I’ve been a digital camera user for four years. While I love my first digi cam as much as the day I got it, I wanted something a little smaller and preferably with video capabilities. After doing some research, I decided that the Kodak Easyshare C340 was the camera for me.
The Kodak Easyshare C340 is a 5 mega pixel digital camera with video and audio. Reviews that I read before purchasing the Kodak Easyshare C340 indicated that the video quality was poor and the audio quality was even worse. I do not agree. With the Kodak Easyshare C340 I have taken what I consider to be great videos from a digital still camera. A more expensive digital camcorder would take better video but I am more than pleased with the video and audio quality from the Kodak Easyshare C340.
The Kodak Easyshare C340 is a small camera, easily held in one hand. It is less than four inches long and two inches thick. One of my favorite features of the Kodak Easyshare C340 is the lens that retracts automatically when the camera is shut off. The all glass lens is kept free from scratches without the user having to remember to replace the lens cap every time.
There are several different modes for picture taking on the Kodak Easyshare C340. Auto mode is one most commonly used by me and it does well at adjusting to the lighting and the motion of the subject. In the Scan mode, the user can choose from the following scene options: Fireworks, beach, snow, party, self-portrait, backlight, children and night portrait. In the Portrait mode, the camera can be used for ‘full frame photos of people’. The Sports mode allows for better pictures of people in motion. The Landscape mode is best for distance scenery. Finally, there is a Close-up mode for taking pictures of objects closer than 28 inches. Another of my favorite things about the Kodak Easyshare C340 is the ability to take pictures in black and white, sepia or color.
The flash of the Kodak Easyshare C340 can be set for red-eye reduction, automatic flash which is the mode I use most, no flash and constant flash. The Kodak Easyshare C340 has a timer which allows for self-portraits. The timer can be set for two seconds or ten. A push of the same button will allow for “bursting” or take three photos in rapid succession.
The photo quality of the Kodak Easyshare C340 is much better than I expected from a camera that cost so little. When viewing the pictures it seemed as though I could reach into them and touch the subject. The colors were true to life and the detail was amazing. I was even able to see a spot on my kitchen floor that I’d missed when mopping; a spot that was barely visible to me outside of the picture.
Because I am used to a 10X optical zoom, I’m having a bit of trouble getting used to the limiting 3X optical zoom of the Kodak Easyshare C340. But for the price, it is worth it. The digital zoom is 4X but the picture quality is compromised at the point of using the digital zoom.
My least favorite thing about the Kodak Easyshare C340 is the shutter lag. With my other digital camera, I could press the button at the exact moment I wanted the picture to be taken and know exactly of what I would have a picture. With the Kodak Easyshare C340, the shutter lag is so bad that taking pictures of my children moving is impossible. If I press the button at the exact moment that a great picture opportunity is happening, I will miss it. The shutter lag is at least one second. There are a few things that I have found to be helpful in decreasing the shutter lag. First is to make sure the batteries are fresh. Second, I ready the camera by depressing the button and getting the focus ready. Then, I use the viewfinder instead of the display. I have found that with these techniques, capturing a great photo with the Kodak Easyshare C340 is much easier.
The Kodak Easyshare C340 uses two AA batteries which only last for a few hours. I bought rechargeable batteries for use in the Kodak Easyshare C340 and strongly recommend that other users of this camera do the same.
With a standard and inexpensive 256 MB memory card, the Kodak Easyshare C340 can hold about 6 minutes of video or 190 pictures. This is great for the short video clips of the kids that I love to take.
The transfer of pictures from camera to computer is easy and the Kodak Easyshare system has accessories that allow for even easier printing of pictures straight from the camera. Overall I would definitely recommend the Kodak Easyshare C340 to other people who are looking for an easy to use camera at a low price.
