Kodak EasyShare Z712 IS
Some model names make no sense, but others, such as Kodak’s EasyShare Z712 IS reflect specific details of the product. This Kodak is part of the company’s line of super zoom cameras, hence the big Z. It includes a 7.1-megapixel sensor, so the model number starts with a 7. It’s long 36-432mm f/2.8-4.8 lens totals a 12x optical zoom, therefore the model number ends in 12. Finally, since it includes optical image stabilization, the model name ends in IS. You won’t find face detection, but you will find something more useful–manual exposure controls. Plus, its relatively small size makes the Z712 IS one of the more portable super zoom out there. You’ll still have a hard time fitting it in a jacket pocket, but it shouldn’t be hard to find a spot for this camera in your bag.
The name Schneider on the lens boded well for the camera’s optics. Kodak states that this camera has the fastest click-to-capture speed—0.26 seconds—of any camera in its class. That remains to be tested in the model’s final version. However, we can report that the capture speed in the floor model we tested seemed relatively quick but it was not 1/4 second. Startup time was respectable, about 1-2 seconds, and write speeds seemed very slow, at least to internal memory. Again, this is a preproduction model so these times may not reflect the final model’s performance.
The Z712 IS is faster than most super zoom, which still isn’t exactly blistering. When you trip the spring-loaded power switch, it fires up in a gratifying 1.5 seconds. The auto focus is acceptably quick to lock on to subjects but after all this, the camera is let down by its processor. After four or five shots the Z712 IS tends to lock up for a couple of seconds while buffering pictures.
If you tend to be more of a snap shooter, but want the reach of a 12x zoom lens, you’ll probably like the Kodak EasyShare Z712 IS. In fact, even advanced amateurs will be impressed with its manual exposure controls and image quality, but more choosy photographers may take fault with the artifacts we saw and the noise at higher ISOs. However, for this price, it’s very hard to find a camera that matches the Z712 IS.
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