Kodak EasyShare V803

Viewfinder (0.0)
The Kodak V806 lacks an optical viewfinder, a trend on point-and-shoots. The LCD’s live preview function is instead used as a viewfinder.

LCD (6.0)
The 2.5-inch LCD is the same size as its predecessor, the V603. The monitor size is average for current point-and-shoots, but more expensive models have 3- or 3.5-inch screens. The pixel resolution is below average for the current market. Kodak downgraded the V803’s screen resolution to 154,000 pixels from theV603’s 230,000 pixels. While the screen size will provide ample view for passing the camera around to share photos, the low resolution will make users squint to make out fine details.

Flash (4.75)
The EasyShare V803 has a moderately-sized, built-in flash located to the left of the lens. Users can access the flash settings through a dedicated button while in Auto mode. The options are: Auto Flash, Fill, Red-Eye Reduction,, and Off. Some Scene modes, including Landscape, override the flash setting.

The flash is extremely ineffective. With an illumination range of 2 to 9.8 feet at 400 ISO in wide shooting and 2 to– 6.6 feet at 200 ISO in telephoto shooting, the camera’s weak flash results in dark photos, even with subjects within the range. The flash produces better results when subjects are close to the camera. The flash is a weak component of the V803; users are better off using available light.

Zoom Lens (5.25)
The Kodak EasyShare V803 has a 3x optical zoom Kodak Retinar lens (35mm equivalent of 36-108mm) with an aperture of f/2.8 to f/4.9. The focal length is standard for point-and-shoots and the wide end of the aperture range is slightly better than several of its competitors.

Users can utilize the zoom function with the wide/telephoto toggle button on the camera’s back. The lens chugs along, making loud, distracting sounds when users zoom in and out. The wide end of the zoom range allows users to capture group shots without cutting people out of the photo, while the telephoto capabilities allow for close-up shots. For extra zoom, the camera has 4x digital zoom. The V803 lacks optical image stabilization, as almost all $200 point-and-shoots do.

The optical zoom can be engaged during Movie mode, which isn’t common in point-and-shoots, which usually only enable digital zoom. The zoom is so loud, however, that the mechanical noise is audible in movie clips.

Overall, the V803’s lens’ specs are slightly better than some competing models such as the Canon PowerShot SD40 and General Electric G1. However, longer, optically stabilized lenses can be had for slightly more money. For instance, Canon’s PowerShot A570 IS, which can be found for a little more than $200, has a 4x zoom lens with image stabilization.