Kodak EasyShare Z650 Digital Camera Review

Model Design/Appearance (5.75)
The Kodak EasyShare Z650 is constructed of matte metallic silver plastic with a polished silver lens ring and black rubber on both the lens housing, and the front edge of the right hand grip. The camera body design seems to be inspired by SLR cameras currently on the market. The rounded edges of the Z650 and clean design make this camera an attractive option for the point-and-shoot user not concerned with having a petite camera.

The camera's design with its limited number of external controls and electronic color viewfinder is actually a usable feature. The design will help ease novice users into the realm of digital photography. While the EVF is well sized and positioned for functionality, the LCD screen is another matter. Measuring 2.0 inches and having a total pixel count of 110,000, the LCD fell far short of the quality mark compared to other cameras currently on the market measuring 2.5 to 3 inches and having 230,000 pixels. The images shown on the LCD of the Z650 were washed out and hard to judge for quality in focus and exposure.

Size/Portability (6.0)
The Kodak EasyShare Z650 isn’t a camera that will easily slide into a pants pocket or purse for a night out on the town. It takes its design cues from bulky digital SLR cameras. Although it's noticeably smaller and lighter than models like the Rebel XT, it weighs 10.1 ounces without batteries and measures 3.9 inches in length, 3.1 inches in depth, and 2.9 inches in height. Luckily this camera does have eyelets for a neck strap, included with purchase, that lets the user carry this model while not in use. The neck strap did not compromise shooting efficiency in the slightest, but rotating eyelets, instead of stationary ones, would have allowed for the neck strap to be moved with greater ease and comfort.

Handling Ability (7.5)
The great thing about a camera like the Kodak EasyShare Z650 over a smaller and sleeker digital camera like the Samsung NV series is that the photographer can actually have a proper stable grip during shooting. Adding to the stability, the pronounced right hand grip, which has rubber on its front edge, makes one-handed shooting a breeze. The grip performed admirably during shooting, and the rubber continued to help with handling once shooting outdoors in colder temperatures and light snow.


The Z650 can be powered by three types of batteries: the included and non-rechargeable lithium ion battery, a Ni-MH battery, and two AA alkaline batteries. None of these power options are lightweight. Kodak could greatly improve portability if it replaced these battery options with a rechargeable lithium ion battery like the ones found on petite point-and-shoot cameras. At 10.1 ounces without batteries or memory card, the Z650 is certainly not a featherweight and its heftiness should be seriously considered if portability is of great concern.

Control Button/Dial Positioning/Size (5.0)
The number of controls on the Kodak EasyShare Z650 is limited. Their size and labels make using them a breeze. By simplifying the exterior of their camera lines, Kodak ensures straightforward shooting right out of the box. But while sizable and few in number, the controls were not without their subtle problems. The most noticeable issue was the positioning of the zoom toggle beside the upper right corner of a raised frame that surrounds the LCD and EVF components on the back face of the Z650. With the zoom positioned beside this raised frame, it was often a hassle to engage the wide-angle half of the zoom control. Often the frame just got in the way and made it nearly impossible, on first attempt, to fully press the control. With the control only pressed halfway, the zoom went nowhere. Also, the joystick located in the center of the mode dial could use improvement. It’s undersized, smooth and touchy, and makes moving through the expansive shutter speed range or the menu system an unnecessary hassle. It’s unfortunate that with so much thought put into simplicity and ease of use, the joystick would be such a stick in the spokes for the Z650.

Menu (7.5)
The menu structures for the Kodak EasyShare Z650 continue the Kodak investment in overt simplicity that encourages novice users to quickly familiarize themselves with the camera without memorizing the manual. Pressing the menu button on the back of the camera beneath the mode dial opens the menu system. Once in the menu system, the joystick in the center of the mode dial is used for navigation. Pressing the joystick inwards selects sub-menus.

The shooting menu appears as an opaque blue background with a yellow scroll bar on the left side. It has both icons and text to describe each sub-menu. The trick with the Z650 menu is that the actual sub-menu parameter is listed in the upper right corner of the LCD while the headers being scrolled in the menu itself represent the current setting for each menu parameter. In other words, if the heading currently highlighted reads “Daylight” the listing in the upper right corner of the LCD will read “White Balance.” This is true for the shooting, setup and playback menus. It’s an interesting design that lets a user immediately ascertain both the sub-menu topic and its current setting without navigating through a more complicated two-screen setup.

The problem with the shooting menu system, regardless of mode, is that there is no live view. The lack of a live view means that adjustments to metering, white balance, color or sharpness can only be judged once the menu is fully closed. Opening, altering, closing and reopening again to make further adjustments will cause delays.

Shooting Menu
Picture Size	6.0 MP, 5.3 MP (3:2), 4.0 MP, 3.1 MP, 1.7 MP
White Balance	auto, daylight, tungsten, fluorescent, open shade
Exposure Metering	multi-pattern, center-weight, center-spot
Focus Zone	multi-zone, center-zone
AF Control	continuous AF, single AF
Color Mode	natural color, low color, black & white, sepia, high color
Sharpness	high, normal, low
Reset to Default	continue, cancel
Set Album (Still)	exit, birthday, holiday, wedding, clear all
Image Storage	auto, internal memory
Setup Menu	access to setup menu

The playback menu uses the currently selected captured photograph as its background instead of the opaque background found with the shooting menu. The playback menu uses the same navigation structure and menu style as the shooting menu.

Playback Menu
Album	exit, birthday, holiday, wedding, clear all
Crop	crop picture so desired content is inside box press ok when done
Slide Show	begin show, exit, interval, loop
Multi-Up	opens 9-up display
Copy	picture, exit, all
Protect	on, off
Image Storage	auto, internal memory
Setup Menu	opens setup menu

The setup menu style is identical to the one found with the shooting mode and even novice users should be comfortable making adjustments to the camera system.

Setup Menu
Return	(returns to previous menu)
Quick View	on, off
Advanced Digital Zoom	continuous, pause, none
Print Warning	pause, none
Sound Themes	default, classical, jazz, scifi
Sound Volume	off, low, medium, high
Mode Description	on, off
Auto Power Off	10 minutes, 5 minutes, 3 minutes, 1 minute
Date & Time	0000/00/00, 00:00 (year, month, day hour, minute)
Video Out	NTSC, PAL
Orientation Sensor	on, off
Red-eye Preflash	on, off
Date Stamp	off, YYYY MM DD, MM DD YYYY, DD MM YYYY,
Video Date Display	off, YYYY MM DD, MM DD YYYY, DD MM YYYY, YYYY MM DD HH:MM, MM DD YYYY HH:MM, DD MM YYYY HH:MM
Language	eighteen language options
Format	memory card, cancel, internal memory
About	camera information including current Firmware version

Ease of Use (8.5)
The Kodak EasyShare Z650 is a camera that excels in ease of use. In pairing an understated and logical menu system with basic external controls and a minimal interface, novice photographers won’t feel overwhelmed by this more advanced point-and-shoot camera. Improvements could have been made to the zoom toggle position and the size of the joystick; however, external controls are well labeled and positioned. Shooting modes can be accessed by the large mode dial on the back of the camera body. The Z650 exterior is intuitive, and the included manual is well laid out. The manual also provides concise information for further clarification. Adjustments to shutter speed and aperture in the PASM modes can be a pain with the undersized joystick. Users will find that thumbs can slip during adjustment and cause unintended alterations to settings located on either side. Printing with the Z650 using a PictBridge printer eliminates the need for extra docks, excessive cabling, or other unnecessary shenanigans that would typically frustrate a user.