Wootalyzer's Pricing Post! - The price of today's woot item is saved here for future reference
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Kodak 16MP Camera w/26X Optical Zoom
$149.99 + $5 Shipping
Condition: New

*DISCLAIMER* Wootalyzer! is in no way affiliated with Woot!, and this post may not always be here!

Product page: http://store.kodak.com/store/ekconsus/en_US/pd/Camera__Z5120/productID.242454700

Kodak is still in business? I had no idea

I love the "soon to be limited edition" wisecrack on the product image. It's sad but true. Although, I have to say, my parents have a Kodak point & shoot and it works flawlessly and shoots pretty good pictures for a p&s.

Heavens. With 26X optical zoom, I may just be able to see people's thoughts before they think them.

wow 26x optical zoom makes this real tempting

jseureau wrote:Kodak is still in business? I had no idea

Not the cat I was looking for, BUT I'LL TAKE IT!

Years ago I had a Kodak Z710 camera and it took fantastic pictures. It was easy to use, fully featured, and looked great. I actually got complimented on the looks of the camera, which I thought was odd. Anyway, I liked that Z710 though I never bothered with the Kodak Easyshare software nonsense. My only complaint was the limited 640X480 15fps video.

This one has significantly better specs and the price is good but aesthetically I think the camera is rather ugly compared to my old Z710. Hmmm...do I want to purchase a potentially good ugly camera?

Here is the manual in case anybody was looking for it.

Takes a minute to load but at least it's for the right camera.

I have the previous version of this camera. It spent more time getting repaired / replaced by the company than in my hands.

$139.00 on Amazon and free shipping with prime.

http://www.amazon.com/Kodak-EasyShare-Z5010-Digital-Camera/dp/B005KG3NSK


[THUNDERTHIGHS: WRONG MODEL!!]

Digital cameras still use AA batteries? That may be a dealbreaker for some, including myself :/

CharlesP2009 wrote:
This one has significantly better specs and the price is good but aesthetically I think the camera is rather ugly compared to my old Z710. Hmmm...do I want to purchase a potentially good ugly camera?

Go for it! It's not as though you'll be able to take pictures OF the camera anyway. Besides, hauling ugly things around with us is a quick and easy way to make ourselves appear more attractive. It's a win-win.

Any idea about the battery life on this?

While Super-zooms like this generally give you more control over your shots than point-n-shoots, this should not be confused with a DSLR.

Here is just one example of a comparison between a super-zoom (This camera) and an SLR.

Clicky

Ah yeah you guys are right, Z5120 is a new model. Any reviews on it?

Man, somebody at Woot has a vendetta against me. Deletes all my posts.

Capeto wrote:Digital cameras still use AA batteries? That may be a dealbreaker for some, including myself :/

I've found that Energizer's lithium AAs would last for months of casual use in my Kodak Z710. Wal-Mart often sold the 4-pack for $7.00 and you'd do even better buying online. Not a bad expense IMO.

YouTube video

about auto focus...
There are two modes of thought regarding auto focus.
1) take a good guess at lighting and focus and flash that shutter as fast as you can, after the button is depressed.
2) take the extra time to get the focus and light as right as possible, accepting this creates some additional delay between button-push and photo.

Kodak is devoted 100% to theory 1). They've minized the delay after you push the shutter, but given up some focus on those fast shots. I think it's a good choice.
If you grab the camera and want to catch that drip of ice cream off young Johnnie's chin, you're more worried about catching the moment that having poster-worthy focus.

In either case, pretty much all the auto focus cameras out there, (including your DSLRs), will do the complete light and focus adjustments if you demi-press the shutter button and hold.

So if you know young Julie is going to come blasting across the finish line in a second and you'd love her photo finish perfectly focused, just choose a point with the same lighting and same distance, aim your camera there (like at the ground right at the finish line, in this example) demi press the shutter button ...
HOLD IT there, 1/2 pressed ... while you change the aim up to the tape.. and the moment young Julie breaks the tape, depress the shutter the rest of the way ... and *bam* with no delay and the best possible focus and light adjustements available from your camera ... you have that heart-stopping moment captured.

A side note .. some folks out there seem to be convinced that the moment the shutter goes off, a taser-like jolt of something would come through that shutter button ... or maybe they're thinking their finger time on the shutter button controls the time the iris is open. Please! Depress the shutter button, relax and gently release. Poking at it with your finger and trying to get your finger off the button as fast as possible does not aid in the photo taking process ... really ... it just makes for blury photos ...

edited for sleepy-head typos

As the owner of a Kodak P720 in the past, and a Kodak Z990 now, I can tell you that for a "pro-sumer" level camera, their lenses absolutely flat out rock. Seriously, I have gotten pics from these that everyone swear are from DSLRs. Great color and detail levels. Exceedingly happy with both cameras, and the optical zoom is insane (in that you actually need a tripod to use it, since your hands will never hold it that steady at that level of zoom).

And now I'm sad again that they are going belly-up :-(

CharlesP2009 wrote:I found that Energizer's lithium AAs would last for months of casual use in my Kodak Z710. Wal-Mart often sold the 4-pack for $7.00 and you'd do even better buying online. Not a bad expense IMO.

I have a pentax k-x that runs on four AA batteries. I use energizer lythium, they tend to last for about 1,100 pictures, which is about 2 months worth for me.

Capeto wrote:Digital cameras still use AA batteries? That may be a dealbreaker for some, including myself :/

a good portion of the big zoom camerera`s similar to this take AA batteries, i work for wally world and i think of all our bigger bodied cameras like this only 1 doesn't use AA batteries. i myself wouldn't buy a camera without AA batteries as im often outdoors and my old camera that had a charger always went dead halfway threw every trip :P

It's probably an okay camera. If you are wondering if it is better than a normal-looking compact camera, the answer is "no." The imaging sensor is identical in size to other compact cameras, and the lens is similar in aperture range (how big an opening the lens has to let in light). While its long zoom lens can bring a distant subject closer, the camera won't work well in low light. So parents, your kid's indoor basketball or dance recitals can't be captured with this camera.

For what it is worth, cameras that have a wide-angle lens like these are really good for real estate photos. You can capture an entire room from a corner, and although this sounds a little bit dishonest, the pictures make the rooms look larger.

Capeto wrote:Digital cameras still use AA batteries? That may be a dealbreaker for some, including myself :/

I prefer cameras with AA, especially when traveling outside of US or away from outlets in general.

CharlesP2009 wrote:Years ago I had a Kodak Z710 camera and it took fantastic pictures. It was easy to use, fully featured, and looked great. I actually got complimented on the looks of the camera, which I thought was odd.

Reminds me of the scolding the Sh*t My Dad Says guy got while bragging about his phone. “Son, no one gives a sh*t about all the things your cell phone does. You didn’t invent it, you just bought it. Anybody can do that.”

Similar sentiment. You just bought the camera, you didn't build it yourself. What are they giving kudos over?

NO evf...deal killer on a camera like this. It will eat batteries fast.
People put down Kodak, but check out the Z980 or Z990 and you'll find more features than many DLSRs and the quality of images is amazing. I've used several version of the "Z" series, some I got as refurbished (by the factory)and have yet to have problems other than user errors.

Why? AA batteries are cheap and readily available at pretty much any store. Lithium AAs will give you decent battery life. Rechargeable NiMH AA will allow you to "go green" if you'd like. This camera isn't one of those pocket point and shoots so it's not like AA batteries unnecessarily adds camera bulk.

Capeto wrote:Digital cameras still use AA batteries? That may be a dealbreaker for some, including myself :/

Would this work well for me when I go on a trip to Italy? I would be taking pictures of a lot of random things outdoors and things indoors in churches and such. If you wouldn't recommend this camera, then what camera should I use?

Capeto wrote:Digital cameras still use AA batteries? That may be a dealbreaker for some, including myself :/

When the company is soon to be dead it is better to have the option of batteries or rechargeable batteries vs some company specific power pack that could soon be as rare as a dodo bird.

My old kodak is 10 years old - 6mp, 10x zoom - a great camera, took good pictures, simple connections, and no hassles with a special type of storage card. It has lived through drops, kicks, sand, water - and still takes good pictures. I would buy this one to replace it, but I have a feeling I will find a better deal in the coming weeks. (fire sale anyone?)
As far as the AA battery issue goes - i like having a camera that takes aa, has a mini usb connector, and uses a standard SD card - if you travel it's easy to find a replacement should you need one. And using a good li-ion set gives you plenty of pictures per charge. Should you run out of charge on the road, it makes it easy to stop at any little store to pic up something to use in the meantime.

crashck wrote:Would this work well for me when I go on a trip to Italy? I would be taking pictures of a lot of random things outdoors and things indoors in churches and such. If you wouldn't recommend this camera, then what camera should I use?

I used the Kodak Z990 on my trip to Italy, Greece and Turkey two years ago, and got great pics.

Interesting video used to demonstrate the zoom. However, what is important, to me, is the sound of the zoom while being used. there is an absolutely cleat mechanical sound picked up on video during the zoom in and out.

haydesigner wrote:I used the Kodak Z990 on my trip to Italy, Greece and Turkey two years ago, and got great pics.

Is that the higher end version of this one?

crashck wrote:Would this work well for me when I go on a trip to Italy? I would be taking pictures of a lot of random things outdoors and things indoors in churches and such. If you wouldn't recommend this camera, then what camera should I use?

It would be okay, but it won't work better than a standard compact camera. For a little bit more money a so-called travel zoom is, in my opinion, a better choice, mainly because you can fit it into a pocket. Closest in price would be the Panasonic DMC-ZS8, about $200.

Maybe the next one will have an eyepiece.

alvodka wrote:I prefer cameras with AA, especially when traveling outside of US or away from outlets in general.

Simply invest in some eneloop batteries. A little pricey, but compare the discharge rates. Well worth the cost!!

Solid specs, good price.

Phone cameras are becoming ubiquitous, but the lenses on them are tiny and designed with durability in mind more than optical quality. They'll never compete with the glass in a lens like this (in either the size or quality of the glass).

I have a Canon 40D DSLR with a few lenses and really enjoy photography. That camera can take better pictures than a P&S, but it's much more expensive and much more complicated to use. I used to have a Kodak point & shoot (until it was stolen) and my parents still do.

Kodak Point & Shoots are easy to use, even for technophobes, and make it easy to download, organize, and share your photos.

Some more specs:
Sensor type 1 / 2.3-type CCD

Effective pixels approx. 16 MP (4624 × 3472)

Zoom KODAK RETINAR HD 26X Optical IS Lens; f/3.1–f/5.8

Focal length 26–676 mm (35 mm equiv.)

Image stabilization still: optical, video: digital

Focus control single, continuous

Focus zones multi-zone, center-zone, face priority

Exposure metering multi-pattern, center weighted, face-priority

Compensation ±2.0 EV with 1/3 EV steps

Exposure Lock when shutter button is half pressed

ISO sensitivity auto, 64, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600

White balance auto, daylight, tungsten, fluorescent, open shade

Flash range [wide]: 1.6–18.0 ft [tele]: 7.2–10.2 ft

Flash mode auto, fill, red-eye reduction, off

Capeto wrote:Digital cameras still use AA batteries? That may be a dealbreaker for some, including myself :/

So what you look for in a camera is an over-priced, proprietary battery?

how does it perform in low light?