The LS743 is not a very complex
camera, it has a limited number of functions, but it allows
the capture of some images that would normally fall out of
the range of most fully automatic point and shoot cameras.
Its multiple Scene programs make it easy to select the most appropriate
settings based on the subject to be photographed, without having to recall
that, for example, exposure compensation should be used.
The 2.8X is designed
for the most universal subjects, providing a focal range that
covers from a modest wide angle (38mm) to a short telephoto that
is ideal for portraits (100mm).
Photos captured with the wide angle reveal a slight bit of barrel distortion,
while those captured at the telephoto end show no pincushion distortion.
Moreover, photos show that
the lens captures a sharp image from edge to edge at all focal
lengths, has no chromatic aberration, and is well mated to
the 4 megapixel CCD as images exhibit a very good level of
detail.
As is often the case with Kodak digital cameras, the colour rendition
of the LS743 is excellent. Photos are bright, and the colours snappy
and vibrant without being overly saturated.
Still, the Kodak LS743 could have
been even better if it had offered a bit more flexibility with
the compression and image formats it offers. At the highest image
quality (Best), the images have a compression ratio that ranges
between 1:6 and 1:8 depending on the complexity of the subject.
This is a compression ratio range normally reserved for an average compression,
one that would fall somewhere in between the least and most compressed
formats.
While the Best compression
level does not generally produce compression artefacts in the
images, it does appear to lessen the finer details with some
subjects by lowering sharpness.
In the same vein, we also noted with some regret that whatever settings
are made to important photo parameters such as ISO, metering, flash mode,
and focus point are lost when the camera is turned off.
This said, the fact that the
LS743 can't be set to stay constantly at a specific ISO setting
is probably not as critical as it might be with many other
cameras. Indeed, the LS743 captures remarkably low noise images
up to 400 ISO, and it is only at 800 ISO that noise intrudes
becomes visible. Therefore, with an Auto ISO setting that officially
covers from 80 to 160 ISO (in our tests it never went past
140), the LS743 is very unlikely to produce an unacceptably
noisy image.
Aperture: f8; shutter speed: 1/180 sec., 80 ISO.
In most respects the Kodak LS743
is a simple point and shoot, but one with a high quality finish.
It is well-suited for easy photography and does not demand any
particular expertise from its user to yield excellent images.
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