Kodak EasyShare Z700 Digital Camera First Thoughts

[Howard Creech]

From art to action, the Kodak Easyshare Z700 can do it all

We've got another great review coming for you soon of the Kodak Easyshare Z700, so we thought we'd give you a little preview.  Check back for the full review, for now, here's a taste.

The Kodak EasyShare Z700 is a compact, but kind of chunky looking 4 megapixel digicam.  The squinty little optical viewfinder is bright and color accurate and there's a diopter correction for eyeglasses wearers. The Z700's 1.6" LCD screen is a low-resolution (72,000 pixels) unit so images are grainy even under optimum conditions. In bright light, the LCD is virtually useless.

The 5X 35-175mm (35mm equivalent) zoom provides about forty per cent more reach than the Z700's competition and does a fairly nice job overall, but it does show moderate barrel distortion and some minor chromatic aberration.  The little silver Z700 is remarkably user friendly with logically placed controls. 

Exposure options include Auto, Scene (13 Scene modes), Sport, Landscape, Close-up, and PAS (Programmed Auto, Aperture Priority, and Shutter Priority) .The Z700 has a slight tendency toward overexposure outdoors in auto mode, but colors are accurate with the most neutral color balance of any P&S digicam I've ever used. 

The Z700's Auto White Balance mode is consistently accurate -- even under fluorescent lighting.  Other WB options (daylight, tungsten, and fluorescent) are limited, but probably adequate for most users.  Shutter lag (from scratch) is about average, but image capture with pre-focus image is almost real time.  Auto Focus is quick and dependably accurate in good light.   Image quality is very good, but ISO 400 images suffer from above average pattern noise.

Sample Shots

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[Brian]

Nice first take. It really sounds like it might be a great option in the sub-$300 price range. Sure it's not the smallest or lightest at that price, but the quality per dollar looks pretty good based on this initial take.

[xhades_enigma]

This machine is just amazing... watch the photos :