Kodak announced the EasyShare M381 in 2009 alongside the Z950 and M341, bringing a longer 5x zoom to its mid-range M-series compacts. It sat above the 3x-zoom M340 and M341 as one of the better-equipped budget models in that year's EasyShare line.
A 12MP 1/2.3-inch CCD is matched to a 5x zoom spanning 35-175mm equivalent, with a 3.0-inch 230k-dot LCD and no optical viewfinder. ISO runs 64-1600, image stabilisation is fitted, and video records VGA or QVGA clips at 30fps in QuickTime Motion JPEG. Storage is SD/SDHC plus 32MB internal memory, transfer is USB 2.0 High Speed, and power comes from a proprietary KLIC-7003 lithium-ion battery with in-camera charging.
The 175mm-equivalent reach gives it more flexibility than most budget compacts of its era, useful for casual travel and family events, though the slow small-sensor combination keeps it a good-light camera. The large 3-inch screen makes composing and reviewing pleasant.
Check the KLIC-7003 battery still holds charge and that a charging route is included, since original accessories are discontinued. Run the 5x zoom through its full travel listening for hesitation, look for scratches across the large LCD, and test a full-telephoto shot to confirm stabilisation.