Feb 10, (PRINTWORDS NEWS)-
Gadgets need not be flashy and stylish always as there are people who like simple looking products that perform well. It is for these users that Kodak has released its ultra compact 12 MP camera EasyShare M381. The camera will not make heads turn at a get together but it looks decent and does its task smoothly. That is what the casual photographers mostly need, don’t they? It has been priced around £100 making it affordable for the first time buyers who do not have deep pockets.
The moment you look at the model you will understand it is better than the cheap entry level cameras that have flooded the market. Kodak seems to have taken a good lesson from rivals like Nikon and Sony and given the M381 a fresh look. The only exception is its plastic buttons which do not exactly look elegant. The controls are similar to popular Kodak models and even a beginner can understand how to operate the model within a few minutes. The user interface is intuitive as is the cases with almost all EasyShare models and navigation is streamlined. However, Kodak has provided description of each menu items for the users who are not tech savvy.
To cope up with the competition and make things simpler for the casual users Kodak has equipped the M381 with its Smart capture mode. It takes care of issues like ISO setting; face detection and dynamic range etc. It also includes Kodak’s proprietary Perfect Touch technology to improve image details. However, those who love to delve into manual controls can do so, thanks to its 18 scene modes and a dedicated program mode.
A digital camera that offers cutting edge features but lags in image quality does not make any sense. In the imaging tests, the M381 performs well as long as certain conditions are met. Till ISO 200, image quality is generally good though you can find models from Canon that take sharper pictures. The low light shots are not as good though and setting the ISO higher than 200 can result in color shifting and loss of details. This once again proves that MP count is not the only parameter you should look for. The Kodak Perfect Touch technology does a nice job of improving dull images though at time sit tends to make pictures overtly bright. It is in the video recording mode that the M381 takes serious beating from rivals like Canon Ixus or Sony Cyber Shot models. Kodak still packs in dated VGA video recording with this model. It can be a deal breaker for some. Besides, you can not use the 5x optical zoom of the M381 while recording video.
So, should you buy the EasyShare M381?That depends on your priority. It gives good overall performance and is user friendly in the [proper sense of the term. However, the gadget lovers who do not want to compromise on the features department or cannot do without stuff like HD video recording should look elsewhere.
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