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For better or worse, all of the major camera manufacturers have now introduced 12-megapixel compact models. I've already reviewed a couple of them, such as the Casio Exilim EX-Z1200, and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W200, and to be honest they weren't as bad as I'd feared. Yes, they both suffer from restricted dynamic range and image noise at higher ISO settings, and neither offer any real advantage over equivalent 10-megapixel models, but they are both very good cameras in their own right.

Kodak now has three 12-megapixel models in its compact camera range, and the latest one is this, the EasyShare Z1275. It is basically a higher resolution version of the 8-megapixel Z885 launched back in March of this year. The Z1275 features a 5x zoom, f/2.8-5.1 Schneider-Kreuznach Variogon lens, a 2.5-inch LCD monitor and optional manual exposure. On paper at least it sounds pretty impressive.

The Z1275 is a fairly large and heavy camera by compact standards, measuring a substantial 89.5 × 64.5 × 31.6 mm and tipping the scales at 161g without batteries. Since it runs on two AA cells, this means that the total weight can be as high as 210g, so this isn't a camera that's going to sit comfortably in your shirt pocket. Despite this weight the camera body is made of plastic, and it's not the toughest or most rigid structure I've ever seen. Parts of the body flex and creak when squeezed, and although it does look nice in two-tone metallic grey and black, I have to say it feels a bit cheap. In fact it is fairly cheap in relation to the other 12MP models on the market, costing around £160 at retail, compared to £176 for the Casio Z1200 or £190 for the Sony W200.

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