Kodak EasyShare M1093 IS

The Kodak Easyshare M1093 is one of the simplest ultra-compact cameras to use. If you’re looking for a hassle-free point-and-shoot option, this is a worthy candidate. With an emphasis on Smart Capture mode, the only downside happens to be the limited manual functions.

The M1093 looks much like the others in the M-series. It comes in an all-black finish, with most of the rear occupied by the screen. There aren’t too many buttons beside the screen. For a change, the navigational joystick isn’t cumbersome to use. The playback/review key, along with the function key, can be found right above the joystick. A speaker occupies the space between the lower half on the right and the upper portion with the zoom toggle keys.

In a nice change, the mode and flash keys are located on the top, beside the power and shutter release button. It’s convenient and easy to access.

The M1093 uses a Kodak Retinar aspheric lens, which is a 35-105 mm equivalent. Though the camera offers 10MP, it has just 3x zoom. If you’re happy to see so many megapixels, think again. For daily digital use, or even if you decide to make posters out of your pictures, 10MP is overkill. I would have appreciated greater optical zoom instead.

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Startup takes under two seconds, while the time taken between shots is much less. For the most part, especially if you’re concerned mainly with the auto mode, you will like Smart Capture. It runs on an engine that decides the right scene mode and hence the right settings. I failed in my attempts to get it to apply the wrong mode. It takes less than a second to decide the right scene mode.

When shooting night landscapes, however, it’s advisable to get to the program mode. You can choose the right exposure levels and also choose to shoot on a low ISO. This will help in reducing noise that’s characteristic of night scene modes. Also, the camera offers a long exposure of up to 8 seconds, so if you have a tripod (which you can get for as little as Rs 1300), you should be all set. But then again, night photography is not one of the strengths of the Smart Capture mode.

In Program mode, you get only a handful of tweakable options: exposure compensation, focus mode, long exposure, white balance, ISO, and a couple of others.

There are plenty of scene modes to choose from, including portrait, blur reduction, sport, landscape, close-up, night portrait, landscape, snow, beach, text, fireworks, flower, manner/museum, self-portrait, high ISO, children, backlight, panning shot, candle light, sunset and panorama (with auto stitch facility). Macro focus range is 7cm.

Nightshot Using Smart Capture Mode

The performance of the camera is good too. Although there isn’t a single ultra-compact camera of Kodak’s that I haven’t found with the purple fringing issue, the M1093 is a bit better in that respect. As such, the detailing isn’t great, and the colors are pretty saturated.

The camera costs Rs 9,999, and the price is right for an ultra-compact, especially since it offers features like Smart Capture. Of course, it’s not for those who wish to experiment; it’s for those looking for easy shooting modes. The picture reproduction is decent, though not the best. It’s ideal for capturing birthdays, office parties, etc. The good design makes it all the more appealing.