Kodak EasyShare C875 8MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom

We have had this camera for a year. I have taken more than 1000 personal and business pictures with it. In short, the Kodak Easyshare C875 is very disappointing. My suggestion, based on my experience - Spend your money elsewhere on a non-Kokak product!

The C875 is disappointing for at least four reasons. First, the auto-focus seldom works properly. This is true regardless of subject, lighting or camera settings. I've tried them all. Nothing works. I now take at least five pictures of a subject in the hope that at least one picture will be properly focused. (Camera on a tripod, good light, still subject. Four out of five are out-of-focus.) Second, the system eats batteries. Take a dozen pictures, store the camera for a week or two and the batteries will be dead or almost dead. Third, neither the auto mode nor the many "special" modes handle lighting properly. Again, I have learned to take multiple pictures of a subject in the hope that at least one will be properly exposed or will be close enough that photo software can correct the remaining exposure problems. Forth, speed is slow, slow, slow. Forget using the camera for anything that moves or is in anything less than brightest sunlight. The shutter delay is both long and unpredictable. Also, the camera takes three to six seconds to recover after each shot. Again, based on this experience, look at something other than the C875.

My Background: First SLR - 1974. Owned five other SLR's through the 90's. Have three digital cameras including this C875.

After a little over a year of use (warrenty expired) the flash no longer works. Kodak customer service indicates repair will be approximately $150. This camera seems to be little more than a very nice "disposable" product.

The flash suddenly stopped firing and, although the camera is still under warranty, the fees associated with redeeming the warranty can be astronomical. Kodak can find the warranty null and void for any reason, then charge you for the return of your camera. We added up potential costs of turning the camera in for warranty work, and it would be more than a new camera. We're going to give it to the kids to play with and purchase another brand camera for ourselves. I thought Kodaks were supposed to be top quality, but this experience has proven differently. It has been a terrible disappointment.

There must be an on-board timer for this camera to break down. Just like the other user that gave a single star, the flash stopped working on the camera about 1 year and 1 month after buying it. Get this- Kodak was willing to give me 15% off another camera at retail price- only if I gave them the broken camera back. So I can get yet another Kodak? Don't think so!

The flash stopped working within weeks of the 1 year warranty, so I called in to see if they were willing to keep a customer. (I even called back during overseas time to talk to a manager who the agent said could be much more helpful given the timing of the breakdown) Nothing was done but a repair bill close to the cost of a new camera, or 15% off on a trade in.

Although these are probably $40.00 to make, and King Kodak can care less, I would STRONGLY recommend an extended service package if you want 2 summers out of the gadget. I am of the opinion that an 8 MP camera would and should last me a few years, as I am not the tech driven person who needs to replace phones, cameras, and computers every 12 months because something else was released to the market.

Hope this helps!

I bought this camera in July of 2007 and practically from day one I was looking for another camera. The majority of my shots were blurry (granted I was taking pix of my kids but still) and low light pictures were HORRIBLE, and forget using the zoom the pictures turned out blurry and out of focus over half the time. I constantly was having to "touch up" my photos- I got sick of it and replaced it by Christmas. I used to be a huge Kodak fan until I got this camera. Trust me, there are many, many better ones out there- keep looking! Hope this helps!