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Kodak's LS743 & 753 digital cameras. Courtesy of Eastman Kodak, with modifications by Imaging Resource. Kodak Announces two cameras - Dave & Mike's thoughts.
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(Thursday, January 8, 2004 - 23:00 EST)

Kodak announced two new cameras, a four- and five-megapixel model. They feature a new "Favorites" feature that Dave liked, but Mike found the user controls a little problematic.

In looking at the new Kodak EasyShare LS743 and LS753 cameras announced here at CES, I was struck in particular by the new "Favorites" feature they incorporate. The Kodak press releases that have been duplicated across the web make mention of this feature, but no web commentator has seen fit to comment on it as yet. I think the feature is unique enough to deserve separate attention though.

In a nutshell, the "Favorites" feature lets you keep a fairly large collection of your favorite photos on the camera itself, as medium-resolution files suitable for emailing or for making prints up to ~4x6 inches. The Favorites images are stored in a discrete memory partition, separate from the rest of the camera's memory, and so can remain in the camera even as memory cards are swapped, or the normal internal image-storage memory is erased. With a resolution of roughly one megapixel, the Favorites files have enough data to make decent prints up to 4x6 inches, the most common album size here in the US.

The reason I think this is such a neat feature is that it matches the behavior of a lot of consumers. - I can't tell you how many times I've come across people whose in-camera memory card is full of favorite photos that they don't want to delete. While it's entirely contrary to how digicam designers likely planned in-camera storage to be used, there's no denying the appeal of this usage model. So why note support it directly?

Kodak's LS743 & 753 digital cameras. Courtesy of Eastman Kodak, with modifications by Imaging Resource.


Good question, and one that Kodak was astute enough to ask. Since you don't need full-resolution files just to view on the LCD or make small prints from, there's no need to burn up a lot of memory space to store them. By resampling the images down to roughly one megapixel, a large (but unspecified at this point) number of photos can be stored indefinitely. In total, this looks like a slick feature that should strike a chord with a lot of consumers.

As to the cameras themselves, they're quite visually appealing, with sleek metal bodies and a trim appearance overall. In a few minutes of playing with them though, Mike found the design and operation of the mini-joystick navigation control a little confounding. He found it very "small and fiddly", and mounted very close to the edge of the camera. The jog dial on the top of the camera (used for making mode selections) was also somewhat hard to press. Some of this could be reflective of the sample cameras' prototype status, but we'll be sure to look at user interface issues when we finally receive production models for review.

All in all though, I personally found these new Kodak models to be quite appealing, and I think the "Favorites" function is a genuine innovation deserving of accolade.

Full specifications for both models follow:

Kodak EasyShare LS753
Kodak's EasyShare LS753 digital camera. Copyright © 2003, The Imaging Resource. All rights reserved. Click for a bigger picture!
Standard Features
CCD Resolution 5.36 MP (2690 x 1994 pixels)
Image Resolution 5.0MP (2569 x 1929 pixels)
Image Quality 5.0 MP - best (print, enlargement)
Zoom
10X total zoom
2.8X optical zoom, 6.0-16.6 mm (35 mm equivalent: 36-100 mm)
3.6X advanced digital zoom
Focus / Auto-Focus Low-light auto-focus with selectable modes: multi-zone, center-zone, center-spot
Focus Distance Wide - 60 cm (23.6 in.) to infinity; tele - 60 cm (23.6 in.) to infinity
Display 1.8 inch (4.6 cm) high-resolution (134K pixel) indoor / outdoor display
Viewfinder Real image optical viewfinder
Aperture f/3.0 or f/5.1 (wide); f/4.9 or f/8.5 (tele)
Shutter Speed 1/1400 - 1/2 second
Long Time Exposure 1/2 - 16 seconds
ISO Equivalent Automatic (80-160); manual (80, 200, 400)
White Balance Auto, daylight, tungsten, fluorescent
Flash Mode Auto, red-eye, fill, off
Flash Range Wide - 0.6-2.9 m (2.0-9.5 ft.) at ISO 140; Tele - 0.6-1.8 m (2.0-5.9 ft.) at ISO 140
Self-Timer 10 seconds
Performance Features
Scene / Other Modes Auto, portrait, close-up, self-portrait, museum / manner, night, night portrait, sport, landscape, snow, beach, party, fireworks, backlight, children, and flower
Macro / Close-Up Mode Wide - 5-100 cm (2.0-39.4 in.); tele - 30-100 cm (11.8-39.4 in.)
Burst Mode 3 fps, up to 6 pictures
Color Mode Color, black and white, sepia
Light Metering Method Automatic: TTL-AE; selectable: multi-pattern, center-weighted, center spot

Exposure Compensation

+/- 2.0 EV in 0.5 EV step increments
Exposure Control Programmed AE
Click To Capture 0.7 seconds (wide, preview on), 0.8 seconds (wide, preview off)
Shot To Shot 1.3 seconds (wide, preview on), 1.5 seconds (wide, preview off)
Movie Mode Continuous digital MPEG-4 video with audio capture, playback on camera
Movie Image Resolution
VGA (640x480 pixels) at 13 fps
QVGA (320x240 pixels) at 20 fps
Movie Length Up to 80 minutes limited by capacity of external memory card
Sound Selectable sound themes: off, shutter only, standard, classical, SciFi, fun
Ease Of Use Features
Auto-Orientation Auto picture rotation
Dedicated Buttons Power, delete, menu, review, Share, flash / information
Review Mode 2X or 4X magnify, slide show, multi-up, fast scroll, protect, albums
Video Out NTSC, PAL (user-selectable)
Software KODAK EASYSHARE Software
Compatibility Dock compatability - KODAK EASYSHARE Camera and Printer Docks 6000
Additional Features
Storage
Internal storage: 32 MB internal memory
External storage: SD/MMC card expansion slot
Power Options KODAK Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery KLIC 5000, DC-in jack on side of camera for 5V adapter, via the KODAK EASYSHARE Dock 6000 terminals
Image File Format Still: JPEG / EXIF v2.2, Video: Quicktime MOV
Interface USB compliant, KODAK EASYSHARE 6000 Series Docks, audio / video connectors
Lens Protection Built-in lens barrier
Tripod Mount 1/4 in. standard
Weight 165 g (5.8 oz.)
Dimensions W x H x D: 108 x 49 x 30 mm (4.3 x 1.9 x 1.2 in.)
Warranty 1 year
Package Contents
KODAK EASYSHARE LS753 Zoom Digital Camera with built-in lens cover
Neckstrap
KODAK EASYSHARE Li-Ion Rechargeable Battery and Charger
Audio/video cable
USB cable
KODAK EASYSHARE Software
Documentation kit
Custom camera insert for optional KODAK EASYSHARE 6000 Series Camera and Printer Docks
More Photos
Kodak's EasyShare LS753 digital camera. Copyright © 2003, The Imaging Resource. All rights reserved. Click for a bigger picture!
Kodak's EasyShare LS753 digital camera. Copyright © 2003, The Imaging Resource. All rights reserved. Click for a bigger picture!
.


Kodak EasyShare LS743
Kodak's EasyShare LS743 digital camera. Copyright © 2003, The Imaging Resource. All rights reserved. Click for a bigger picture!
Standard Features
CCD Resolution 4.23 MP (2408 x 1758 pixels)
Image Resolution 4.0MP (2408 x 1758 pixels)
Image Quality
4.0 MP - best (print, enlargement)
3.5 MP - best (optimized ration for 4" x 6" prints; 3:2)
2.1 MP - better (small prints)
1.1 MP - good (email)
Zoom
10X total zoom
2.8X optical zoom, 6.0-16.6 mm (35 mm equivalent: 36-100 mm)
3.6X advanced digital zoom
Focus / Auto-Focus Low-light auto-focus with selectable modes: multi-zone, center-zone, center-spot
Focus Distance Wide - 60 cm (23.6 in.) to infinity; tele - 60 cm (23.6 in.) to infinity
Display 1.8 inch (4.6 cm) high-resolution (134K pixel) indoor / outdoor display
Viewfinder Real image optical viewfinder
Aperture f/3.0 or f/5.1 (wide); f/4.9 or f/8.5 (tele)
Shutter Speed 1/1400 - 1/2 second
Long Time Exposure 1/2 - 16 seconds
ISO Equivalent Automatic (80-160); manual (80, 200, 400)
White Balance Auto, daylight, tungsten, fluorescent
Flash Mode Auto, red-eye, fill, off
Flash Range Wide - 0.6-2.9 m (2.0-9.5 ft.) at ISO 140; Tele - 0.6-1.8 m (2.0-5.9 ft.) at ISO 140
Self-Timer 10 seconds
Performance Features
Scene / Other Modes Auto, portrait, close-up, self-portrait, museum/manner, night, night portrait, sport, landscape, snow, beach, party
Macro / Close-Up Mode Wide - 5-100 cm (2.0-39.4 in.); tele - 30-100 cm (11.8-39.4 in.)
Burst Mode 3 fps, up to 6 pictures
Color Mode Color, black and white, sepia
Light Metering Method Automatic: TTL-AE; selectable: multi-pattern, center-weighted, center spot

Exposure Compensation

+/- 2.0 EV in 0.5 EV step increments
Exposure Control Programmed AE
Click To Capture 0.7 seconds (wide, preview on), 0.8 seconds (wide, preview off)
Shot To Shot 1.3 seconds (wide, preview on), 1.5 seconds (wide, preview off)
Movie Mode Continuous digital MPEG-4 video with audio capture, playback on camera
Movie Image Resolution
VGA (640x480 pixels) at 13 fps
QVGA (320x240 pixels) at 20
Movie Length Up to 80 minutes limited by capacity of external memory card
Sound Selectable sound themes: off, shutter only, standard, classical, SciFi, fun
Ease Of Use Features
Auto-Orientation Auto picture rotation
Dedicated Buttons Power, delete, menu, review, Share, flash / information
Review Mode 2X or 4X magnify, slide show, multi-up, fast scroll, protect, albums
Video Out NTSC, PAL (user-selectable)
Software KODAK EASYSHARE Software
Compatibility Dock compatability - KODAK EASYSHARE Camera and Printer Docks 6000
Additional Features
Storage
Internal storage: 16 MB internal memory
External storage: SD/MMC card expansion slot
Power Options KODAK Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery KLIC 5000, DC-in jack on side of camera for 5V adapter, via the KODAK EASYSHARE Dock 6000 terminals
Image File Format Still: JPEG / EXIF v2.2, Video: Quicktime MOV
Interface USB compliant, KODAK EASYSHARE 6000 Series Docks, audio / video connectors
Lens Protection Built-in lens barrier
Tripod Mount 1/4 in. standard
Weight 165 g (5.8 oz.)
Dimensions W x H x D: 108 x 49 x 30 mm (4.3 x 1.9 x 1.2 in.)
Warranty 1 year
Package Contents
KODAK EASYSHARE LS743 Zoom Digital Camera with built-in lens cover
Neckstrap
KODAK EASYSHARE Li-Ion Rechargeable Battery and Charger
Audio/video cable
USB cable
KODAK EASYSHARE Software
Documentation kit
Custom camera insert for optional KODAK EASYSHARE 6000 Series Camera and Printer Docks
More Photos
Kodak's EasyShare LS743 digital camera. Copyright © 2003, The Imaging Resource. All rights reserved. Click for a bigger picture!
Kodak's EasyShare LS743 digital camera. Copyright © 2003, The Imaging Resource. All rights reserved. Click for a bigger picture!
.

Original Source Press Release:

New KODAK EASYSHARE LS743 and LS753 Digital Cameras Combine Sophisticated Style and Innovation to Expand Picture Sharing

Models Offer Stunning Image Quality with New Favorites Feature for Instant Sharing

LAS VEGAS, January 8 -- Eastman Kodak Company today announced two stylish additions to its EASYSHARE digital photography system, the KODAK EASYSHARE LS743 and LS753 zoom digital cameras. Both combine compact design, enhanced sharing features, superb image quality and ease of use to help people capture and enjoy those moments that make life enjoyable, whether at a birthday party or the ballet.

The cameras - whose sleek aluminum bodies are the size of a small mobile phone - integrate Kodak's new 'camera favorites' feature. With a touch of the red-jeweled Share button, people can put pictures into the cameras' digital photo album for later viewing or printing. These pictures can then be shared anytime on the cameras' large, 1.8-inch high-resolution indoor/outdoor LCD screens. The Share button also allows individuals to immediately select photos for printing and even e-mailing, with up to 32 e-mail addresses stored in the cameras' memory.

Both the KODAK EASYSHARE LS743 and LS753 cameras feature a new, professional-quality SCHNEIDER-KREUZNACH C-VARIOGON 2.8X compact optical zoom lens and the new KODAK Color Science image processing chip for phenomenal image quality with rich color, accurate skin tones, low noise and precise exposure. The LS743 camera boasts 4 megapixel (MP) resolution and 16 megabytes (MB) of internal memory, allowing for rich detail as well as the ability to enlarge photos up to 20 x 30 inches. The LS753 camera goes one step further with 5 MP resolution and 32 MB of internal memory.

"Until now, people could either buy a digital camera with a compact design or outstanding picture quality, but not both. With the EASYSHARE LS743 and LS753 cameras, we've not only delivered beautiful design and exceptional image quality, but also enhanced sharing and ease of use," said Rowan Lawson, director of worldwide digital product marketing for Kodak's Digital & Film Imaging Systems. "You'll soon see these versatile models emerge from pockets and handbags at the beach, the concert hall, and the cafe. Both are ideal for taking and sharing pictures anytime, anywhere."

The new cameras are loaded with smart features, including extensive scene and color modes, TV-resolution (VGA) movie capture and playback capability, multiple sound themes, and a SD card/MultiMediaCard memory expansion slot. They also offer automatic picture rotation to make pictures taken vertically appear right side up on the camera, computer screen or television, plus a 2:3 ratio picture-taking mode optimized for making 4 x 6-inch prints. In addition, the LS743 and LS753 models are always ready to snap a picture by simply depressing the shutter button, regardless of which capture mode or menu is active - a feature unique to EASYSHARE cameras.

LS743 and LS753 camera owners can also make real, waterproof KODAK 4 x 6-inch prints in as little as 90 seconds - with or without a computer - using the award-winning KODAK EASYSHARE printer dock 6000 (US$199.95 MSRP). The dock also quickly transfers pictures to a connected computer with just one touch, and provides a full in-camera battery charge in less than three hours.

Like all EASYSHARE cameras, the LS743 and LS753 include KODAK EASYSHARE software for WINDOWS and MACINTOSH systems, providing effortless digital picture transfer, organization, editing, sharing and printing. The software's exclusive One Touch to Better Pictures feature - which takes advantage of proprietary color technologies developed by Kodak - helps WINDOWS OS users get vibrant, true-to-life prints from home inkjet printers, while significantly reducing the costly trial, error and waste usually associated with home photo printing.

Both models are ideal for picture takers who want a smart, stylish camera that can be dropped in a shirt pocket and taken anywhere. The LS743 camera (US$349 MSRP) will be available worldwide beginning in April 2004 and the LS753 camera (pricing to be determined) will be available beginning in June 2004.

The award-winning KODAK EASYSHARE digital photography system - consisting of cameras, software, camera docks and printer docks, inkjet and thermal papers, and accessories - makes it simple for anyone to take, organize, share, and print high quality digital pictures. More information on KODAK EASYSHARE products is available at www.kodak.com/go/EasyShare.

About Eastman Kodak Company and infoimaging
Kodak is the leader in helping people take, share, print and view images - for memories, for information, for entertainment. The company is a major participant in infoimaging, a $385 billion industry composed of devices (digital cameras and flat-panel displays), infrastructure (online networks and delivery systems for images) and services & media (software, film and paper enabling people to access, analyze and print images). With sales of $12.8 billion in 2002, the company comprises several businesses: Health, supplying the healthcare industry with traditional and digital image capture and output products and services; Commercial Printing, offering on-demand color printing and networking publishing systems; Commercial Imaging, offering image capture, output and storage products and services to businesses and government; Display & Components, which designs and manufactures state-of-the-art organic light-emitting diode displays as well as other specialty materials, and delivers optics and imaging sensors to original equipment manufacturers; and Digital & Film Imaging Systems, providing consumers, professionals and cinematographers with digital and traditional products and services.

Kodak and EasyShare are trademarks of Eastman Kodak Company. Schneider-Kreuznach and Variogon are trademarks of Jos. Schneider Optische Werke GmbH used under license by Eastman Kodak Company.

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