14 DAY TRIAL // Kodak showcased yesterday at CES 2006 (Consumer Electronics Show) the first dual-lens digital camera, code-named Kodak Easyshare V570.
The Kodak Retina Dual Lens technology allowed the producer to use a fixed focal length (23 mm) lens and one with a focal range between 39 and 117 mm, giving it a total 5X zoom.
Thanks to this innovation, Kodak gives users wide-angle capabilities, which are rarely seen on such small cameras (Nikon Coolpix 8400 with a 24 mm lens is the only camera which comes close to Kodak's performance) and telephoto power for portraits and macro.
The Easyshare V570 model puts the 23 mm focal distance to good use by implementing a panoramic function, allowing images which cover a 180 degree angle to be obtained by stitching 3 separate photos.
"Today's picture takers expect high-performance features in an attractive package. Kodak is first to give them a coveted but previously unavailable ultra-wide angle lens in a pocket-size camera," said Mary Hadley, general manager of digital cameras for Kodak's Consumer Digital Imaging Group.
Aside from the photo capabilities, the latest Kodak model is also equipped for movie enthusiasts, being able to record 30 frames per second, compressed with the MPEG-4 standard.
The press release says that the Easyshare V570 also has image stabilizing, but it isn't specified whether it's hardware or a software one.
Other features include a 2.5 inch LCD, 22 preset modes, 3 color spaces and the Photo Frame Dock 2, which provides one-touch picture transfer from the internal memory or the SD card to a connected computer while keeping the cameras' high-capacity lithium-ion battery charged.
Easyshare V570 together with the Photo Frame Dock 2 will be available this month for a MSRP of $399.
