In 1975, Kodak became the first company to ever put a CCD sensor into a camera to digital capture an image. The digital camera market took a while to get going after that, but Kodak remains a major player in the market with its EasyShare brand. In fact, all but one of Kodak's digital cameras in 2011 is an EasyShare model, though the product line can be further divided by the features and capabilities of the cameras.
Sport
Kodak designed its line of EasyShare Sport cameras to be durable. EasyShare Sport cameras are waterproof up to 10 feet underwater (at which point the water pressure exceeds the abilities of the protective shell) and resistant to dirt, dust and sand. The Sport line of point-and-shoot cameras features 12-megapixel sensors, VGA video capture (up to 30 frames per second at 640 by 480 resolution) and a 2.4-inch LCD screen. These cameras run on two AA batteries.
Mini
Whereas the Easy Share Sport cameras are tough, Kodak's EasyShare Mini digital cameras are, well, mini. These EasyShare models are just 3.5 inches wide, 2 inches tall and 0.7 inches deep. Despite the tiny frame, the Mini has a 2.5-inch LCD screen and a wide-angle, 28mm lens with 3X optical zoom (plus digital magnification). The 10-megapixel sensor is slightly smaller than the Sport cameras, but the Mini line has more features, including a tiny self-portrait mirror beside the lens, a smart capture photo mode for taking shots using smile detection features and image stabilization with blur reduction for low-light photography. EasyShare Mini cameras use an included, rechargeable lithium ion battery.
M Series
The majority of Kodak's 2011 EasyShare cameras fall into the M-series, and the range of features between the M530 and the M590 are vast. As of February 2011, the M590 was the world's thinnest 5X optical zoom camera. The Eas Share M590 is only 0.6 inches thick but packs a 35-175mm zoom lens in, somehow. The camera comes with image stabilization to digital balance that zoom (which can be further multiplied with digital magnification up to 5X). Add to the big zoom a 14-megapixel sensor, 720p HD video recording and a few neat photographic features like panoramic stitch and face recognition, and you begin to understand the $120 price jump between the M530 and M590 (as of April 2011). The M590 runs on a rechargeable lithium ION battery.
Max
The EasyShare Max is Kodak's most advanced digital camera. Unlike the EasyShare M-series cameras and the Mini, there's nothing compact about the Max, which puts performance ahead of portability. This is a superzoom camera, a DSLR-lookalike with a single lens. Superzoom cameras are only as good as their lens, and the Max has a powerful zoom at the very least. The Scheider-Kneuznach Variogon lens features a 30X optical zoom and wide-angle of 28mm, plus an maximum aperture of f/2.8 in wide-angle mode. This camera will shoot well in low light and at distance and offers users far more control than Kodak's other EasyShare cameras, with a full manual mode in addition to shutter and aperture priority modes. It also captures video in 1080p HD. The EasyShare Max runs on four Ni-MH batteries and is sold with Kodak rechargeable battery pack.
Tags: Sport cameras, optical zoom, 2011 EasyShare, 2011 M590, between M530