As one of the tiniest cameras Kodak have ever produced, the 5-megapixel EasyShare V550 is the top of the line in its Pocket Series cameras. Slimmer than a deck of cards with the jacks and queens taken out, this extremely pocketable camera sports an all-glass Schneider Kreuznach 36-108mm (equiv.) 3x optical zoom lens with aspheric elements, a huge 2.5-inch LCD screen, VGA movie mode, and 17 (!) scene modes. All this in a stylish package that is extremely user-friendly and versatile and could prove to be a strong competitor for other compact manufacturers.

Using the camera
The Kodak EasyShare V550 is finished in black with a stainless steel strip running along the side of the camera. This gives it a very classy and trendy exterior. Along the top are four controls for various picture taking modes, together with the shutter control, on/off switch and flash control button. The four mode controls are flush against the camera body and light up in bright electric blue when selected. Their functions are Auto, Portrait, Scene and Movie mode. Scene mode is probably the most impressive as the V550 has no less than 17 scene modes including Snow, Beach, Backlight, Panning and even Museum, which is used for quiet occasions. With flash and sound disabled, this mode allows for unobtrusive picture taking. Custom scene mode stores your favourite camera settings, although the flash setting cannot be stored and is set to automatic every time the camera is switched on again.