Compare Prices : Kodak EasyShare Z712

Review summary: The Kodak EasyShare Z712 IS ($249) is a low-cost, but full-featured ultra zoom camera. It features a 7.1 effective Megapixel CCD, 12X optical zoom, optical image stabilization, full manual controls, a 2.5" LCD display, and the ease-of-use that Kodak ...

Pros: Very good photo quality in most situations ; 12X optical zoom lens & ; optical image stabilization ; Considerably cheaper than the competition, without skimping on features ; Well built (for a plastic camera), easy to hold ; Large 2.5" LCD display ...

Cons: Images on the soft side, with detail loss from heavy noise reduction ; some vignetting ; Low resolution LCD ; Could really use manual white balance control (as illustrated by the test photos) ; Manual focus difficult to use (lousy focus distance guide ...

Verdict: The Z712 can use several types of battery. It comes with a lithium CR-V3 battery, which will soon find its way into your trash can. After that, you can use two AA batteries (NiMH, lithium, or alkaline), another lithium CR-V3, or Kodak's KLIC-8000 ...

Review summary: Overall, as one of the smallest cameras with a 12X optical zoom, the Kodak Easyshare Z712 IS does not perform so badly. Image quality is decent for small prints or web-use and the camera shows good handling. On the other hand, most cameras in its ...

Pros: Good corner-to-corner lens sharpness, Good exposure accuracy, Generally fast, Powerful flash, Relatively compact

Cons: High image noise starting at ISO 400, Noticeable vignetting, Overly saturated colors, Visible LCD artifacts, Poor battery life

Review summary: Kodak's 7.1-megapixel EasyShare Z712 IS excels by combining an optically stabilized 12X zoom with a set of manual and automatic controls that are easy to operate. Snapshot photographers who want greater creative control will benefit from this compact ...

Pros: Nice features for the price. Long zoom range with optical image stabilization. Manual and priority exposure modes. A large number of easily accessible controls. Compatible with Kodak EasyShare docks and software

Cons: No custom white balance or slow-sync flash mode. Soft images. Image-processing delays after several consecutive shots

Verdict: This EasyShare model puts a big zoom and manual exposure controls into the hands of creative snapshooters, but it doesn't have the chops to satisfy serious photographers.

Review summary: A reasonable price, easy-to-use controls, and 12X zoom lens make this EasyShare worth a look.