Manual Control Options
Users are given some manual control on the EasyShare C360, although it is certainly limited. Scene modes located within the SCN setting allow for access to preset AF distances, whereas the landscape and macro mode settings, positioned externally on the mode dial, don’t limit access to certain controls as other preset modes do: they allow for the same manual alterations as those available in auto mode. The user is able to control exposure bracketing, exposure compensation, ISO speeds, White Balance presets, focal zones, long time speeds, and AF mode. While not all of these settings qualify as true manual control, they do offer users an element of control and impact on camera settings.
Focus
Auto Focus (7.0)
The Kodak EasyShare C360 contains a TTL Auto Focus system with continuous and single AF options. When selecting the framing marks for auto focus, the camera initially focuses on objects and shapes in the foreground of the image. If the selected object in the foreground isn’t the desired subject, the user may release shutter which disengages the AF lock, allowing the image to be re-framed. It is possible to adjust the framing marks when recomposing a shot to allow the camera to shoot in center, center wide, side, center and side, or left and right frame marks. Switching outside of center focus is a bit aggravating, and the camera only occasionally managed to overcome this bias and set in one of the other framing compositions. The framing marks appear as blue squares onscreen. Once the shutter is partially depressed and the shot is registered, these frames turn green to inform the user that the focus is set.
The available AF modes, continuous or single shot AF are accessible using the onscreen menu. The camera is set in Multi-zone mode when in default mode and it is possible to set the camera into center-zone mode if desired. This will allow the camera’s focus to emphasize the center area of the composition. When the camera is set in standard shooting mode, the C360 can shoot at depths of 2 feet to infinity and 10 feet to infinity in Landscape. When shooting in macro mode it is possible to focus on objects as close as .05 to 28 inches from the lens’ front element in macro wide and 9 to 28 inches in macro tele mode.
Manual Focus (0.0)
There is no opportunity for the user to control manual focus settings when shooting with the Kodak EasyShare C360. This should come as no surprise, considering the heavy emphasis placed upon preset modes and automatic settings.
Metering (7.0)
The metering controls for the Kodak EasyShare C360 are situated within the in-camera menu and offer multi-pattern, center-weighted, and center-spot metering modes. Multi-pattern is the default setting and will often suffice; however, there are situations in which a different metering mode would be more applicable. While many manufacturers choose to limit metering on point-and-shoot cameras to multi-pattern, Kodak has offered two additional settings. These will allow users adjust to more complicated lighting situations without shifting the entire scene to another angle, such as high contrast scenes or when the frame is heavily represented by thick shadows. Considering the number of backlit portraits and snapshots taken by point-and-shooters, the presence of a center-spot feature should certainly be appreciated.
Exposure (7.0)
There are two exposure controls available on the Kodak EasyShare C360, both of which are accessible using the in-camera menu. The user is able to control exposure compensation settings and exposure bracketing. It is possible to alter the exposure compensation scale via an onscreen shortcut. This setting appears in the lower part of the LCD and is controlled by pressing the right and left arrows on the four-way control. The exposure compensation scale is offered in the standard +/-2 EV range, moving in 1/3 stop increments. The 1/3 stop alterations do provide a bit more control than most cameras which limit the user to 1/2 stop alterations.
The exposure bracketing setting captures three simultaneous images, with one image being shot at the exposure previously set, followed by two exposures which vary the illumination by +/-0.3, +/-0.7, or +/-1.0 degrees. This can be incredibly helpful in difficult lighting or high contrast situation when the progressing exposure sequence will help to capture the proper exposure. In some situations when the scene is just too challenging to capture correctly on the first shot, users can shoot a bracketed sequence and combine the images into a composite photo in a software application. While this will require a substantial degree of effort, it is an option when using the bracketed setting.
White Balance (3.5)
White balance options on the EasyShare C360 are manually alterable by the user but the camera does not contain a customizable option. While most users of the EasyShare line might prefer to not bother with constant alterations to settings, the option to customize the color in difficult lighting can prove invaluable, particularly in harsh indoor lighting and mixed temperature illumination. When different color lights converge in a scene, it may not be noticeable or bothersome to the human eye, but certainly becomes apparent when recorded to a digital sensor. This will force users to either edit their images after capture or deal with extreme overtones and tints. However, in most situations, the preset options should suffice. The list of white balance options on the C360 is a bit thin, containing just auto, daylight, tungsten, fluorescent, and open shade settings. Many point-and-shoot cameras from other manufacturers, particularly those that do not contain a custom setting, will include more preset options to compensate.
ISO (7.0)
Just as users can cycle through white balance options, they can select from a list of ISO or sensitivity settings. This is handy in situations when flash exposures are prohibited or just undesired and darker scenes need to be photographed. The available ISO settings on the C360 in all resolution sizes are 80, 100, 200 and 400 ratings, along with a full auto setting. An ISO 800 rating is included and may be used at a reduced resolution of 1.8 MP. This limitation is unfortunate since the poor resolution will result in an unsuitable image to begin with, and the excessive noise which plagues higher ISO levels will only make it worse if users attempt to blow up the final image, but nonetheless, for an entry level point-and-shoot model, it’s nice to see it included.
Shutter Speed (5.5)
The shutter speeds when in standard mode are not controllable by the user, although they do have a range of 4 seconds to 1/1400 of a second. The C360 also permits the user to record “Long Time Exposures,” accessible through the main menu in a 0.5 second to 8 second range. Note that the exposure compensation settings that are normally available are no longer accessible when recording shots with the Long Time Exposure setting engaged. Although this feature is a nice add-on it would be an even better option if it had a shortcut to it so it could be directly accessible in the shooting position. The Long Time Exposure setting provides a list of shutter durations in seconds (.5, .7, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 6.0, and 8.0) for the user to select from. Since there is no visible light meter or exposure gauge, users will have to learn this one by trial and error. Additionally, since the setting is buried within a menu, the user will have to enter the menu, select the option and estimate a shutter speed, shoot an image, gauge the results, and then reenter the menu to adjust again. This is probably enough of a pain to make using Long Time Exposure a rarity.
Aperture (6.0)
The user is unable to control the aperture settings on the Kodak EasyShare C360, which isn’t all that surprising, considering the camera’s intended market. At its widest focal length, the camera has an aperture range of f/2.7-f/5.2 and when in telephoto mode the range moves to f/4.6-f/8.0. This is an adequate range, while somewhat limited, still acceptable for an entry level point-and-shoot offering. The f/2.7 opening will open up a bit more than most (which typically max out at f/2.8) and help out slightly in low light situations.
