Don't Drop the Camera!

I've had this camera for five months. I purchased it in preparation for an overseas trip. I actually was shopping for the next model down the list, (airfare is expensive, I was on a budget) but the chain store I was in was out of the that one (I don't recall which model it was), and the C743 was only $20 more.

It takes excellent pictures (7.1 megapixels), the zoom function is adequate (3x), and it's easy to use. The large view screen is visible even in bright sunlight, the review, delete, and menu buttons are simple to use. The different picture taking modes and power switch are all located on a wheel-selector revolving around the shutter button. Shutter lag is a bit long, however. I purchased a 512MB memory card and returned from my trip with over 250 photos on it. The memory card is a must, you may not get more than 15 photos on the internal memory.



The C743 comes with rather elementary user's manual, software for your PC, a dock insert, a camera strap, USB cable, video cable, and two AA batteries.

The batteries may be a bit misleading to the beginner. They are Kodak brand batteries, but not rechargeable digital camera batteries. I, for one, did not know that there were batteries made especially for digital cameras. I did not find out until I returned from my trip and went into the store where I had purchased the camera. I went through about 20 Duracell batteries while on my trip. Why would the manufacturer include regular AA batteries instead of digital camera batteries? A mystery to be sure. And for that matter, if digital camera batteries are so much better, why can't they be used in everything? I'm sure there's a reason, but I don't think it's obvious.



I dropped it on the third day of my trip, it hit the pavement on the lower left front corner, causing only slight cosmetic damage. Recently, however, my son dropped it and the display shows a shattered view. The camera is still functional, but I have to use the old peep-hole, and am unable to review the picture. I just have to wait until I download the photos onto my computer to decide if the picture is worth keeping.

I registered the camera and requested a repairs estimate on the Kodak website. Warranty does not cover accidental damage, I guess that's reasonable. The website informed me that according to my description of the damage, repairs would cost $80, but I wouldn't know for sure until the camera was inspected by Kodak. If I chose not to have the camera repaired after learning that it might cost more, I would still owe Kodak $48 for handling. I'm thinking that's not reasonable. With prices coming down, and advances being made, my C743 is practically a disposable camera.

If you're careful not to drop it, the C743 is an excellent starter camera.