Kodak EasyShare Z1285: Review

Posted to Digital Cameras 2010-05-24

Kodak EasyShare Z1285 review:

The Kodak EasyShare Z1285 digital camera is one of Kodak's brilliant products, by which you can capture the world of photography without the price tags that professionals use. This model is not only easy to handle, but also well-featured. The resulting pictures look spectacular, even in the most random locations. And even more impressive is the HD video shooting, which some users claim is even better than macro shooting. If you are looking for something compact and simple, then consider this Kodak EasyShare.

This camera measures 3.5 x 2.5 x 1.2 inches and weighs a feathery 5.7 ounces. This is an easy to handle, compact digital camera. The Schneider lens pokes out slightly from the front, and a small silver bar signifies the elegant hand grip. This is one of the most ergonomic consumer digital cameras available. For the price, it is an impressive piece of equipment, especially for the vacationing family or casual outdoorsman. It disappoints in some areas, surprises in others, but overall, it is good.

Rating:

4.0 out of 5

Features

This camera surprises many consumers with its many different features. It has an optical zoom of 5X with 12.1 megapixel resolution. It also features a CCD-type sensor with focal length of 35-175mm, and the aperture is f/2.8-5.1. In addition, the Kodak Z1285 has an HD (1280x720) movie mode. The LCD display screen size is 2.5 inches, which is just the right size for most consumers. The camera has a minimum-focus distance of 20cm with screen resolution of 115,000 dots. There is a built-in flash, and the ISO ranges from 100-3200. And as with many modern cameras, there is integrated image stabilization. For the most part, the features are impressive, when compared to similarly-priced digital cameras.

Performance

Regarding performance, you will be surprised with this camera's quick snapshots and pixel and color quality. In an example photo, color charts show the blue over-saturated with good tone results, and skin color looks very balanced. Even during attempts to get macros, there is fairly good quality with EasyShare Z1285. One unique feature that performs beyond our expectations is the built-in panoramic stitching, which does what most photographers have needed computers to do before. Overall, camera performance seems very good for the price, though there is room for improvement.

Summary

Although the Kodak Easy Share Z1285 digital camera seems to offer a better balance of features and performance for the price, there are still competing models that simply beat this camera. Sadly, this Kodak gets very mixed reviews, and for the majority, this is only another average digital camera. Needless to say, a typical family on vacation will certainly get the most enjoyment out of this camera, so if you're not picky, it can be a very delightful digital camera to consider.

Pros

Value- consumer-friendly in regards to price tag
Full-featured- 12.1-megapixel stills plus 720p HD video
Unique- includes plenty of features, built-in panoramic stitching
Average- mixed reviews from mixed experiences

Cons

Performance-good performance, but could be better