Kodak Launches Thin EasyShare CameraKodak Launches Thin EasyShare Camera

Kodak has expanded its EasyShare line of digital cameras with a thinner model that sports a 5x zoom lens and can record high-definition video.

Kodak EasyShare M590 Digital Camera

The M590, introduced Monday, has a 2.7-inch LCD display and 14-megapixel image sensor. The camera has an ISO rage of 6400, which makes it possible to take pictures under lower-light conditions than the closest model in the EasyShare line, the M580.

The EasyShare line comprises point-and-shoot cameras aimed at people who want to easily share photos and video online. The M590 has a new "share" button that simplifies the process of tagging a picture or video and then moving it directly to a social network, such as Facebook and YouTube.

Kodak is marketing the M590 as the "world's thinnest 5x optical zoom" digital camera. The camera is 0.6 of an inch thick, which is almost half the thickness of the 1-inch thick M580. However, the latter has an 8x zoom and a 3-inch LCD display.

Both cameras take 720p high-definition video at a rate of 30 frames per second. In addition, they have much of the same Kodak technology to help non-professionals take quality pictures. Such technology includes image stabilization and a "smart capture" feature that automatically adjusts camera settings to the environment in which the picture is being taken.

The M590 includes 64 MB of internal memory and has an expansion slot for microSD and microSDHC cards. The camera is scheduled to ship in the fall at a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $200. Available colors will include silver, red, purple, and blue.

Kodak introduced the M590 less than a week after Canon introduced three compact, point-and-shoot cameras. The PowerShot S95 and SD4500 IS are equipped for low-light photography, but the latter is Canon's first compact with the ability to record 1080p HD video. The third camera, the PowerShot SX13, is Canon's budget compact. Prices range from $250 to $400.