In the end I made an impulse buy when woot.com was offering a new...yes not refurbished...Kodak v803 8 mega pixel digital camera for $99. I really couldn't pass that up. Normally this camera costs somewhere in the $140-$199 range depending on where you purchase.I know a lot of people don't like Kodak's, but I've never had a problem with them. The picture quality might be a little amateurish, but I'm not planning to use it for super awesome photography. I just wanted a cheap camera that's going to get the job done, and 8mp is definitely more than I was planning to buy anyway.
First let's discuss the massive list of features for this camera. It really does have a lot to offer, and I was quite surprised. At first I didn't think the camera was going to be that great because it seems like it was designed to appeal to the customers who care more about the look of the camera versus it's features. I say that because this camera comes in a variety of colors, so you can choose the color you like best. Mine is the silver (which I love) but the camera also comes in mystic purple, cosmic blue, golden dream, midnight black, pink bliss, and white glaze.
Features:
- 8.0 mega pixel resolution (3273 × 2457)
- 1/1.8” CCD (8.32 MP, 3350 × 2483)
- 3X optical zoom, 4X digital zoom
- Kodak Retinar 3X Optical Aspheric Glass Lens (35mm equivalent: 36–108mm)
- 4X digital zoom
- 2.5” diagonal LCD display
- Switch to 32MB in-camera memory quickly with the internal memory plus feature
- Kodak Perfect Touch technology
- Digital image stabilization using anti-blur mode
- TTL auto focus
- Normal/macro/infinity auto focus modes
- AF assist light
- AE lock
- ISO sensitivity up to 1600
- Multiple metering modes
- Five white balance modes
- 22 scene modes
- Five color modes
- Three sharpness modes
- Multiple still/video review modes
- In-camera still/video editing
- 14 custom settings
- Burst mode
- Four flash modes
- Red-eye reduction
- Histogram display
- Multiple self-timers
- QuickTime MPEG-4 movie mode with audio
- On-camera favorites button
- ImageLink, PictBridge compatible
- SD/MMC memory card slot
- NTSC/PAL A/V output
- USB 2.0 port
- Measures approximately 4-1/8”W x 2-1/8”H x 1”D
Someone like me really can't go wrong with all of that! I've spent all evening snapping photos, and I really do love this camera. It's really easy to use, and the auto function has worked for just about all my shots. I haven't taken the time to play around with a lot of the functions, but the menus are super easy to navigate.
I'm not so sure I'm going to continue to be happy with the battery life. I fully charged the camera before using it, and I pulled it out to play with it around 7pm. I've been using it off and on for almost 6 hours, and I still have half my battery life. I'm also taking all of my photos in 8mp mode, and I'm using high power LCD display mode instead of energy saver. That's perfectly fine for normal everyday use, but when we road trip I want to be able to take a lot of photos without worrying about my battery dieing, so I'll probably have to pick up an extra one.
One other thing I like about the battery is that it is charged in the camera. There's no having to take the battery out to charge it separately. You just plug the camera into the wall outlet, and wait for the 3 lights on the top buttons to go solid.
I've also read a few reviews where people are complaining about the size of the LCD display. Most of the complaints state that it's too small of a display, and they have to squint to see the photo. I don't know what these people are talking about! This baby has a 2.5" diagonal display that shows the photos really nicely, and the camera is still small enough to slide in my purse or jacket pocket.
Overall I'm extremely happy I bought this camera.
Informal Critique Rating:
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