Kodak EasyShare Z740 Review
Simon Joinson, August 2005

Review based on a production Kodak EasyShare Z740

The first quarter of 2005 saw Kodak expanding its 'big zoom' range with three new 'Z series' EasyShare cameras, including two 10x optical, 5MP models; the Z7590 (a minor update of the DX7590 adding compatibility with the latest printer dock) and the slightly lower cost, lower-spec model reviewed here, the Z740. The Z740 aims to offer an easy-to-use, very compact and relatively affordable entry-point to the increasingly popular 'super zoom' end of the market, while still offering a fairly comprehensive set of manual overrides. The Z740 is available (in most areas) as a standalone camera or as part of a value-added 'Digital Photo Solution', bundled with an EasyShare Printer Dock Series 3 (6x4-inch thermal dye direct-printer and camera charger) and NiMH rechargeable battery for the camera.

• Kodak Retinar Aspheric All-Glass 10x optical zoom lens
• 5.0 million effective pixels
• Exclusive Kodak Color Science Image Processing Chip
• 1.8" high-resolution indoor/outdoor display
• Electronic viewfinder
• Manual and semi-automatic controls
• High-speed, low-light auto focus
• 16 scene modes
• One-touch simple sharing

Side by Side

Here for comparison is the Z740 alongside three of its competitors - (from left): Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5, Canon PowerShot S2 IS, Sony Cyber-shot H1, Kodak EasyShare Z740 (the smallest, but also the only one without image stabilization).

Kodak EasyShare Z740 vs Z7590 (main differences)

Kodak currently has three 10x zoom cameras in its EasyShare lineup: the Z740 reviewed here, and the higher-spec (and identical save for their dock connector) DX7590 and Z7590. Listed below are some of the main differences between the Z740 and the Z7590 (which, as mentioned, is identical in spec to the DX7590). Probably the most significant differences here are the names on the lens, the lower-spec viewfinder and LCD screen, and the Z740's slightly less comprehensive set of controls (AE compensation, focus etc). Of course, the Z740 is smaller and lighter, which may swing it for some buyers. To add to the confusion pricing on both cameras varies widely, with the Z740 available for under $280 (camera only) and just short of $390 in the special Printer Dock 3 bundle, while shopping around for the Z7590 will yield prices as low as $320. There's no doubt the best deals on the Z740 are those including the bundled printer dock, which sells on its own for around $140.

	EasyShare Z740	EasyShare Z7590
Lens	• 10x (38-380mm equiv) • Kodak Retinar	• 10x (38-380mm equiv) • Schneider-Kreuznach Variogon
LCD Screen Size	• 1.8-inch • 134,000 pixels	• 2.2-inch • 153,000 pixels
Electronic Viewfinder	• 0.2-inch • 201,000 pixels	• 0.26-inch • 311,000 pixels
Shutter speed range (auto mode)	8 sec - 1/1700 sec	16 sec - 1/1700 sec
Camera Size (mm)	97.8 x 77.5 x 72.6	99.6 × 81.2 × 79.9
Weight (exc batt/card)	286 g (10.1oz)	350 g (12.3 oz)
External flash	No	Yes (PC Sync socket)
Exposure Compensation	-2 EV to +2 EV in 1/2 EV steps	+3 EV to -3 EV in 1/2 or 1/3 EV steps
Digital Zoom	5.0x	3.0x
Burst Mode	2 fps, up to 5 images	2 fps up tp 4 images
Custom mode	No	Yes
Image quality settings	None	Fine, Standard
Focus System	• External AF sensor & TTL-AF • Multi-zone • Center-zone (available is PASM modes.	• External AF sensor and TTL-AF • Multi-zone • Center-weighted • Selectable: left, center, right
Add-on lens compatibility	Yes, via lens adaptor	Yes - 55mm thread
Power	CRV3; 2-AA lithium; 2-AA Ni-MH; Kodak EasyShare Ni-MH rechargeable battery pack (KAA2HR)	KODAK EASYSHARE Li-Ion (1700 mAh) Rechargeable Battery (supplied)
Other features	ISO 800 (1.8MP only)	• Exposure Bracketing • Jog dial on front of grip • Histogram
Street Price (camera only)	• US: $349 • UK: £220	• US: $399 • UK: £250

Kodak EasyShare Z740 key specifications

* Supplied accessories may differ in each country or area. In some areas the Z740 is only available as part of the Digital Photo Solution (camera and printer dock) bundle.

If you're new to digital photography you may wish to read the Digital Photography Glossary before diving into this article (it may help you understand some of the terms used).

Conclusion / Recommendation / Ratings are based on the opinion of the reviewer, you should read the ENTIRE review before coming to your own conclusions. Images which can be viewed at a larger size have a small magnifying glass icon in the bottom right corner of the image, clicking on the image will display a larger (typically VGA) image in a new window. To navigate the review simply use the next / previous page buttons, to jump to a particular section either pick the section from the drop down or select it from the navigation bar at the top. DPReview calibrate their monitors using Color Vision OptiCal at the (fairly well accepted) PC normal gamma 2.2, this means that on our monitors we can make out the difference between all of the (computer generated) grayscale blocks below. We recommend to make the most of this review you should be able to see the difference (at least) between X,Y and Z and ideally A,B and C.

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