Kodak Z1275 First Impression
DHL delivered my new camera this morning. I bought a Kodak Z1275 on Thursday and I just finished unboxing it and taking a few test shots around the house. I promise to write up a more detailed review later in the week but I must say; I like it.If this camera lives up to the specs on paper, It will become very popular, very fast. It’s a new product and very few people have written about it online, even the “digital camera reviews” websites out there haven’t got anything about it. Which may be a good thing. I’ve been looking for a compact digital to carry hiking, biking, hunting and everywhere else I don’t want to carry my 35mm SLR. I’ve picked out several cameras before but would read one slightly critical review and it’d make me change my mind. There aren’t any reviews on this one to change my mind.
Sporting 12 mega-pixels, 5x optical zoom, 720p video mode and a ton of features under the hood, like I said, if the thing lives up to the specs, it’ll be an awesome little camera.
I’m going on a hike later today and probably a trip up to the Mores Mountain trail tomorrow for another sunset loop hike. If I get enough shots with it in the next couple days; I’ll get a review up before my Glacier trip. Otherwise it’ll be the week after Glacier as I go through all my images.
Zeb-
I am doing some research on Digital Camera on the internet and came across your notes on the Kodak Z1275. I am VERY curious on your thoughts once you have had the time to test it out and are able to share what you think. If you don’t mind… Would you send me an email with your thoughts or a link to your blog? Thank you in advance!
Best regards,
Mike Wilson
P.S. - Hope you enjoyed the hike!
July 18th, 2007 at 9:28 amI did get a short review written; Please see Z1275 Initial Review
thanks for your comment
zeb
July 19th, 2007 at 1:41 amZeb,
I’m researching digital cameras and am heavily considering purchasing this camera. I also considered the Canon Powershot SD900 10MP camera, but was warned that due to the large MP size, the shutter speed was very slow. What has been your experience with the shutter speed with the z1275 so far?
August 3rd, 2007 at 4:51 amThank you kindly,
Matt
Zeb,
I re-read what I wrote and I don’t think it came across as I had hoped. The Canon’s downpoint is the lag time from when one presses the button to take a picture to when the picture is captured. I read a few reviews that stated it was simply too slow due to the large MP. When you take a point-and-shoot picture with the z1275, is there a lag time and if so how long. I have two boys (ages 2 and 4) that I want to take pictures of, but I need to be able to capture the moment. Will this camera work for quick shots?
August 3rd, 2007 at 6:25 amThank you (again)-
Matt
Matt,
Thanks for the question. Lag time is VERY mode dependant. In fully auto (auto scene) it can take a moment for the camera to pick a scene and adjust the mode to the composition of the image. But, I don’t leave it in auto scene very much and really haven’t noticed it being slower than any other digital camera in fully auto. I will say that the time it takes to pick a auto scene is worth it cause the image quality is amazing.
In scene mode, you pick one of 20 or so scenes styles. This takes the guesswork out of the camera and it seems to be real snappy in most modes. Autofocus and Autoexposure seem to do well (and fast) in most modes, my only complaint is landscape images. I take more pictures of mountains than anything and sometimes the Autoexposure or autofocus is thrown off by some conditions , especially were clouds obscure the horizion. Usually though if I make a point to watch where the AE/AF zones are pointed it’ll pick it right back up. Sports mode, Children mode and others seems to be pretty quick, haven’t noticed any lag time.
By far I shoot the most shots in Program or Manual mode. I don’t notice any lag time there so it can’t be horrible.
Also, the time to first picture is pretty good. I had a helicopter buzz me the other day and I wanted to snap a picture to grab the tail number. It was going pretty fast but I hit the power button and by the time I could point it I had taken a picture.
Lastly, one of my favorite modes is the last three multiples. I wish I had it for some of the sports photography I did back when I was my High School’s Yearbook editor. you set it to last three, hold the shutter button as long as you like it’ll snap a couple pictures per second and when you release it, it’ll save the last three images. Seriously, why couldn’t my 35mm SLR have that? I can’t count the number of rolls of film I went through holding the shutter down in autodrive trying to get that perfect pass shot.
I’d better stop, got to have something left for my review. :cool:
August 3rd, 2007 at 9:48 amHi, Is it possible to see some 720p hd movie plz?
Thanks
August 14th, 2007 at 2:48 pmOK Zeb,
You’ve got us all waiting now. I am looking forward to seeing your review. I am specifically looking for an image test for stills and video (as they come out of the camera RAW presumably).
So can I please propose some benchmarks for your final review?
1. Does this camera do RAW? Does it have any kind of stabilization?
2. Shoot three still shots of each test at ISO 64/400/1600
3. Shoot those shots at the equiv. of 35mm/85mm/longest tele
4. Shoot one shot handheld in full daylight with the sun in the background, behind the subject to check flare control
5. Shoot one night city scene on a tripod for a half-second exposure with a deep black background to check noise
6. Shoot one fully-auto grab shot of a moving subject like a 3-year old in the park at a distance of 2 meters to check shutter responsiveness
7. Shoot one series of 3 shots (in quick succession drawn from the hip to the eye and shot) to check the AF by shooting a newspaper page taped to the wall 2.5 meters away that will also test the white balance by being shot under mixed incand./fluor. light
8. Shoot one shot of your own design to MAXIMIZE the purple flare accentuated by small sensors. (Shot with aperture wiide open and stopped down.)
9. AND shoot *all of the same shots* with a Canon 5D (12.7 MP) or the nearest thing you have to it so that we can compare whether this Kodak is the camera that all of us pros have been waiting to carry in our pockets when we don’t lug the heavier gear around.
10. Comment on the ergonomics of the rear buttons (which *don’t* look user-friendly) and on the feel of the camera when carried in the front pocket / conversely, the back pocket of a pair of jeans.
If you can then post these results in RAW form for us to download, we will surely do so and know what this camera is all about. A three-second mpeg4 panning video clip (panned by hand from the curb on a sunny day in the *reverse* direction of a passing car) as downloaded directly from your memory card, unprocessed, should play back on our cameras if we load it to our memory cards, so we can see what is up with the HD video.
You are obviously a goood photographer, but for a review that can be a curse because the reader might buy the camera thinking they will get your results in terms of photographic skill. Shooting bland, nondescript photos that reflect the camera tech and not your eye will be the best way to test this device.
OK, Jim, if you choose to accept this mission…
Thanks for your patience…
A stickler for detail,
John Bosnitch
August 15th, 2007 at 5:16 amPhotographer
John, I hope that I’ll be able to address all of your questions. I’m actually headed out the door to do some final shots for the review. I’ll print your list and take it with me.
I address most of your questions and points in the review which really is going through some final touches.
To jump the gun on a couple of things… no, the camera doesn’t do raw… :(
as far a user interface, I’m really impressed. for its size, features and such, it’s amazingly user friendly. it’s comfortable to hold and use; yes I’d rather have my 35mm rebel, but considering… its pretty dang good.
in reference to carrying it in a pocket; its hardly noticeable in a front jeans pocket. I don’t / won’t carry it in rear pockets cause I’ve seen one to many LCDs crack from someone sitting down with a compact digital in their rear pocket.
Funny story… when I was in glacier, I decided to leave my 35mm rebel in the truck (I didn’t fill a single roll with it) and just use this new camera to see what it’d do. That and carrying a huge camera bag on long hiking trips isn’t up on my list of things to do.
So the second to the last day I was there I was hiking up to a waterfall. I had my best tripod over my shoulder and the camera was in the front pocket of my jeans. The hike was less than a mile so I didn’t mind carrying my favorite tripod. On two different occasions I would be passed by another hiker and asked “where’s the camera?”
It was worth it when I saw the look on their faces when I’d reply; “in my pocket.”
I must admit. Having this really compact camera on top of a tripod that makes my 35mm rebel look a tad small was kind of odd. But dang it, I love that tripod.
For what it’s worth, the images I’ve got on here so far are unaltered. (well one may be cropped a tad). I haven’t messed with any colors or exposures.
Lastly, as far as video is concerned, I’ll address it in the review. But, without a tripod, the video at 720p is hardly usable. I’ve been talking with another user and trying to get a hold of kodak. I think the problem can be resolved with a firmware update. But it seems that digital image stabilization is on by default. Which, on a tripod is ok. But in hand is a whole different ball of wax. It makes the image jumpy and well, pretty horrible. If we get a firmware update allowing us to turn off the digital stabilization it should smooth out the jitters and be pretty nice. I am however impressed with the quality, IF, it’d done from a tripod.
Kodak has already released one firmware update in reply to two problems; 1 was poor lcd quality and 2 was for the camera sometimes locking up for a couple seconds after a three shot bust. Both have been resolved with this firmware.
More on that later. I do have to get out to the park today for some test shots. I’ve looked through my night shots and hope to get a few more tonight for the final review. (should be up be bedtime tomorrow).
Thanks again john for the comments and questions.
zeb
August 15th, 2007 at 1:23 pmI couldn’t understand some parts of this article 1275 First Impression | Zeb Palmer Writes…, but I guess I just need to check some more resources regarding this, because it sounds interesting.
August 17th, 2007 at 9:36 pmHi Zeb,
Have you finalised your review we are all waiting to buy the camera and respect your views a lot
Regards
August 18th, 2007 at 6:11 amSudhir
Yes… well part one is done. I’m posting the review in four parts. One part every other day. Tonight part two will be online.
Please see part one at Kodak Easyshare Z1275 Review
thanks
August 18th, 2007 at 8:46 amZeb:
Bought the Z1275 and so far LOVE it! One question that I cannot seem to find and answer to - The Z1275 is SD/HC compatible. I have several 2 GB SD cards and a 4 and a 8 GB card as well. When I am in HD mode in the video I have only 29 minutes of record time no matter which of the cards (2, 4 or 8 GB) I have inserted. Is there a reason why?
Thanks
December 23rd, 2007 at 2:17 pmDA
Zeb;
I have the same problem as del Azucar has. Z1275 in HD mode only shows 29 minutes for 2, 4 and 8 GB SD cards. Futhermore, if you record in 8 GB in HD mode for about 29 minutes, The camera won’t be able to save (Hourgalss shows forever untill batteries run out).
thanks,
December 31st, 2007 at 9:23 amI’ve had this camera since Christmas and have been very happy with the results, but there are a few things that have bugged me with it:
-The image stabilization makes for recording in 720p pretty useless if you’re intending to shakey-cam the recording. Obviously a tripod would fix this, but it is very jerky if you’re free-handing the recording.
-I wish the slowest shutter speed was more than 8 seconds
There have been firmware upgrades but I’m not sure if they have fixed these complaints. But really this camera takes some breathtaking photos w/ a tripod, and has a lot of flexibility with the manual settings.
May 26th, 2008 at 11:38 amI bought a refurbished one and take several pics for my jewelry business. I think the batteries are dead after 1 use.
Have you experienced this?
August 17th, 2008 at 8:07 pm