PRODUCT FEATURES3.24-megapixel CCD for high-resolution images up to 11" x 14"
6x optical zoom lens; external lens adapter ring included to act as a hood or accommodate optional wide-angle and telephoto conversion lenses
1.8" color TFT-LCD monitor and TTL (through-the-lens) color electronic viewfinder, both with framing guide overlay
JPEG digital stills and AVI Motion JPEG video with audio recording for high-quality imaging
Voice recording to add 30-second captions or commentary to picture files
Manual shooting features include white balance, 5-mode flash brightness, sharpness and aperture priority settings for adjustments to depth of field
PC-Cam Internet mode for videoconferencing (Note: Feature requires Internet connection)
Easy-to-use menus with accessible file-size management to calculate remaining storage capacity at different resolution levels
Program auto exposure or manual exposure compensation; special scene position modes include night, sport, scene and portrait
Store images on penny-sized xD-Picture Card media (16MB card included)
Macro focus for details from as close as 3.6"
10-second self-timer."




"Hi, I noticed you didn't have any Kodak cameras listed on the "My Camera" pages so I thought I'd rectify that omission. Being disabled and on a tight budget I wanted to retire my Canon AE-1, it's been an indestructible workhorse but it's gotten too heavy to use and the cost of film developing was becoming restrictive. I spent a month or so researching digital cameras in the $200 price range and finally settled on the Kodak EasyShare CX4230 a 2.1 megapixel camera. It comes with a 3x optical (36-108 mm equivalent) lens and a 2x digital zoom (which I've only used once and never will again. Let me be straight forward about that, DIGITAL ZOOM IS BAD!). The film ASA speed equivalent for the camera is either 100 or 200 (camera's choice). The focal range is very good, 0.5 meters to infinity in normal mode and 10 - 60 cm in macro mode though I've found trying to get a focused shot at the minimum four inches is rather difficult. It shoots in three image modes, 2, 1, 0.5 megapixel. They advertize being able to produce 8x10 prints with the 2 megapixel mode but I have yet to try that. I have gotten some very nice 4x6 prints that were shot in 1 megapixel mode.
The shutter speed is automatic and ranges from 1/8 - 1/1700 sec. the higher shutter speed being faster than my AE-1! Aperture is also automatic and ranges from f/2.7 (tele) - f/5.2 (wide). It has three flash modes, automatic, fill and red-eye reduction. I've foregone the EasyShare camera 'dock' (seen in the photo above) that Kodak sells and use a PNY Secure Digital card reader. The weight of the camera without memory card and batteries is just under 8 ounces. Camera operations are done through a simple and easy to use menu system on the 1.5" LCD screen. It uses 2 AA style batteries or a CRV3 lithium battery, to date I've gotten over one THOUSAND pictures (most using the LCD screen for a view finder and most with the flash on as well) with the CRV3 lithium battery that comes with the camera. As with any (non-SLR) digital camera there's around a 1 second pause between pressing the shutter button and the taking of the picture.
The few drawbacks/complaints I have about the camera are:
Flimsy doors, especially the door over the memory card slot, it feels as if it could be easily broken if special care is not taken when removing or reinserting the memory card.
Plastic camera body, while my AE-1 has been flung off cliffs and sunk in rapids I fear that a drop from almost any height would cause significant damage to this camera.
Poor placement of the 'camera ready/camera status' light. It's right next to the optical viewfinder and can interfere with taking pictures in low light situations because of it's brightness.
Slow shutter speed of 1/8th sec. isn't very slow. A full second
would have been a nice addition.
All in all this is a great camera for the price, it takes good pictures, comes with decent features and is almost completely idiot proof. It's not a professional camera but great for someone who's interest in getting started with digital photography and small enough to take with you anytime (I don't leave the house without mine.)
Some sample shots taken with the camera can be found here:
http://voivod.members.easyspace.com/jan11/
http://voivod.members.easyspace.com/jan16/" (Hawk)




"I own several cameras, only one is digital, I find digital photography time consuming and quite boring. It is very good for the news and paparazzi but when you want to take your time and take the pictures you really want to, then in my opinion, you cant beat film. If you have your negative or transparency digitally scanned you can produce a 20"x30" print of very good quality from a 35mm film. Considerably larger if you use medium format. The cameras I use most are my Nikon F100, my Yashicamat M TLR, with excellent Yashinon lenses and my Zeiss Super IKonta fitted with a Tessar lens. I find it much cheaper to send my chosen negatives away to be printed, the quality that you can get for such a reasonable price is astounding. To obtain the same results myself buying top class scanning and printing equipment the cost would be astronmical. My Yashica TLR and my zeiss Super Ikonta cost a total of £120 or around $190. I get excellent enlargement results from these better than from my Nikon. However, the nikon is much better for sports and wild life photography because of it's fast auto focus, and ability to use many lenses. I dont see photography as film or digital, but a marriage of the two. The digital scanning of negatives to me is the most impressive improvement to photography. I have had 70 year old negatives proffessionally repaired and prints taken off them, the results being nothing short of astounding. I have done it myself on the computer in Adobe, Paint Shop pro, and Coral; but I cant match the proffessional imaging firms that I use. It also costs a small fortune in ink cartridges and photo paper before you get the result you are looking for. One final thing that worries me, if you find a box of old negatives in the loft maybe 100 years old, you can still get them printed. However, in 100 years from know if you found some photograhpic memory cards or CDs full of pictures would you be able to view what was stored on them?
   I only use digital if I am sending photo's via the internet, or I am loading them onto the computer. I now use mainly colour print film, and if I want a transparancy I get one taken off digitally. Years ago I used over 90% transparancy film; but with digital technology so advanced I find that colour print film offers the best allround options. The digital camera I use is a Jenoptik, a very under rated camera which gives very good results and fullfills all my digital needs. Some friends of mine who own very expensive Canon and Nikon digital cameras are very suprised at the results I get from the Jenoptik. It is a JD4 1z8 8xzoom 4.1 megapixel and costs £155 new. With it's 8 times optical zoom and reasonable sized lens it serves all my digital needs. With the speed technology advances I would not pay a a high price for a digital camera, they tend to become dated after about 6 months. If you think back two or three years I think you will see what I'm getting at. For anyone who wants to have a "dabble" at digital photography I would recommend a Jenoptik camera as a cheap starting point. You can get one for as little as £30. When my digital cameras get out of date after a couple of years I give them away, If I can! But I would'nt give my old folders away. I also have a digital camcorder, but again, I don't use it very much. Kind Regards" (John Morris)  




"I updated my camera in April 2005 to a Casio Exilim EX-P600, which was highly recommended in most of the camera magazines and by users on the net. It boasts 6 megapixils, a Canon lens with a x4 optical zoom (plus a x4 digital), a 2 inch LCD screen, a 2 second start-up, a quick shutter response, long battery life and is light and compact enough to slip easily into a coat pocket. It seemed to have most of the virtues I'd want, except I'd really have liked a camera cradle as well, as this would have made recharging the battery so much easier. It is extremely versatile but much simpler to operate than many other digital cameras, and it's not just the point and shoot controls that are uncomplicated. I particularly like the simple way that a single control can be set to adjust ISO ratings (I find that the auto setting doesn't always give me a short enough exposure for a hand-held camera), and the way that you can get all the relevant information you need in the LCD viewfinder as you take the photo. There are lots of extras, including a grid that aids composition by dividing the screen into thirds. Everything you need to know is in the instruction manual, although, unfortunately, as with so many cameras nowadays, the full version has to be read on a computer screen. But the big practical snag about using the camera, I found, was that I kept accidentally pressing the delayed camera release button - this proved a real curse! Otherwise, I was really very pleased with it." (PG)




"I have now moved on to a Canon Powershot A-710IS that has the benefits of a really good x6 optical zoom and effective image stabilization. The latter proved a real boon, and has saved many a picture as I like to manage without flash and this makes it so much easier. At the wide end of the zoom, it allows hand-held exposures as long as 1/20th sec. It has 7.1 megapixels, and full manual control if you want it, although this is hardly needed when the auto setting is so good. But some of the other special scene settings (like portrait and fireworks can be useful). Even on auto, you can choose to use either a normal or a high range of ISO settings, so this can be used to reduce exposure times and so make indoor flash-free photography so much simpler. ISO speeds range from 80-800. Unlike so many cameras, it still has a useful optical viewfinder as well as its 2.5 in. LCD screen. This is very helpful in bright sunshine when you can't see the LCD screen. It runs off just two AA batteries, but, given a good battery charger and a few spare batteries, this is no problem. I can (just) get the camera into a pocket - important for a compact, this. Image quality is very good - as is the movie mode. Despite all its features, the camera is remarkably simple to use and I can thoroughly recommend it." (PG)




"I purchased a used Nikon D70 recently (body only, as I have lenses from my Nikon F75 film camera which are compatible, saving me a fortune). I have to say that, being a fairly poor photographer (but enjoying it nonetheless) the D70 has raised my game dramatically. I used to experiment wildly with the film equivalent, waiting a day or so for the films to be developed to find only one or two decent shots. With the D70 it’s a doddle to use, but has all the features you would expect of an SLR, meaning I can now use aperture and shutter priority programmes with confidence, giving great results. I tested a Canon digital SLR, but the moment you pick it up you realise there is no comparison to the Nikon. Build quality is terrible on the Canon, and the pictures don’t seem to be quite as vivid, especially the greens and reds. Once I’ve finished messing around with it I’ll try and send a shot of one of my dogs in action – a black Labrador retriever (hard to shoot due to the highlights created by the shiny coat) to see if you can help me improve! Great site, by the way." (Jay Hubbard)




Assuming you're not (yet) using digital, the next page considers SLIDES OR COLOR NEG? Otherwise go on to FILTERS or BLACK & WHITE