Kodak Z740

Reviewed May 2005

Interface & Software

Interface

The interface of the Kodak Z740 is clear and well-organized. When used in the P, A, S or M modes, the joystick located at the centre of the Mode Dial makes it possible to select the various shooting parameters directly on the monitor or EVF, which is practical. And, while the monitor can become difficult to see under bright direct light, the EVF is usable in all modes and is always visible.

The menu system is identical to those used with other Kodak cameras, presenting each option with both an icon and text on a uniformly pale blue background. Navigation is accomplished with the joystick, but it should be used with as much precision as possible as slightly inaccurate movements can be interpreted as being in an other direction than the intended one.

The Setup menu is reached as the last option of either the capture or playback menus, and provides basic settings for the camera:

• Return: returns to the previous menu.
• Quickview: On or Off. To display a just captured image for 5 seconds.

• Digital Zoom:
  • Continuous: provides no pause at the transition between the optical zoom and the 5X digital zoom.
  • Pause: the default, inserts a short pause at the transition point between the optical and digital zoom.
  • None: disables the digital zoom.
• Print Warning:
  • Pause, the default, inserts a short pause when chnaging from optical to digital zoom, and indicates the point at which the image quality may become too low for a 4x6 print by changing the colour of the zoom indicator on the screen to red.
  • None: provides no pause.

• Sound Themes selects the sounds produced by the camera: shutter only (default), Classical, Jazz or Sci-fi.
• Sound Volume: to adjust the volume of the sounds produced by the camera (Low, Medium, High, or Off).
• Mode Description: to choose whether or not a short description of each mode appears on the screen as the mode is selected.

• Auto Power Off: selects the delay after which the camera automatically shuts down (1, 3, 5 or 10 minutes).
• Date and Time: to set the internal clock and calendar of the Z740.
• Video Out: to select the video signal produced by the camera (NTSC or PAL).
• Orientation Sensor: this option decides if photos captured vertically will be displayed the correct way up in playback.
• Date Stamp: On or Off. Decides whether or not images will have the date permanently superimposed on the image.

• Video Date Stamp: decides whether or not the date is shown superimposed on a video in playback. Three date formats are available.
• Language selects the interface language: English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean or Japanese.
• Format: to format either the 32MB internal memory or a memory card.
• About: displays the firmware version of the camera.

Software

The North American version of the Kodak Z740 tested here is supplied with a single CD containing version 4.0.2 of Kodak EasyShare for Windows and a version for Mac OS X 103.2.3 or higher.

EasyShare allows downloading images as soon as the camera is connected to the computer, either directly or through the printer dock, acting as a browser which can display images as thumbnails, or full screen as a slide show.

Moreover, options are available to burn the photos onto CD, or print them, or have them printed online, or even send them by e-mail.

In addition, photos can be adjusted in a special editing window: red-eye can be eliminated, brightness, colour, contrast, or exposure can be changed, and images rotated or cropped.

Images adjusted for contrast, brightness, colour or exposure are presented split-screen, with one side showing the original while the other reflects the effect of the changes.

Beyond this, the software also provides "Fun" filters which can change the image to black and white, or sepia, or can change it more dramatically so that it looks like a colour crayon drawing, or make it look as though it was captured with a fish-eye lens.