Kodak EasyShare ZD710

Kodak has been on a comfortable pitch for a very long time as far as the Indian digital imaging market is concerned. In recent times though, it's seen a lot of competitors gaining ground. The Kodak EasyShare ZD710 is a camera aimed at users who desperately want to upgrade from a simple point-and-shoot philosophy. If you can't afford an SLR, a superzoom is the next best bet. But does the ZD710 deliver? Let’s see.

To the untrained eye, the ZD710 may appear to be very similar to the Z712 IS, but there’s more to it than meets the eye. The ZD710 offers 10x optical zoom and comes with a 7.1 MP image sensor. The Schneider-Kreuznach lens offers a range of 38–380 mm on a 35mm camera. As for build quality, there’s little scope for disappointment.

The ZD710 has a rubberized L-shaped grip, and judging by the fact that it weighs 360g, it makes for convenient one-hand use. Unless you have really tiny hands, all the operational buttons are easily reachable with your thumb.

As expected, the 2-inch screen shares space with the mode dial, zoom keys and a host of usual assortments such as the delete, menu and review buttons. On the top, apart from the shutter release button you will find the power on/off button, flash, macro, and burst shot.

Despite the 10x zoom lens, the camera fails to include any form of optical or mechanical image stabilization. Kodak has instead included digital image stabilization, which simply boosts the ISOs to prevent blurring caused by shaky hands. The downside is that pictures taken in relatively low light turn out rather grainy. Pictures taken indoors, during mid-afternoon, too looked quite grainy, and lacked detail.