Review Update: Kodak EasyShare V570!
By
Dave Etchells
(Saturday, April 8, 2006 - 12:17 EDT)
The Kodak V570 presents an interesting problem for us. It's a camera with a lot in the plus column and a lot in the minus column; yet it still nets out as a positive experience.
We really like the camera for its unique dual lens arrangement that includes a surprisingly useful 23mm wide angle lens, but its image quality really isn't as good as it could be for a 5 megapixel camera. Its fully automatic exposure control performs very well in a wide variety of conditions, requiring less exposure adjustment or tweaking than do most competing models. Auto white balance wasn't quite as good as it could be, however, and shot-to-shot speed didn't break any records. But for more difficult shooting conditions, a wide range of preset "Scene" modes extends the camera's capabilities nicely, perfect for the target market.
While sophisticates may prefer more subdued color, we suspect that most consumers will love the bright, vibrant photos the V570 produces. But there's still that quandary. The V570 has a 5x zoom that's really a 3x plus a fixed 23mm; and it has two 5 megapixel sensors that produce images that really look more like they came from a 4 megapixel sensor. But we still really like the camera, so if you know these "exceptions" and still like the camera as we do, you'll be very happy with the performance and quality you get from the Kodak EasyShare V570.
All things considered, the Kodak V570 earns a Dave's Pick.
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