Kodak EasyShare C663

The Kodak EasyShare Software is tailored for computers that are connected to the Internet, but it can certainly function without a connection too. Howeever, without the Internet, users cannot use features such as the Order Prints Online, Email, Creative Projects or Kodak EasyShare Center tabs on the left side of the browser window. This leaves only the top two tabs for disconnected users: My Collection and Print at Home.

In My Collection, users can view all pictures as thumbnails and can adjust the size of thumbnails to be large or small on a sliding scale. Users can browse the entire collection of photos or can call up images from the last batch uploaded. Users can also search pictures by date as well as look at My Favorites and My Albums. From the viewing window, there are plenty of options across the top: Add Pictures, New Album, Edit, Rotate, Select All, Burn CD/DVD, Slide Show, and Express Upload.

When a thumbnail is clicked upon, that picture takes over the entire screen. The Start menu disappears and users can no longer jump between windows or programs. The picture appears along with options to skip to the next or previous images, and to edit, delete, print, or tag as a favorite. Once the editing button is pushed, several more choices appear: Crop, Rotate, Red Eye, Enhance, Scene Balance, Color Balance, Scene Effects, Fun Effects, and Help.

Most of the editing options are self-explanatory such as Crop and Rotate. Some of the others require elaboration. The Red Eye function works automatically or manually. The automatic function doesn’t always work, and the manual is hard to aim at the right spot because the pointer is so big. The Enhance function works automatically and is very similar to the on-camera Kodak Perfect Touch technology. The Scene Balance option lets users tweak the dynamic range; users can adjust the exposure, shadow, and highlight. The Color Balance requires users to only find a patch of gray and click on it. The Scene Effects include Black & White, Sepia Tone, Forest, Scenic, Portrait, and Sunset. Fun Effects include Spotlight, Coloring Book, Cartoon, and Fish-Eye. Those options are interesting, but won’t warrant great 8x10s. In all modes, there is a Help window that will appear at the push of a button to explain how to perform any function.

The Print at Home tab allows users to select paper sizes, print layouts, paper types and print qualities. The Order Prints Online tab throws users into a step-by step process that helps them create print orders and connects the user directly to the Kodak EasyShare Gallery web site encouraging users to open an account. Registering an account is free, but printing is not free. The Email tab lets users select whether they’d like to email pictures with attachments or create online galleries which users can send as links to their friends. The Creative Projects tab allows users to scrapbook their pictures onto layouts complete with text and such, but unfortunately that also requires an online account. The final Kodak EasyShare tab connects to the company’s web site and offers the most recent version of the software for free. It also has a link to the online store, and encourages users to register their Kodak products.

Overall, the Kodak EasyShare Software has decent editing options and is very easy to use. It offers a lot of options, and even though it is saturated with the company’s marketing ploys, the most recent version is available free from Kodak’s web site.

Jacks, ports, plugs (7.0)
The Kodak C663 is lightly dotted with jacks and ports on three of its sides. On the right side, there is a door that opens to reveal the separate USB and AV ports. The AV-out function can be set to North American (NTSC) or European (PAL) standards, no matter where you are, you can play slide shows on television. The left side of the camera has an open port for the DC-in cable but it is also a great place for other things such as bubble gum, dirt or hair. On the bottom of the camera is a multi-terminal that allows the C663 to rest on Kodak’s series of printers and camera docks.

Direct Print Options (8.0)
Kodak claims that the C663 can print pictures up to 20x30 inches. This seems to be quite a stretch (check out the Resolution section in Testing/Performance for more details). This camera is mainly designed to produce 4 x 6-inch prints. There is a Blur Warning feature that appears on the screen to inform users if an image isn’t sharp enough to produce a good 4 x 6-inch print. Users can create print orders by pushing the red Share button. From that short menu, users can either scroll through and select pictures for printing or the user can select all pictures at once. Once an order is made, the camera remembers the order, until it is connected to a computer or printer. The Kodak C663 can connect to PictBridge and ImageLink compatible printers, including the Kodak EasyShare Series 3 printers. The camera comes with a plastic insert that fits between the camera and the printer so the C663 can rest on top and still show off the display screen. Pictures from this camera can be print-ready with in-camera cropping and the Kodak Perfect Touch technology that automatically fixes lighting and other issues. Users have access to a video print mode that creates index prints of movies with 4, 9, or 16 thumbnails per 4 x 6-inch print. Users can’t select which frames get printed – the camera automatically does this – so it’s a crapshoot.

Battery (6.0)
The Kodak EasyShare C663 comes with a rechargeable NiMH battery and a wall-mount charger. The battery is shaped like two AA batteries stuck together, but common alkaline AA batteries cannot be used. Instead, this camera requires lithium AA batteries that can get 250-350 shots per charge or a Kodak CRV3 battery that can get 350-500 shots per charge. The included NiMH AA battery gets 200-300 shots per charge. It seemed to hold up just fine during testing, but users on an extended vacation may want to invest in a backup battery. It costs only $14.95 on the Kodak web site. The battery doesn’t take long to charge up at only 2.5 hours. The wall-mount charger is made up of two pieces: the main compartment that holds the battery and the plug portion that connects the main compartment to the wall outlet. If you’re prone to losing small pieces, this setup won’t travel well for you. Otherwise, it’s just fine. If users don’t want to ever open the battery compartment door on the bottom of the C663, they can purchase an optional Kodak EasyShare Series 3 Camera Dock. The camera sits atop it with its multi-terminal, but the battery takes a little longer to charge at 3.5 hours. Still, it can play slide shows continuously or download photos while charging up.

Memory (4.75)
The Kodak EasyShare C663 comes with 32 MB of internal memory with only 28 MB available for picture storage. The other few bytes go to remembering things like album names and email addresses. Since this is hardly enough memory for more than 30 seconds of photography, a SD or MMC card is recommended – but not included. Users can choose to let the camera automatically decide where to put photos (onto the card first and then to the internal memory) or decide for themselves and specify it in the internal memory. The internal memory and memory card can be formatted individually in the setup menu. Pictures can also be copied from one storage area to the other through the playback menu.

Value (5.5)
The 6-megapixel Kodak EasyShare C663 offers basic features at a price of $299. Surprisingly, the same amount of money can get you a 6-megapixel Kodak EasyShare-one with wireless capabilities, 256 MB of internal memory, a 3-inch LCD screen, and all the same scene modes as the C663. The only feature it lacks is the manual control. Sure, the Kodak EasyShare C663 is near the top of the line in the low-end C-series,but its features don’t come close to other models that cost $299 – regardless of whether they have a Kodak logo on them or not.