The interface of the P712 is
by and large clear and well-organized. The information presented
on the monitor, or the EVF, is arranged on the borders of
the image and does not obstruct the view of the subject. With
the camera set to P, S, A or M modes, using the Command Dial
and the Set button to make setting changes directly on the
monitor or the EVF takes a bit of practice, but once mastered
the system is quite efficient.
With the P712, the menu system is identical to other models
from the EasyShare line. Options are presented clearly on
a uniform colour background which is very legible; and the
Setup menu is accessed as the last tab of the menu.
The Setup contains a number of settings, mostly related to
the basic operation of the camera:
LCD Brightness: allows adjusting the brightness
of the LCD screen over 5 increments, setting 3 being the
default.
Capture Frame Grid: serves to superimpose a grid
on the monitor/EVF as an aid to composition.
Image Storage: decides whether images are stored
on a memory card if it is present, or in the internal memory.
Set Album: serves to select an album name into
which photos will go. The albums must be first created using
the EasyShare software supplied with the camera.
Image Stabilizer allows selecting the way the
optical stabilizer operates:
Continuous:stabilizes the image at all times,
including when it is being framed and when it is captured.
Single: stabilizes the image only at the precise
moment it is captured. Generally considered to be the
most effective mode.
Off: the setting that should be used when the
camera is mounted on a tripod.
AE/AF Button Set serves to set the way the button
operates: AE-Lock (default), AF-Lock or AE/AF-lock.
Set Program Button Capture serves to assign a function
to the Prog button when the camera is set to a capture
mode: Flash mode, AF Mode, Image Size, File Type, Colour
Mode, Date Stamp, White Balance, AF zone, Sharpness, Contrast,
Slow Sync, Custom White Balance, or Custom Exposure mode.
Set Program Button Review allows assigning a function
to the Prog. button when the camera is in Review (Playback)
mode: View, Album, Protect, Edit, Red-eye Reduction, Slide
Show, Copy, Video Date Display, or Multi-up.
Orientation Sensor has three settings: On (default)
orients pictures the right way up on playback; On Transfer
orients pictures when they are transferred; and Off.
Quickview: displays a just-captured image. On is
the default.
Advanced Digital Zoom: activates the 5X digital
zoom. Continuous allows the digital zoom to take
over seamlessly from the opticalzoom. Pause
adds a pause between the optical zoom and the digital zoom.
None (the default) turns off the digital zoom.
Camera Sounds: allows the user to choose an overall
sound theme, or set each camera sound by itself (shutter,
self-timer, error).
Sound Volume: controls the sound volume (Off, Low,
Medium (default) or High).
Mode Description: serves to decide whether or not
the camera displays a short description of the selected
mode (P, A, S, M only) when it is selected. (Descriptions
for the Scene modes are always active.)
Accessory Lens: serves to let the camera know that
an accessory lens is attached to the lens.
Date & Time: sets the date and time on the
P712.
Video Out selects the video out signal: NTSC or
PAL.
External Flash serves to decide whether an external
flash works by itself when connected to the hot shoe, or
whether it works in conjunction with the built-in flash.
EVF/LCD Stand By: allows setting the power Off
for the EVF or monitor so as to conserve power: 15 or 30
seconds, 1 minute (default) or 2 minutes.
Auto Power Off: to select the length of time the
camera is inactive before it shuts down: 3 minutes (default)
or 5, 10, 15 or 30 minutes.
Language: selects the interface language (English,
German, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean
or Japanese).
Reset Camera: returns all critical settings to
their factory defaults.
Format: formats the memory card, or the internal
memory.
Calibrate Imager: automatically tests the CCD to
ensure that the ISO sensitivity of each pixel is as it should
be.
About: displays the firmware version.
The P712 is delivered with a manual printed on recycled paper
in English, French and Spanish. The manual is basic, and only
covers basic camera functions without getting into details.
A regrettable fact in view of the capabilities of the camera.
Software
The P712, just like other current
Kodak cameras, is supplied with a single CD-ROM called EasyShare
Software (version 5.2.1). The disk contains the software,
and drivers for some Kodak memory card readers and for EasyShare
Printer Docks.
Immediately after installation, the program encourages the
user to download the newest version 6.0 of the software (45
MB), which features a new interface.
EasyShare is primarily an image browser into which
images must be imported from the computer's hard disk, or
the camera so that they can be organized.
An assortment of tools are
aligned at the top of the program's window, which serve to
add images to the program's database, create albums, open
a selected image in an editing window, burn images or albums
onto CD or DVD, see photos as a slide show, and upload them
to the Internet.
On the left of the program's window, tabs serve to print
images at home or using an online service, send images via
e-mail, or access Kodak's Online EasyShare Centre.
As noted above, images can
be edited in a separate window, once they have been selected.
The editing window allows cropping or trimming, rotating,
and automatically reducing red-eye. In addition, tools are
provided to adjust sharpness, remove noise, adjust white balance
and exposure, bring out details in either high or low light
areas, reduce flare if there is any, or even apply filters
so as to create special effects.
The same editing window also serves to "develop"
RAW images, using the same tools.
Once processed, images
can be saved as Kodak RAW, or Windows bitmap (BMP), or JPEG
or even as TIFF.
The new interface
for EasyShare is more pleasant aesthetically, but the tools
it provides remain the same as those that had been available
with the previous version of the software. While the fact
that a "before and after" view is available is a
positive, it remains regrettable that the tools' effects are
globally applied to the image, and that there are no lasso
or brush tools available, tools which would offer more control
over the editing.
Interface & Software
