for the el cheapos

This is my first Digital Camera purchase - and BOY am I glad I got the Kodak LS743! I have a husband & 2 daughters and I take pictures all the time-My film developing bill was high! Now I can pick and choose the shots I want to print. I can also create family albums on the computer - to eventually be put onto CD's & set to music!
They have the 5 megapixel camera's out, but I really don't think that I see that much of a difference with this 4 megapixel. I get Great photos-sharp & clear. And the zoom lets me be flexible with my shots. The color is awesome!-These pictures turn out beautiful!!
This is a smaller camera than any I saw. I like the sleek design.
You can also shoot 2 minutes of QVGA video. I haven't done enuf with this feature yet, but I know it's longer than some camera's on the market allow for video time.
I have used the Auto mode quite a bit while getting used to the camera, but it also has portait, close-up, night, sport, snow, & many other modes! It has flash, & red-eye reduction. You can even store email addresses in the camera & hit the "share" button to share special photos with your contacts. It comes with a rechargable lithium-ion battery and a sleek charger that you can plug into an outlet.
This camera is simple to learn & the pictures are amazing! I highly recommend this camera!

I've been considering a digital camera for almost a year, and my in-laws have a Kodak 6330 that they like a lot. Kodak's general ease-of-use was a definite draw to me.

I bought the LS743 yesterday, and it was very easy to set up and begin using. Battery life is excellent, and the battery is rechargeable (I bought a 2nd battery for only $20 to have a spare, too). The camera is compact but seems very well-put-together. My in-laws have a 6000 dock, and this camera will work on it, too.

The lens is an upscale lens that is supposed to be a bit better than Kodak's lower-end models - I haven't taken enough pictures yet to notice the difference.

I'd say the camera is excellent for beginners, but also there are plenty of features in the system for someone who wants to be able to adjust the shots on their own for a more-customized photo. (At least it seems that way from reading the user guide.) :-)

All in all, great little camera!

If you are a DP Pro, then please dont read this review. But, if you are like the majority who wants an easy, reliable Digital camera and 'MOST OF THE TIME USE BASIC FEATURES ONLY' person you must read on.

I bought this camera after doing lot of research in the net and feedback from my peers. When I got this, I was amazed to see the picture quality and easiness in using it. I was shooting with in 3 hrs after the Fedex guy left. (You've to charge the battery for ~3 hours before first use). I still have to invent all the advanced features and modes of the camera. But, if all DEFAULT and AUTO modes are this good, then I am sure it will be BETTER with advanced features. The battery life time is pretty good too.
Only concern is, the door for the output terminals (USB/Adapter),that looks bit shaky!

After my initial research, things got filterd in to just three items: One Sony model and two Kodak model, CX7430 and LS743. Sony may be great but it was not good for me because
1)Seen pathetic remarks about their customer service
2)It has only 90 days warranty.
If you combine both(1) and (2) above, its risky to buy their product. I dont beleive in buying extended waranty for electronic stuff because the technology changes rapidly and, in another 2 years, you'll find yourself in a situation to buy a new camera than paying for Extended warranty. Since Kodak has one year warranty and my 'platinum' credit card has another one year free extended warranty, I had to decide between CX7430 and LS743. It was a tough decison, because both cameras are good. But the LS743 is the one that got PCMAG's Editors choice award (...) Looks like, it was a perfect decision.