Find Whirlpool Deals at Lowe’sKodak EasyShare V603
Manufacturer: Eastman Kodak Co. Part number: 1881515
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- Snapshooters looking for a small, stylish camera without any fancy controls will likely be pleased with Kodak's EasyShare V603.
Read more
Where to buy
| store | customer rating | inventory | tax & shipping | price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon.com Marketplace |  | In stock | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 12/03/2009 |
CNET editors' review
Kodak EasyShare V603 price range: $399.99
- Reviewed by: Philip Ryan
- Reviewed on: 06/08/2006
- Released on: 04/03/2006
The good: Sleek attractive design; decent selection of scene modes; speedy burst mode.
The bad: Few manual controls; no manual white balance; no image stabilization; no dock.
The bottom line: Snapshooters looking for a small, stylish camera without any fancy controls will likely be pleased with Kodak's EasyShare V603.
Unlike a lot of EasyShare cameras, the V603 doesn't come with a dock, though you can buy one separately. To connect the camera to your computer, it comes with a USB cable and an ImageLink-to-USB converter, so the ImageLink dock connector is still the camera's interface with your PC. The 600mAh lithium-ion battery charges inside the camera, which plugs directly into the wall using a small plug that resembles a cell phone's travel charger.
Atop the V603, you'll find no fewer than six buttons recessed into the V-shape silver band that wraps around the camera's middle. The buttons include the shutter, flash, on/off, auto/scene mode, and video mode, as well as the Favorites mode, which lets you access scaled-down versions of your favorite photos that have been loaded into the camera's 32MB of built-in flash memory. Other than the wide shutter button, the rest are very difficult to tell apart by touch. Even the power button, which has tiny concentric circular ridges etched into it, was difficult to discern without looking.
One-handed shooting seems possible with the V603, given the ample room below the zoom rocker on the right side of the camera back, but since the delete, menu, review, and share buttons line up to the left of the LCD screen on the camera back, you'll have to use two hands to get into the menu. Again, these buttons are all the same shape and size, making them difficult to distinguish without looking. As a rule, two-handed shooting is always a steadier option, so maybe this will force all you one-handers to do the right thing.
Another example of Kodak pushing the design envelope is the SD card slot on the right side of the V603. Instead of a door, the slot is covered by what resembles two pieces of a white tissuelike material that keep dust and other contaminates out and through which an SD card can easily pass. The location is unfortunate, as it seems likely that the card will be accidentally ejected at some point, though it remained locked in the camera while we shot. It's nice to note that even if the card releases, the slot still holds it so that it won't just fall to the floor. We held the camera upside down with the card half-ejected and were unable to shake it loose. That's a plus, but if you accidentally eject the card while an image is being recorded, you'll probably lose your image and be quite unhappy.
Menus were intuitive and well labeled, and the scene mode menu even includes suggestions of when and why to use each mode. Metering options include multipattern, center weighted, and center spot, and you can choose between multizone or center-zone autofocus. White-balance choices include auto, daylight, tungsten, fluorescent, and open shade for shooting in the shade outdoors. ISO ranges from ISO 80 up to ISO 400, or you can boost it to ISO 800, though this is only available when shooting in the low-res 1.8-megapixel mode.
Video mode lets you capture MPEG-4 clips at as much as 640x480 resolution and 30fps with mono sound. The length of the videos is limited only by the size of your memory card. Unlike with some still cameras, you can zoom the lens while recording video with the V603, though an almost inaudible motor noise can be heard in the background when you do. There's also digital image stabilization which helped--just a little--to keep our video steadier than it could have been. After you capture video, the V603 lets you pull still images from the clip, though the resolution remains the same as in video mode--that is, 640x480 or smaller--so it's not quite print quality. It's not bad for e-mail, though.
Once it starts up, the Kodak EasyShare V603 is fast. It took a lengthy 4.5 seconds to power up and capture its first image, but after that, it required just 1.2 seconds between shots without flash and 1.7 seconds with flash enabled. Shutter lag was a speedy 0.25 second in high-contrast situations and 0.3 second under low-contrast lighting. Burst mode captured four 6.1-megapixel frames (the maximum) in 1.5 seconds for an average of 2.7fps.
The versatile LCD screen handled various lighting situations well, remaining visible in bright light and gaining up in low light so that you can frame your shot. In low light, colors washed out to a near-sepia tone, though this affected only the preview. Many cameras in this class simply leave you in the dark, so this is still preferable.
The built-in flash is rated by Kodak to provide even coverage out to 8.5 feet at telephoto or 5.9 feet at its widest angle, with ISO set to auto. Based on our field-test images, this seems accurate, though it's a little weak compared to that of a lot of cameras, which provide flash coverage out to 10 or 11 feet at telephoto with auto ISO.
Images from the Kodak EasyShare V603 were generally pleasing, with only a few problems under certain circumstances. For example, while purple fringing was kept under control in most circumstances, it reared its head in very high-contrast situations, such as harshly backlit subjects, and it was very noticeable when it did show up. Under more normal conditions, colors were plenty vivid and convincingly natural. Exposures were mostly accurate, though the camera tends to either blow out highlights or sacrifice some detail in the shadows. Automatic white balance yielded a slightly warm image with the tungsten lights in our test lab, while the Tungsten white-balance setting was a touch too cool.
At lower ISOs, noise was generally kept under control, though there are minor traces--even at ISO 80--and little off-color speckles were present at ISO 100. At ISO 200, noise became noticeable, and by ISO 400, it was obvious, though the images were definitely usable. In fact, at ISO 400, the image noise mostly resembled film grain, though there was mottling in darker colors.
All told, Kodak's EasyShare V603 is a solid snapshooter at a decent price that should please anyone who just wants to catch quick photos of family and friends without any hassles. It's not the camera for persnickety shooters who want lots of controls, but casual shooters will enjoy its simplicity.
User reviews
-
-
Must have for non-proffesionals
by juliushop on April 30, 2006
Pros: lightweight, compact, fast and easy to use
Cons: tiny buttons
Summary: Great camera,makes good quality pictures, fast startup and picture taking. Simple menu's with lots of settings. Takes multiple pictures just by pressing the button multiple times without changing ...
Summary: Great camera,makes good quality pictures, fast startup and picture taking. Simple menu's with lots of settings. Takes multiple pictures just by pressing the button multiple times without changing settings. Camera does NOT need Kodak EasyShare software to get connected to PC, Just plug and play. Large high quality LCD screen, with 'energiesaving' options. Battery power: 225 foto's and a 14 minute movie, after first battery charge.
The buttons are very tiny so it sometimes is unhandy when you want to changes settings while holding it stady.4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
best camera ever owned
by sissypam13 on July 1, 2006
Pros: small, sleek, fast retake, long wrist strap
Cons: small buttons
Summary: This is my second digital camera and after using many brands in my job, I recommend this camera to everyone. I am not a pro photographer but I take a ...
Summary: This is my second digital camera and after using many brands in my job, I recommend this camera to everyone. I am not a pro photographer but I take a lot of pictures for my company. They love the shots taken with my new V603. I like the easy access of the SD card on the side. I just plug the card in my laptop and download my pix. No cables required. The buttons are small but so am I so I like it!!
Updated
People stop me and tell me how cool my camera is!! I feel like a teenager again.3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
overall good!
by bjna on July 14, 2006
Pros: fast startup! quick pics, good screen. panorama mode and picture touch are so good!
Cons: this is probably true in any digital camera- its hard to take pics at night without a steady hand (mom couldnt do it ). software was somewhat hard to navigate. if any, there were minimal problems
Summary: it takes good pics with many options. there is an AMAZING panorama thing that is so nice to have when you have a big thing that won't fit in ...
Summary: it takes good pics with many options. there is an AMAZING panorama thing that is so nice to have when you have a big thing that won't fit in one picture, ex. my backyard, view from the apartment, tourist spots, tall buildings, etc. it also has "kodak picture touch technology"- this is a feature that touches up your pictures if you think they need it. this helped so much in a museum or dark place. the difference is amazing- if the picture is dark so you cant see somebody's face, you choose this edit and the whole thing brightens up in the places needed- it leaves the good places alone and makes the bad spots so much better! this feature made the buy worth it. i highly suggest this camera! i bought it with my money and it was a good choice.
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
All the features you could want for a great price, and a design that beats its competitors
by dolemite1 on May 21, 2006
Pros: Multiple photo settings enable a great shot in any condition, sturdy construction, sleak design and easy to navigate, takes nice pictures and great movies
Cons: The audio during movie mode is not the best, but is as good as can be expected
Summary: The first day I got my new v603 I used it to take a bunch of pictures of my new apartment to send to family and friends. I was impressed ...
Summary: The first day I got my new v603 I used it to take a bunch of pictures of my new apartment to send to family and friends. I was impressed with the indoor shots, and the flash worked well when needed. Yesterday I used the camera extensively at an air show, and got amazing pictures and movies of the planes both in the air and on the ground. I could not be any happier with my choice, so check it out if youre looking to spend about $250 on a pocket camera that is packed with useful feature. I cant believe how far these cameras have come in the few years since I bought my last camera!
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
If you like taking portrait shots read this
by madam3181 on June 4, 2006
Pros: Cute, good range of features
Cons: Portrait mode simply doesn't work
Summary: I've had my V603 for a few weeks now and it takes good basic snapshots. However I like to take portrait shots and I find the portrait mode to ...
Summary: I've had my V603 for a few weeks now and it takes good basic snapshots. However I like to take portrait shots and I find the portrait mode to be poor. According to the instruction manual, "Position your subject at least 6 ft (2 m) away and fill the frame with a head and shoulder pose. Use Telephoto to exaggerate background blur." I have never been able to get a subject in focus using this mode.
2 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
Solid & Sleek Design
by Raider_150 on November 21, 2006
Pros: Good number of scene selection
Cons: 120+g heavy for a sleek design, cant get your pics without goin to the EasyShare application.
Summary: I just bought this camera (black version) last sat, Nov-18-06. Quiet happy with the shots i made. There were no image stabilizer as promoted. U can only try to correct ...
Summary: I just bought this camera (black version) last sat, Nov-18-06. Quiet happy with the shots i made. There were no image stabilizer as promoted. U can only try to correct it through the the perfect touch technology which only "enhances" the image or correct the white balance i guess. Also disappointed on the file management - you cant just plug it in the usb and do manual transfer. You have to install the Kodak EasyShare to manage your picture. I bought an external usb SD card reader instead coz of my disappointment just to have an easy click and drag photo transfer.
1 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
One of the easiest to fit in your pocket
by hystria on October 5, 2009
Pros: Totally beats other new or older cameras in portability and hand holding during photo shoot.
Cons: So-so battery life although there are better non OEM batteries on Ebay. Lifeless screen image. Many Kodak cameras of this era are flawed with electrical issues making them inoperative.
Summary: I still believe that old doesn't meant worst. I still use a Thinkpad X40 recently bought, and could not found a recent notebook that could replace it.
The Kodak ...Summary: I still believe that old doesn't meant worst. I still use a Thinkpad X40 recently bought, and could not found a recent notebook that could replace it.
The Kodak V603 is all about its size : it just fits so well either in your hand while shooting, either in your pocket due to it's reduced height. Taking pictures is a pleasure simply because of its size.
As with many Kodak cameras, the pictures are generally well balanced, I look mostly for that "real life" feeling in a picture, and while Canon always produces an extremely well balanced pictures, I feel that Kodak give it more "live".
The down side of the Kodak V603 is, as others pointed out, it's battery size - only 600mAh from Kodak. However, Ebay sells 1000mAh batteries for the Kodak V603 making it more useful. The second downside of this camera is it's screen. While quite large and bright, I've noticed that the screen on the Kodak V550 (the model previous to the V603) has much betters colors and real life images, it's simply pleasant to review pictures on it. The screen on the Kodak V603 has a boring "cold" image. However, the picture quality in the V603, once is printed or on the computer screen, is clearly improved over the V550 model. -
Broke for no reason after 1.5 years (no warranty)
by lxrubin on February 22, 2009
Pros: Small and attractive.
Takes good quality pictures if kept stable.
Easy to use features, although not very customizable (focus, light, contrast, etc).Cons: MANY
After only a few months, 2 of the black casing screws came out.
Battery discharges when not used. At first, it wasn't bad, but by the end it wouldn't last a week without any use.
Stopped working for no reason. One minute it works, next nothing.Summary: The camera was fine for the most part. The screw and battery issue was annoying, but whatever. It worked great while it worked, but now it doesn't. For what ...
Summary: The camera was fine for the most part. The screw and battery issue was annoying, but whatever. It worked great while it worked, but now it doesn't. For what it costs, a camera like this should last longer and be built better.
-
Fell apart TWICE
by BrittneyLauren3 on December 19, 2008
Pros: Takes good quality pictures, easy to use, small
Cons: screws come out, lenses gets stuck alot
Summary: I love the quality of the pictures, but overall i dislike the camera. I got the camera for christmas and then the screws started randomly falling out. It wasn't ...
Summary: I love the quality of the pictures, but overall i dislike the camera. I got the camera for christmas and then the screws started randomly falling out. It wasn't because i was rough with the camera...i am VERY careful with my electronics. So i sent it into Kodak and they gave me a brand new one for free. WELL, the new one did the same thing. The screws fall out and now i have to tape my camera together.
-
Good camera, aweful warranty and customer service
by onthefly3722 on August 23, 2007
Pros: very easy to use if and when the camera works
Cons: camera never worked properly out of the box
Summary: Okay so I purchased a Kodak V603 easyshare camera which seemed to be a nice camera. Well this camera never really worked out of the box. I bought this thing ...
Summary: Okay so I purchased a Kodak V603 easyshare camera which seemed to be a nice camera. Well this camera never really worked out of the box. I bought this thing in May 07, returned it for the first time in June 07. The repair facility:
UNITED CAMERA & BINOCULAR REPAIR
Tower Lane Business Park
1062 Tower Lane
Bensenville, IL 60106
630-595-2525
FAX 630-595-2526
www.unitedcamera.com
sent the camera back as "repaired". Well I didn't use the camera until my Alaska trip and the camera was worse than when I returned the camera the first time. I called Kodak for a return number and was given the same repair shop. Now they are refusing warranty both from Kodak and United camera, both service centers refused when I asked "to speak to a manager". This camera was faulty out of the box and Kodak refuses to warranty this camera. Now I am out the $300+ I paid for this unit and they will not return the broken unit without $158.00 repair fee - Buyers beware!
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Eastman Kodak Co.
- Part number: 1881515
- Description: In this fast paced world, you need a camera that can keep up. The well-equipped V603 has a long list of features that give you the freedom to take stunning video and pictures whenever you want. Just slip it in your pocket and go.
General
- Product Type Digital camera
- Point-and-shoot highlights A slim profile makes this camera easy to carry. Video capture ability adds convenience for the user.
- Width 3.6 in
- Depth 0.9 in
- Height 2 in
- Weight 4.2 oz
- Enclosure Color Black
Main Features
- Resolution 6.1 megapixels
- Color Support Color
- Optical Sensor Type CCD
- Total Pixels 6,360,000 pixels
- Effective Sensor Resolution 6,100,000 pixels
- Light Sensitivity ISO 80, ISO 100, ISO 200, ISO 400, ISO 800, ISO auto (80-160)
- Digital Zoom 4 x
- Shooting Modes Frame movie mode
- Shooting Programs Snow, Text, Beach, Candle, Flower, Museum, Sunset, Panning, Children, Close-up, Fireworks, Landscape, Back light, Sports mode, Party/indoor, Panorama left, Portrait mode, Self-portrait, Night portrait, Panorama right, Night landscape
- Special Effects Sepia, Neutral, Low color, High color, Black & White
- Max Shutter Speed 1/1448 sec
- Min Shutter Speed 8 sec
- Exposure Metering Spot, Multi-segment, Center-weighted
- Exposure Modes Program, Automatic
- Exposure Compensation ±2 EV range, in 1/3 EV steps
- White Balance Presets, Automatic
- White Balance Presets Shade, Daylight, Fluorescent, Tungsten light
- Digital Video Format QuickTime (MPEG-4)
- Still Image Format JPEG
- TV Tuner None
- Video Capture QuickTime (MPEG-4) - 640 x 480 - 54 sec - With 32MB built-in memory, QuickTime (MPEG-4) - 320 x 240 - 139 sec - With 32MB built-in memory
Memory / Storage
- Supported Flash Memory MultiMediaCard, SD Memory Card
- Integrated Memory 32 MB
- Floppy Drive None
- Image Storage JPEG 2832 x 2128 : 14 - With 32MB built-in memory, JPEG 2832 x 1888 : 16 - With 32MB built-in memory, JPEG 2304 x 1728 : 21 - With 32MB built-in memory, JPEG 2048 x 1536 : 26 - With 32MB built-in memory, JPEG 1552 x 1164 : 43 - With 32MB built-in memory
Camera Flash
- Camera Flash Built-in flash
- Flash Modes Auto mode, Fill-in mode, Flash OFF mode, Red-eye reduction
- Red Eye Reduction Yes
- Effective Flash Range 2 ft - 8.5 ft
Lens System
- Type Zoom lens - F/2.8-4.8
- Focal Length Equivalent to 35mm Camera 36 - 108 mm
- Focus Adjustment Automatic
- Min Focus Range 23.6 in
- Macro Focus Range 5-70cm
- Lens Aperture F/2.8-4.8
- Optical Zoom 3 x
- Zoom Adjustment Motorized drive
- Lens Manufacturer Schneider-Kreuznach
- Features Aspherical lens, Built-in lens shield
Additional Features
- Self Timer Yes
- Self Timer Delay 2 sec, 10 sec
- Additional Features DPOF support, Direct print, Audio recording, Auto power save, Date/time stamp, Cropping an image, Histogram display, PictBridge support, USB 2.0 compatibility, Digital image rotation, In-camera red-eye removal, Camera orientation detection, Digital image stabilization (video mode)
Display
- Type LCD display - TFT active matrix - 2.5 in - Color
- Display Form Factor Built-in
- Display Format 230,000 pixels
Digital Player (Recorder)
- Type None
Microphone
- Type Microphone - Built-in
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x USB, 1 x Composite video/audio output, 1 x Docking station, 1 x DC power input
- Expansion Slot(s) 1 x SD Memory Card
Software
- Software Kodak EasyShare, Drivers & Utilities
System Requirements for PC Connection
- Operating System Support MS Windows XP, MS Windows 2000, Apple Mac OS X 10.3 or later
- Peripheral Devices USB port, CD-ROM drive, SVGA monitor
- System Requirements Details Windows 2000/XP - 128 MB - 200 MB
Miscellaneous
- Included Accessories Wrist strap, Carrying pouch, Photo frame dock, Docking station insert
- Cables Included 1 x USB cable, 1 x A/V cable
Power
- Power Device Power adapter - External
Battery
- Supported Battery 1 x Li-ion rechargeable battery ( Included )
Manufacturer Warranty
- Service & Support 1 year warranty
- Service & Support Details Limited warranty - 1 year
CNET Labs' Benchmarks
- Labs information All values are expressed in seconds. Please visit our labs information page for information on how digital cameras are tested.
- CNET Labs Flash shot to shot time 1.7
- CNET Labs Shot to shot time typical 1.2
- CNET Labs Shutter lag bright 0.3
- CNET Labs Shutter lag dim 0.3
- CNET Labs Typical burst speed 2.7
- CNET Labs Wake up time 4.5
Accessories
Manufacturer info
- Eastman Kodak Co.
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Eastman Kodak Co. products on Shopper.com
-
- Website: http://www.kodak.com/
- Address:
343 State St.
Rochester, NY 14650 - Phone: 800/521-0788
