Kodak Easyshare V603 6.1 MP Digital Camera with 3xOptical Zoom (Black)

by Kodak

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 4.5 x 1.2 x 3 inches ; 1 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000E8OYA0
• Item model number: V603
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,028 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: February 25, 2006

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

In this fast-paced world, you need a camera that can keep up. Introducing the Kodak EasyShare V603 zoom digital camera (also available in silver). With its compact design, you can slip it in your pocket and go. And with its long list of features, including a bright 2.5-inch display, you'll have the freedom to take stunning video and pictures. The well-equipped V603. Big things come in small packages.

Amazing picture quality

• Create stunning quality prints up to 14 x 19 inches with 6.1 megapixels
• Zero in on the action with its 3x Schneider-Kreuznach C-Variogon optical zoom lens

Get exceptional results thanks to on-camera picture enhancing features:

• Kodak Perfect Touch technology, digital red-eye reduction, cropping, and blurry picture alert
• Get rich, vibrant color under a variety of lighting conditions with the exclusive Kodak color science chip
• Capture consistently crisp, precise pictures thanks to the multizone auto focus with low light performance
• Create great shots time after time using its multiple color and scene modes, including panorama stitch

Powerful video features made simple

• Record TV-quality (VGA) video with audio at 30 frames per second
• Zoom during video and avoid shaking with digital image stabilization technology
• Capture more video while using less memory storage with MPEG-4 compression
• Split videos with the simple on-camera editing feature
• Video print options including 4, 9, or 16 up prints

Share with style

• View and share your pictures with clarity on its large 2.5-inch high resolution indoor/outdoor display featuring a 170-degree wide viewing angle
• Features Li-Ion rechargeable battery and convenient in-camera charging
• Press the Share button for pictures you want to print, e-mail, or share
• Use Favorites to keep your special pictures close
• Don't miss a shot if your memory card becomes full--switch to in-camera memory quickly, thanks to internal memory plus
• Use the optional, innovatively styled Kodak EasyShare Photo Frame Dock 2 for one touch picture transfer and quick camera battery recharging (not included--must be purchased separately)
• Works with optional Kodak EasyShare photo printer 500, Kodak EasyShare Printer Dock Plus Series 3, Kodak EasyShare Printer Dock Series 3, and Kodak EasyShare Camera Dock Series 3 (not included--must be purchased separately)

What's in the Box
Kodak EasyShare V603 zoom digital camera, USB/AV adapter and cables, Kodak Li-Ion rechargeable digital camera battery KLIC-7002, 5V AC adapter with power cord for in-camera battery charging, carry strap, Kodak EasyShare software, Getting Started kit, custom camera insert for optional Kodak EasyShare camera and printer docks, custom camera insert for optional Kodak EasyShare photo frame dock 2

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

79 of 80 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kodak EasyShare V603 is the best ultra-compact camera right now, September 5, 2006

By 

C. Bhairo - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kodak Easyshare V603 6.1 MP Digital Camera with 3xOptical Zoom (Black) (Electronics)

Kodak EasyShare V603 is a great camera. It is an underdog in the digital camera world. Many digital camera websites on the internet have a bias that Canon and Nikon are superior cameras, while Kodaks are considered inferior ----- but V603 proves that this is not true. The V603 is very small, takes great pictures with excellent exposure, and is built better than any ultra-compact Canon and Nikon has to offer. In my review, I'll try to mention aspects that other reviews haven't covered as yet.

Pros:

1) Instant picture taking. The V603 focuses really fast and takes a picture in less than a second. It doesn't matter if you pre-focus by pressing the shutter button halfway --- it's still fast. Canon Elph cameras (even with their "super fast" Digic II processor) aren't as instant because their mechanical auto-focusing takes a while to lock on focus. The Schneider-Kreuznach lens (German engineered) on the V603 is high quality, giving you sharp photographs and fast focusing.

2) Great, bright 2.5" LCD screen. It has 230,000 pixels of resolution, a lot more than its competitors. Basically, when you take pictures and view them, they will look very sharp, and life-like. If you check the specifications for other similar cameras made by Canon and Nikon, they tend to have around 130,000 pixels of resolution, often giving pictures a grainy appearance. There is only one flaw to this LCD screen, which I'll mention later on.

2) No red eye pictures. The manual mentions a hidden feature the V603 has ------- it actively scans eyes in the photographs you take, and automatically removes red-eye. (Page 9 + 33 in the manual) The camera also let's you set the flash to flash twice in order to remove more red-eye in pictures, but it is redundant since the post-processing in the camera automatically removes red-eye.

3) The battery life is good. Ultracompacts are known to have poor battery life, but on average, the V603 gives me about a whole day's worth of picture taking, video taking and picture reviewing. By the time I got home, it finally gave me a low battery warning. The low battery warning is great ------ the camera let's you take pictures for half an hour more before finally shutting off. Canon Elph cameras barely give you 5 minutes before shutting off on you. The V603 at least gives you the opportunity to finish up taking photographs.

4) Amazing panaramic feature. It's easy, you take 3 photographs, and the camera automatically stiches it inside of the camera! What's really amazing is that there is no overlap whatsoever ---- it combines into one seamless picture. Cameras from other name brands don't even do this. It can also enhances pictures, and crop inside of the camera. This is great if you are the type of person who likes printing directly from your camera to your printer, for you do not need a computer to enhance your pictures.

Cons:

1) The LCD smudges way too easily with fingerprints. It is not a problem when you're actually using the V603, because when the LCD is lit, you do not see the dust and fingerprints which accumulate on it. You will only see it when you turn off the camera. Honestly, it'll only affect you if you want to show off your V603 to other people, but it does not affect the operation of the camera in any way. Wiping it off with a cloth will be a necessity every now and then.

2) Quicktime video format. The V603 takes videos in Apple's proprietary format, which Windows Media Player does not natively understand. Keep that in mind if you have a PC. If you want to burn your videos on DVD, (since V603 takes TV quality video) you have to make sure your DVD video editing program handles Quicktime's .MOV files.

3) Some of the camera's features requires the Kodak software. I'm especially referring to the Favorites feature, where you can keep a portable photo album of 150 pictures in the cameras internal memory ------ yet, if you use a program other than Kodak's Easyshare to transfer your photographs, there's no way to make use of this Favorites feature at all. This is important to point out because not everyone likes the Kodak software ---- I think Google's Picasa is better at organizing photographs in your computer, but it cannot access the camera's Favorite mode.

Improvements from the older V550 model: The older model of this camera is the V550. This V603 has better buttons which are easier to press, the viewfinder was completely eliminated, is more battery efficient (perhaps due to improvements in internal circuitry or powersaving software), 6 megapixels vs 5 megapixels, and it doesn't with the photo frame stand which let's you sync and charge by dropping it in. Instead, the V603 comes with USB sync and an AC adapter wire to charge the camera. This is better for traveling as you don't have to take the big photo frame dock with you everywhere you go.

Other notes: Although it seems the V603 is meant for amateurs, there are features that photographers using SLRs would appreciate. The V603 does have a shutter priority mode, letting you keep the shutter open for up to 8 seconds, while the camera controls the aperture and other settings. It has the ability to show you a live histogram, letting you analyze a picture in real time to see if the camera will take a good exposure or not. It has a framing grid to help you frame your shot too. Last but not least, V603 also has an interesting blur warning system which rates every picture you take using a hand sign and color, letting you know if it's a good sharp picture or not. The scene modes help you adjust manual settings too. (For instance, selecting the Panning Shot mode allows the V603 to select an aperture setting which allows the background to blur, while keeping the foreground sharp and focused)

Overall ----- it is a great camera. People on the internet have a bias that Canon and Nikon are good cameras. The truth is that perhaps their $1000 SLRs are great, but their reputations shouldn't be rubbed off on cheaper point and shoot cameras. For point and shoot cameras, Kodak V603 outperforms any Canon Elph, Nikon or Casio camera you can use. The proof is in the great pictures, and the fast operation of the camera, which is easy and intuitive.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding, easy, fast, sleek little camera with GREAT pics!, August 14, 2006

By 

Brian D. Kozola (Colorado Springs, CO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kodak Easyshare V603 6.1 MP Digital Camera with 3xOptical Zoom (Black) (Electronics)

This is the third camera that I have tried out for my main family snapshots. This is an outstanding blend of style and performance and it is small enough to easily fit into your pocket. I was looking for good picture quality with a fast shutter/auto focus speed and this camera fits the bill. In addition, it shoots high quality (TV quality) video compressed in MPEG-4 meaning you can store 30 min of video on 1 GB of memory. This camera is truly a pocketable still and video shooter ready to capture anything you throw its way. I have tried the camera in many different lightings and it has performed very well with outstanding pictures all around. I would highly recommend this picture for anyone that wants good quality and fast performance in a small package.

On camera picture editing is OUTSTANDING where you can apply Kodak Perfect Touch processing to improve lighting and then crop the photos before you even take the pictures off the camera. The improvement from initial to quality print is amazingly easy with the camera editing. In addition, you can instantly see if the camera was still enough for a good picture or if it was shaky and time to try another shot. With this camera you can truly take all quality images.

Innovative design features! No more flimsy little plastic doors to access your memory card and charge your battery. The battery is charged by plugging a power cable directly into the side of the camera. Also, the memory card fits into a slot on the side of the camera for easy removal, but is very secure and will not accidently fall out. It is incredible nice not having to worry about carefully opening and closing plastic slide doors every time you want to download pictures or charge the battery!

The other cameras I tried included the Casio Z60 which is a great little camera, very fast, but shoots marginal quality pictures. I also tried the Sony W50 long enough to find the shutter/Autofocus lag totally unacceptable for pictures of my kids in motion. The Kodak beats both of these cameras hands-down.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Does well what it does., May 7, 2006

By 

H. Lee "gadget lover" (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kodak Easyshare V603 6.1 MP Digital Camera with 3xOptical Zoom (Black) (Electronics)

V603 is a very small and well made compact point-and-shoot'er. I liked it's small size, brilliant LCD, and overall metal body. However, it uses too small battery that always make me nervous about the juice. (The camera won't show you the charge level unless it's almost gone) Also, V603 doesn't have any fancy mechanism like vibration reduction.
However, I'm very happy with it's software side, I mean, the operational software that's inside the camera.
It has a nice panorama stitching function, which lets you combine up to 3 pictures. Creates a very sharp and seamless panorama that was better than any similar software I've seen that runs on the computer. Another fun widget is called Perfect Touch, which compensates underexposures typical to a flash indoors shot. Of course you can do the similar thing in Photoshop, but hey, it's just more handier.
I recommend V603 for its low price, nice looks, and some of those fun and easy functions.