The Kodak Easyshare V550’s case is solidly constructed from aluminium alloy and is available in silver or a very attractive black finish. The design and control layout is simple and logical, although the main mode buttons on the top panel are quite unusual. They aren’t really buttons as such, but sprung cut-out areas that are pressed down to activate them. This means they aren’t easy to distinguish by touch, but they are illuminated from below with a cool sci-fi blue light, so at least they are easy to find in the dark. This is good, because they include the buttons for Auto mode, portrait mode, movie mode and scene mode. This last function brings up a screen full of icons on the monitor, with options including sport, landscape, close-up, night portrait, night landscape, snow and more. One unusual option is a setting for panning shots of moving objects. Each option has a small piece of explanatory text, including advice on holding the camera steady.
In terms of performance the V550 does not disappoint and fully lives up to its high-tech style. Despite its 3x optical zoom lens it starts up in around two seconds, which is nice and quick. The autofocus system is possibly the fastest that Kodak has ever made, and thanks to a bright AF illuminator it can focus in total darkness.
Shot-to-shot times are good, with a burst mode that can take five frames in just under two seconds at full resolution, which is ideal for capturing fast-moving action, although you do have to wait several seconds for the images to be saved to the memory card before you can continue shooting.
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The Kodak EasyShare V550 digital camera is almost similar to the somewhat cheaper V530 camera. The main difference is the monitor on the back of the camera. The Kodak EasyShare V550 features a monitor of an enormous 2.5-inch size and an internal memory double the size of the one on the V530. Such a large monitor is often found on compact cameras nowadays and I can only cheer about that.
Five Megapixels and a 3x optical zoom (36-105mm equivalent of a 35mm camera), make the EasyShare V550 a versatile digital camera that can be used for many occasions. The EasyShare docking station is standard delivered with the V-550, making it a piece of cake to share the captured pictures with family or friends or archiving the photos. Simple scene programme modes offer simple operation of the Kodak V550. According to Kodak, photographing should just be fun, without having to deal with too much technical stuff.
There is nothing wrong with Kodak mainly aiming at the feminine part of the population with the Kodak EasyShare, because the Kodak EasyShare V550 will certainly equally appeal to men. The user however should not be equipped with too large hands, because the buttons are carried out awfully small. And the Flash button and on/off button are positioned too close to each other. A number of people will find the amount of settings too limited, especially where it concerns the image quality. But if you don’t mind these limitations you will find the Kodak V550 digital camera a beauty and one that has a very fast response. Yet, I’d say it’s not a camera who’d suit the photographer who wants to stay in control of the operation and settings.
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With its ice-blue indicator lights and included flying-saucer-shaped dock, the 5-megapixel Kodak EasyShare V550 brings some much-needed style to Kodak’s line of point-and-shoot cameras. Equipped with friendly features, the V550 will appeal to those who want portability and simplicity wrapped in an attractive package.
The Kodak EasyShare V550 delivers the vivid color that most consumers crave and, for the most part, does so correctly, too. It accurately and smoothly reproduced even the changing oranges and yellows on a ripening tomato. Some test shots, however, displayed exceptionally high contrast, which affected color reproduction. In one high-contrast test scene, greens in bright sunlight looked blown out and almost Day-Glo, while those in the shadows looked more pleasing.
With the EasyShare V550, you can take up to 80 continuous minutes of MPEG-4 video with sound. The zoom operates in video mode, although it’s just barely audible on the soundtrack. The V550 also has image stabilization that is of some, although minimal, help for shaky footage. You can even print thumbnails and snapshots from video clips. And of course the EasyShare system seamlessly integrates transferring pictures and storing, sorting, and preparing images for e-mail.
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The Kodak EasyShare V550 camera is one of a new series of camera, which like the LS series before it, offers high quality finishing and construction.
The V550 is currently the top model of two V-series cameras, providing a 5 megapixel image resolution, a 3X optical zoom and a large 2.5 inch LCD monitor.
Generally the V550 turns out bright and vibrant images, and is clearly designed to fit the needs of users that want a simple to operate, no-fuss camera. Its Scene programs are quite effective when used to capture their intended subjects, and the Auto shooting mode, while simple to use, offers some control to the user.
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The Kodak Easyshare V550 is a very well-designed, stylish, ultra-compact, and surprisingly capable five-megapixel digicam. The nifty looking (flat, thin, retro black and chrome) V550 makes it easy for anyone and everyone to take great pictures and it’s small enough to be slipped into the back pocket of a pair of designer jeans or dropped into a chic little clutch. Ergonomics are amazingly good for such a tiny camera with logically placed controls and one of the best user interfaces of any ultra-compact digital camera currently available. The V550 not only looks good, it is a genuinely capable digital camera that produces consistently super images by providing users with a well thought out array of easy to access picture perfecting tweaks and adjustments.
The most important question facing any micro-cam purchaser is how well did the designers balance features and performance with tiny size. The answer, in this case, is very well indeed. The V550’s target audience will love this camera. It’s an excellent alternative to Canon’s nifty little SD400, a good choice for beginning photographers looking for a camera that can grow with them as their image making skills evolve, and a practical selection for family shutterbugs, space/weight conscious travelers, and extreme sports aficionados who value style, compact size, super fast operation, and point & shoot ease of use. More advanced photographers will appreciate the V550’s versatility and amazingly well thought out user interface.
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