Kodak M1093 IS Review

The Kodak EasyShare M1093 IS couples a 10.1 megapixel 1/2.3" CCD image sensor to a Kodak-branded 3x zoom lens with a 35 - 105mm equivalent focal range, a rather tight wide angle to a moderate telephoto. As the name suggests, the M1093 IS offers image stabilization although the type used isn't specified. For framing images, the Kodak M1093 has a 3.0-inch LCD display with 230,000 dot resolution, but no optical viewfinder - an increasingly rare option these days and one that would add a good degree of versatility. Cameras without optical viewfinders might not let you get the shot when you can't make out the LCD in bright sunlight, and don't let you save battery life by disabling the LCD when accurate framing isn't vital.

The Kodak M1093 IS's images are stored on Secure Digital / MultiMediaCards including SDHC types, or in 19MB of available internal memory. The Kodak M1093 offers a generous 22 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. The M1093 includes Kodak's face detection technology, which locates faces and automatically adjusts the focus and exposure. The M1093 determines exposures with a multi-pattern, center-weighted, or center spot TTL metering system, and offers 2.0EV of exposure compensation in 1/3EV increments.

Five white balance settings are available in the Kodak EasyShare M1093 including an auto mode and four fixed presets, and ISO sensitivity is controlled automatically from 64 to 3200, or manually from 64 to 6400 max. - although this highest option requires a reduced resolution of 3.1 megapixels or less. The EasyShare M1093 also offers a movie mode, capturing high-def 1280 x 720 pixel, VGA (640 x 480 pixel) or QVGA (320 x 240 pixel) clips at 30 frames-per-second. The M1093's videos are saved as QuickTime files using MPEG-4 compression, and do include audio.

Images and movies captured on the Kodak M1093 are transferred to your computer over a USB 2.0 Full Speed connection, much slower than the USB 2.0 High Speed connections offered on most digital cameras these days. They can also be viewed on a TV over a standard definition NTSC or PAL connection. Power for the M1093 IS comes from a proprietary KLIC-7004 lithium-ion rechargeable battery pack, and an AC adapter for in-camera charging is included in the bundle.

Pricing for the Kodak EasyShare M1093 IS is about US$180, and the camera is available in black, pink, red and silver body colors.