Kodak DC4800 Review

Top of camera controls

Top of the camera controls are concentrated on the right side, here's our first hint at some of the innovation Kodak have implemented on the DC4800. First off is the mode dial, instead of having a specific aperture priority mode there's simply four positions for recording either P (automatic exposure), F2.8, F5.6 or F8. This strategy makes it very easy to select a required aperture (to control depth of field / shutter speed) without navigating menus or using obscure command combinations. Also on the mode wheel is REVIEW (Playback) and SETUP. All the labels are also repeated on the outside of the dial.

Next to this is an ingenious bit of thinking, a simple exposure compensation lever, push up to adjust exposure upward in 1/2EV steps, down for negative compensation. I wasn't convinced by this when I first saw it, but it's genuinely handy. All controls detailed below:

Mode Dial

SETUP	Setup Menu Enter main setup menu (rear LCD) for control over internal camera settings (detailed on next page of this review)
REVIEW	Image review / Playback Immediately displays last image taken (last image on memory card).
P	Full Auto AE (Programmed AE) General purpose shooting mode, all camera functions are normal, exposure is fully automatic.
2.8 5.6 8	Aperture Priority / Manual Aperture is locked at selected aperture value, can be used as aperture priority or in combination with shutter speed (selectable through menu) as a full manual mode. Apertures at focal lengths:  • 2.8 - Wide: F2.8, Tele: F4.5  • 5.6 - Wide: F5.6, Tele: F9.5  • 8 - Wide: F8.0, Tele: F13

Buttons

	Drive mode Select drive mode:  • Single shot  • Self-timer (10 seconds delay)  • Continuous (up to 4 images a 2160 x 1440)
	Focus mode Select focus mode:  • Normal focus (50cm - Infinity)  • Macro focus (20cm - 70cm)  • Landscape (Locked at Infinity)
	Flash mode Select flash mode (only with flash popped-up):  • Auto Flash  • Fill-in Flash (forced on)  • Auto with anti redeye (single pre-flash)

Rear of camera controls

Back of the DC4800 is straightforward enough, at the top of this image and directly under your thumb is the proportional zoom control, it has two zoom speeds, fast and very fast, I like the idea of having a proportional zoom control but the slow speed could really do with being much slower than it is. Remaining controls described below:

MENU	Mode Menu Enters/leaves the current mode menu.
DISPLAY / OK	Toggle display mode / OK confirmation in menu Record mode: LCD display on, LCD display off Play mode: No change
4-way	4-way controller Navigate menus. In record mode displays image currently in camera buffer (typically the last image taken, does not retrieve image from CF card)