Auto Mode
Since this is entry level camera, there is only a full program mode and no separate adjustment for shutter speed or aperture. It comes with a blur warning system, which can be turned on and will show an icon on the playback screen when the image is blurry: green indicating no blur, yellow a slight blur, red a full blur.

Images shot in the low light conditions of the exhibit hall were competitive with other cameras we used in the same conditions, and were pleasing exposures. The camera was vulnerable to backlight underexposure, but this is a typical concern.

Movie Mode
The C643 offers 640 x 480 pixel resolution in movie mode at 30 fps and a lower setting of 320 x 240 at 30 fps, which is the new standard for image quality in movie mode. The digital zoom is disconnected in this mode, but the optical zoom can be used and its action is smooth. Focus was maintained while zooming. There is no editing of clips available. Audio recording is normal during video recording, but we did not test for its clarity or sensitivity.

Drive / Burst Mode
In normal shooting, you can take pictures about 1.5 seconds apart until 4 images are captured in the buffer, at which point the shoot time extends to a bit less than 5 seconds. This is a function of the Kodak C643’s internal 32 MB of storage. In burst mode, you can fire off five shots in about 3 seconds. These times are compatible with the intended market for the camera.

The self-timer is accessed through the same top-mounted button as the drive/burst mode and offers settings of 2 seconds and 10 seconds.

Playback Mode
The C643 has a good range of playback options for a camera in this category. The usual delete, slide show and thumbnail views are represented, but Kodak has also added an album-making capability, the aforementioned “Favorites” tagging function and the ability to do in-camera cropping. You can even “undo” an accidental “delete”. And as mentioned, the camera uses a one-button print function through the docking station.

Playback features the usual zoom ability to 8x and a fast scroll through the images. Thumbnail view is 9-up and not adjustable; the slide show transitions are not adjustable either. This camera does not offer adjustments to images for color, sharpness or saturation.

Custom Image Presets
A basic range of point-and-shoot image presets are included on the mode dial on top of the camera: Auto, Portrait, Macro, Landscape, Sports and Nighttime. Menu options expand these choices to include Night Portraits, Snow, Beach, Fireworks, Self-portrait, Backlight Compensation, Children and Party. Kodak has kept the amount of these presets to a reasonable level.

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