Customer Reviews

Kodak Easyshare V803 8 MP Digital Camera with 3xOptical Zoom (Mystic Purple)

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

I really love this camera. I had a Kodak before, but my use finally took a tole on it-so I had to get a new camera. I have had nothing but good experiances with Kodak, this camera is no exception.

+ It is easy to learn how to use.
+ The screen is great size
+ Small enough to fit in your pocket.
+ Takes wonderful pictures. The blurry alert is really helpful-there are 3 color modes-green, yellow, and red-so you know what you can expect when you take the picture.
+ The color is wonderful.
+ You can choose your sounds that you want heard-shutter, focus, startup, etc.
+ The video mode is really great-you can make a picture from a movie right on the camera.
+ Also the panoramic stitching is incredible-does it right on the camera so you can see if it turned out.


- If you are new to Kodak-the manual is not in-depth-maybe harder to learn.
- No viewfinder. I haven't used it in bright sun, so I don't know how the screen will show.
- The microphone is on the bottom right (looking at it from the front) and that is where I tend to put my fingers when I want it to be steady-Then the sound isn't recorded-they should have put that on the other side of the lens. You just have to remember that when you do a video.

Again, this camera is fantastic, and for the price you really can't beat it! Kodak did a really great job on this one!

I purchased this camera to replace a Kodak V603 that I used for a while thinking that the "V803" indicated a camera with more functions, a "new and improved" version of the V603 that I had been using. The only incremental feature that the V803 offers is a higher 8 Mega Pixel resolution versus the maximum 6 Mega Pixel resolution of the V603. Actually the V803 excludes many functions such as Auto Rotate that are present in the V603. But the V803 does take very satisfactory pictures. If you put the camera in the "fully automatic" mode and simply click away you will get pretty decent pictures. Point and Click is what describes most of my picture taking so I am satisfied with the camera's performance. I would recommend this camera if you anticipate doing mostly Point and Click type of shooting with an expectation of decent (but not fantastic) results. By the way, I would also recommend that you totally skip installing any of the software that comes with the camera as the software is essentially Junk Ware that installs all sorts of unneccesary software and background processes whose main function ends up being to simply slow down your computer. Instead get an inexpensive SD Card reader and use that to read your memory card like a Disk Drive and simply copy and paste your pictures from the Memory Card to your hard disk.

Like most people, I used to believe that the more money you had to spend for an electronic item the better it was, I'm starting to believe this theory is false and this camera proves it. This camera is only $199.99, and it's wonderful. It's up to 8MP, and it has like a gazillion scene selections(I just keep it in AUTO). I also like the fact that it has a re-chargeable battery, and yes it comes with the charger. I haven't used the video option yet, so I can't comment on that yet. If you're looking for a camera takes beautiful pictures, comes in a beautiful color (yes I have the purple one, but you have a choice of eight different ones), and it's inexpensive, then BUY THIS CAMERA! You won't be disappointed.

If you're having a hard time finding this camera in the store, I suggest you buy it from the Kodak Online Store. I've actually had this camera since the beginning of March. The Kodak Store has all the colors available.

I have been through a lot of cameras. I wanted a camera that would just take a nice picture of my baby easily with no red eye and finally after all the hard work i found it. I have had a canon, sony, panisonic,casio,and then now this kodak. It is the best purchase i have ever made and it will be yours too. You will be amazed with the quality of the pictures.

I purchased this camera after some comparison shopping, and have found it to be a great value. It is comfortable to carry, easy to use, and takes very good photos. I especially like the ability to overide the automatic settings and get a little creative with this camera. It has a high ISO, which allows you to take existing light photos, even at night. I recommend this camera, especially for under $200, it is a real deal. Negatives? A bit bigger screen, and perhaps a bit better optics. (The optics aren't bad, just not great, but this is typical of sub $300 aim and shoot cameras.) Overall, I am very pleased with this camera.

[UPDATE: After many months, the camera could no longer focus automatically (the lens would extend and retract, but it was in focus only at one spot along the way), but the good news is that Kodak service was fantastic. Wait time was short, the person on the other end made sure she understood the problem, and then provided a lot of information regarding the RMA process. The only drawbacks were that I had to pay shipping costs to send the camera in, and that it took a little over a week (in total) before the camera came back as good as new. No problems since then. If I find this one at the right price again, I will buy another (so my wife and I will each have one). Could this have been the problem others reported regarding "blurry photos"? I don't know, but their service department took care of it right away.]

I picked this up on a discount site because the price was right (around $100). This camera has exceeded expectations in every way. I would gladly have paid up to around $200 for this little marvel. A number of other reviews list a lot of specific details. Let me address the things that impressed me about this camera, and then address the points from some other negative reviews:

THE GREAT STUFF
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- Even without reading the manual, most functions were a snap to learn.
- There are far more functions available than I am likely to ever use (e.g., the panoramic photo option, the burst feature). There are many advanced configuration options.
- The recycle time (the time it takes for the camera to be ready for the next shot) is shorter than for any of the other digital cameras I have owned.
- Color registration is great, and the flash does not wash out the photo as much as it had on the Vivitar cameras I owned.
- The rechargable battery is a feature that should be standard on every digital camera. This one will save you tons of dollars on battery costs over the life of the camera. So far, we've yet to completely drain the battery in a single day of shooting.

THIS IS A GREAT CAMERA FOR THE PRICE! Buy it as a "point and shoot" camera for your snapshots and you'll be getting a camera that will let you grow into a new hobby. If you're looking for a digital camera that has some great features at a great price, you won't go wrong with this one! BE SURE TO PICK UP AN SD CARD--at the time of this writing, a 1 Gb card sells for under $20 and will hold around 290 photos at maximum (8.0 megapixel) resolution.

SOME NOTES ABOUT OTHERS' NEGATIVE POINTS (WHY I DISAGREE):
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NO VIEWFINDER - I honestly thought this one would bug me, but it has not been a problem at all. The camera's default view provides a cross-frame in which to center the subject of your photo. Toggling the joystick left and right adjusts the brightness of the LCD display, allowing it to compensate for most light conditionss.

BLURRY PHOTOS [be sure to review the UPDATE section at the top of this review]- Neither my wife or I have had any real problem with blurry photos. When you start to depress the shutter button, the camera starts to focus. When focus is achieved, the camera boxes those areas that are in focus in green boxes. This was really helpful when I was trying to make sure something was in focus (like a face rather than a pendant). When we've allowed for the camera to finish its autofocus routine, all of our photos have come out well.

THE BUTTONS - Some complained that the buttons were too flat against the body, makin them hard to depress. I did not find this to be a problem at all (and I have big fingers). To the contrary, I found the low-profile buttons to be a boon because it prevented me from accidentally depressing them.

JOYSTICK NAVIGATION - Contrary to a number of reviewers, I had no problem with the mini joystick that is used for navigation. It is very comfortable to control it with my right thumb while holding the camera, and I did not have any problem getting it to accept a direct inward press (it did not angle off in any direction). I wonder if others' control of the joystick improved with use. I found this navigation tool much better than the button-only navigation on my previous cameras.

A previous owner for two Kodak EasyShare cameras, this V803 far surpasses both of them. It is extremely easy to use and takes crystal clear photos with the touch of a button. It can also easily fit in your pocket and go everywhere or anywhere with you!

I highly recommend this camera for both casual and more experienced photographers who desire the clearest, most 8.0 MP vivid photos with no complications. Do not waste your money on a more expensive version -- the V803 will suit your all-around photography needs with sophistication, reliability, and simplicity.

Side note: I would definitely recommend purchasing some sort of case for this camera, as it can easily get scratched (especially if you frequently use it, as I do). Securing its future with a one or two year warrantee is also highly advised, but with good care, this camera should last you at least a few good years of high usage.

This is a fantastic camera. I almost considered not buying it because the description on Amazon says it weighs a full pound which for a cyclist, is heavy to carry around in a pocket on your bicycle. I got it out of the package, added the battery and weighed it and it weighs only 3.5 ounces! The picture quality is fantastic. The 2.5 inch LCD viewer is wonderful. Even the video it takes is great. I love the pink camera and it comes in other colors too. Extremely simple to set up and use. Buy it and enjoy!

Really like the Camera. Only thing that could be better is the instructions or owners manual could be more detailed. Instructions are very Vague.

I am so happy with this camera. The pictures are clear and it is very user friendly. In fact, my only complaint of this product is that it is VERY EASY to accidently hit the delete all button for the pics! Otherwise, it is lightweight and takes great photos.