Kodak Showcases Dual Lens Digital Camera

The new EasyShare V570, which combines an ultra wide-angle lens with an optical zoom lens, is set to be avaialble later this month for $399.

Eastman Kodak kicked off the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show week in Las Vegas by unveiling a new digital camera which they say uses the world’s first dual-lens. The EasyShare V570 is projected to be available later this month for $399.

The five megapixel V570, said Kodak, wraps an ultra-wide angle lens (23 mm) and an optical zoom lens (39 – 117 mm) together using a special proprietary technology. This combination produces a total 5x optical zoom range and a design whose prism lenses never extend from the camera body.

Other features of the V570 include in-camera panorama stitching, TV quality video recording at up to 30 frames per second, image stabilization technology, a 2.5” LCD screen, automatic red eye reduction, twenty two scene modes and 32MB of internal memory. The camera comes with a docking station for recharging and photo transfers to a PC.

“Today’s picture takers expect high-performance features in an attractive package. Kodak is first to give them a coveted but previously unavailable ultra-wide angle lens in a pocket-size camera,” said Mary Hadley, general manager of digital cameras for Kodak’s Consumer Digital Imaging Group. “Capturing high quality photos with maximum ease of use are at the top of people’s lists when buying a new digital camera. By delivering on these needs in a completely new way, the EasyShare V570 camera pushes the boundaries of innovative design for ultra-compact cameras.”