here's the website:
http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.j...
what do you think? is it a good buy? I think the most important thing to consider about your purchase of this camera is: do you _really_ need a 12 megapixel camera? If you are buying this camera based primarily on the megapixel count, then I would strongly encourage you to reconsider. Here's why....
While the allure of having 12 megapixels is great, unfortunately, due to the inherently small physical size of camera sensors in point and shoot cameras, I can tell you that image quality, especially in lower light shots, is going to be dreadful. Physical size of the camera sensor matters because it affects the individual size of each pixel on the sensor. The larger the sensor, the larger the pixel is, the better the photo quality in low light; without going into physics, basically, the larger the pixel, the more light it can absorb, the less "grainy" it will appear in low light.
As a result of this relationship between sensor size and megapixel count, I really think cramming 12 megapixels onto a tiny sensor like that is just not going to deliver very good image quality, especially in low light situations.
Also, how large are you looking to make prints? Unless you're going over 20 x 30 inches, you really don't need anything greater than maybe 7-8 megapixels. Anything greater than that is pretty much wasting it.
12 megapixels also means gigantic image files (more MB per photo), so you'll have to spend extra money on memory storage because you can't fit as many per card.
So, does this make sense why I am recommending against this camera? I just really believe for $300 you can get a much better quality camera for the price, unless you have a specific reason for buying Kodak.
Another thing I noticed is that the Kodak doesn't offer optical image stabilization- it does it digitally through software, which means that it will push your ISO rating through the roof to try and minimize blur, but 99% of the time this will mean you'll get horribly grainy photos compared to a camera with actual image stabilization in the camera lens or body.
For $300, here are a few alternatives I'd consider if you're willing to consider them...
Panasonic DMC-FX33 ($300, Link 1)- 8mp, 3x zoom, image stabilization, same ultra-compact form factor
Canon SD800IS ($295, Link 2)- 7mp, 3x zoom with image stabilization, features Canon's new DIGIC III image processor with Face Detection, a new must-have in point and shoot cameras.
Nikon Coolpix S51c ($280, Link 3)- 8mp, 3x zoom with image stabilization (known as VR at Nikon). This camera has tons of editing features built-in to the camera, and it even offers wireless uploading of images to your PC, which is pretty cool.
As another note, these three cameras come from three manufacturers that are at or near the top of the digital camera industry, and offer superior support when it comes to fixing their cameras. If you still decide to go with the Kodak, that is fine, but I believe that having more megapixels over more image quality is not worth it, and I think you could get better bang for the buck with a camera like the ones I listed. |
