Kodak’s compacts may not have quite made the same impact as those from other manufacturers, but its latest Touch model looks like a promising addition to its Easyshare line. It marries a number of impressive features with an attractive price tag, and comes equipped with social networking functionality to make sharing images and video as straightforward as possible.

Kodak Easyshare Touch review – Features

Beginning with the hardware, the camera combines a 14MP CCD sensor with a 28-140mm Schneider-Kreuznach Variogon zoom lens – a construction including aspheric elements to improve image quality. Both of these are now commonly found across compacts of the Touch’s ilk, although at such a price the 460k-dot touchscreen LCD is far more of a rarity, particularly as it’s based on capacitive technology. This utilises the conductive properties of the human body to access the screen, in contrast to the resistive technology usually seen on such compacts which instead uses layers of materials which conduct electricity when they meet (ie. when you press or swipe them). As capacitive systems are the better performing of the two it’s more than welcome to see one on such a keenly-priced camera.

 

 

In terms of its sharing functionality, the Touch allows images to be tagged for uploading to Facebook, Flickr, Twitter and other social networking sites, as well as to emails and Kodak’s Gallery. Elsewhere the camera boasts 720p video recording at 30fps and both Face Detection and Recognition functionality, as well as Film Effects based on Kodak’s most popular emulsions (the user may choose from Kodacolour, Kodachrome and both Tri-X and T-Max options among others). Further editing is also possible post-capture.

 

Kodak Easyshare Touch review – Design

With a 3in LCD screen the Touch is a little larger than similar compacts at this price, but it’s not a weighty model and is still pocketable. Admittedly, the glossy plastic finish won’t be to everyone’s liking, although for such a camera build quality is perfectly fine. The doors covering the battery compartment and USB/HDMI ports aren’t as flimsy as on some other entry-level models, and the few buttons there are around the body are all well sized for even larger-handed users. Only the zoom control is a little fiddly, given that it’s a small rocker which you have to move up and down rather than one which presses into the camera.

 

The quality of the screen is superb, with high detail and far better visibility in harsher conditions than what we’re used to seeing at this level. The camera’s slick graphic user interface (GUI) looks as though it belongs on a television or Blu-ray player rather than a compact, but this doesn’t hinder operation and makes it pleasing to use. It makes good use of colour and graphics, and does well to use the full dimensions of the screen rather than just the peripheral areas. As promised, it responds to even the slightest touch, although there is generally a slight delay between a function being pressed and the camera actually bringing it up.