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Kodak M381

 
Kodak EasyShare M381 front
 
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 64 - 1600
  • 640 x 480 video
  • 35-175mm (F3.0-4.8) lens
  • 153g - 101 x 60 x 20mm
  • Announced July 2009
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
95
Imaging
35
Features
13
Overall
26

Kodak M381 summary

Kodak M381 is Kodak's Ultracompact camera first revealed on July of 2009. It includes a 12 MegaPixel, CCD 1/2.3" sized sensor and has a full resolution of 4000 x 3000.

The M381 is positioned #134 out of 151 in Ultracompact cameras & overall #1225 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our collection. Please use our Smart camera filter to see camera rankings based on your custom criteria.

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Here is a chart of specific factors used in the rating system.

Kodak M381 family

The Kodak M381 is part of a family of digital cameras. You can view the complete range below.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Kodak-EasyShare-M575 front thumbnailKodak M575
M381 vs M575
28-140mm
F
14MP1/2.3"2010
Kodak-EasyShare-M341 front thumbnailKodak M341
M381 vs M341
35-175mm
F3.0-4.8
12MP1/2.3"2009
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Kodak-EasyShare-M381 front thumbnailKodak M38135-175mm
F3.0-4.8
12MP1/2.3"2009
Kodak-EasyShare-M380 front thumbnailKodak M380
M381 vs M380
38-190mm
F3.1-5.6
10MP1/2.3"2009
Kodak-EasyShare-M340 front thumbnailKodak M340
M381 vs M340
35-105mm
F3.1-5.7
10MP1/2.3"2009

Kodak M381 Pros and Cons

Below is a list of benefits and drawbacks of the Kodak M381 based on factors that are usually regarded as useful in a camera.

above average minimum ISO (64)
good zoom range (35-175mm 5.0 x zoom)
has built in flash
nice screen size (3 inch)
cannot use external flash
display is not selfie friendly
does not have external microphone socket
does not have HDMI socket
does not have headphone socket
does not have Timelapse function
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
focusing manually not possible
lack of image stabilization
lack of phase detect auto focus
lack of RAW support
low MP (12MP)
max shutter speed is low (1/1,400s)
more heavy than competition in class (153 grams)
no aperture priority
no articulating screen
no manual control
no shutter priority
pixelated screen (230 k dots)
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
slow at tele end (f4.8)
slow maximum aperture (f3.0)
video resolution low (640 x 480 pxls)
wide angle not fantastic (35mm)
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Kodak M381 Sensor info

The sensor specification on the Kodak M381 is 6.08mm x 4.56mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor is able to capture 4000 x 3000 pixels and aspect ratios of 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9.

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The CCD sensor has 12MP and features a native ISO range of 64 to 1600. Sadly, RAW format is not supported which means that you have less room to maneuver in post.

The image below illustrates the M381's sensor dimensions compared to other common sizes. The M381 sensor has a crop factor of 5.9 and is shown in green.

Kodak EasyShare M381 sensor size Photography Glossary

To get a sense of various aspect ratios, you can refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Kodak M381 dimensions

Kodak M381 is 0.34 lb (153 gr or 5.40 oz) & has exterior measurements of 101mm x 60mm x 20mm (4.0" x 2.4" x 0.8"). The weight of average Ultracompact camera is 121 gr and the Kodak M381 is weightier when compared to its competitors.

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Listed below is a photo of the Kodak M381 alongside a softdrink so you can get a feel for its scale.

Kodak EasyShare M381 dimensions scale

The top view directly below will provide the button arrangement on the M381.

Kodak EasyShare M381 topview buttons dials

Kodak M381 Lens info

The M381 houses a built-in lens featuring a focal range of 35-175mm making it a 5.0 x zoom which is not at all ideal nevertheless it will be useful in certain conditions.

At the widest 35mm, it has an aperture of f3.0 making it kind of slow and not the best for low light conditions and you will find it difficult to get good bokeh. You will likely also need to increase the ISO causing noisy photographs. For the tele end, 175mm comes at f4.8 making it really sluggish and you would need to choose slow shutter speeds.

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Kodak M381 Connectivity

The M381 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes

Digital cameras that come with NFC or Bluetooth connectivity can easily be used wirelessly with smartphones. You can easily copy photos and sometimes change camera settings with no need to connect straight to the camera.

Some applications even allow a Liveview and release the shutter when you are not close to the camera. If the camera contains a HDMI port, it could be connected to an external display. The majority of cameras will allow you to charge the battery pack through the USB socket.

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Kodak M381 Video info

The highest possible video resolution on the Kodak M381 is 640 x 480 and you can shoot in Motion JPEG format. 480p is awful for today's standards. You should really shoot for a minimum FUll HD resolution for good video. The camera does not offer a microphone or headphone socket which means you have got little control over the sound. It is probably a better idea to find another camera in case you need good sound for your video clips.

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Kodak M381 Weather Sealing

Kodak M381 does not include environment proofing so wet conditions could affect the camera.

Kodak M381 Display and Viewfinder

The Kodak M381 includes a 3" fixed display supporting a resolution of 230k dots.

Please be aware that the display screen has no touch support.

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The View Finder details for Kodak M381 are as follows:

  • ViewFinder None

Viewfinders are pretty useful during bright outdoor situations which can easily make the camera display washed out and hard to see.

Kodak M381 Shutter info

The highest shutter speed is 1/1400 seconds.

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Kodak M381 Flash and Hot shoe info

Kodak M381 has only built-in flash lacking external flash support.

Kodak M381 Autofocusing info

Kodak M381 has just Contrast Based AF & doesn't have Phase Detect AF. Phase Detection autofocusing is a lot faster and precise when compared to Contrast Based autofocusing.

Kodak M381 has not got manual focusing. Manual focusing option can be useful during low light scenarios or you want more precise control on focus.

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Kodak M381 Battery life

The average Ultracompact camera battery life is 214. Nikon L32 has got the best (320) battery life within this kind of cameras.

Underneath is a listing of Ultracompact cameras that have the highest battery life:

Kodak M381 for varying styles of photography

The following bar chart indicates a rundown of the Kodak M381 for varying styles of photography. To learn more, go to the specific paragraph below.

Kodak M381 Portrait photography info

The Kodak M381 gets a points tally of 21 which is subpar, meaning that it is simply not good to use for portraits. Taking portraits leans heavily to sensor specs, RAW support along with the flexibility to work with off-camera flash.

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manual focus not available
no manual control
no external flash support
megapixel count low (12 megapixels)
very small sensor (1/2.3")
has no RAW files

Kodak M381 as a Street photography camera

With a moderate rating of 47, the Kodak M381 is somewhat suitable to buy for street photography. A good street photography camera offers a good balance of picture quality plus portability.

Photography Glossary
no moving screen
no image stabilization
very small sensor size (1/2.3")
no RAW files
heavier than competitors in class (153g)

Kodak M381 Sports photography highlights

A subpar sports photography points total of 17 indicates the Kodak M381 is simply not good for shooting sports. A camera really should have good focusing plus fast shutter speeds for sports photography.

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low maximum shutter speed (1/1,400s)
no shutter priority
lack of image stabilization
megapixel count low (12 megapixels)
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
doesn't have phase detect autofocus

Kodak M381 as a Travel photography camera

Portability is super crucial in buying a camera for travel. In general, the Kodak M381 gets a reasonable 50 for a travel camera which makes it reasonably adequate to take with you on your travels.

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has built in flash
lack of Time Lapse recording
heavier than competition in class (153 grams)
low megapixels (12 megapixels)
display isn't selfie friendly
wide angle not great (35mm)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.0)

Kodak M381 as a Landscape photography camera

If you're planning to purchase a camera for landscape photos, the most essential aspect will no doubt be image quality. The Kodak M381 at it's subpar grade of 28 for a landscape camera is simply not good among it's competition.

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nice screen size (3 inch)
focusing manually not possible
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
wide angle not good (35mm)
slow maximum aperture (f3.0)
no manual control
does not have image stabilization
sensor resolution low (12MP)
small sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of RAW format
doesn't have Time Lapse recording

Kodak M381 as a Vlogging camera

A vlogging camera ought to posses a articulating display, microphone input and ideally image stabilization. Considering all things, the Kodak M381 is simply not good for vlogging as it delivers a subpar score of 22.

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wide angle not the best (35mm)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.0)
does not have a selfie friendly display
no image stabilization
video res low (640 x 480 resolution)
missing mic support
heavier than competitors in class (153 grams)

Kodak M381 Alternatives

If you are in the market for alternatives to the M381, below is a range of the top placed cameras that fall within the family of Ultracompact.

The line graph below gives you a bird's eye view of the M381 versus it's top rated rivals listed earlier.

Following are several cameras you may have a look at as alternate options. To read a thorough comparison, click the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Company
Kodak
Model type
Kodak EasyShare M381
Category
Ultracompact
Announced
2009-07-29
Physical type
Ultracompact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CCD
Sensor size
1/2.3"
Sensor measurements
6.08 x 4.56mm
Sensor surface area
27.7mm²
Sensor resolution
12MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio
4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Highest Possible resolution
4000 x 3000
RAW format
Maximum native ISO
1600
Lowest native ISO
64
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch to focus
AF continuous
AF single
AF tracking
AF selectice
Center weighted AF
Multi area AF
Live view AF
Face detect AF
Contract detect AF
Phase detect AF
Lens
Lens mount type
fixed lens
Lens zoom range
35-175mm (5.0x)
Highest aperture
f/3.0-4.8
Macro focusing range
10cm
Focal length multiplier
5.9
Screen
Display type
Fixed Type
Display size
3 inch
Display resolution
230k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch operation
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type
None
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating
not tested
DXO Color Depth rating
not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating
not tested
DXO Low light rating
not tested
Features
Minimum shutter speed
8 secs
Fastest shutter speed
1/1400 secs
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Custom WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash distance
3.20 m
Flash settings
Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in
External flash
AE bracketing
WB bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Video resolutions
640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps)
Maximum video resolution
640x480
Video format
Motion JPEG
Microphone port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless
None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight
153 grams (0.34 lbs)
Physical dimensions
101 x 60 x 20mm (4.0" x 2.4" x 0.8")
Other
Battery ID
KLIC-7003
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse recording
Type of storage
SD/SDHC card, Internal
Card slots
One
Cost at release
$170