Customer Reviews
Great Camera 
2008-10-06
Many people have complained about the camera...most particularly battery life. I bought these batteries Energizer - e² AA Lithium Battery and used one pair for a week in the mountains in Switzerland (extreme temperatures) with absolutely NO PROBLEMS!
Great pictures!
Great Zoom...made a friend with a Canon SLR jealous of the quality of picture I was taking. It's not an slr, but it sure takes a good picture!
A very nice camera, but not without it's flaws 2008-10-05
For the price, the Kodak Z712IS is a very valuable camera. It can be had as low as $140 depending on the sellers that come across here on Amazon, which is amazing. The 712IS's auto mode has a pretty accurate focus, and it is quite snappy (fast) at doing so. The auto mode is probably what the vast majority of consumers will use on Z712IS, and I can say that the auto mode works quite well.
Additionally, if you're that budding photo hobbyist (like me) who isn't quite ready to jump to DSLR, this camera is for you. On top of the image stabilized 12X zoom, the Z712IS has Aperture, Shutter and Full Manual modes - plus a nifty jog dial to navigate through these settings. You can take some dazzling photos if you fully understand this camera's features.
Keep in mind though, these settings can in no way replace the flexibility of a DSLR. To me, it's more like getting a taste of how a DSLR may or may not function.
Pros:
-12X Zoom, Image Stabilizer
-Manual Modes
-Very quick and snappy
-Electronic Viewfinder, perfect for sunny days when you can't see the LCD
-"Perfect Touch" option improves a lot of dark photos
-Solid & well constructed for the most part.
-Cheap!!!
Cons:
-Lens MUST be exposed if you turn it on... even just to review pics!
-Door for the SD memory cards is a bit flimsy
-Battery life is sub par. But please note that this camera only operates correctly on lithium batteries! It even says so on the battery door. For those of you rating this camera low because you're using NiMH batteries, try reading the instructions! Personally, I bought 3rd party rechargeable batteries right here on Amazon, and they work great.
-A minor con, but the lens cap must be laced through the neck strap.
All in all, this camera is worth it if you can find it cheap (below 200), which isn't difficult. I've used it for about 2 months now, and have taken about 900 photos. I am very happy with it!
Great Camera 
2008-09-24
This is a great camera. The pictures are clear and sharp, features are easy to use. This is my second digital camera, I did NOT like my first one, but decided to try one more and I am so glad I did. Recommend this camera to anyone wanting a camera that has zoom, large viewing area, and easy to use extras.
Great camera! 2008-09-20
It took me forever to find the right digital camera - this was my third try. The delay time in between photos with this camera is almost non-existent. It has many other great features and settings, which are overshadowed by the excitement of finding a camera with a short delay and decent zoom. Two small negatives? The camera isn't tiny, and I don't like the lens cap - but at least it's attached with a little strap. This is a GREAT camera.
Excellent Point & Click Camera 2008-09-14
I have been a longtime fan of Kodak digital cameras. This is my third, and I have bought Kodak digital cameras for my mother and niece as well. I do wish the Z712 would have come with a rechargable battery as well, but I knew before ordering that it did not. I have owned this camera for well over a year now, and it still works great. I don't use the advanced features much, usually just set it to automatic and start clicking away. The zoom is nice, and was one of the primary features I considered when buying this particular model. I think the Z712 is a nice midrange digital camera, in terms of features. As far as price goes, even at original launch price, it was good, but I realize it has been out a while, and so the price has come down considerably. The value you now get with the Z712 is really outstanding in my opinion. I will continue to stand behind Kodak digital cameras because I have never had any issues, and that includes my Kodak Z712.
Very bad policy by Kodak 
2008-09-01
The Z712IS is part of the Kodak Easyshare System so sharing your pictures is amazingly simple. The all glass 12x Schneider-Kreuznach Variogon Optical Zoom Lens (36-432 mm) zooms in fast to deliver extraordinary creative performance. Capture natural details, accurate flesh tones, and breathtaking color with the Kodak Color Science Chip. A new high speed digital processor chip, advanced algorithms, and hardware acceleration features let the Z712IS make simultaneous, split-second decisions to produce rich, vibrant, true-to-life colors in almost any lighting situation. Scene content is analyzed for luminance, focal distance, subject matter orientation, and color to determine the correct exposure and capture the natural details, accurate flesh tones and rich colors you see in your composition. High-Resolution electronic viewfinder (EVF) 12x optical, 4.2x Advanced Digital Zoom - 36-432 mm (35 mm equiv.) f/2.8-4.8 Schneider-Kreuznach Variogon Lens Shutter speed - 1/2-1/1000 seconds in 1/3-step increments Scene modes - Portrait, night portrait, landscape, night landscape, flower, sunset, backlight, candle light, manner/museum, text, beach, snow, fireworks, children & panorama stitch System Requirements - Windows XP or higher, Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher, Macintosh OS X 10.3 or higher, Safari 1.1 or higher, 600 MHz processor or greater, 128 MB RAM, 200 MB free space, CD-ROM drive, Available USB port, Color monitor, 800600 display resolution, 16-bit minimum Dimensions - Width 4.1 Height 2.9 Depth 2.7 inch (103.6 74.2 69.7 mm) Weight - 10.6 ounces (300 grams)
Billy Buoy 2008-08-31
I love the camera. It is very quick for multiple shots. My only problem is with the focus. I had an earlier model of this camera that kept in focus while zooming in and out, this one blurs till done focusing. Overall though this camera is more than worth the price.
Lens breaks easily 2008-08-28
This is a really nice camera - if it lasts a year. Six months after buying it, the lens froze. Since we could not find the original receipt, we would have to pay $125 to have it repaired, even though we sent in the registration card when we originally bought it. This is the 2nd Kodak Easyshare camera that we owned that this happened to when the camera was fairly new. The man at the store where we purchased the camera said this is a common problem with Kodak cameras; so my advice would be to NOT purchase any Kodak camera.
Great camera 2008-08-26
I've had my Z712 IS camera for about a week. For the most part, I think it's a terrific product... much better than my other Kodak (DX6440)which, after more than four years, still takes great pictures. But the new one is faster and substantially more potent and capable. It has features found on SLR cameras costing a lot more money. It does a couple of things that annoy me, e.g., switching back to Auto Flash every time it powers up. If I'm not paying attention, this will cause the flash to pop open when I press the shutter release button the first time. But, in the overall scheme of things, this is a nit.
With considerable interest, I read all of the two-star and one-star reviews of this camera. Again and again, people complained about its ravenous appetite for batteries. Several reviewers indicated they could only get twenty pictures. I have to presume they were using AA alkaline batteries... in spite of the camera's docs clearly recommending only the lithium variety. I also bought the camera dock and rechargeable li-ion battery. After charging the battery completely, I conducted an experiment. I switched the auto flash ON and the LCD display OFF. For several reasons, I prefer to use the EVF. At any rate, I started taking flash pictures and continued taking them until the battery was so exhausted, the poor thing couldn't even keep the camera turned on for more than a couple of seconds. At that point, my 2GB memory card contained 874 F-resolution pictures. In light of all the alarming "battery eater" reviews, I was both surprised and delighted.
All in all, this is a great product... particularly in light of its very attractive price. I also highly recommend the camera dock and li-ion rechargeable battery. As a final note, the ni-mh battery that came with the new dock is the same one my DX6440 uses. So, for me, it's not a waste at all.
Great photography with no background in photography. 2008-08-18
The Kodak line of easyshare cameras make taking photos easy. The camera (when set for the proper lighting) will take incredible pictures. Even under the automatic setting, an amateur photographer can take very impressive photos. The Z712 makes it that much easier with features like the 12x optical image stabilized zoom and multiple shots. It even shoots good video.
