Customer Reviews

Kodak Easyshare P850 5.1 MP Digital Camera with 12x Image Stabilized Zoom

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

This camera is AWESOME!! I recently purchased the Kodak P850 and have been very pleased with the camera - it's really cute too. The camera takes excellent pictures and is a steal at $499. I've had numerous compact cameras (including Kodak) but they all seem to deliver the same picture quality .. great pictures under ideal conditions - but when the conditions are not perfect, Compact digital camera shots are unacceptable. This camera is just the right size and is easy to handle. The 12X zoom makes it difficult to ever pick up a 3X camera again !! The camera has little if no shutter lag making that impossible shot easy to take. It is one of the very few camera's on the market that allows you to zoom during video - this is a very desirable feature. The Auto setting "glams" all pictures, making them look their best. But sometimes you don't want to "glam" your pictures .. candlelight conditions, etc - that's when you use one of the many "scene" modes. You tell the camera your present "scene" and it takes the picture without over dramatizing it (like the previous Kodak's did). The 2.5" LCD screen is also the perfect size - the indoor/outdoor display enables you to view pictures under all lighting conditions. The battery life is also generous, I've been playing with it for 2 weeks and still have not had to charge the batteries. Oh and the best thing about this camera is something called "Image Stabilization", this basically means no more blurry pictures - even at High Zoom !! If you buy this camera - you won't regret it. In the future the Digital Camera's and Camcorder will merge and become one - this Camera may have achieved that since it takes excellent video.
PROS:
* High Optical Zoom - 12X
* High Quality Lens
* 2.5" LCD Display
* Zoom during Video
* Image Stabilization Technology - no blurry pictures
* No shutter lag.

CONS:
* Zoom Motor Noise heard during Video playback
* Camera comes with no case

Overal Rating: 5 STARS
RECOMMENDED BUY: YES

So glad this was finally hit the market. I've been a loyal Kodak customer since digital cameras hit the market. I've owned the DC280 and then upgraded to the DX6490 and have been very satisfied. So, with its 10X and other great features, you'd wonder why someone would look to migrate from the DX6490 to the P850. My gripe with the DX6490 is that it is difficult to get clean pictures when using the maximum zoom due to camera shake AND I really want a camera that takes great video...320 x 240 pixels at 20 fps is adequate but not great. Well, the P850 does it all. With image stabilization, camera shake is not an issue...and the video quality is surperb...the 30 fps at 640 x 480 in a compressed format is terrific. And you can also use the zoom during movie mode which is a huge improvement.

I've had the DC280, the DX6490 and now this camera...what I appreciate most is that Kodak has maintained its outstanding menu user interface across all models. As I've migrated up, the learning curve has been minimal and I was able to use the camera's advanced features immediately.

My only disappointment with Kodak is that it purchased Ofoto instead of Shutterfly...Shutterfly is a far superior platform and I would have preferred the EasyShare integration with that platform instead of the other. Oh well...that's what Adobe Photoshop is for! Enjoy.

First off let me say that the Kodak P850 is not an upgrade to the Z/DX7590 in my opinion. It is in a different product line. So please don't compare one to another. The P850 is a camera made for enthusiasts that like to have control from set-up to shutter press to PP (post-processing). This camera is better in its P,A,S,M & C modes than Auto and Scene modes. That being said here are my lists of positives and negatives:

Positves: Image Stabilization, RAW and Tiff modes, Manual Focus, Improved Flash w/ increased range, 12x optical zoom, Slightly wider angle than the DX/Z7590, Customizable White Balance, Multiple ISO ranges from 50 to 800, more detail (bigger jpeg files=less compression), Hot flash shoe


Negatives: Tends to over-expose in AUTO mode, hunts in focus in Macro mode, certain scene and low-light conditions, somewhat slow write for RAW and Tiff files, No burst mode for RAW and Tiff modes, different jog wheel operation, No exposure compensation in Auto and Scene modes, ISO 800 only available in 1.2 megapixel setting, no manual flash release lever.

Most of the negatives can be corrected with a firmware upgrade that is being worked on now, according to a Kodak representative in an email reply, and should be released shortly.

Now that's out of the way...the picture quality is great, the camera feels good in my hands, it takes all of the accessories made for the DX/Z7590 and the ability to add an external flash that syncs with the camera settings. I would recommend this camera to anyone that likes to work the camera, instead of letting the camera do all the work. If you already own a DX/Z7590 you really don't need this camera unless you want the hot shoe, IS, RAW and Tiff modes, better overall low-light and the PictBridge capabilities. IF you do, then this is the camera for you. You can find this camera cheaper than just about any of the other Ultra Zooms.

***EDIT*** Kodak has recently released a firmware upgrade for this camera that decreases shutter lag, improves the auto focus and exposure and adds a pixel remapping program to remove any malfunctioning pixels on the sensor. I upgraded mine and I highly recommend anyone that owns this camera to do the same. It makes a world of difference in its operation.

I carefully compared the Kodak P850 to the Canon S2 IS and the Kodak has a few clear advantages in addition to a slightly lower price:
-- Much larger, higher resolution LCD screen
-- RAW (uncompressed) image format, though this is not available in continuous/bracketing modes
-- Histogram display while shooting, which the Canon only provides in playback mode
-- Time-lapse mode (which I personally find very useful)

The Kodak has a few limitations:
-- Its continuous mode frame rate is slower than the Canon's (and even slower than my old Canon A70)
-- Its closest macro focusing distance is about four inches. The Canon S2's "super macro" mode can focus right to the front of the lens, letting you get as close as you want if lighting permits.
-- It uses a proprietary lithium battery instead of AA's, so you have to carry another charger when traveling and spares are harder to find.
-- It lacks the Canon's focus bracketing mode
-- It has a less solid, less elegant physical feel than the Canon, though it's not bad.

I spent a long time ploding through camera reviews for a good superzoom. I narrowed it down to either the Panasonic FZ5 or the Kodak P850. The Kodak P850 had the better feature set in my opinion. Pictures are crisp and color is good.

Pros:

- Live Histogram(I really like this feature)
- Good Color and picture quality
- Natural controls that you get used to quickly
- Excellent feature set
- Good Image Stabilization
- Manual Focus
- Looks nice

Cons:

- Noisy Zoom
- Loses focus when changing zoom
- Flash too strong at times
- DC charging adapter sold separately
- Would have like a wrist strap instead

Overall I am happy with this camera. The noisy zoom gets on my nerves but you get used to it.

There is plenty of technical information that you can spend hours and hours looking at. As a consumer of electronics, myself, I enjoy hearing the "nuts and bolts" reviews from honest consumers who want to make sure they are making a sound purchase.

If I could stand on my computer chair and scream, "You'll LOVE this Kodak Easyshare P850", I would do it for you. I have had digital cameras since the very beginning, even long before people could even entertain the idea of a 1 Megapixel Digital Camera. Kodak has come through, once again, with another EASYSHARE Camera with 5 Megapixels and a 12x Stabilized Zoom.

I have a friend who likes to tell me that I paid too much for this camera. He likes to remind me that he can find a 5MP Digital Camera on a popular auction site and the cost is less than half of the well-priced Kodak Easyshare P850. What I have to tell him is that "You Get What You Pay For" when you purchase a higher-end digital camera. He doesn't realize, until I spend time explaining this to him, that the cameras he has shown me might advertise that they have 5 Megapixels but that is ONLY when the enclosed software interpolates the digital information. With the Kodak Digital Camera you are getting every bit of what you have paid for and every megapixel that is offered in this fine and intelligent camera.

You will find the camera to be a friendly one, many of the menus are so easy to navigate through-you'll feel like an engineer as you manipulate the many features with total ease. I've literally owned more than 10 digital cameras and as a film photographer I have spent the past few years comparing the quality of the digital cameras I had. The software, even ALONE, is worth as much as the amount you'll pay for this great camera. Taking photographs is simple, transferring them to your computer is done with absolute ease, and making changes (reducing red-eye, adding more brightness, etc) on your computer is easier than I have ever experienced.

I hope this review has been somewhat helpful to you. Please spend time in reviewing the many, many features that I have not touched on. There are sites, [...] that allow consumers to compare honest reviews (and competitive prices too) on incredible digital cameras like this one.

Don't feel that if you spend the hard earned money on this camera, that technology will soon make your camera seem like a dinosaur. Technology is always changing, however the Kodak Easyshare P850 5MP Digital Camera will compete with the best of the best for many years to come. Enjoy this intelligent, durable and uncomplicated digital camera.

Thanks again for taking the time to listen to my opinion on this camera. I always worry that people, like my Mom, might get suckered into buying a camera that isn't as advertised. I would not hesitate to pursuade my Mom to buy this attractive and totally functional digital camera.

Sincerely,

Peter Cannice
Phoenix, Arizona

Feel free to email me if I have left something out or if you need anything at all. [...]

This camera is my third Kodak! It is a wonderful camera. I definitely recommend downloading the new firmware to speed up the shutter speed. (available at Kodak's website) It was a fast and easy thing to do. Also, you MUST purchase the P20 Zoom Flash. It makes your indoor flash pictures BEAUTIFUL. The skin tones come out gorgeous with this flash and it is definitely an upgrade I recommend. You won't be disappointed with the zoom and IS feature. No more blurry pictures in Zoom mode. Love the feel of the camera and of course its ease of use. I'm very excited about this camera!!!

This camera is the best I have used. Color is great, the 12x zoom takes steady sharp pictures because of the stabilizer, and the controls are easy to use, much better than my old Olympus 10x zoom digital. The manual controls are reasonably easy. And with a 1 mb memory card, it holds 500 pictures!

Great Camera! Great Pictures.

The Kodak P850 has been a joy to use. The colors are remarkably accurate and seem to have a kind of glow that I have not seen with other brands. This is because of Kodak's patented color science software built into the camera.
The P850 is simple to use. It can be used in a fully automatic mode, but also has scene modes for every situation. The lens has a great zoom and the focus is really accurate. It even takes movies.
It is a wonderful value and if you own one, you know you made a wise decision.

I will limit my comments to the camera at hand and not someone's attempt to slander Kodak. I received the camera in the post this past weekend and have used it three times under various conditions.
First, the camera is solid. There are plastic parts, but so is just about every digital camera today, so the one person's comment on this is innane.
Second, the Image Stabilization works as it should. Under long zoom, it keeps the camera steady like a rock--no tripod is needed.
Third, the pictures are clear and without grain--this is a 5 megapixle camera and the quality shows in the examples posted here and elsewhere.
I urge anyone considering this camera to pick it up and try it our at your local store....and then, order it through AMAZON.COM!