Kodak EasyShare V803

Likes

- Attractive design and wealth of color options - Built-in video editing - Sharp resolution in the center of images

Dislikes

- Inaccurate color and poor white balance - Blurring in the corner of images - Terrible video quality, especially in low light - Very high noise levels and noise-reduction is too strong - Slow start-up time - Poorly designed, inaccurate joystick button control - Loud, distracting zoom and AF - Low LCD screen resolution

Conclusion
The Kodak EasyShare V803 is a cute, fashionable camera. It will likely attract consumers more interested in a camera’s look than its functionality. While there are commendable upgrades with this 8-megapixel edition, including the 1600 ISO maximum and new customizable Maintain Settings mode, the EasyShare V803’s substandard performance and ineffective button design will leave many pretty irritated.

A budget camera isn’t going to give you superior image quality, but you hope it will at least take decent photos. Unfortunately, the V803 hardly achieves even that. While the resolution at the center of your pictures will look crisp, the edges will be blurry. The color accuracy is hamstringed by very poor white balance, meaning many of your photos may come out with an odd color cast, perhaps blue, perhaps yellow, perhaps a startling aqua. Noise levels are very high, especially at high ISO sensitivities, so don’t expect to get clean photos in low light. And finally, the video mode is dismal, creating videos with enough imaging problems to give you a headache just watching them. Kodak will really need to pursue new avenues (besides just pretty colors) to win over customers in the $200 category.

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