap. One the right side is your memory card and it is protected by a plastic door. The bottom has a hole for a tripod, Kodak EasyShare port, and a compartment for a battery.

My take on the ergonomics
The camera is not your typical pocket digital camera. Instead it is designed like a SLR camera, only smaller. You have the grip on the right-hand side for better control of the camera. All of the buttons are easily reached with your index finger, middle finger, or thumb. If you have big hands then it will seem a little small to you but for normal hands I think it is just fine.
When shooting you have three buttons on top that control flash on/off, landscape/subject centers/off button (presetting), and a button that controls your rapid shooting option.
The on/off button is slightly recessed so you shouldn’t have any problems accidentally hitting it. I know some people have complained about this but I like it just the way it is.
Another nice feature is the control wand is backlit. This way you can use it in dark situations if necessary. But once you are familiar with this camera you will pretty much do most of the controls by feel, not sight.

My take on the results
This camera has been primarily used by 13&14 year olds so this is where I will start. They have found this camera to be incredibly easy to use and have found no real problems with using it. I’ve reviewed their photos and the photos (for what they are for) came out well (with some errors on their part). The automatic features really work well so if you’re not technically savvy then this could be the camera for you.

I like this camera for what it is. It is a simple point and shoot camera with limited customization ability. While the customizable features are not as easy to use as my F100 (or any other SLR camera for that matter) the camera does have options to customize the aperture and the shutter speed. But as you can see from the data above, you are limited to a small range for both shutter speed and aperture range. Not only that you can only control one at a time using an awkwardly placed wheel in front, below the shoot button.

My pictures in day light conditions came out beautifully. The colors are rich as is the detail of the photos. This camera (at the auto setting) seems to be geared towards bright environments. I didn’t have anything over exposed. The auto focus worked perfectly.

My experience indoors was not as pleasant as my outdoor photos. Now that did not mean that they come out badly, but they were not as rich in color as the outdoor photos were.

When looking over the other picture taken by the adolescents, I found that they had the similar results. The biggest problem I saw was with their lack of skill in taking photos. Some were over exposed because they were shooting towards the sun. This creates an over exposed background or under exposed subjects. But when they had the sun behind them the photos came out perfectly.

Durability
This has been in the hands of 13-14 year olds and so far there is no damage. No problems with syncing it, no button issues, nothing has gone wrong. It is a well-made piece of equipment.

What does it include
USB Cable
Video Cable
Docking Station
Battery
Lens Cap
Neck Strap
Software

Weight and dimensions
Weight: (approximately) 3/4 lb
Length: 3 1/8 inches
Width: 4 inches
Height: 3 1/8 inches

Summary
Overall I really like this camera. It is easy to use, has intuitive controls, and is well designed from an ergonomic standpoint. The pictures are of a good quality. Even if you’re just a novice, you will be able to use this camera right from the start. It is very easy to use. But for someone that wants more control of his or her photos this camera will not cut it. It would be best to look elsewhere if that is the case.


Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 250
This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Fool-Proof for Absolute Beginners