This Dual Lens Camera (CCD Digicam) Was Ahead of its Time! Kodak EasyShare V570 / V705 Retro Review

Throwback of Kodak's experimental Y2K dual lens cameras...
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Details:
The Kodak EasyShare V570 was a 5-megapixel digital camera manufactured by Eastman Kodak. Announced on January 2, 2006, it was an upper-end model in the consumer range, advertised at $400 in the United States. It had an innovative dual lens system, combining two periscopic groups (folded optics without protruding lens) each with its own sensor: one ultra wide angle lens equivalent to a 23mm in 135 format and an optical zoom lens equivalent to 39–117 mm, totaling 5x zoom with a step between 23 and 39 mm. It is the first dual lens digital camera in the world, a concept which would become popular on smartphones nearly 2 decades later.

Anti-blur technology reduces blur caused by camera shake
In-camera panorama mode allows for photos capturing up to 180 degrees of view
Kodak Color Science image processing chip for rich colors
In-camera lens distortion correction to compensate for ultrawide angle fish-eye effects
Twenty-two scene modes, three color modes
On-camera cropping, auto picture rotation

The model won a gold medal in the 2006 iF Design Awards.

There were two other models in Kodak's line of dual lens cameras that were announced shortly after the introduction of the Easyshare V570: the Easyshare V610 in April and the Easyshare V705 in August.

The Easyshare V610 was a 6-megapixel dual lens camera that forged the fixed focus 23 mm wide angle lens of the V570 and V705 for a 38-114mm lens. In short, trading the ultra-wide angle for an enhanced optical zoom range (reaching 10x). Bluetooth allowed for photos to be transferred wirelessly.

Finally, the Easyshare V705 was a 7.1-megapixel camera that was offered in 3 body colors - black, silver, and pink. Aside from the higher megapixel count, the 1/2.5" CCD sensor remains the same, as well as the main design as the V570.

Lens
Schneider Kreuznach stacked prism lens; retina dual lens technology: ultra wide-angle lens (23 mm equiv.) 3X optical zoom (up to 117 mm equiv. telephoto) system. Up to 5X optical zoom range 23 mm–fixed (35 mm equiv.)

Focus range
ultrawide: 2.6 ft (0.8 m)–infinity; standard: 2 ft (0.6 m)–infinity; macro, wide: 2–2.3 ft (0.5–0.7 m), telephoto: 1–2.3 ft (0.30–0.7 m)

Auto focus
TTL-AF, multi-zone AF, center zone AF; control : single AF, continuous AF

Shutter speed
8–1/1448 sec, long exposure 0.5–8 sec

Sensitivity
ISO equivalent 64–160 (auto) and 64, 100, 200, 400, 800 (1.8MP) (manual)

Built-in Xenon flash
auto, off, fill, digital red-eye reduction, histogram

LCD
2.5 in. (6.35 cm) 230K pixels

Burst mode
2.3 frame/s, maximum 4 images

Panorama mode
Stitches up to 3 photos together for even wider angle shots

Video mode
VGA at 30fps, up to 80 min. MPEG-4, 3X zoom, save "freeze frame" to still photo

Storage
28 MB internal memory, SD card expansion slot

interfaces
A/V output, KODAK Camera Dock/Printer Dock compatible, USB 2.0 connector

Power
Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery KLIC-7001

Dimensions
101 × 49.8 × 20.4 mm; 4.5 oz (125 g)

Type
Ultra compact point & shoot digital camera
World's first dual lens digital camera
World's thinnest 5x optical zoom camera

Other notable products:
Light L16 / Nokia 9 Pureview - 16 Lens Optical Insanity Camera
HTC Evo 3D smartphone - first Android smartphone with dual lens camera, albeit for 3D purposes and not ultrawide
HTC One M8 - first Android smartphone with dual lens for depth (bokeh)
LG G5 - first mainstream Android smartphone with 2nd ultrawide angle lens
Sharp 902 - first periscope zoom camera phone (2x)
Huawei P30 Pro - first 5x periscope zoom smartphone
iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone X onwards - iPhones gained additional camera lens for telephoto

Why are digital cameras popular again?
Why are digital cameras are making a comeback?
Digital cameras have been revamped into an “it” staple all over social media. Something about the nostalgic warm glow of the photos' colors and "film like" qualities have caused Generation Z to seek out vintage digicams / old cameras again.

Here's how CCD cameras work:
The CCD sensor breaks the image elements into pixels.
Each pixel is converted into an electrical charge whose intensity is related to the intensity of light captured by that pixel.
The camera's electronics read-out the pixel and turn it into a number that can be recognized & stored by a computer.

Historically, CCD produced higher-quality images with less noise as compared to CMOS sensors (found on modern phones & cameras), which are more power efficient.

CCD cameras have several advantages over film cameras:
They are up to 100 times more sensitive than film
They have a greater dynamic range
CCD chips are much more sensitive, they have fewer pixel defects, they have less noise
Film is expensive to develop, making digicams a "budget" alternative

Alternative brands: Panasonic Lumix, Sony Cybershot, Canon PowerShot, Nikon, Casio, Olympus, Fujifilm, Pentax, Polaroid