Kodak Ektra

Kodak has always been a company well known for its focus on imaging products and capturing the “Kodak moment” as they happen. Kodak is the name that we have all grown to know when it comes to photographic film products and graphic communications. This household name in imagery has broken through the digital age and joined the Android rat race.

Smartphones compete to be the best in anything and everything with the latest technology, but Kodak begs to differ. They only strive to be a master in a world where everything is captured to be placed on display. Kodak has announced their latest smartphone, the Kodak Ektra which will be on sale on December 9, just in time to make your holiday shopping list. This is the smartphone aimed to be chiefly a ‘photography first’ for those obligatory selfies and food shots that look professionally taken. If you are looking to get this on your shopping list, these are the things you need to know about the Kodak Ektra:

• Specs:

The smartphone part of the Kodak Ektra comes with the latest Operating System, Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow with a deca-core Helio X20 chipset. The processing speed clocks at 2.3 GHz, which makes it a pretty powerful phone, which it should be since it also doubles as a DSLR. To add more speed, it is given a 3GB RAM and 32GB ROM with options for expansion.

The battery is a decent 3000 mAh and uses a USB-C port for fast charging. It has a leather-like back cover for easy grip, and it may be a little heftier than other 5 inch models out there, but when you try it on, you’ll know where the size is used for. It comes with a full HD display and 1920×1080 resolution. It has 4k video capability, and the screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass and Lens Protector. These specs already make the Kodak Ektra powerful and extremely competitive, but the best thing about it has not even been discussed yet.

• Camera:

This phone is half-phone half-camera with DSLR-like features that will change how you take photos with your phone. The company states that Ektra is “A unique hybrid of photography innovation and DSLR functionality, KODAK EKTRA puts in-the-moment creative control at your fingertips.”

One of the best thing about this camera-smartphone is the 21-megapixel sensor with PDAF, optical image stabilization (OIS), f/2.0 aperture, with dual LED lights for low-light environments. You will have a full customizable manual mode with the ability to adjust the ISO rating with adjustable shutter speed and extensive scene selection. Besides the OIS, it also has Phase Detect Auto Focus (PDAF) and HDR imaging; that is just the main camera.

This phone is also equipped with a 13-megapixel front facing camera which also has almost the same functionalities. That’s not all, these specifications are just half of the story, there are applications that will let you explore your snaps potential even experiment with the 4K video filters like the classic Kodak film grains, vignettes, and Super 8 filters.

• Exterior

Not to be too flashy, but Kodak Ektra has fused class and technology in a perfect little package while carrying the company’s true character. This smartphone has steel rimmed lenses, textured finish with Kodak’s styling and intuitive design. Your phone will never be out of style with its timeless simplicity which gives you the ability to capture every moment without missing a beat.

This phone is truly a marvel to be had. Where you can keep every moment alive and share your story online in real time or print them. This smartphone gives you the freedom to capture each Kodak Moment and still get you connected in one convenient package.

Kodak has always been an imaging company. This isn’t something new that Kodak has released a smartphone. This is also not the first time that the company released a digital camera. Kodak invented the first digital camera, with 0.1-megapixel capability. It was also the first to introduce the 1-megapixel camera.

The Ektra is a logical extension of the Kodak name. It is staking its reputation on a smartphone named after two iconic Kodak cameras. The first Ektra was a viewfinder camera manufactured by Kodak during the 1940s. The other, more popular, Ektra was an 110 film camera which was manufactured during the 1980s. The current Ektra smartphone pays homage to the Kodak legacy of quality, durable consumer camera. It also stamps its mark on the market with a camera (or two cameras) wrapped around a smartphone.

The functionality of a digital camera revolves around the electronics and apps. The camera app on the Ektra makes use of well-known analogies from the camera industry. It has a mode wheel, where the user can choose which particular scene to use. It also has a full-manual mode. Even though it is a straight f//2.0 camera, the aperture setting is still shown during the manual mode. For those who are familiar with manual mode, this is a big help; you can set the shot according to existing light conditions and shoot accordingly.

It is possible that the Ektra will catch on. Camera photography is in need of a pivot point where the users would begin to become more technical with their picture-taking. The cameras in these smartphones may still have small lenses and sensors, however, that does not mean that they cannot be used to their full potential. The introduction of manual mode, in such an easily adjustable manner, is a welcome feature.

It should be exciting to see what the pictures from this camera can do as compared to the iPhone 7, Google Pixel XL and high-end Samsung phones.