Kodak C813 Review

The Kodak EasyShare C813 is based around an eight megapixel CCD imager coupled to a Kodak-branded 3x zoom lens with a 36 - 108mm equivalent focal range - a rather tight wide angle to a moderate telephoto. As befits its budget pricing, the Kodak C813 has a 2.4-inch 115K pixel LCD display and there's no optical viewfinder. They're an increasingly rare option these days, but cameras with optical viewfinders add a good degree of versatility, letting you get the shot when you can't make out the LCD in bright sunlight, or save battery life by disabling the LCD when accurate framing isn't vital. It's a shame that the C813 lacks the option, but certainly understandable given the pricepoint. Images are stored on Secure Digital / MultiMediaCards (SDHC compatibility unknown), or in 16MB of available internal memory.

The Kodak C813 offers a generous 16 scene modes to help beginners achieve the results they're looking for without the need to understand subtleties like shutter speeds, apertures and the like. While the C813 forgoes higher-tech niceties like face detection that are found on many more expensive cameras these days, the design still emphasises ease of use first and foremost. Exposures are determined using multi-pattern TTL metering, and 2.0EV of exposure compensation is offered in 1/2EV increments. Five white balance settings are available including an auto mode, and ISO sensitivity is controlled automatically from 80 to 200, or manually from 80 to 1250 equivalents. The EasyShare C813 also offers a movie mode, capturing 15 frames-per-second VGA (640x480) or 30 fps QVGA (320x240) clips, in QuickTime MotionJPEG format.

The C813 can be used with the company's optional Kodak Camera / Printer dock, and also offers a USB 2.0 connection (type unspecified), through which images and movies can be transferred to your computer. Power for the C813 comes from two AA batteries, with the company listing Oxy-Alkaline, Alkaline or Lithium disposables as compatible, as well as NiMH rechargeables - surely the better option for most uses. Kodak includes alkaline disposables in the product bundle, so be sure to factor in the cost of some rechargeables and a charger when making your purchase, unless you already have these on hand.

List pricing for the Kodak EasyShare C813 is set at about US$120. Unlike the slightly cheaper and lower-res C713 model that it is closely related to, the only available body color for the C813 is silver.