The phrase ‘it’s complicated’ seems to define everything in today’s world; gadgets in particular. Take cameras for instance, almost every camera comes with functions and features that only the new and the technophiles can relate to. For the beginners and the first timers there seems to be nothing at all. It seems like that very section of the society is almost forgotten and no one would be interested in making a simple camera that appeals to them. Not to worry, for the Kodak Easyshare M381 is one camera that is made for the newcomers. This is a 12.4 mp and 5x zoom camera.
Design and FunctioningAs point-and-shoot ultra-compacts go, the attraction for the Kodak Easyshare M381 lies in its simplicity. Available in red, black, and blue-gray, the M381 is small enough to slip in a pants pocket or a small handbag. The body is comfortable to use and it comes with a vertical row of buttons (Delete, Menu, Info, and Play), a four-way control pad, an OK button for setting and menu navigation, and Kodak's Share button, which lets you tag photos as favorites, as ones to upload to a favorite Web site for sharing, or both when the camera is connected to a computer. Kodak's Smart Capture auto mode is, again, one of the highlights on the M381. It integrates scene and face detection, optimized (and conservative) auto ISO, and a broader dynamic range among other things, so that settings are taken care of. This mode also applies Kodak's Perfect Touch technology to help improve detail and contrast. There's a Program mode to give the user control over ISO, focus, light metering, and sharpness, or use the color effects. There are 18 scene modes to pick from including Snow, Beach, Text, Fireworks, and Backlight. It comes with 32MB of internal memory and is compatible with SD/SDHC cards.
