Kodak EasyShare Z650

Model Design / Appearance
The EasyShare Z650 takes its layout from SLR cameras – and some people might actually assume that it is a DSLR, given the shape. It's far smaller than any DSLR, though. Most of the EasyShare Z650 is finished in a very reflective metallic plastic, with metal and black rubber accents. We found the camera a bit more solid than its small size might suggest. Its looks seem designed to appeal to users who would like a more serious camera, but might be intimidated by a true DSLR.

Size / Portability
At 3.8 x 3.1 x 2.9 inches, the EasyShare Z650 is taller and deeper than most compact cameras, but also smaller than the higher-priced super zooms that cost more, zoom further, and typically include image stabilization. At a bit more than 10 ounces without batteries – it takes 2 AA cells, so it doesn't weigh much more with the batteries – the EasyShare Z650 won't be much of a burden on a shoulder strap or in a bag.

Given its irregular shape, and its relatively poor seals against dust and moisture, the EasyShare Z650 should travel in a camera bag, rather than loose in a backpack or large purse. The gaps around the telescoping lens mount aren't sealed, and could let dust into the camera. The same goes for the battery compartment and memory card doors – they don't have gaskets or seals, and dirt could get in through their gaps, too.

Handling Ability
The diminutive EasyShare Z650 is not too much for small hands. A woman handling it during our evaluation noted how much more comfortable it was for her than the entry level DSLRs she had recently picked up in stores. Fortunately for users with larger hands, Kodak did not scale down everything – the controls remain well-sized. Kodak's use of rubber grips for both the left and right hands should make for steadier hand-held shots and fewer cameras dropped.

Control Button / Dial Positioning / Size
The EasyShare Z650's controls are spread apart enough to appeal to users with large fingers, who sometimes have problems on smaller cameras. The shutter release could be improved – it doesn't give as much tactile response as it should. There should be more resistance when the user presses halfway down. As it is, we took some shots accidentally.

Kodak has started using a joystick as a navigational controller on many of its cameras, including the EasyShare Z650. Video game veterans will have a fine time with the control, but others may find themselves making more false moves with the joystick than with the more typical four-way controllers.

Users of recent Kodak compacts will find the layout and style of buttons on the EasyShare Z650 very familiar.

Menu
The EasyShare Z650's menus show Kodak's enthusiastic commitment to beginners and other users looking for an uncomplicated photographic experience. When the EasyShare Z650 is in its more manual modes, its menus cover ISO, metering pattern, autofocus pattern, autofocus mode, and other shooting parameters. When the camera is in automated modes, those options disappear, leaving options for file size and other basic parameters.

The EasyShare Z650's menus follow Kodak's standard format, with clean, large, attractive type on a screen layout that includes simple icons and explanatory text. Kodak menus typically show only four entries at a time, leaving the screen much less crowded than other manufacturers’ menus do.

Ease of Use
The EasyShare Z650 is easy to use. Kodak's efforts to avoid intimidating their customers pays off throughout the entire EasyShare line. It's not surprising that the Z650 sticks to that strategy. The EasyShare Z650's automatic modes are very user-friendly, assuming almost no expertise from the operator.

The same can't really be said of the camera's manual modes, because manual photography inherently demands some camera knowledge. The EasyShare Z650 is still relatively easy to use in manual mode, though, because Kodak has made the manual controls easy to find. Exposure mode, aperture, shutter speed, and ISO are controlled via the viewfinder or LCD and the joystick, and all the parameters are visible onscreen. Dedicated controls, such as the ones typically found on DSLRs, are definitely faster to use, but they aren't more obvious. The EasyShare Z650 also has a live histogram. It's small, and not easy to read.

The EasyShare Z650 has a help system for its scene modes, with text to explain how each should be used. Basic mechanical operations like changing batteries and memory cards are straightforward – the doors open wide enough to offer easy access, and so on.