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Manual Control Options
This EasyShare digital camera has more manual control than most of Kodak’s low-end compact models. There is a Manual/Program position on the mode dial that allows control over a few parameters. The joystick can be used to select whether the camera is in the Manual or Program mode. Of course, the greatest number of options are available when in Manual mode. Using the joystick, users can scroll, on the LCD screen without entering any menus, through the following: Shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. While there is manual control over the exposure, Kodak slacked on its white balance option. There is no custom white balance setting, so users have to rely on the automatic and preset choices. For the C663 though, the manual mode is more of a bonus than a staple.
Focus
Auto Focus (5.5)
The Kodak EasyShare C663 has an auto focus system that can be controlled individually or continuously. The focus mode can be set to multi-zone or center-zone via the recording menu. Most modes only allow access to the multi-zone option while the center-zone mode is only available in the Manual and Program modes. The camera displays yellow and green brackets on the display screen to indicate where it is focusing. The auto focus system works much more slowly. It uses a combination of a through-the-lens auto focus and an external sensor. By the time these components find the subject and focus on it, nearly a half a second has gone by. Indeed, this auto focus system is main cause for the shutter lag. Another downside to the auto focus is the lack of an assist beam, so it has trouble in low light. Normally, the C663 focuses from as close as 2 ft, but users can get a little closer with the macro mode. At the widest focal length in the macro mode, the camera can focus from 2 inches to 2.3 ft. At the most telephoto focal length, it can focus on subjects as close as 8.76 inches. When in the landscape focus mode, the C663 focuses from 32.8 ft to infinity. Overall, this digital camera has a common auto focus range, but its system takes an inordinate amount of time to work. Manual Focus (0.0)
The EasyShare C663 doesn’t have the capability to manually focus on subjects. Most compact models geared for the point-and-shoot audience generally don’t include this anyway.
The EasyShare C663 doesn’t have the capability to manually focus on subjects. Most compact models geared for the point-and-shoot audience generally don’t include this anyway.
Exposure (7.0)
The C663 is almost like a top-of-the-line low-end digital camera because it has manual control over the exposure. Users can tweak the shutter speed and aperture up and down, along with the ISO. When more automatic control is desired, the camera takes over and allows for +/- 2 adjustments of exposure value in 1/3-stop increments. The exposure compensation shows up on the display screen in auto, landscape, close up and program modes; otherwise, in other modes, it resides in the recording menu. For users who are unsure of which exposure value to use, there is an exposure bracketing mode that makes it nearly foolproof. The bracketing mode takes three pictures in a burst at intervals of +/- 0.3, 0.7, or 1. The display screen’s quick view only shows the last picture taken, so users will have to enter the playback mode to compare all three shots. There is a histogram available in the live view, quick view and review modes. The histogram is tiny, but visible; it appears when the Info button is pushed. Overall, the Kodak C663 offers more exposure choices than the average compact model. Most models only offer an exposure compensation scale and maybe a histogram. Few, however, offer bracketing and manual control.
Metering (5.75)
The owner’s manual and the company web site specs claim this model has all kinds of metering options, but they are nowhere to be found in the menu system. Surely, they are not manually selectable, but there are scene modes optimized to use one metering mode or another. Most of the time, the through-the-lens metering system uses a multi-zone metering method, but it uses a center-weighted algorithm in the Backlit scene mode. This works well, however, backlit subjects will still get stricken by the harsh flash.
ISO (6.75)
The Kodak EasyShare C663 has a disappointing ISO range that extends only from 80-400 for full resolution pictures. There is an ISO 800 option, but it is only available for 1-megapixel pictures. So if you use this to shoot in low light, you’ll have to print wallet-sized pictures or smaller. Users can manually set the ISO in the Manual and Program recording modes with the joystick; it appears directly on the LCD screen without having to enter the menus. There is a live view of the exposure when the options are scrolled through, so users can better judge what ISO sensitivity they will want. The automatic ISO mode shortens the sensitivity range to 80-160. This ISO range is typical of a cheap camera; like all of the low-end models, it is disappointing to forego a high sensitivity that would allow pictures to be taken in more natural lighting than the harsh flash.
White Balance (3.5)
This is one area where Kodak skimped. The following white balance modes are available: Auto, Daylight, Tungsten, Fluorescent, and Open Shade. This list leaves out options such as Flash (which would have been useful with all the flash pictures that will be taken), Cloudy, and Custom. The manual setting would also have been helpful, as there are thousands of different kinds of fluorescent lights that all emit different shades of white light. The automatic white balance mode isn’t always reliable – especially in low light. Automatic white balance mode, is where whites begin looking more like reds and oranges.
Shutter Speed (6.5)
The Kodak C663 has shutter speeds that range from 8 seconds to 1/1400th of a second when automatically set. The manual range is a little shorter, going as fast as 1/1000th of a second. The shutter speeds can be changed in the Manual mode, directly on the display screen, using the joystick. When users scroll up and down through the shutter speeds, there is a live view of the exposure darkening and brightening.
The C663 is almost like a top-of-the-line low-end digital camera because it has manual control over the exposure. Users can tweak the shutter speed and aperture up and down, along with the ISO. When more automatic control is desired, the camera takes over and allows for +/- 2 adjustments of exposure value in 1/3-stop increments. The exposure compensation shows up on the display screen in auto, landscape, close up and program modes; otherwise, in other modes, it resides in the recording menu. For users who are unsure of which exposure value to use, there is an exposure bracketing mode that makes it nearly foolproof. The bracketing mode takes three pictures in a burst at intervals of +/- 0.3, 0.7, or 1. The display screen’s quick view only shows the last picture taken, so users will have to enter the playback mode to compare all three shots. There is a histogram available in the live view, quick view and review modes. The histogram is tiny, but visible; it appears when the Info button is pushed. Overall, the Kodak C663 offers more exposure choices than the average compact model. Most models only offer an exposure compensation scale and maybe a histogram. Few, however, offer bracketing and manual control. Metering (5.75)
The owner’s manual and the company web site specs claim this model has all kinds of metering options, but they are nowhere to be found in the menu system. Surely, they are not manually selectable, but there are scene modes optimized to use one metering mode or another. Most of the time, the through-the-lens metering system uses a multi-zone metering method, but it uses a center-weighted algorithm in the Backlit scene mode. This works well, however, backlit subjects will still get stricken by the harsh flash.
ISO (6.75)
The Kodak EasyShare C663 has a disappointing ISO range that extends only from 80-400 for full resolution pictures. There is an ISO 800 option, but it is only available for 1-megapixel pictures. So if you use this to shoot in low light, you’ll have to print wallet-sized pictures or smaller. Users can manually set the ISO in the Manual and Program recording modes with the joystick; it appears directly on the LCD screen without having to enter the menus. There is a live view of the exposure when the options are scrolled through, so users can better judge what ISO sensitivity they will want. The automatic ISO mode shortens the sensitivity range to 80-160. This ISO range is typical of a cheap camera; like all of the low-end models, it is disappointing to forego a high sensitivity that would allow pictures to be taken in more natural lighting than the harsh flash. White Balance (3.5)
This is one area where Kodak skimped. The following white balance modes are available: Auto, Daylight, Tungsten, Fluorescent, and Open Shade. This list leaves out options such as Flash (which would have been useful with all the flash pictures that will be taken), Cloudy, and Custom. The manual setting would also have been helpful, as there are thousands of different kinds of fluorescent lights that all emit different shades of white light. The automatic white balance mode isn’t always reliable – especially in low light. Automatic white balance mode, is where whites begin looking more like reds and oranges. Shutter Speed (6.5)
The Kodak C663 has shutter speeds that range from 8 seconds to 1/1400th of a second when automatically set. The manual range is a little shorter, going as fast as 1/1000th of a second. The shutter speeds can be changed in the Manual mode, directly on the display screen, using the joystick. When users scroll up and down through the shutter speeds, there is a live view of the exposure darkening and brightening.
Aperture (3.5)
The camera’s aperture offerings aren’t as impressive as the shutter speeds. The aperture opens to a nice and wide f/2.7 at the widest focal length, but closes down to a much smaller f/4.6 in the widest focal length. The aperture only offers two stops at each focal length. At its widest, the Schneider-Kreuznach lens offers users f/2.7 and f/5.1 choices. In telephoto, users are limited to f/4.6 and f/8.7. The nice part about the aperture is that when it is tweaked with the joystick there is a live view. The downside is that it’s nearly impossible to zoom in on a subject in low light and come out with a decent shot.
The camera’s aperture offerings aren’t as impressive as the shutter speeds. The aperture opens to a nice and wide f/2.7 at the widest focal length, but closes down to a much smaller f/4.6 in the widest focal length. The aperture only offers two stops at each focal length. At its widest, the Schneider-Kreuznach lens offers users f/2.7 and f/5.1 choices. In telephoto, users are limited to f/4.6 and f/8.7. The nice part about the aperture is that when it is tweaked with the joystick there is a live view. The downside is that it’s nearly impossible to zoom in on a subject in low light and come out with a decent shot.
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