Good still images but poor video
Pros:
High resolution, high zoom camera with great still pic capability. Great MP4 video compression
Cons:
Shaky video and slow refresh after 3 pics. Bulky for a "pocket" camera
The Bottom Line:
Great camera with lots of options. Not "great" for HD video and sequential shots of more than 3 photos.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
This Kodak camera is great on the specs but does not perform quite up to expectations.
The specs on this camera are: - 12 Megapixels - 5x Schneider-Kreznach Variogon Optical zoom lens - 2.5 in LCD - High ISO mode ("3200 iso") - Digital Image Stabilization - Kodak Perfer Touch - Panorama stitch mode - Smart Scene Mode - Smart Scene Mode - Partial Manual Control
- MP4 video recording - HD Video Recording
Review:
I purshased this camera as the "perfect" family camera based on the specifications. I have to say that it is very good in some areas such as still pictures with it's highresolution and high quality optics, 5x zoom (which is more than most of the point and shoot competition), smart scene, and 12 MP pictures.
However, it falls short of my expectations with some of it's features. My notable problems with this camera are: - slow image time (fast for the first 3 images but VERY slow after that) - VERY shaky HD video (~unusable?) - Questionable manual/maco capabilities
Overall, this camera is a good family camera that I have used for a year for family pics. I am, however, disapointed with the video quality, especially in the HD mode with the video being too shaky for any real use. I have looked into buying video stabilization software, but this just covers up a noticable defect in this camera's video firmware and adds unecessary expense above and beyond the purchase price.
I do like the Panorama photo stitch which allows you to take multiple pictures and stitch them together into a panoramic scene, and the extended zoom that is 2x beyond most of the Point-and-Shoot competition. This allows a much better view than most cameras, and the 12 MP images allow for even further cropping.
The HD video is simple a "gimick" unless your are using a tripod. i have to say that the digital image stabilization is actually pretty horrible it hand held, and is possibly only of use if you are using a tripod or fixed mount. My personal HD video is so shaky and unusable that I have been shopping for an aftermarket video stabilization program to make up for the inadequacies of this camera. Still, HD video at this price is great but know that you have to use a tripod for this to be of use to you.
Kodak still excels at image correction "on-camera" compared to the competition. I LOVE the automatic "red-eye" correction and the automatic image rotation. In addition, the ability to crop and apply Kodal "Perfect-Touch" on the camera may allow you to produce GREAT photos without having to correct them on a PC first.
Overall, my reccomendation for this camera are a "maybe" recommend if you are focused on images Vs. HD video, and wand those pictures directly off the camera. I still like my Canon for fast pics, but the image rotation and manual "red-eye" correction make me a bit leary on this front. I also LOVE Kodak's MP4 video recording which is VERY good for small file size, but the stabilization algorithm used in this camera is questionable at best.
I also like the relatively small size of this point and shoot camera but it is a bit large for a pants pocket. Not bad for a 5x zoom, but a bit bulky overall still.
