PRODUCT REVIEW
High-Def Video Brings High Value to New Kodak Camera

Video has been a perk packed with digital point-and-shoot still cameras for some time, but judging by the quality present in many offerings, it's a perk that has been treated as an afterthought by many digicam makers. Not so by Kodak.

The chief of film stock -- now remaking itself as a dean of digital imaging -- has steadily improved the video features of its EasyShare digital still camera (DSC) line. A case in point is Kodak's EasyShare V1253 camera (US$246 to $320).

The unit is one of a handful of DSCs that shoot high-definition video at 720p. They include the Canon (NYSE: CAJ) Powershot TX1, Sanyo Xacti HD2 and HD1a and the Panasonic Lumix LX2.

Memory Expansion a Must

Without descending too far into the swamp of video terminology, 720p means the camera is capturing video at 720 lines of vertical resolution. By comparison, standard DVDs use only 480 lines of vertical resolution.

Needless to say, the Kodak camera produces excellent video -- and the sound is good, too, thanks to the use of a stereo microphone about the size of a collar button located at the front of the unit.

If you intend to shoot a lot of video with the camera, though, your first purchase after buying it should be a beefy SD memory card -- two gigabytes or more -- because the snapper's 32 megabytes of internal memory is woefully inadequate for the task.

With a two gigabyte card, the V1253 will shoot about 29 minutes of HD video and 80 minutes of standard vid. Files are created in QuickTime format (MOV) using MPEG4 compression.

Zoom Capabilities

While this Kodak model's video prowess is a fancy asset, its abilities as a still camera shine, too.

It can corral images at a maximum resolution of 12 megapixels.

Overall, I found photos taken with the V1253 very good. They were sharp with good color fidelity.

Without a doubt, the unit's excellent lens contributed to the quality of its pics. It's a Schneider Kreuznach Variogon lens. Some shutterbugs, though, may find its 3x optical zoom (37 to 111 millimeter equivalent) a bit tepid for their tastes. It also has a 5x digital zoom.

The zoom is controlled by a circular lever that surrounds the shutter release button. I found the arrangement very comfortable to use, and I wish more point-and-shoot makers would adopt it.

Irritating Display Navigation Knob

By contrast, I found the control for navigating on the camera's display -- a kind of "stick shift" knob -- irritating to operate. Just the slightest bit of pressure applied at the wrong angle and I was drilling through menus instead of moving left or right, up or down.

While packed with power, the V1253 has a slim and trim physique. It measures 4-by-2.2-by-0.9 inches and weighs a meager 5.5 ounces. That makes it convenient to carry around in a purse or shirt pocket. However, with its rakish good looks -- especially the black model with silver controls and lens area -- you won't want to keep it out of sight for long.

Controls on the unit are well-sized for a compact camera and conveniently placed. A row of long buttons along the edge of the LCD give you quick access to menus and reviewing, sharing and deleting photos and videos.

It also counts among its attributes an enormous 3.1-inch wide-aspect display that's real eye candy -- bright, sharp and richly colorful.

Although the wide screen lends itself to photos with a 16:9 aspect ratio, the camera will secure snaps in other ratios such as 4:3 and 3:2.

There's no viewfinder in the unit.

Making the Scene

As with many newer point-and-shoot DSCs these days, this Kodak model has face detection technology. When it sees faces in a frame, it will adjust its settings to best capture the mugs in a shot.

It also has a broad range of ISO settings. ISO can be used to improve shots in low lighting situations. By boosting the ISO, you can shoot at faster shutter speeds and avoid blurring a picture. ISO settings in the V1253 range from 64 to 3200, although at 3200 photos must have a resolution of 3.1 megapixels or less.

True to its ease-of-use roots, the camera has more than 20 "scene modes." The modes contain combinations of settings designed for taking the best pictures in a variety of photographic situations -- portraits, panoramas, night shots, landscapes, backlit subjects and so forth.

With its high definition video capabilities and high resolution still shot features, the Kodak EasyShare V1253 can meet the desires of shutterbugs for an all-in-one camera with a petite footprint.