In summary
A keenly-priced long-zoom digicam with a simple menu system.Claiming point-and-shoot simplicity plus plenty of user-adjustable controls, Kodak’s 7.1-megapixel EasyShare Z710 is clearly targeted at family snapshooters who want a low-priced, high-resolution, long-zoom camera. It boasts large, all-glass 10x optical zoom lens but there’s no image stabilisation so getting sharp shots at full zoom can be challenging. . . [more]
Full review
Claiming point-and-shoot simplicity plus plenty of user-adjustable controls, Kodak’s 7.1-megapixel EasyShare Z710 is clearly targeted at family snapshooters who want a low-priced, high-resolution, long-zoom camera. It boasts a large, all-glass 10x optical zoom lens but there’s no image stabilisation so getting sharp shots at full zoom can be challenging.
The Z710’s lightweight plastic body is chunky but the grip is generous, allowing the camera to be operated with one hand (there’s nowhere to put your left hand). Powering-up automatically pops up the flash and you have to push it down if you don’t want to use it. Buttons cover the Z710’s body, accessing review, delete, menu, share and flash settings plus the close-up/landscape modes, self-timer/drive and shutter. The mode dial lies on the rear panel, beside the 2.0-inch LCD – which is small by today’s standards. The menu is the classic Kodak user interface; easy to read and use. You can display a grid on the screen to assist image capture and a tiny histogram can be displayed in capture and review modes.
Shooting modes are set via a joystick, but using it can be tricky in the P, A, S and M mode (yes, they’re all packed into one setting!). The toggle itself is tiny and it’s easy to slip inadvertently from one mode or setting to the next when adjusting aperture, shutter speed, ISO and EV compensation settings. The on-screen icons are also tiny and difficult to read.
Kodak has equipped the Z710 with lots of fancy technology, starting with the proprietary Colour Science imaging processing chip. Novice users can select from 19 pre-programmed scene and colour modes to match camera settings to specific subjects and outcomes. In-camera controls let you crop images and copy files between the internal memory and a memory card (both ways).
Images can be allocated to Albums, tagged for emailing or printing and protected against deletion. Slideshows can be displayed, either on the camera’s LCD or a connected TV set. Using the Favourites function, a collection of shots can be stored in the camera for on-the-go viewing. The Z710 works with Kodak’s EasyShare docks and printers and comes with Version 6.0 of Kodak’s EasyShare software.
Photographs taken with the Z710 were sharp and correctly exposed with pleasing colours. Digital zoom shots were relatively artefact-free and close-ups were impressive. White balance performance was average for a digicam, although the fluorescent pre-set added a blue cast that was absent with the auto setting, while the auto mode failed to correct incandescent light.
Imatest revealed above average colour accuracy and modest saturation but also showed severe lateral chromatic aberration in our test shots. Resolution was better than expected at all lens apertures and ISO settings and little evidence of over-processing was found in test image files. Capture lag averaged 0.6 seconds, reducing to 0.3 seconds with pre-focusing. The burst mode recorded three shots at 0.6 second intervals and it took about five seconds to process a burst.
IMATEST GRAPHS
TEST IMAGES
Close-up capabilities were excellent.
Digital zoom shots were relatively artefact-free.
Some image noise was visible in long exposures at ISO 400.
The auto white balance setting failed to correct the orange cast of incandescent lighting.
The ‘Fluorescent’ pre-set produced a blue cast that was absent with the auto mode.
Specifications
Image sensor: 5.76 x 4.29mm CCD with 7.4 million photosites (7.1 megapixels effective)
Lens: Schneider-Kreuznach Variogon f/2.8″“3.7 aspheric all-glass lens (38-380mm in 35 mm equivalent)
Zoom ratio: 10x optical, up to 5x digital
Image formats: Stills ““JPEG (Exif 2.21); Movies ““ QuickTime (MPEG4) VGA at 10.5 fps/QVGA at 30 fps
Image Sizes: 3072 x 2304, 3072 x 2048, 2592 x 1944, 2048 x 1536, 1600 x 1200
Shutter speed range: 8-1/1000 sec. (S & M modes); 1/8-1/1600 sec. (Auto mode)
Exposure Compensation: +/-2.0 EV with 1/3 EV step
Focus system/range: TTL multi-zone/centre-zone AF; range 60 cm to infinity; macro 12-70 cm
Exposure metering/control: Multi-pattern, Centre-spot, Centre-weighted metering (available in PASM modes only); Auto, Portrait, Sport, Night, Video, Scene (14 settings) and PASM modes
White balance: Auto, Daylight, Open Shade, Tungsten, Fluorescent (available only in PASM shooting modes)
Flash modes/range (ISO auto): Auto, Fill, Red Eye, Off; range 0.6-4.9 m
ISO range: Auto, ISO 64, 100, 200, 400, 800 (800 available only in 1.9 MP picture size.)
Sequence shooting: First burst 3 pictures; Last burst 3 pictures; both at approx. 1.7 fps
Storage Media: 32 MB internal memory plus SD card expansion slot
Viewfinder: 0.2-inch colour EVF (210,000 pixels)
LCD monitor: 2.0-inch colour hybrid LCD (115,000 pixels)
Power supply: CRV3 (supplied); 2-AA (lithiumor Ni-MH); Kodak Ni-MH rechargeable digital camera battery(KAA2HR)
Dimensions (wxhxd): 97.8 x 77.5 x 72.6mm
Weight: 285g (without battery & card)
Retailers
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Ted’s Cameras
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Rating
RRP: $499
Rating (out of 10):
- Build: 8
- Ease of use: 8
- Image quality: 8
- OVERALL: 8