Easyshare
Latest
Kodak's new trio of EasyShare cams courtesy of Google cache
We're expecting an announcement any time now, but Google cache has already revealed some inadvertently posted product pages for a trio of new Kodak EasyShare shooters. The Z812 IS (pictured, top-left) is an 8.2 megapixel cam with 12x Schneider-Kreuznach Variogon zoom lens which doubles-up as a chubby 720p / 30fps video recorder. It's also said to feature a 0.23-second click-to-capture capability while packing optical image stabilization to help manage the shake and noise from that biggie zoom and reported ISO 3200 sensitivity. The V1253 (pictured, bottom) and V1233 then, are both 12 megapixel shooters that offer the same 720p video recording as the super zoom. The V1253 packs a 3.1-inch LCD to the 2.5-incher found on the V1233. Both lack any kind of optical image stabilization, however. Now come on Kodak, make 'em official with dates and pricing.[Via LetsGoDigital] Read -- Z812 (via Google cache) Read -- V1233 (via Google cache)Read -- V1253 (via Google cache)
Seven-inch digital photo frame shootout
Hot on the heels of the SSD shootout comes a five-man competition stocked with some of the most prolific digital photo frames on the market, and now that prices on these bad boys are dipping down from the stratosphere, there's a good chance you'd like to know which would look best in your den. Thankfully, GearDigest has taken the task upon itself to pit Kodak's EasyShare SV710, Pandigital's 7-inch Photo Frame, Philips' 7FF1CM1, Smartpart's Portable Picture And Video Player, and Westinghouse's DPF-702 against each other to see who's really the champ. After hours of viewing countless relatives and vacations of yesteryear, the group found that the obvious assumptions of "you get what you pay for" proved completely true. The four frames not labeled by Philips all featured a similar 16:9 display with a paltry 480 x 234 resolution, and while a few offered niceties not found elsewhere (Kodak's PictBridge, for instance), all of the devices were decent at best in terms of image quality -- and they all ranged from $119 to $129.95 in price. Handily snagging the gold was the $199 7FF1CM1, which upped the ante with a 720 x 480 panel and proved worthwhile if you actually want your photos to shine. But hey, it's still your dough, so do your duty and dive into the full review below before swaying one way or another.[Via DigitalMediaThoughts]
Kodak stuffs CMOS sensor into EasyShare C513 point-and-shoot
Here's one straight out of left field. While we were all anxiously affixed on Sony and Canon waiting for either to kick out a CMOS-packin' point-and-shoot camera, along comes Kodak to shake things up. Apparently, those five-megapixel CMOS sensors it had been working on are ready to rock, as the firm's EasyShare C513 includes one along with a 3x optical zoom, 2.4-inch LCD monitor, digital image stabilization, video capture, and in-camera editing functions. Best of all, this entry-level device is priced at just $99, and while this pioneering unit is slated to hit shelves next month, we've got a sneaking suspicious the flood gates are about to bust wide open with CMOS-stuffed pocket cams.
Kodak's new EasyShare C613 and C763 keep it slim and cheap
Kodak's hitting all the budget-friendly sweet spots today. Alongside those "fancy" Z712 IS and Z885 shooters, these new C613 and C763 (pictured) EasyShare cameras are positively barebones, with $120 and $180 pricetags, respectively. Luckily, Kodak didn't do away with specs entirely: the C613 sports a 6.2 megapixel CCD and 3X zoom, while the C763 bumps it up to 7.1 megapixels. The screens are particularly impressive for the prices, at 2.4-inch and 2.5-inches. ISO, in about the 800 range, naturally isn't as notable as that of the Z series we saw earlier, and there's no optical image stabilization to keep your pics blur-free, but the combination of low price, small size and beefy megapixels should garner this pair a bit of success when they drop in April. Peep the C613 after the break.Read - C613Read - C763
Kodak EasyShare Z885 and Z712 IS
These two new additions to Kodak's EasyShare line are targeted to consumers who seek a user-friendly interface, wallet-friendly prices, and of course, a good photo. The 8.1-megapixel Z885 packs in 5x optical zoom, up to 8000 ISO, 2.5-inch indoor / outdoor display, and 10 automatic smart scene modes for a modest price of $199.95. If you're lookin' to go wannabe-DSLR and have an extra $100 to spare, the 7.1-megapixel Z712 IS will deliver a 2.5-inch display, 10x optical zoom, image stabilization, and 0.26-second click-to-capture speed. These newbies have yet to prove their worth, but we can at least appreciate that they won't stab you in your pockets and they're pretty straightforward -- no fancy-pants extras to get in the way. The Z712 IS will be available in April with the Z885 coming out sometime in May.Read - Kodak EasyShare Z885Read - Kodak EasyShare Z712 IS
Kodak enters the desktop printer market, plans to rumble with HP
With traditional film sales all but dead, and the intense competition in the digicam space, the once formidable Kodak is hoping to find success and newfound revenue in that teensy little $50 billion market known as the print industry. Of course, Kodak has been selling photo printers for a while now, but this new launch is a full-on assault on the king of printing: HP. Kodak's secret is to skip over the whole bait and switch model of most printer sales, where everybody discount their printers heavily, and make it all back on exorbitant ink prices. Kodak will be charging reasonable prices for its three new EasyShare All-in-One printers, the 5100, 5300 and 5500 (pictured) which can print copy and scan for $150-$300, but the ink costs are at $10 for a black cartridge and $15 for a five color cartridge. With ink about half the price of competitors -- Kodak's secret is a print technology that doesn't require the print head to be in the cartridge, just ink -- Kodak is hoping consumers will feel free to print more photos and in turn buy even more ink from the big red K. The technology also supposedly produces prints that can last up to 100 years, and will be making it into stores with these new EasyShares in March. Who knows if this will be enough to give Kodak a fighting chance in the consumer print world, but even if all that results is a speedy and bloody price war, we sure wouldn't be complaining.[Via Cnet]
Kodak announces four EASYSHARE digital picture frames
Ok, it's just another in a long line of digital picture frames. But hey, this time we're talkin' Kodak, so we're expecting the same ease of use we've seen from the rest of their EASYSHARE line-up of cams, printers, and accessories. The four new frames consist of a 10 and 8-inch (diagonal) pair with built-in 802.11b/g WiFi (EX1011 and EX811) and a couple of 8 and 7-inch standard frames (SV811 and SV710). All support the usual memory card formats (CF, SD, MMC, xD and MS) and bring a USB 2.0 host port to pull files direct from any USB digital cam or flash drive without the aid of a computer. Like many frames these days, you get support for not just JPEG images but also MPEG-1, MPEG-4, MOV and AVI video formats and a bit of MP3 audio to accompany slideshow playback. You'll also get built-in stereo speakers, 128MB of internal memory, and interchangeable faceplates including a "whiteboard' faceplate for those longing for the homey feel of the corporate conference room. The top of the line EX1011 WiFi frame features a 10-inch , 800x480 display and should retail for $280 in March. Prices drop off from there until you hit the rock-bottom, 7-inch SV710 sporting a low, low 480x234 resolution for an equally low price of $130. What, isn't your family worth the extra pixels?[Via DPReview]
Kodak shoots out 8 and 10-megapixel EasyShare V803, V1003
The EasyShare lineup swells by two as Kodak tosses a couple more into the fray: on top of the entry-level C653 that slipped out a couple of days ago, the V803 (pictured above) and V1003 are rolling out in 8- and 10-megapixels, respectively. Both feature 3x optical zoom, 1600 ISO, 2.5-inch LCDs, 32MB memory on board, 30fps MPEG-4 video at VGA resolution, and a menu feature for storing your preferred flash, white balance, ISO and resolution settings between your Britney and Brangelina photoshoots. You've got a plethora of corporate "creative" colors to choose from across all three new models, from "silver essence" to "cosmic blue" and "golden dream," which, according to our crackshot palette translators, will bear a striking resemblance to "yellow." If you're a member of the female demographic pastel-conscious club, may we suggest "pink bliss"?
Kodak quietly releases 6.1-megapixel EasyShare C653
Another month, another ho hum offering from Kodak. This time around it's an addition to the already loaded EasyShare lineup, as the 6.1-megapixel C653 joins the fray. Sporting a (somewhat) compact 3.5- x 2.6- x 1.4-inch enclosure, the point-and-shoot boasts a 2.4-inch LCD monitor, mediocre 3x optical zoom, 32MB of built-in memory, SD / MMC expansion slot, three pre-selected scene modes, panorama functionality, up to 1,250 ISO, and automatic red-eye reduction. Additionally, you can capture VGA movies at 10fps or QVGA clips at 20fps, and Kodak's Perfect Touch technology supposedly clears up your photos without a lot of effort on your part. You'll also find USB 2.0 connectivity and the company's EasyShare software bundled in, which supposedly helps the technologically disabled share and email photos without pulling what's left of their hair out. While there's clearly not a whole lot here to be proud of, at least the price is fairly reasonable, and those scouting a very run-of-the-mill shooter can pick up the C653 now for $129.95.[Via PhotographyBlog]
Kodak's EasyShare Z710: 7.1 megapixels and 10x zoom
They're coming fast and furious this morning and now Kodak joins the Photokina party with their newly announced EasyShare Z710. The new model boasts a long, Schneider Kreuznach Variogon 10x optical zoom lens, 7.1 megapixel sensor, and 2-inch LCD. And to keep things as easy as possible, the cam comes packed with Kodak's Color Science image processing chip and a wide range of features and presets allowing you to keep your eye on the action and not the controls. Thing is, without any image stabilization like that found on the P712, you'll find it a challenge to take advantage of the impressive zoom. Still, with a price of only $299, you can afford not to care... much. Watch for the Z710 to drop sometime this month or November 1st according to Amazon.[Via Photography Blog]
Kodak's Easyshare P712 "performance" cam reviewed
Kodak's top-tier P712, announced in June, sure has some good specs for its price range, like a 12x zoom, 0.07 click-to-capture rate (which Kodak claims is the best in its class), RAW image capture and the always welcome optical image stabilization. The folks at Digital Camera Review have been doing what they do, and seem to like like the camera for the most part. The image stabilization does its thing without a hitch, shutter speed is practically instantaneous, and the 2.5-inch LCD and EVF were some of the best the reviewer has seen. There do seem to be a few chromatic aberrations and noise problems with the image quality, though overall it's pretty good, and the autofocus can be sluggish at times, nullifying the gains of that speedy shutter. The P712 also suffers from a shortage of battery life, managing around 150 shots with most of the features engaged, but the 14.2 ounce camera does feel good in the hand. Overall, it's hard to match for the $500 pricetag, and should make a good choice for a beginner photog or a DSLR wannabe.
Kodak's new EasyShares, the V705, C743 and C433
That 8 Megapixel EasyShare C875 got away from them last week, but Kodak has managed to do some right proper releasing for the other three new members of their EasyShare lineup. Sexiest of the group is naturally the V705, a followup to their V570. The V705 shares its predecessor's 5x zoom and ultra-wide-angle lenses, and sports the same 2.5-inch LCD, but bumps the dual CCDs to 7 megapixels. There's also a bit of anti-blur tech, and 30 fps VGA video recording. Kodak doesn't really have a lot to say about their other two new cameras, the C743 and C433 (both pictured after the break), other than the fact that they've got 7.1 and 4 megapixels respectively, and 3x zoom lenses. They're also going to "provide remarkable features at reasonable prices," and should be available in September alongside the V705.[Via Digital Camera Review]
Kodak's new EasyShare C875 leaks into Europe
There's no official release from Kodak for this one, at least that we could spot, but it seems they've got a new consumer shooter for Europe in the 8 megapixel EasyShare C875. The semi-compact unit has a 5x zoom lens, includes 32mb of built-in storage, a 2.5-inch screen and uses SD memory to store that megapixel overkill. At 1.4-inches thick and 3.5 ounces heavy, Kodak seems to have packed this one pretty well, but the £249 pricetag ($467 USD) is a quick reminder that those megapixels don't come cheap.
Kodak's EasyShare V610 10x ultra-zoom reviewed
The EasyShare V610 is Kodak's ultra-zoom followup to their world's first, dual-lens digital cam, the V570. Unfortunately, just like its wide-angle bro, the V610 is getting a mixed reaction from reviewers. DCRP got their hands on the V610 and were certainly pleased by the slim design, MPEG-4 movie recordings, new Perfect Touch feature to brighten and generally improve shots at the touch of a button, decent performance, and Bluetooth 2.0 wireless transfer capabilities. However, the cam had "more than its share of annoyances" with "so-so" picture quality including above-average noise, a "miserable" 135 shot capable battery, and a poorly designed four-way navigation control around back. But this cam's all about that fat, 10x zoom right? Well, those two lenses result in a slow, non-continuous zoom with a 16-millimeter "jump" in focal length when switching between lenses -- this was especially "jarring" when zooming in movie mode. And the lack of image stabilization in this expensive cam makes it "awfully hard" to produce a sharp photo on a camera billed as an ultra-zoom model. Bottom line: forget the V610 and pick up the 10x Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ1 for $100 less. [Via Digital Photography Blog]
Kodak adds P712 to top of EasyShare line
Without as much worry for raw megapixels this time around, Kodak is bringing out their new EasyShare P712 7.1 megapixel camera with 12x zoom and high-speed capturing to tempt the semi-prosumer crowd. With a suggested retail price of $499, the shooter strikes quite the bargain for its price range, with 12x optical zoom, optical image stabilisation, speedy auto-focus and a 0.07 click-to-capture rate. Kodak has also included a 2.5-inch LCD and a hot shoe, along with 30 fps VGA video capture and RAW support. The P712 should be shipping worldwide this July.[Via DP Review; thanks Justin]
Kodak Easyshare V603 reviewed
We're liking the looks of this Easyshare V603 6.1 megapixel shooter from Kodak, but just because Kodak makes it sexy doesn't mean the pictures will turn out -- as their V570 so completely evidenced. Luckily, the V603 seems to have pics as well as looks, and that 2.5-inch LCD doesn't hurt nothing neither. Kodak had to lose the optical viewfinder, but the LCD seems to be plenty usable in bright sunlight, so it shouldn't be missed. The 3x optical zoom is just average, but the built-in flash manages pretty well for its size. With ISO values from 80-800, you should find something that works. Noise is minimal up to ISO 200 and shouldn't be much of a problem at ISO 400 for small prints. The reviewer liked the feel and controls of the camera, and at 0.9-inches thick it shouldn't be too bothersome in a pocket. Image quality was pretty good, and though the camera on auto has a tendency to overexpose images, that's an easy fix in the settings. Operation was also quite speedy, and the interface is pretty easy to get along with. It's not hard to find a 6 megapixel camera for less than the V603's $280 pricetag, but it seems to be a pretty good compact offering from Kodak all the same.
Commercial Kodak scanner digitizes, tags old photos
In much the same way that Coinstar machines have revolutionized the way we deal with accumulated change, Kodak has unveiled a new commercial scanner that promises to batch-digitize stacks of old photos and assign them rudimentary chronological metadata. Introduced on the occasion of the EasyShare line's fifth birthday, the so-called "Scan the World" technology will be incorporated into modified check-scanning machines for initial deployment as stand-alone kiosks or behind the counter at drug stores, which can currently turn your bits into atoms, but not vice versa. According to Kodak, the scanners use software which is able to identify different photographic paper for estimating the decade in which the picture was shot, and can even group pictures featuring like individuals through facial recognition. Future versions of the application will also incorporate OCR capabilities for reading watermarks or handwritten notes on the back of photos, further improving the accuracy of the tagging engine.
Kodak plans EasyShare One follow-up with better hotspot support
If early users of the Kodak EasyShare One camera had one gripe, it was limited WiFi support (well, there were other gripes, but work with us here, ok?). For one thing, without major kludges, it was impossible to upload via WiFi to any site other than Kodak's own EasyShare Gallery. For another, out-of-the-box hotspot support was largely limited to T-Mobile's network -- great if you're a Starbucks fan, but something of a pain if you want to upload on the go without having to constantly reconfigure your settings manually. While we're still hoping Kodak addresses the first problem (would it really kill them to offer flickr support?), the company has at least promised to address the second one with the next version of the camera, due out this summer for $299 (not including the WiFi card). According to Kodak, the new camera (EasyShare Two? EasyShare One Plus?) will have WISPr (Wireless Internet Service Provider recommendation) protocol support for easier hotspot access. We're hoping they'll bump up the megapixel count from 4 to 6, and add 802.11g support as well, but we'll have to wait a bit to find out.[Via Wi-Fi Networking News]
Kodak's EasyShare V610 with 10x optical zoom
Even though we didn't previously know its name, we've been waiting around for Kodak to announce the EasyShare V610, their first Bluetooth-enabled camera ever since we saw it appear in the FCC not too long ago. What we weren't expecting was a device that claims to have 38-380mm focal length 10x optical zoom (which can be engaged while recording video!). This is a feat not accomplished by mere mortal compact digital camera makers, and has previously only gone into cleverly designed cameras like Ricoh's R4 (7.1x zoom) and Panasonic's TZ1 (10x zoom). We're still trying to figure out exactly how a camera with no expanding barrel or crazy folded prism optics system is going to work a 10x optical zoom (and how useful we can make that without a little OIS assistance), but each of the V610's two lenses, much like the V570 before it, feature a 6 megapixel sensor capable of shots up to ISO 800 (with pixel binning, no doubt). It also features, as mentioned, Bluetooth 2.0 for transferring images on the go, as well as to Kodak kiosks and printers (sounds like it will have the OBEX profile), a 2.8-inch display, 28MB of internal flash, SD slot, and comes ready to roll in a 4.4 x 2.2 x 0.9-inch body. It could be available as early as May for as little as $630 US, but we don't have any solid info yet; check out a comparison shot of it and the V570 after the break.
Kodak's Bluetooth camera module
We're not entirely sure of the purpose here, but Kodak filed with the FCC for a Bluetooth camera module that "is to be installed only by the professionals and used only with any product produced by Kodak." Yes, this thing's internal -- normally they'd just file for a camera with the radio, but this isn't the camera, this is the component. See why we're a little confused? So unless Kodak's going to start offering Bluetooth upgrades for their point-and-shoot cameras (which would arguably cost in parts and labor more than the camera itself), it's dubious this is anything more than a proof-of-concept for future, yet unearthed-in-the-FCC cameras, like the one in which the device appears to be implanted (that dual-lenser that sure as hell aint a V570, that much we can tell you).[Via MobileWhack]
