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DCRP Review: Kodak EasyShare M1093 IS
by Jeff
Keller, DCRP Founder/Editor
Originally posted: January 10, 2009
Last Updated:
January 10, 2009

The Kodak EasyShare M1093 IS is an ultra-compact camera that packs a 10 Megapixel CCD, 3X optical zoom lens, optical image stabilization, 3-inch LCD, and a high definition movie mode. You might expect a camera with those specs to be on the expensive side, but the M1093 IS can be found for under $200. The EasyShare M1093 also features an auto scene selection feature (known as Smart Capture) and a simple interface that makes sharing your photos a snap.
The EasyShare M1093 is up against some tough competition. How does it perform? Find out now in our review!
What's in the Box?
The EasyShare M1093 IS has an average bundle. Inside the box you'll find:
As is the case with most cameras these days, Kodak built memory right into the EasyShare M1093 IS, instead of bundling a memory card. The M1093 has 32MB of built-in memory, though only 21MB of that is available for photos. That holds about seven photos at the highest quality setting, so you'll want to pick up a large memory card right away. The EasyShare M1093 can use SD or SDHC media, and I'd suggest picking up a 2GB card to start with. While buying a high speed card is a good idea (especially if you'll be recording HD movies), you don't need to go overboard.
The EasyShare M1093 is powered by the KLIC-7004 rechargeable lithium-ion battery. This battery contains 3.7 Wh of energy, which is about average for a camera in this class. Here's how that translates into battery life:
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Due to some tough competition, the EasyShare M1093's battery life turns out to be below average. It's not bad as ultra-compact cameras go, but do note that other cameras perform better in this area.
Like all of the cameras above, the EasyShare M1093 IS uses a proprietary battery. While batteries like this allow the cameras to be thin, they tend to be on the expensive side, with a spare KLIC-7004 costing at least $24. In addition, should that battery die, you can't buy something "off the shelf" to get you through the day.
The EasyShare M1093's battery can be charged in a number of ways. Straight out of the box, you can charge the battery while it's in the camera, using a USB cable connector to your PC, or plugged right into the wall via an included adapter. If you're using a Kodak camera or printer dock, that can charge the battery internally as well. Should you want an external charger, Kodak would be glad to sell you one.

As with all ultra-compact cameras, the EasyShare M1093 IS has a built-in lens cover, so there's no clumsy lens cap to deal with.
There are a number of accessories available for the M1093 IS. One of them is a video cable, which Kodak never seems to bundle with their cameras anymore (grrr). Here's what you can buy for the camera:
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Not the world's most exciting list of accessories, and I'm still unhappy about the whole video cable thing, but there you go.

EasyShare 6.1 for Mac OS X
Kodak includes their very capable EasyShare software with the M1093 IS. As is often the case, the Windows version (7.0) is superior to the Mac version (6.1) of the software, with the former offering full integration with Kodak's EasyShare Gallery photo sharing website.
The main screen in EasyShare is where you'll organize your photos after they've been imported from the camera. You can view your photos by date taken, by whether they're tagged as favorites, and you can create both regular and "smart" albums, as well.
On this screen you can also view your photos in a slideshow, edit or rotate them (see below), get exposure data, burn them to a CD or DVD, or even upload them to the Kodak EasyShare Gallery for printing and sharing. You can also e-mail them (directly or via a website) and print them in numerous ways.

EasyShare 6.1 for Mac OS X
On the edit screen you've got a bunch of nice tools for fixing up your photos. They include rotation, cropping, "instant enhancement", redeye reduction, brightness and contrast, color, exposure, and instant black & white or sepia conversion. For some edits, you can split the screen (see above) so you can see a "before and after" view of your proposed changes. The Windows version adds a few other "fun effects", as well as the ability to create greeting cards.
Documentation is really a mixed bag. Kodak's writes very easy-to-read product manuals, but they only include a short "User Guide" in the box with the camera, which has just 24 pages of actual content. If you want the full manual, you have to go to Kodak's website and download it [PDF link]. While the extended manual reveals more about the M1093, it's still not terribly detailed. Documentation for the EasyShare software is installed onto your computer.
Look and Feel
The EasyShare M1093 IS is an ultra-compact camera made of a mixture of metal and plastic. It's well put together for an entry-level camera, though I'm never a fan of plastic tripod mounts. Ergonomics are a mixed bag. The camera doesn't have many buttons, which means that you'll have to go to the menu frequently to change settings -- that can be frustrating. The buttons are also on the small side -- especially the four-way controller -- and the ones on the top can be hard to locate, since they're flush with the body and all feel the same.

Kodak knows that a compact camera in just one color would be boring. Therefore, they've produced the EasyShare M1093 in three colors: red, silver, and black.
Now, here's a look at how the EasyShare M1093 IS compares to other cameras in its class in terms of size and weight:
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