Kodak V570 *Super Test 'Best Buy' Award Winner

Guide price: £180.00

Unique, super-slim 5--megapixel digital camera, with 5x optical zoom. It is advertised by Kodak as the world’s first digital camera to sport a dual lens configuration. The first lens is a wide angle with a 23-38mm focal length zoom facility and the second a medium telephoto zoom with a 39-117mm focal length. These high-quality lenses are made by Schneider, a respected manufacturer, so this pocket-slim product really does offer something special in such a diminutive retro-looking package.

What’s good?

The Kodak V570 has a large 32mb of internal memory. This saved me when I went on a long trip to give it a test, only to find out that I’d forgotten the SD card! I was still able to take pictures. This is a really good feature. Without this I would have totally ruined my day!

One of the features I tested this on shoot was the in-camera panorama facility that allows you to stitch together more than one shot by giving an overlay showing the edge of the last photo. You then line up by eye as closely as possible the next shot and the camera does the rest. Addictive!

After taking your photos, the USB connection to the computer was recognized immediately and transfer is instant; no further software is required (although an installation CD is provided). You simply put the V570 in its dedicated pedestal docking station, which also allows you to view your pictures in a slide-show format and download them.

The Kodak V570 is fast and very easy and logical to use. The 20 pre-set scene modes add to the ease of use. These include the panorama capture (left to right and right to left) portrait, beach, snow, landscape, etc. To select, you press one button on the top (SCN) and navigate around with a little 'joystick' situated next to the screen. The rectangular shape (less than an inch thick) encourages you to hold the camera with both hands. When you have finished with it, it slips nicely into your pocket where the slightly recessed buttons don’t turn themselves on. When in use, the relevant buttons are illuminated blue. A nice touch!

The whole camera is beautifully made with a quality feel to it. My only concern on durability was a rubber hinge mechanism to the SD cover that seemed a bit flimsy. This camera looks so good that even my husband took an immediate interest in it, an absolute first!

Images are good, crisp, colourful, well recorded and noise free. The camera is also excellent at keeping straight lines free from the effects of lens barreling, even at wide angle settings. The limited ISO range (64-160) in Auto mode works to keep the image noise free. It is possible to select speeds of 64-800 for lower light photography but expect noisy images at anything above 400 ISO

The integrated flash function works well and has all the usual flash modes such as red-eye reduction, fill, Auto and Off.

What’s not so good?

The screen seemed a little washed out in very bright light but was fine in normal use.

Blues and greens are a little over saturated, but this is not such a really bad thing.

Fingerprint city! Your fingerprints show up on the chrome screen surround, and on the huge screen: maddening but hardly important.

'The Blurry Picture Alert' warns you after you've taken the picture! It would be nice if it told you while you were taking the picture, or to offer some kind of ''Anti Shake' function.

Hilary's conclusion: You will want to take it with you everywhere and use it, and you will be rewarded with lovely photographs. Perhaps even a prize-winning panorama!

Memory card: SD

Battery: Li-Ion(rechargeable)