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Video camcorders have evolved from that to miniature versions that took minitapes, then to cameras that are about the size of your hand and need MiniDV tapes. Now, there are no more motor’s in the camera and all videos are now stored onto digital memory, and are about the size of your palm.

Panasonic took this one step further and produced and SD9 and the SW20. Both cameras takes SD cards, have no moving internal parts, and has more battery life then our VHS ancestors.

Panasonic decided to grace us with two of their new camera out on the market now: The HDC-SD9 and the SDR-SW20. They say SD9 can shoot full HD video and the SW20 can be used anywhere.

Let’s put them to the test.

Quick Specs:

SD9

• Takes SD/SDHC cards
• Records in Full HD 1920X1080p @ 24fps
• Advanced O.I.S (image stabilization)
• Face Detection
• Pre-Record Function
• MSRP: $899.99

SW20

• Takes SD/SDHC cards
• Waterproof up to 1.5m
• Shockproof up to 1.2m
• Dustproof
• 0.6s startup time
• MSRP: $449.99

Aesthetics

Both cameras are very clean looking and easy to hold in your hand. The SD9 had more buttons then the SW20, but that’s to be expected of a HD camera versus an underwater camera.

The SD9 was shaped like a regular camcorder, so there’s no variation in stability and holding it a certain way. Buttons are a tad bit small, but all are labeled clearly and are easy to understand.

On the flipside, the SW20 had the strap on the bottom, so it was a little awkward to hold if the strap is tightened. I found that it’s optimized for the palm to be on top of the camera, and the fingers to grip the bottom. The strap can also be configured to be locked around the arm, and the the camera held like a flashlight. Since the camcorder also has a rubberized finish, there were times when it slipped out of my hand (on dry land).

Overall, the SD9 takes the lead in the handling factor. It was easier to hold and you got more control.

The camera’s don’t have viewfinders, as with most consumer/prosumer don’t use them, they stick with live viewing on the LCD screen.

Usability

Overview / General Usage

The SD9 and the SW20 were very simple to use out-of-the-box. All that was needed to be done was to charge the battery, and away you go.

The SD9 had more submenus and features compared to the SW20. This is acceptable since this camcorder took full HD videos. Menu navigation wasn’t hard, but the navigation joystick was hard to work at times.

Meanwhile, the SW20 had a very clean style with the buttons that are flush. The directional pad was much larger and much easier to press then the SD9. Menu navigation was pretty much on par with the SD9.

The two cameras were pretty simple to operate, and one can operate it with little to no instructions. I’ve actually never personally owned a camcorder, and I found both were very easy to pick up and go.

Battery

The two cameras took two different batteries. The SD9 used a square 7.2V 1320mAh pack and the SW20 had a rectangular 3.6V 1000mAh rocking. The SD9’s power pack is charged in a separate charging cradle while another cable powered the camera. Conversely, the SW20’s battery was charged in the camera and the extra power cable power the camera while charging the battery. Full charge on both cameras took about 3 hours to charge.

Flash

For dark conditions, the SD9 had a very, very, VERY bright flash built into the front of the camera that could light a pitch black room. Unfortunately the flash is just a flash, so in video mode, the camera could not use it as a light. The SW20 does not have a flash nor light.

Software / Picture Files

The SD9 records in Sony’s M2TS format. The camera does support mass storage mode, but one cannot easily view it immediately on their computer. The camera comes with HDWriter software which helps you transfer it to your PC and other storage mediums (directory structure is a little cryptic) or directly burn to DVD. A 15 trial version of Pinnacle Studio 11HD is included with the camera, but you have to pay to unlock the version.

The SW20, on the other hand, records directly to MOD files which can be easily played on Windows Media Player, and doesn’t need any special software. A small video editing software called MotionSD STUDIO is included with this cam.

After spending $900 on a camera, I personally would have like to get some software that’s bundled with it.

Video Quality

The SD9 recorded in Full HD quality, and the videos were crystal clear. There were four modes of quality, from extended recording time, to low, medium and high quality.

The SW20 had three record modes of High (XP), Medium (SP) and Low (LP). There is slightly more grain as you go down in quality, but there isn’t a noticeable loss in sound.

Record times were unfortunately very low. I had a 4GB SDHC in both cameras, but I could only get 30 minutes of record time out of the SD9, and about 50 minutes out of the SW20. In order for higher video recording, you would need to spend a lot of money for the addition SDHC card. I would recommend either a 12GB or 16GB for both.

Stress Test / Sample Video

Instead of the traditional way of recording sample video, I decided to use the SD9 to record the SW20 while it was getting beat up.

Since the SW20 claimed it can withstand dust, drops and water, I decided to put their money were their mouths were. Without further ado:

Test #1 - Sand

SW20’s Point of View:

Test #2 - Shock

Test #3 - Water

SW20’s Point of View:

QED.

Conclusion

The Panasonic SD9 and the SW20 both had very bold claims, and I’m happy to say that they lived up to them.

The SD9 recorded images and sounds that were crystal clear, the camera was easy to operate and fun to use. Although the high pricetag might detract some consumers away from it, it’s definitely a very good choice and worth considering when in the market for a handheld. HD is new era, and when more and more TVs and computers that can accept HD input directly, this area of media will take of like a rocket.

The SW20 is spectacular. Picture quality is great, the camera is rugged and it can even survive a washing machine. I would definitely recommend this camera to anyone that’s looking for a good quality camera for a fair price - a family of 4 kids, to vacationers in the Caribbean, and even field surveyors.

Pros
HDC-SD9
+ Amazing picture quality
+ Light, easy to handle
+ Supports HD compliant hardware immediately

SDR-SW20
+ Durable
+ Great price
+ It went through a washing machine!!

Cons
HDC-SD9
- High price
- Cryptic file system
- Requires large SDHC cards for decent amount of video

SDR-SW20
- Unconventional handling method
- Camera can slip out of hand
- Dual recording buttons can hinder performance

This camera is compatible with most platforms including Windows and Mac systems. The P80 also supports pictbridge technology which allows you to dock the camera right on your pictbridge dock and pull the images off the camera that way.

The Coolpix P80 supports SD cards, and outputs in .JPG format. It sports a 2.7 inch LCD screen for reviewing images and features 18X wide optical zoom for capturing that perfect picture from afar.

Overall I was rather impressed with this camera, and am thrilled to have been able to try it out for myself. Hit the jump for full resolution sample images taken with the Nikon Coolpix P80.

Hit the jump for the run down.

The Fuji Finepix S1000 was a very simple camera to figure out, and use. It takes gorgeous pictures, and is very simple to connect to your home PC. Just plug the USB cable into the camera, and your PC and before you know it, you’re able to access all the beautiful pictures you took at the bar last night!

The Photo Quality

That’s right all you MySpacers. This camera takes great pictures on a downward angle for all of your sad looking photos!

This camera is 10 Megapixels and is relatively cheap considering what you get.

What I Liked:

• Ease of use similar to that of a point-and-shoot camera.
• Takes high quality photos.
• Shoulder / neck strap included with camera.

What I Didn’t Like:

• Takes FOUR Double A Batteries!
• Flash is somewhat flimsy.
• Internal memory can only hold 4 full resolution images.

Overall, if you are looking for a simple and easy to use camera the Fuji Finepix S1000 is a great starter camera for the photography enthusiast!

Fast forward six years, and in my hand I have an 8.0MP and an 10.1MP cameras. Fuji has come a long way (along with everyone) in developing and marketing these still-life creators effectively. Fuji’s cameras have been made famous for their SuperCCD technology - basically taking pictures in low light conditions and have them made usable.

The Z100fd and the Z20fd are the newest entries to reach the masses. They both have the same old feel and functions as their predecessors, but they’re heavily beefed up.

Quick Specs
Full Specs: Z100fd, Z20fd

Z100fd:
Note: The Z100fd is available exclusively to BestBuy and FutureShop

• 8MP, 5X Zoom, 2.7″ LCD
• Face detection with Auto Red-Eye Removal
• Dual Image Stabilization
• ISO up to 1600
• Blog Resizing Mode
• Accepts xD & SD/SDHC flash memory
• 2 Year Warranty
• MSRP: $279.99

Z20fd:

• 10MP, 3X Zoom, 2.5″ LCD
• Face detection with Auto Red-Eye Removal with “stamps”
• Movie Editor
• Blog Resizing Mode
• Accepts xD & SD/SDHC flash memory
• 2 Year Warranty
• MSRP: $199.99

Aesthetics

Both cameras were very easy to hold and to use. Both cameras have cleans lines, and felt extremely sturdy in your hand. Selection/mode buttons were intuitive on the Z100, but on the Z20, you had to go into 2 submenus before selecting another mode.

Since most users of point-and shoots don’t use the viewfinder, Fuji decided to remove it for a cleaner look.

Z100df	Z20df

Usability

Overview / General Usage

The two cameras were very simple to operate. Many of the features of your standard point-and-shoot features are in here, along with a few new ones including auction mode and text.

The Z100 was very easy to navigate, and very intuitive. Menus appeared instantly, and simply rolling the selection wheel cycled through the different options. This camera has a unique slide feature: to turn on the camera, you have to slide the lens cover to the right diagonally to expose the flash and lens. Although this is a neat feature, it seems more like a gimmick then something functional. There were times when I almost broke the mechanism when I accidentally wanted to open it horizontally like the Z20.

The Z20 was also very easy to navigate, but as opposed to the Z100, you had to go through another submenu when you wanted to change to the different modes. This extra step annoyed this reviewer, as it wasn’t as clean as the Z100 or other models that just had a radial mode selection button.

Both cameras had a very smooth metal finish to it that gave it enough grip so the user can hold on to it properly; this being said, the camera could have had some rubberized grips or the like (albeit detracting from the overall lines). I highly recommend owners loop the handstrap around their wrists every time he camera is in use as to prevent it from being destroyed by asphalt

Battery

Powering these two cameras are 3.7, 740mAh batteries. Throughout the camera’s review of three weeks, neither camera’s battery power dropped a notch. Full charge on the battery takes ~2.5 hours.

Flash

Both of the cameras have excellent flashes. The flash has all the standard modes: automatic, manual, red-eye reduction. It lit up pitch dark rooms with ease, and focuses subjects in poor lighting conditions.

The Z20’s flash seemed to has more brightness then the Z100, as the Z20 lit up dark rooms better then the Z100.

Picture Quality

The quality of the pictures were pretty impressive. Both cameras did very well in outdoor, indoor and night conditions.

Overall, I found the Z100 to be better than the Z20 in this category. The Z100 has better quality in terms of grain, colours and focus. When zoomed in, the Z20 has more grain to it compared to the Z100. Colours pop out more on the Z100, and when focusing on objects, the Z100 is clearer. That being said though, the Z100 also took a second more to focus out and focus in, in order to get the best focal length.

Macro test shots were a bit grainy with both handhelds, but this also made the win for the Z100. The pictures were more focused and clearer.

Sample Images

Canon A540	Fujifilm Z100df	Fujifilm Z20df
Macro - A
Zoom Test (i)
Zoom Test (ii)
Macro - B
Macro - C
Macro - D
Macro - E
Low Light A (No Flash)
Low Light B (with Flash)
Low Light C (No Flash)
Low Light D (with Flash)
Black and White
Shake Reduction - A
Shake Reduction - B
Auction Mode
Z20 Stamps - A
Z20 Stamps - B
Z20 Stamps - C

Conclusion

Fuji did an impressive job delivering the successors to their already impressive line of digicams. Both cameras are worth their money, and they deliver impressive picture quality. If you’re looking at these cameras as your next purchase, keep in mind that the Z100 is more professional in terms of functions and features, while the Z20 is more geared for the average consumer that wants the better shake reduction, the stamp features and the movie editor.

I recommend the Z100 over the Z20 if you’re in the market; the pictures are clearer, it focuses better, and many of the features on the Z100 are more functional.

Pros

Z100fd:
+ Great picture quality
+ Very functional features and add-ons
+ Trackwheel/4-way button navigation extremely easy to traverse menu systems

Z20fd:
+ Great price for a 10MP
+ Fantastic shake reduction
+ Fun stamp and movie editor features

Cons

Z100fd:
- Shake reduction is mediocre
- Diagonal lens cover seems gimmicky
- Big LCD can attract lots of fingerprints and dust

Z20fd:
- Pictures are usually noisy (grain)
- Submenu system makes it hard to quickly switch modes
- Two 4-way button navigation pads can confuse

What’s more, its camera features a Carl Zeiss lens, automatic focus, and detailed user-configurable settings.

On the right side, under your right pointing finger you will find a large release button; right next to it is an instant-access key to the Gallery; there is also a dual zoom key located under your left finger.

To sum up, taking pictures with the phone is as natural as with your common digital camera.

On the front there is another camera for video calls, which can also be used for taking pictures. It creates images of up to 640 × 480 pixels and might be quite useful for portraits to go into the phonebook.

It takes a few seconds to get the camera application running. From loading the application to firing off your first shot can take up to 10 seconds, which is kind of long considering the use of cell camera phones for taking instant shots. To take a shot, first half-press the release button until the focusing frame becomes green, and then press the release button fully; just like you would do with a standard digital camera. 4 different shutter sounds are available and each can be silenced completely should the phone be set to silent mode.

The camera application is very user-friendly and easy to manage. Function icons are displayed on the right and switched between by using the vertical ways of the navigation key. The horizontal ways duplicate the zoom function, also available on the phone side. When a function is selected, an additional menu pops out. The upper context key closes functions, while the bottom one opens the option menu.

Among other options here, you will find camera resolution settings, automatic insertion of images into albums, shutter sound setup, or default storage. Once you have set up all above mentioned features they remain saved, even if the camera application has been restarted. However, the same does not hold true for the functions displayed in the right menu column, which load their default settings each time the camera is activated - which can be a right pain in the “you-know-what”!!.

Nokia N95 can be also used as a video camera. You can record videos of average quality in 3GP format, suitable to go into MMS as well as high-quality videos in resolution of 640 × 480 pixels; the latter speed up to 30 shots in a second. High-quality videos are recorded in MP4 format, but they use a crazy amount of MB - half a minute of such a video “eats up” approximately 10 MB. Videos maximum length only depends on the available free memory.

Video function menu is somewhat poorer than the camera one. Here you will find shooting mode settings, white balance, and a number of colour nuances. You can zoom in digitally while recording, but zooming is not fluent, and most of all, it worsens the overall image quality. The microphone can be silenced if you wish. Another unusual function in the menu is the so called image stabilizer, but its influence is almost invisible.

Videos look brilliant both on the phone display and on a TV screen. On a PC screen, however, they come out much too colourful, with a far too high contrast. Nevertheless, for the moment this is the best you can get from a photo mobile on the market.So the big question is do you throw away the digital camera and converge?? Nokia N95’s glamorous presence along with the latest bunch of cameraphones marks the beginning of interesting times for small digital compact cameras. The trend of replacing the compact camera with photo mobiles has been long spoken about and it will surely remain one of the hottest topics for some time.

Yet, putting this trend in practice is going to take long time. For example, many users already perceive Sony Ericsson W810i as a full-functioning substitute for a common camera; its drawback is its resolution: 2 megapixels only. It does not mean that two megapixels are not enough for the production of a good-quality image; it is when mobile phones are confronted with standard cameras that the cameras score higher as their minimum resolution is 5 megapixels. Now that the Nokia’s N95 has the 5 megapixels the standard digital camera will be the next thing to disappear in the multi-media market place.

After fifty years of experience in the field of consumer electronics, they tried to do two things: bring the ease of use of a point-and-shoot, with the function of a high end professional photographer’s digital SLR.

Did they do the trick? Let’s find out.

Quick Specs

Full specs can be found here.

• 10.1 MegaPixels
• Full-Time Live View
• 2.5” Free-Angle LCD
• Face Detection AF/AE
• Advanced scene and film modes
• SDHC memory compatible (up to 32GB)
• MSRP: $1399.99

Aesthetics

The L10 was a very robust camera. It had good weight to it, and it felt good in the hands, and it felt about the same weight as a Nikon D40. The camera was easy to grasp, and the functions were nice and close.

The camera has a half-rubberized, half hard-plastic finish to, which helps slip resistance from sweat and moisture. Function buttons are very nice and close, and everything is accessible easily with one hand, while the other stabilizes. All dials, settings and knobs are labeled clearly, and navigating around them isn’t like a minefield (like most DSLRs). The lens itself is grooved very deep, so manually focusing and holding the camera there isn’t a problem much at all.

The flash is neatly hidden in the frame of the camera, and will only show itself when needed. Even with the flash up, it doesn’t intrude on the viewfinder and sits flush against the body of the camera.

Usability

Overview / General Usage

Once the battery is charged, a memory card is inserted and the lens is attached, all one has to do is point the camera at the subject and hit the shutter button. It was just that simple. With the facial recognition and the 9-point auto focus mode, pictures came out extremely clear, with the intended subjects in focus.

Burst mode on this camera is fantastically fast. I used a 4GB SDHC card in the camera, and on burst mode, it captures about 3-4 frames every second consistently. The frames were so tight that if you stitched them together, you can make a stop-motion animation with it.

One neat feature that sets this camera apart from others is that there’s a live-view setting for the full positionable LCD screen. This turns the camera truly into a point and shoot.

The LCD screen on the back of the camera not only show important information like AF and exposure settings, but can actually swing out for self portraits, or for shooting images in odd, angles.

Battery

Powering this bad-boy is a beefy 7.2V, 1320mAh battery.

Panasonic made a good call with this battery since most of the energy will probably be used in the flash (see below), and all the on-camera photo-editing that you can do. Full charge from 0%-100% took about 2 hours.

Flash

Flash on the L10 was pretty standard, although one of the newer features it adds is the the flash auto-adjust. When you depress the shutter button half way down, the camera will flash three times in quick succession for red-eye reduction, and to properly adjust itself for the focus. The camera pictures were pretty decent in low light conditions and in the dark, but I find that this will eat up the battery quickly. After using the camera for a few weeks, the flash alone caused the battery meter to drop one notch. You can disable the triple-flash, but on auto the camera defaults to it.

Picture Quality

Picture quality was good for a 10.1MP camera, but when blown up, you can see the same grain as you would on a regular point-and-shoot. Comparing to the 6.1MP Nikon D40, there is a very noticeable difference in quality and grain. Even being 4MPs smaller, the D40 out-performs the L10 is this area alone. This can be the deciding factor in either shelling out $1400 for this or for more then half the cost of the D40 at $600.
The LEICA D VARIO-ELMAR lens that comes with the camera focused very easily on the subjects.

Sample Images
(As usual, my test camera will be my Canon A540 Powershot. )

Conclusion

Panasonic by all means knows what their doing in the consumer electronics market. That being said, this camera isn’t one of their strong points. It seems like they slapped a point-and-shoot with a shell of a DSLR and called it a camera. It had poor lighting auto-adjustments and sometimes I had problems getting the camera into the correct focus. Some pictures on my Canon seemed to come out cleaner and easier then the Panasonic.

Although there are some nice features on the handheld, I cannot justifying $1400 being spent on the quality of the pictures it produces. Megapixels don’t mean anything to this reviewer, and it’s all about the image quality. Next time you’re in the market for a new digital SLR camera, spend half the price and get yourself a Nikon D40.

Pros

+ Very easy, friendly to use camera
+ Live-view is WYSIWYG
+ Panasonic isn’t a new company (that’s a good thing, right?)

Cons

- Quality of pictures comparable to an average point-and-shoot
- Overpriced for what it can deliver
- Panasonic isn’t a new company (that’s a bad thing, right?)

Kodak is capitalizing on the market where users who are wanting more and more clarity in their still media. The Z1285 is one of the first 12.1 MP cameras which have the ability to take HD quality pictures and movies. Unlike most camera’s out there, Kodak has integrated their Easy-Share software into their handheld, with the addition of easy to navigate, and easy to understand menu systems. If you used a Kodak before, the transition to this handheld will simple and painless. For new users, the integration to the system will be just as easy (as for myself).

Quick Specs
For the technical crowd, the full specs can be found here.

• Sensor type: 1 / 1.72 in. CCD
• CCD total pixels: 12.4 MP (4088 × 3040)
• Effective pixels: 12.1 MP (4011 × 3011 including ring pixels)
• Lens: 35–175 mm (35 mm equiv.), f/2.8–f/5.1SCHNEIDER-KREUZNACH VARIOGON Lens
• Zoom: 5X optical, 5X continuous advanced digital
• Image stabilizer: digital
• Shutter speed: 1/2–1/2000 sec. in smart scene mode and 8–1/1000 in manual mode
• LCD: 2.5 in. (6.4 cm) high resolution (115k pixels) indoor/outdoor color display
• Storage: 64 MB internal memory* available, SDHC/SD card expansion slot
• AF Type: TTL imager AF system
• Focus range: normal (wide): 2.0 ft (0.6 m)–infinity, (tele): 3.0 ft (0.9 m)–infinity macro (wide): 7.9 in.–0.3 ft (0.2–0.7 m), (tele): 1.6–3.3 ft (0.5–1.0 m) landscape (wide, tele): 32.8 ft (10 m)–infinity
• Auto focus zones: continuous AF, single AF, TTL multi-zone AF (5 zones), (4) center zone AF
• ISO: auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200
• Drive modes: single shot, first burst (1.7 fps, 3 frames), last burst (1.7 fps, last 3 frames), self timer (10 sec.), delay shutter, 2 sec. two-shots self-timer
• Shooting modes: smart scene, SCN, P (program), M (manual), video capture, high ISO, digital image stabilization
• Scene modes: portrait, sports, landscape, close-up, night portrait, night landscape, snow, beach, text/document, fireworks, flower, manner/museum, self-portrait, children, backlight, panning, candlelight, sunset, panorama stitch
• Click to capture: < 0.3 sec.
• Shot to shot: < 1.6 sec.
• Video Capture Format: QUICKTIME video format MPEG4
• Quality: HD (1280 × 720) at 30 fps***, VGA (640 × 480) at 30 fps, QVGA (320 × 240) at 30 fps
• Length: continuous up to 80 min. or 2 GB based on memory capacity
• Power: optional KODAK EASYSHARE Docks with KODAK Ni-MH Rechargeable Battery Pack; 2AA batteries (Ni-MH, Lithium, or Oxy-Alkaline)
• Dimensions: W × H × D: 3.5 × 2.5 × 1.2 in. (89.5 × 64.5 × 31.6 mm)
• Weight: 5.7 oz (161 g)

Aesthetics

Overall, the unit is small and sleek carbon gray. It was easy to hold in your hand, and felt solid. The radial selection button was easy to grasp and turn, and selection buttons were responsive and easy to press. When off, the lines of the camera shine, and nothing is protrusive.

Usability

Overview / General Usage
The camera was very simple to use. Image quality was very good, and the controls were intuitive simplistic. The menu system was very clean and easy to navigate. The usual features of many Kodaks were there including custom colour tones, EasyShare, and the image editor.

One thing that detracted me a lot was the poor LCD quality. Being a photography enthusiast, I always check my reviews to make sure the picture was in focus. The LCD screen of the camera is poor - the screen was very granulated and “specky”. This means that it was very hard for me to determine if the shot I took was satisfactory and clear (see last image in Aesthetics) .

Holding the camera in my hand felt comfortable and unbulky, although at times I wished that camera wasn’t so sleek - there were at least three instances where the camera almost hit the pavement because it would slip out of my hand.

Battery
Battery life was extremely good. From taking high quality pictures to long darklight exposures, battery life never dropped a bit in the two week trial. It seems like digicams conserve more and more battery life as newer and better revisions come along.

Flash
The Z1285 sports an excellent flash. The flash has all the standard modes: automatic, manual, red-eye reduction. It lit up pitch dark rooms with ease, and focuses subjects in poor lighting conditions.

Picture Quality

With a 12.1 MP CCD, pictures come out crystal clear. It’s one of the few cameras that I can say come close to a DSLR when it comes to ease of use vs. sheer image quality.

This is one the few cameras on the market that boasts that it can do HD video, and HD video it does. Although it cannot compare to dedicated digital camcorders, the picture quality is pretty damn good. I shot a few videos on the Z1285 to compare the quality of a regular movie to a HD movie. Both indoor and outdoor quality was very decent on a digital camera (right click, save as):
(Note: To view these video files properly, you must have a HD compliant TV or monitor)

Outdoor HD Quality | Outdoor Regular Quality | Indoor HD 1 | Indoor HD 2
(Caution: These video files are very large)

For a comparison, I took a video with my Canon A540 and compared it to the Z1285. These videos can be downloaded here (right click, save as):

Kodak Outdoor HD Video | Canon Outdoor Video
(Caution: These video files are very large)

One thing to note is that even though it’s HD quality, there’s still graininess in the picture (a la 35mm). Now, one can’t have it’s cake and eat it too, but there were times when I felt like I was watching a 1970’s drama. That being said, it does slightly detract away from the picture, but having the ability to film in HD, on a digicam, is nothing to shy away from.

Sample Images

To better differentiate the quality of the pictures, there’s two pictures of the same subject for comparison. On the left is the Kodak Z1285 on 12.1MP mode, and on the right is my trusty Canon PowerShot A540 on 6.1MP mode.

Outdoors

Kodak Z1285	Canon A540
test
test
test
test

Indoor Greens

Kodak Z1285	Canon A540
	test
	test
	test

Indoor Flowers

Kodak Z1285	Canon A540
test
test
test
test

Indoor Night
(Note: Other then the high ISO pic for the Canon, the pictures were extremely underdeveloped)

Kodak Z1285	Canon A540
test
test
test

Conclusion

The Kodak Z1285 is one of the most friendliest and one of the easiest that I’ve ever used. I haven’t owned a Kodak camera before, but this one sure sets the mood for their line of products.

The camera takes pictures very easily, has a large CCD sensor, and can be easily adapted to any shooting mode. Clarity is definitely one of the best on the market, although the sub-par LCD viewing screen can detract from the real picture quality and mood of the picture.

For an MSRP of $200, it sure pulls it’s weight in value. I recommend this camera to anyone that is venturing in the market for a new digicam, and since it does have the HD compatibility, you’ll be set for the new digital era in photographic media

Pros

+ Easy, friendly to use
+ Small, compact little package
+ HD Video

Cons

- LCD preview/review screen is pixelated
- HD quality very grainy
- Smooth finish can make camera slip out of hand

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