February 15th, 2008Review of Kodak EasyShare ZD710
Kodak has been on a at ease pitch for a very long time as far as the Indian digital imaging market is worried. In recent times while, it’s seen a lot of contestant gaining ground. The Kodak EasyShare ZD710 is a camera aimed at users who desperately want to improve from a simple point-and-shoot philosophy. If you can’t afford an SLR, a super zoom is the next most excellent bet. But does the ZD710 deliver? Let’s see. To the untrained eye, the ZD710 may come into view to be very similar to the Z712 IS, but there’s more to it than meets the eye. The ZD710 offers 10x optical zoom and comes with a 7.1 MP image sensor. The Schneider-Kreuznach lens offers a range of 38–380 mm on a 35mm camera. As for build quality, there’s little range for dissatisfaction.
The ZD710 has a rubberized L-shaped grip, and judging by the fact that it weighs 360g, it makes for convenient one-hand use. Unless you have really tiny hands, all the ready buttons are easily available with your thumb. As expected, the 2-inch screen shares space with the mode dial, zoom keys and a host of usual variety such as the delete, menu and review buttons. On the top, apart from the shutter let go button you will find the power on/off button, flash, macro, and burst shot.
Despite the 10x zoom lens, the camera fails to include any form of optical or mechanical image stabilization. Kodak has instead included digital image stabilization, which simply boosts the ISOs to prevent vague impression reason by shaky hands. The downside is that pictures taken in relatively low light turn out rather grainy. Pictures taken indoors, during mid-afternoon, too looked quite grainy and lacked detail. The ZD710 manages to get the colors right most of the times, and works well if you know your photography fundamentals. What I mean is, if you go away it to the camera to handle the pictures you will never attain high-quality pictures in car mode. As an alternative of allowing the camera to adjust the ISO, for instance, you can physically program the settings and reduce grain and patchiness in your pictures.
The pictures lacked clarity. Most of them taken indoors turned out quite patchy, like a watercolor painting blown up to actual size. This, I think, is due to the digital image stabilization engine that plays with ISO settings to get around shaky pictures, instead of the preferred optical one. If you click on the picture below you will see what I mean. If you similar to to experiment, the Program, Shutter Priority, and opening Priority modes let a little fun. Other innovative modes include Smart Scene (more like an auto mode), high ISO, and view. Night shots are a hit-or-miss affair. If you’re traveling and want to get some scenery shots at nighttime, I offer you avoid the auto mode. Use the night scene mode instead. Better still, if you have a hang of make get in touch with with prize and opening, adjust your levels manually.
If you are just beginning off with a super zoom, scene modes are your best bet. The Kodak ZD710 has 16 scene modes that help you take pictures without having to bother about things like shutter speeds, opening, color balance etc. A number of sight modes are provided: portrait, sports, landscape, candlelight, night representation, night landscape, snow, beach, text, fireworks, flower, manner/museum, self-portrait, children, backlight and sunset.
The ZD710 calculates the contact setting with a metering system that includes multi-pattern, center-weighted and spot modes, and offers 2.0EV of experience compensation in 1/3EV increments. ISO compassion can be set to Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1,600, all at full resolution. A movie mode captures VGA (640×480) or QVGA (320×240) clips at 30 fps, both with audio. Movies are encoded in QuickTime Motion-JPEG format.
Astonishingly, the camera uses USB 2.0 Full Speed interface, which is a lot slower than the existing norm  USB 2.0 High Speed. Theoretically, the name full speed is just a cover up for the erstwhile USB 1.1, which is now practically extinct. While, USB 2.0 High pace is capable of a transfer rate of 480 Mbit/s (60 MB/s), USB 2.0 Full pace is about 40 times slower, same as USB 1.1. This makes transferring pictures from the camera to the computer a long work out. The ZD710 makes use of AA batteries (NiMH or lithium), CRV3 disposable lithium, or an optional KODAK KAA2HR NiMH rechargeable battery pack. It ships with a off the hit lithium battery other than rejection mount is included in the bundle, which sucks! Battery life is barely drivable; it delivers only about 50-60 snaps depending on your flash usage.
This gadget comes with an official price tag of Rs 15,999, but you can get it from other places for Rs 14,999. I sense this is a bit steep for a camera that has so many niggling flaws. Considering its plus points, though, I’m compelled to provide it a 3-star rating at best.
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