Product Reviews (30)
First pictures were blurry. Took a...
Strengths: compact,easy to use,great pictures,good range on wide angle to telephoto
Weakness: delay between pressing shutter button and photo being taken
First pictures were blurry. Took a few bad pictures till I figured timing with the delay,now photo are as good as any 35slr camera I have ever owned.Perfect pictures up to full 20x30 in.on best setting. Action photos are excellent as is video. You must remember the delay when taking photos. After that it is a great camera. Docker and softer works flawless and easy on win xp.
By lesedan - Oct 4, 2003
Avoid this Camera
Strengths: It looks nice (I'm being generous here)
Weakness: Breaks easily, Poor Customer Service
So I'm using the LS443 on a trip in Japan, taking a lot of pictures. I slide it in my bag, and then pull it out again to take a snapshot. Now the camera is buzzing and giving me "Error Code E45. Consult Manual." I'm thinking the camera stripped a gear trying to open in my bag, but I call their tech support anyways to get some answers.
While I'm on hold for about 16 minutes, I chance upon this review section for the camera, and peruse it's comments. Line after line of "breaks easily" and "no customer support" suddenly dawn on me that this call will be going nowhere. And it didn't.
The guy on the phone was polite enough, but it was just as I feared. You give them the question (What does E45 mean?), they ask for your personal information, and once they have it, they tell you "it needs service." Well, DUH... what KIND of service? Response: "That is proproetary information." Translation: I don't know, I don't want to look it up, and if you knew, then you would realize that you've been had.
Their solution? Send it in for over $150 to get this thing fixed (probably just replaced with a refurbished camera) or trade in to buy ANOTHER Kodak camera. If this is all the 'help' i can get, what makes them think I want ANOTHER Kodak camera?
This camera should be avoided- it will break like a toothpick bridge science project, and you will never know what went wrong. Customer service is poor at best, and in fact, I would avoid Kodak entirely. I wasted 20 minutes of my life dealing with them I will never get back.
Take heart to this review page. The ones that give poor reviews are the REAL ones, unlike the one or two here that are posted by Kodak flunkies trying to pump up sales.
Do the right thing. Avoid Kodak.
By omegatek2 - May 12, 2006
Love the camera, easy to use so...
Strengths: Ease of use, value for cost of camera.
Weakness: Add-on lenses are not readily available except by internet.
Love the camera, easy to use so anyone can pick it up and take great pictures on the auto setting. Having the extra features to work with is nice to have as you become more aquainted with the camera. I bought a 128MB memory card and can get over 100 4 megapixel shots on it. Excellent choice for a first time digital camera purchase. Along with the HP psc 2210xi printer you can get great 6 color prints.
By rre1960971 - Jun 5, 2003
I have been waiting for digital...
Strengths: Everything; camera features, construction, size, ease of use, price point for a 4MP, absolutely brilliant photo's, bought it for $449.
Weakness: Should have come with a camera case for this price. Buy extra batteries, Rapid Charger and a 256MB SD card and your all set.
I have been waiting for digital cameras to improve since their introduction. It was worth the wait. This 4MP Kodak LS443 is everything I have been searching for. My wife (who has problems using her cell phone) can operate this camera with ease, and I can utilize all the advanced features to take breathtaking pictures. I have been taking photos non-stop for the last 5 days and have yet to find any real weakness with this camera. I have been an avid amateur photographer for 30 years, with this camera I am going totally filmless. Great job Kodak!!!!
By jlh1717 - Oct 28, 2002
Have had 3 cameras within the...
Strengths: Menu system - ease of use - picture quality
Weakness: quality of construction - reliability - support
Have had 3 cameras within the family. All have required repair work within first 12 months. After three years from first purchase, all cameras have been at the repair shop at least twice and only one of the three is still operational.
By dgirdler - Feb 16, 2005
My first digi cam bought for...
Strengths: Easy to use-
Weakness: Easy to have problems- Easely breakable- No real customer service- Warranty non-existant-
My first digi cam bought for Christmas. The dock station stopped responding after 2 weeks, Circuit City changed it. Went to Puerto Rico, took some pix at the beach/pool (never dropped in the sand), LS 443 locked. Sent it Kodak Service and now, it would cost $ 200.00 repair.
I guess better not take this camera when you need it and keep it in safe, dry, clean and/or indoor place assuming you have enough light to get good pix.
Warranty is a shame and this camera is for sure a waste of my and potentially your money.
By jjvolker - Sep 24, 2003
This is an all in one camera. It...
Strengths: Beautiful picture with just auto setting
Weakness: Unable to select picture size when using the 3 selectable resolutions
This is an all in one camera. It meets all picture taking needs. With the software included it makes picture taking a pleasure. Worth every penny spent. Thank You KODAK
By jrryalxandr - May 27, 2003
I picked up the LS 443 last...
Strengths: Good Price, Easy to use, Includes docking station
Weakness: *Very* poor picture quality, Bizarre picture color
I picked up the LS 443 last Saturday and will be returning it tomorrow. Why? In short: abysmal picture quality.
At first I thought I was using the camera incorrectly, until I found corroborating reviews. I compared its pictures to my friend’s two-year old digital camera and was astounded at how much better his pictures were. The detail and clarity in the LS443's pictures is severely lacking.
This may not be obvious when looking at an entire shot, but when you try to enlarge them you really notice the problem. There's a great review at DC Resource that really documents this problem:
www.dcresource.com/rev...
My other major fault with this camera is its picture color. The camera runs all your pictures through some kind of color process that is designed to make the colors "richer and fuller" -- but I just found that it made my subjects look like part of a surreal Disney animated film. Some pictures don't even look real.
The LS443 has a good price, and the included docking station is nice. It's a remarkably user-friendly camera, and the included software is easy too. Kodak definitely earns the "EasyShare" moniker.
Perhaps if this is a starter camera for you, and/or if ease of use is your primary concern, you'll be able to look past the poor picture quality. But I just couldn't. I bought this to replace my compact Pentax 35mm. Coming from film, I was prepared to settle for less -- just not *this* much less.
By sdengler - May 24, 2003
Almost 2 years ago I had owned the...
Strengths: Very easy to use, nice auto-focus, many modes, unlimited movies with sound, light and compact
Weakness: HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE, CAMERA BREAKS EASILY, no case, internal 16 megs only gives you 12 pictures, no panoramic mode
Almost 2 years ago I had owned the LS443 only a few weeks and I gave it an excellent review, but since then my opinion has changed. My camera fell from knee-high and bent the lens. IT COST ME $175 TO FIX AT KODAK, and once you send it even if you don't want it fixed it's $40 to return it. I was not happy. My father-in-law's LS443 just broke as well by having it in the boat glove box, and my cousin's father-in-law told me the lens on his accidently opened and the motor broke trying to force it open against the wall of the case. That's 3 of 3 I know of to break.
Secondly, picture quality. I compared pictures with my brother-in-law's 3 megapixel sony (which takes 640x480 video) and the difference was night and day. His were crisp and sharp on EVERY picture. The Kodak can do this too, but I sometimes have to take the same picture 5 times to get it just right, and it really upsets me when I miss a picture. I also have problems with the flash - if you're within 7 feet or so everything is just white-washed out a lot of the time and I have to retake the picture.
I have gotten some great photos with my LS443 over the last 2 years, probably in the thousands. A lot have amazing colors and sharpness and some scenic pictures and close-ups of pets are so good I'll keep them for life. I also printed up 100 at Ofoto and you can't tell them from real photos. But it's frustrating when some pictures turn out grainy and dull for no apparent reason, or others are overexposed with the flash. Usually I miss the shot altogether or have to tell people to get back together so I can take another, which is impossible to do with my niece or my pets. While initially in this review I said I only deleted 10% of my photos, I now probably delete ~25% of the pictures I take (or more) which is just too unreliable for me.
I still like my LS443 and will use it until I can afford a better camera, but unfortunately I can no longer recommend this camera.
By Bobob - Dec 6, 2002
This is another of the various...
Strengths: Hype and the Kodak Name
Weakness: A poor LCD, weak flash, and poor pictures
This is another of the various Kodak digital camera manufactured in China. The build quality is very good. The documentation is very good. However, there are several important elements that makes getting consistently very good to excellent digital photos difficult.
The shutter release has a very spongy feeling to it, to a degree that it is difficult to determine the 1/2 way point so that the digital camera can set the exposure, the focus, and its other "housekeeping chores that are necessary to take a picture. When reviewing the already taken digital photos, the quality and definition of the digital camera's LCD viewing screen is so poor that you cannot realistically determine the sharpness of the digital photo displayed, nor all details within the image on the viewing screen. The large data overlay on the LCD screen itself, seems to lure new users into "chopping off" heads. Likewise, the flash unit is very distance limited. As long as you are at 10 feet or less, your digital photos can be processed. Beyond 10 feet, the ability to process the digital image and produce a good digital image falls off very rapidly.
The Schneider lens does an excellent job sometimes. The User Manual is well organized, nicely laid out, and easily readable. Without a doubt, the biggest plus for most new digital camera users will be the docking station/software combination. Both the docking station and the software were easy to install and they work together flawlessly.
This camera has been rapidly superceded by the 6240 and 6440 models which are much more dependable and produce much better photo quality. So let the buyer beware.
By speaklightly - Apr 13, 2003
We took nearly 300 pictures on a...
Strengths: Easy to use, Great auto settings, clear pictures
Weakness: None so far
We took nearly 300 pictures on a camping trip, every situation from bright sunlight to nighttime and even inside a cave. We found that the sport mode works best for active kids. The closeup mode works great. If the shutter speeed is going to be slow make sure to hold very still. The few pictures that we did not like were caused by operator error. The short videos with sound are fun also. We experianced no malfunctions or problems with our memory cards (128mb). The software is great. E-mailing pictures is extreamly easy.
By gmrmgrunewald - Aug 2, 2003
I bought this camera from reading...
Strengths: Nice design; inexpensive
Weakness: Very poor pictures due to almost non-existent auto focus
I bought this camera from reading many reviews and because of its attractive price. All I was looking for was a camera that took great pictures and all the reviews I read confirmed this. The rest, like the Variogon were bonuses.
After unpacking the box it was very easy to get started. I took about 15 pictures right away of my bedroom and my baby daughter. After transferring the pics to my computer I was shocked that only one of them was in focus. Two were very marginally acceptable and the rest were garbage (we're talking so blurry you couldn't tell what was in the picture)! Many thoughts went through my head at this point, but I dismissed them thinking the settings were wrong.
I proceeded to methodically isolate the problem setting by mounting it on a tripod and changing one setting at a time, while taking the same picture over and over again. No luck. After probably a hundred pictures I gave up and contacted Kodak via email. They haven't returned a reply yet. I'm hoping they can fix it with a firmware upgrade, but I have my doubts.
On auto settings, and holding it in my hands as opposed to mounting it on a tripod, I should be able to get at least 50% decent shots. But it's more like 1 out of 10 are okay, and 1 out of 30 are sharp!
I've used several digicams and I could say with certainty that this one is the worst. Among the cameras I've used are the Canon A20, S400, and S45, and my Sony 1.5MP camcorder, which I use as my reference. I'll update this
By ruben2001 - Aug 20, 2003
This camera is a piece of crap and...
Strengths: It worked for a while. I like the review button.
Weakness: It broke right after my one year warranty was over. Customer Service is horrible. Viewfinder and preview aren't same. Can't see in daylight.
This camera is a piece of crap and if I could go back in time I would definitely buy a different camera. I have had this camera for a year and a half and it is now completely broken, and I do not want to spend $150 to get it fixed. My other option is to trade it in for one of two lesser reconditioned models, at the bargain of $50 off the new price. Thanks Kodak.
My camera broke due to what seems to be a defect in the design. It turns on very easily when in a case. Before the warranty was up, I emailed Kodak to complain of this problem. The response I got back (in addition to like 5 paragraphs of "we care sooo much about your comments") was merely "Regarding your camera powering on by itself, we do recommend you to take out the battery from the camera when not in use."
Not to mention that it is annoying to take the battery out every time I put the camera away, at least half the time when I actually do this, the date and time need to be reset.
Since the gears in the lens have broken, I have continued to use the camera (just have to pull the lens out myself) until recently. Sometimes the picture would end up blurry (and of course I can't tell till I see it on my computer that it's blurry!), and sometimes zooming would turn the camera off. However, now the gears are so messed up I can't just pull the lens out anymore. In addition, when I actually get it to turn on successfully, I can't see through the viewfinder, and it is in perpetual zoom. this camera was definitely not worth the $431.99 I paid for it!
Since Kodak went to such great lengths to tell me how important my feedback is to them, I replied to the emails they sent me. About 3 times. They haven't responded. One of them was regarding the fact that EasyShare doesn't work with my new computer. (I now just copy and paste from the camera instead! much easier!)
Before the camera broke, I wasn't completely satisfied with the pictures it was taking, given the price, and most of the other features either are pointless or useless. The menus are too simplistic (at least for me). I don't like the qualitative Good, Better, Best labels for image quality. I want to know the resolutions!!
Pictures at night are horrible. Even when I use a longer exposure time, I still get virtually nothing. When close enough for the flash to work, it takes pretty good pictures at night. However, even when looking through the viewfiner, it is pitch black. When someone else uses my camera they are confused by this, so I explain to them that they just have to shoot in the general direction of the subject. The AF light, however, comes in really handy here; in low light situations, you don't have to totally guess if you're close to capturing the intended subject.
Someone wrote that the flash washed people's faces out. I also found this to be true, especially when there are both caucasian and african americans in the same picture. The white faces are totally washed out, and I would even say that the black faces are as well. In fact, this happens even when white people are wearing black clothes.
Another problem I had was that when looking through the viewfinder, the area that is shown is smaller than when looking at the LCD display. When I first got my camera and I had someone take a picture of me and a few friends, he looked through the viewfinder, stepped back about 10 feet and had my friends and i squeeze together. The actual picture looks pretty silly because there we are squeezed close together and there is all this space around us. The display claims to be versatile, but on a sunny day, I can't see the pictures.
In addition to liking the AF light, I also like how there is a button you can press at any time to review the stored photos or videos; you don't have to change the camera to playback mode.
Something that I found cool, yet ultimately totally useless, is the ability to enter email addresses in the camera. You can basically tag a photo as going to a certain address.... which won't matter cuz you can't send it till you hook up to the computer anyway. If you have different addresses in the Easyshare program from the ones on your camera, you can't just merge the two lists, one list gets erased when you import the addresses.
I don't see the point in features such as being able to tag pictures with info like how many copies of that picture you are going to print out later... wouldn't you just tell the computer to print twice if you want two??
My friend has a newer version of this model, and hers is lighter and doens't turn on when she doesn't want it to. I got jipped!!
By lizifer - Oct 1, 2004
Owned this camera for over one...
Strengths: Nice looking camera
Weakness: fragile, worthless for quality pictures, poor customer service, expensive for its value
Owned this camera for over one year, sent for repair three times and missed many important events for relying on such a poor quality camera.
First it came with a problem and all my pictures were not clear; Second time the lent got stuck and wont return once the camera was turned off; third time camera just did not want to take pictures, all I had was a black square.
From the biginning asked for a replacement camera, and they kept sending me back the same faulty equipment.
I am looking into another digital camera, and for sure it will not be a Kodak. "Not recommended"
By mlopez4899 - May 13, 2004
Kodak Failed Me. After careful...
Strengths: Marketing Hype
Weakness: Using a 256MB SanDisk SD card, get error message “Unrecignizable file format” when trying to review large amounts of content (video and/or stills).
Kodak Failed Me. After careful research, I purchased the Kodak LS443. Everything I had read indicated it was a great value. A great value was not my experience with the Kodak LS443. First, the Kodak LS443 performs poorly, if at all, with a 256MB SD card. The LS443 paired with a 256MB SD card will fail long before the 256MB of available space is filled. But it will not indicate a problem until you try to review or “easyshare” your pictures. Only then will the message “Unrecognizable file format” be presented. Even after troubleshooting, which included reformatting the SD card, the camera’s internal memory and completely replacing the SD card, the issue remains the same. This issue can be reproduced at will by simply using a SanDisk 256MB SD card and trying to completely fill it with content (either stills, video, or a mix of both still and video). At the time of this posting, the Kodak website offers no firmware upgrade for the Kodak LS443. Kodak did not offer to replace this camera, only suggested that I send it in for repair. I don’t know what the cost would have been, as sending a month old camera in for repair was not an acceptable solution for me. I’m returning the Kodak LS443 and replacing it with a non-Kodak brand digital camera.
By sbordner - Jul 22, 2003
This is a decent camera for...
Strengths: Ease of use, Tech/Warranty Support, use w/ computer
Weakness: Picture quality, pictures in darkness, not durrable
This is a decent camera for everyday use, but when you need to zoom in more than 4x you may as well say forget it... pictures are very blurry. Also, does not take very good pictures in the dark... even when using the darkness mode.
Also, when putting the camera into the Sony camera case the camera can easily turn on due to the knob being very easy to turn on the back near the picture panel.
I had to return this camera to Sony one time for warranty work due to an error on the LCD panel. Did not have any trouble as they fixed it for free.
By eddieturtle - Jul 26, 2004
I am 58, have been taking 35 mm...
Strengths: Small, lightweight, camera dock system,
Weakness: Fragile,
I am 58, have been taking 35 mm since age 10- use camera professionally and for pleasure- stand-by is a Minolta Maxxum 9- a real workhorse. Decided to try digital for convenience of immediate downloadable results- selected Kodak 443 model. Camera performed satisfactorily, but then failed after a very minor drop. Found it all but impossible to find Kodak service center on line. Was finally successful, but was advised warranty did not apply- camera dropped-- $176 in charges, plus my $13 mail and insurance. Frankly surprised and disappointed at how fragile camera is- there is no advisory to that effect in camera paperwork, nor is there any specific info regarding warranty or service. Recommend anyone already owning this camera invest in a nicely padded case, and handle with utmost care. While dock feature is convenient, and pix are satisfactory, would not even consider buying another Kodak product. Have since done much more shopping- there is far better available. Consumer beware.
By MrPhotoGuy - Sep 19, 2003
I've had this camera for several...
Strengths: Picture quality, features, ease of use, price
Weakness: Viewfinder could be slightly larger - but no big deal.
I've had this camera for several months and have taken it around the world. Performance has been flawless. Outstanding resolution, great color, and excellent exposure metering. Kodak has a winner here - and I'm a very happy customer.
By steelserotta - Dec 9, 2003
Kodak Model LS4443 w/ dock
Strengths: Takes good pics.
Weakness: STATED BELOW IN REMARKS.
I have been using this camera with Kodak Easyshare for approx. 5 or 6 years. Now, I cannot use this Model to transfer my pics. to Ebay, Kopdak Technical help has gotten me nowhere. The set-up originally cost me about $400.00; am I supposed to purchase a new Kodak camera every 5 to 6 years? Really disgusted,and would mot purchase any Kodak products in the future.
By anonymous; - Mar 11, 2009
Loser
Strengths: Not many
Weakness: Brakes very easily! My pictures are pure black. I think the LCD screen went out. Not worth the price.
Not worthg it. Very cheap and 3 other family members cameras all broke with different problems. Kodak came up with a losing product. The warranty should br more than one year.
By anonymous; - Jan 1, 2007
NoKodakfor Me
Strengths: Ease of Use.
Weakness: Breaks easily. Customer support no where to be found.
Initially I was satisfied with this camera as an easy to use/point an shoot and the picture quality was OK then one day it just stopped taking pictures - all's I get is a black screen.
Can not find support.
Will not purchase Kodak camera again.
By anonymous; - Oct 23, 2006
What a wonderful camera with...
Strengths: Ease of use (point and shoot on automatic) yet you can go much further into various optional photographic settings if desired.
Weakness: Only one I can find is that no cover for the camera is included. But, the lense is automatically covered when turned off.
What a wonderful camera with excellent picture quality! I upgraded to 128mb memory card (about $52.00) that gives me (102) 4 mega pixel photographs that can be stored on board and/or 9 minutes of video with sound. I know I don't need a camcorder anymore! And, you dock it and forget it so you don't have to worry about replacing batteries all the time. I know I made the right choice although I could have spent a lot more money! If you are looking for a camera that can be very simple (on automatic), takes excellent pictures and leaves you options for more advanced photography...this is it! And, should you ever have the time to experiment with other various settings the camera offers, without cost to you, digital is the way to go. If you don't like the picture...delete the picture and take another. You don't have to wait days for developing to find out mistakes you could not change at the time. I am quite frankly thrilled with this camera.
By DavidSN - Apr 22, 2003
I am continuously amazed at the...
Strengths: Picture quality, ease of use, custom settings
Weakness: edge of pictures can be out of focus when useing zoom with auto setting
I am continuously amazed at the color and clarity of the pictures, even when useing the auto setting, which is most of the time. The bonus is when you use one of the 6 other settings. I took a picture of an emblem on the back of a car from about 8 inches useing the close up mode. The lens even picked up the dust and my reflection in the wax. The menus are easy to navigate. With a 256mb memory card you can take over 300 pictures at medium resolution. This is a great first time digital camera for someone who wants better than average quality without breaking the bank.
By HJRCHIZZ - Apr 7, 2003
The easy of use is great point and...
Strengths: easy to use, Great quility.
Weakness: software has spyware in it.
The easy of use is great point and shoot. The easy dock wich is included works great no long waiting for transfer of photos.
By swissin - Apr 2, 2003
I am a graphic and desktop...
Strengths: Ease of use and very user friendly. Great features and produces great pictures and videos.
Weakness: Low internal memory. I had to spend an addtional $74.00 to purchase 256mb card to keep from transferring to laptop every few minutes or average 12-15 shots.
I am a graphic and desktop designer and image is everything. This camera is great! I used it at Poster Session for a client, and we captured wonderful stills and video. When I first purchased it I thought I had paid too much but having used it for a few days, the price was right.
In spite of the low internal memory I still feel like I received a good deal for a great camera.
By Cecelia - Mar 14, 2003
Great Camera. Bought it for my...
Strengths: The perfect everyday camera. An abundance of features that are truely easy to use. Even the menu is simple to navigate which is more than I can say for most other digital cameras. Quite inexpensive.
Weakness: I was hard pressed to find any but if there's one thing I believe Kodak and other digital camera manufactures could improve on it's the minimal memory included with higher megapixel cameras.
Great Camera. Bought it for my wife as a replacement for our old but reliable 35mm camera. The pictures we took on our vacation to Florida came out surprisingly better than expected. In fact, we could barely notice the differece between our digital pictures and our 35mm pictures. My wife loves the ease of use and quality of the pictures. I love the fact that I didn't have to spend a small fortune for a great digital camera.
By fernieg - Feb 13, 2003
Love the ease of use, so easy...
Strengths: ease of use and sharpness of picture and detail and color accuracy.
Weakness: for the price could have come with camera bag.
Love the ease of use, so easy infact my wife can use it. She just wants a point and shoot camera like the old 120 type film cartridge cameras. I like the fact that you can play with it like a 35mm. And the MMC cards are not that expensive, 128meg card will yield 104 pictures in the 4 mega pixel mode, get a couple. The soft wear is very easy to use and the jpeg format is universal. Just put the camera in the supplied cradle and down load your pictures, its that easy. I printed up some pictures on a color laser printer and the coloring was outstanding as was the detail, very 35mm comparable.
By BarryBeck - Feb 13, 2003
Bought as Christmas present for my...
Strengths: Easy to use, menu selection is extremely well designed for beginner to intermediate techies.
Weakness: Haven't found any to this point.
Bought as Christmas present for my non-techie wife. Now I cannot pry it out of her hands. Great product, and the ease of transfer of the images through the docking system is brilliant. Highly recommended as everyday take anywhere all you ever need camera.
By Myoung0530 - Feb 12, 2003
Kodak LS443 EasyShare
The LCD screen's poorly lit into the bargain but otherwise needing a memory card from the start and the screen is all that's wrong with it.
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By pocket-lint.co.uk - Dec 16, 2003
Kodak EasyShare LS443
I've been a fan of Kodak's "EasyShare" line of cameras for some time now, as they're not only easy to use, but produce very appealing pictures. Kodak's latest addition to the line is the higher-end LS443, a four megapixel model with a 3x zoom lens and metal-clad body design. All in all, this is a camera that I'd have no qualms about recommending to novice-level friends looking for a solid camera...
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By Imaging Resource - Nov 7, 2002