Kodak EasyShare Z1012 IS: 12x zoom pour homme
According to Kodak, the 10-megapixel EasyShare Z1012 IS, with its 12x zoom and class-leading shutter lag, is a camera for real men
Ah, men. In this post-industrial world of computers and digital cameras and women in the workforce, what does it mean to be a man? Men are no longer hunter-gatherers in the age of the supermarket. Men are no longer warriors, apart from the few poor souls who fancied seeing the world, only to end up seeing mostly the dusty parts, with lots of other angry men shooting at them. Thankfully, Kodak is here to help any lost and lethargic males find what they need to affirm their masculinity: the Kodak EasyShare Z1012 IS.
According to the press release, the 10-megapixel Z1012 is "the must-have gadget for men". You can tell it's for men, and not ladies, because it's not pink. It doesn't have Hello Kitty on it, or Swarovski crystals. It does have a 12x optical zoom, so it could conceivably be used for spying on ladies, but that's not so much manly as just weird.
Kodak claims that the Z1012 has the fastest click-to-capture speed for capturing action shots: 0.23 seconds of shutter lag make this the Jeremy Clarkson of superzooms. It's that fast.
The Z1012 IS features optical image stabilisation, hence the IS in the name. It also boasts Kodak's face detection and smart capture technology to automatically adjust the camera's settings depending on the environment. If letting the camera do all the work sounds as manly as moisturiser, then full manual mode is available, as well as program, aperture and shutter priority. Panorama stitch mode is for cowboys capturing grand vistas on the dusty trail.
Text and sound tagging for each photo can help you keep things organised, in the same way that a real man keeps his shed in order. The Z1012 IS is clearly manlier than a moustache, and will be available to men -- and women, we suppose -- from May 2008 for £200. It may put hairs on your chest. -Rich Trenholm
Update: Read our full Kodak EasyShare Z1012 IS review.