Kodak Easyshare V1073 10 MP Digital Camera with 3xOptical Image Stabilized Zoom

by Kodak

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 7.4 x 2.9 inches ; 1.2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0012BMU2C
• Item model number: 1247576
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,613 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: January 7, 2008

Product Description

Camera V1073 black 10MP 3X OPT

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE i-Pod of Digital Cameras, July 21, 2008

By 

jhtrdr "jtrdr70" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kodak Easyshare V1073 10 MP Digital Camera with 3xOptical Image Stabilized Zoom (Electronics)

This is THE BEST digital camera I have ever used/owned. In the time we have owned the camera, the pictures, video, and ease of use have been incredible. It is really easy to use, has many features which make it VERY simple to use - which is what a point and shoot camera should be. I've used an SLR, but needed a simple camera to just take great shots w/o effort. It only has three buttons - one of which is an info button - providing answers to questions about whatever is on the current screen. I didn't buy it for the touch screen, but it is great for flipping through photos for the one you want.

If your comparing with a Canon you should check the Kodak V1073 out first. I tried using one other Kodak model, and it seemed study, yet compared about the same as the other digital cameras around. The V1073 seems to be an (successful) experiment in breaking away from the typical Kodak camera, so I would limit my recommendation to only this camera.

CANON: The main reason I switched from Canon was the photo quality. I don't know if it's the technology or the internal software, but indoor pictures were inconsistent, and poor quality. The same picture taken seconds later at the same object, place, etc would look different. It would use the flash the first time, and not the second time?? I read books, blogs, everything. Changed the ISO until the quality broke down, nothing. Overall, pictures mostly turn out very dark or too bright with a flash. I did discover that this seems to be a recurring issue with canon point and shoot cameras as I found on amazon comments. Tired of owners manuals, ISO settings, etc, I began searching for a new camera, and accidentally ran into this camera in a store. I finally gave a U.S. camera company a chance, and it was worth it.

Background: I've owned about 4/5 digital cameras, and have experimented with many more. For the most part, I have bought the Canon series because of the look, weight, fairly ease of use, and very sturdy construction. However, as with most digital cameras (and technology as a whole) they have way to many features and little clear explanation of proper use.

Comment on previous comments about this camera:
-"the Kodak camera lense periodically "clicks" as it tries to adjust for lighting changes" I have not had this issue during the video mode. The camera will allow you to lock the focus if is an issue.
-"The battery and memory card Door [poor quality]" I will admit, this is the one thing I dislike about the camera. However, my last $350 canon battery door was no better. I've had no problems, and really don't expect I will.
-"The battery only lasted for about 30 minutes" My wife took over 100 10mp photos and uploaded it to our MacBook Pro with another day or two of power left over. Holds a good charge.
"battery bay latch also very easily comes unhooked" Never happened once in the time I've owned it
-"horrible video HD playback on PC" HD playback is INCREDIBLE. However, you do need software (just like you need the right TV and DVD Player) to effectively play HD. If you have a Mac, you will love this camera and the HD video as the camera video is formated for quicktime. It also works flawlessly with iPhoto and iMovie. PC owners - you have an inferior machine which will continue to become more and more inferior as technology moves forward. That said, I've played the video on my old PC laptop (with a free pc version of quicktime) with equal quality (pc owner for 20 years - recently switched to Apple). However, I doubt you will have any problem with this camera and a PC. I bought this camera instead of an $800 video camera to take extended videos of our first 3 month old son - and it works great. Video and photos in one easy to use package. Not sure why people still buy a camera for photos and a video camera for video. So many people I talk to still don't realize you can take video on most of todays cameras.

Pros: Work right out of the box/great pictures - clear, well lit - Kodak's PerfectTouch does a surprisingly good job of instantly fixing the photo after taken/great functionality/HD video/Clear settings/Touchscreen/info button explains how to setup for 4x6 photos, or whatever you want/very good light adjustment/Apple compatible/delete button offered on the screen right after you take the photo (if it's just a bad shot you don't want)/switches from view photos to take pictures simply by pressing the snapshot button halfway down - so simple!/solid feeling gunmetal construction/many other well thought out features

Cons:Battery door not the best construction/Battery must be charged while in the camera - no separate charger/camera has locked up twice - just remove battery for a sec and replace it - no photos lost - no big deal/only 3x's zoom - i have found it works fine for overall use.

Hope this helps...

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Kodak Easy Share V1073, June 26, 2008

By 

Kim Wes (Savannah, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kodak Easyshare V1073 10 MP Digital Camera with 3xOptical Image Stabilized Zoom (Electronics)

We bought this camera for our 17 yr. old daughter who is a picture-taking fanatic. She had an older Kodak Easy Share and was ready for a new one. She is having a blast with this new camera. It's easy to use, she loves the touch screen. The pictures are so clear and vibrant. It's a fun camera for any age. We have a Kodak all in one printer and the pictures print out better than the ones we had done at a store Kiosk.

We haven't had a problem with the battery compartment sliding open like other people have stated. This camera was purchased primarily for pictures not for the video feature, so I can't say anything about that.

All in all, I would say if you're an amateur camera buff, this camera should work just fine for you.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kodak V1073 Easyshare Camera Review- John Riblet 12-11-08, December 10, 2008

By 

Patricia T. Riblet (Chiang Mai, Thailand) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Kodak Easyshare V1073 10 MP Digital Camera with 3xOptical Image Stabilized Zoom (Electronics)

Personal User Review: Kodak V1073 Easyshare Compact Digital Camera (December 11, 2008)

I have been and continue to be a confirmed film camera photographer as film (and its great variety of choices) gives me the versatility and image quality that I appreciate in the photographic works that I do. Digital photography for me (until recently) has solely been my use of dedicated film scanners to translate film into digital files to make the 10x15 custom digital prints that I do every week. (Although I used to do color darkroom work that activity has with time become impractical for me to continue to do.) Although digital printing is quite different than chemical color printing, digital printing with care and a similar attention to detail (as is required in chemical printing) is capable of quite excellent results.
A few years ago my wife bought a compact digital camera for herself and she soon used it more often than any film camera she ever had. I liked the pictures she was taking and I began to notice the strengths of a compact digital camera (that I am sure most compact digital owners are aware of ): the camera's unobtrusiveness and pocket-ability; the great depth of field of its 8mm lens; the new image capture possibilities of having a live preview monitor; the ability to change color, contrast, white balance, and sharpness settings; the ability to take hundreds of images without reloading a new memory card; and, of course, the capability of instantly reviewing captured images (to determine if certain images need to be re-shot). My wife encouraged me to try out her compact camera and after an initial probing out on my part of the camera settings to find the best way for me to use this camera effectively, I found that her little camera was indeed quite a camera for certain of my own desired uses. I, therefore, decided I wanted a compact digital camera of my own. For the next several months I read everything I could find about compact digital cameras. I was not at all interested in the digital single lens reflex cameras (as, if I knew in fact that I was going out to take pictures requiring heavy equipment, I was more than happy to use my film cameras and equipment). What I wanted was a versatile camera that would be on my person at all times for those occasions (sometimes numerous) when photographic opportunities unexpectedly present themselves.
I had not previously seen nor handled the Kodak V1073 camera but I was immediately attracted to its published specifications:
1. The Schneider-Kreuznach Varigon 37-111mm (35mm equivalent) all glass lens. I
wanted a modest zoom lens as I did not want a longer zoom range lens in exchange for a physically smaller camera sensor. Also, I did not want a zoom lens that zoomed too wide as I seldom use 35mm to 28mm lenses even though I own them. (There is very little distortion in the 37 to 55mm range of lenses.)
Schneider is truly one of the great lens companies of the world making lenses for prestigious camera makers too numerous for me to even attempt to mention. I have used and own Schneider film camera and darkroom enlarging lenses and they are among my very favorite lenses. Their optics are truly impressive. (The V1073 Kodak camera Schneider lens combination reminds me historically of the more than 70 year collaboration between Kodak and Schneider when Kodak turned the photographic world upside down in 1936 by introducing the more moderately priced German Retina 35mm camera (with variable controls and with Schneider optics) capable of using Kodak's newly invented 35mm film cassette (making 35mm film in a still camera practical for the first time) and the revolutionary new Kodachrome film which together created both the photographic color revolution and the fully viable 35mm camera revolution for the world.)
2. A Kodak made or designed 1/1.63" size camera sensor with 10 effective megapixels. (Some writers give the effective megapixels as 11.34 because of the larger sensor size). This is a very large sensor size for a compact digital camera of this type and I was attracted as much to this specification of the camera as by the Schneider optics. Also, it was important to me that this is a Kodak made or designed camera sensor. Many people know that Kodak is the pioneer company that in 1885 to 1889 invented cellulose based film and cellulose based roll films (modern films) making photography more broadly available to the public than was the case with metal, glass, and paper plate loaded cameras in the 19th century. Many people also know that later, Kodak created the "snapshot" revolution by introducing the Pocket Kodak Camera making photography available to a huge public. I already mentioned above the still later Kodak Kodachrome color revolution and 35mm still camera revolution that was based on Kodak's 35mm film cassette, Kodachrome film, and the excellent Retina camera with superb Schneider optics (not yet mentioning the huge impact that Kodak had on home and professional movie cameras). Yet for some reason few people seem to be aware that Kodak invented the digital camera in 1975 (Steve Sasson, Kodak's chief technician was honored this year (2008) in Cologne, Germany for his achievement). By 1980 or so Kodak's digital pioneering efforts would allow Kodak to provide the public with the service of digitally scanning film onto CD discs to view photo images on home televisions by Kodak's invention of film scanning. Kodak's digital cameras and scanners created the basis and the foundation of the digital photography revolution. Kodak's 14 megapixel full frame sensor Pro DCS camera of 2002 continues to be in class by itself even after all the new innovations of the last six years. When Leica made its first M8 digital camera Kodak designed and made its sensor. And this year (2008) Leica released its astonishing 37 megapixel S2 camera with a sensor (designed and made by Kodak). The Kodak sensor for the Leica S2 camera is 50% larger than a normal 35mm full frame camera although the Leica S2 camera body is roughly the same size as a normal single lens reflex 35mm camera body. And too, Kodak has made a 50 megapixel space station camera sensor which is the largest camera sensor ever made to this point in time. In short, Kodak is the foremost camera sensor designer in the world from its inception in 1975 to the present. Consequently, the V1073 camera with its Kodak designed larger than normal 1/1.63" size sensor for a modest compact camera of this type immediately attracted my attention.
3. The V1073 camera has an internal imaging processing "engine" designed by Kodak. That feature of the V1073, also, immediately attracted my attention. As I wrote earlier, George Eastman invented cellulose film and cellulose roll film in the 19th century and formed the Kodak Company. In 1930 Kodak contracted Leopold Mannes and Leopold Godowski Jr. to work with Kodak's Rochester Laboratory Research Staff to perfect Mannes' and Godowski's three color film emulsion process which became known to the world as Kodachrome about five years later ( a truly Revolutionary film!). In 1940 Kodak introduced Ektachrome transparency film which could be locally or home processed with Kodak's E chemistries. (Kodak's E chemistries continue to be the basis to this day of all non-Kodachrome transparency films regardless of the manufacturing companies making the films.) The films made by Kodak are too extensive for me to continue further with this discussion but as is appreciated by myriads of serious film photographers (including myself), Kodak is justly famous not only for its film inventions but even more so for the high quality of its film inventions (particularly for the neutral white balance of its films which permit Kodak films to have richly hued and cleanly differentiated color balances. Kodak continues to make films in all sizes for professional and amateur photographers, and Kodak continues to create new kinds of films, e.g., this year it released Kodak professional Portra ASA 800 film. (The other major film manufacturers also continue to research new film formulations. Film photography is far far from dead!) The fact that Kodak's V1073 digital camera has an image processing "engine" designed by Kodak means to me that the Kodak designers of the V1073 image processing "engine" had all (to be sure) of Kodak's expertise in film making to draw from to determine the color, contrast, definition, and neutral white balances of its digital imaging processing "engine's" interpretation and final rendition of the V1073 images. Therefore, the Kodak designed image processing "engine" for the V1073, in conjunction with the large 1/1.63" sensor of the V1073, and its modest zoom ratio Schneider glass lens (from a great lens designer) decided for me that I should try out this camera.

I purchased the V1073 camera new (sight unseen) on line through Amazon and received the camera and accessories in perfect condition by mail quite promptly.
Upon examining the V1073 camera I was pleasantly surprised by a number of things:
1. The V1073 is much smaller than I expected. It easily slips into my sport coat
handkerchief pocket almost unnoticeably. Since it has a touch activated screen I feel the screen is less subject to scratches so I carry the V1073 without a case in my front trouser pocket along with a small cushion to protect the camera from my possibly bumping into things.
2. The camera feels very well made with a good weight and balance. The activation and control buttons on the top and back of the camera have a positive feel and operational ease to them. The camera is clad in a high quality handsome gun metal like looking brushed finish which is easily cleaned with the soft camera bag that comes with the camera. The camera is matte black in color with lighter grey color on the lens housing. Although the word Kodak is printed rather... Read more ›