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Kodak EasyShare P880 Kodak re-enters the enthusiast market with a great 8-megapixel offering Select a topic Reference: Datasheet P880 Sample Images P880 IMATEST Results --------------------------------- 1. Overview and Highlights 2. User Report 3. Design 4. Viewfinder 5. Optics 6. Exposure and Flash 7. Shutter Lag/ Cycle Time Tests 8. User Interface 9. Camera Modes and Menus 10. Image Storage and Interface 11. Video, Power, and Software 12. Test Results and Conclusion --------------------------------- Print-Friendly Review Version Additional Resources and Other Links Reader Comments on P880 Review --------------------------------- Digital Camera Comparometer (TM) --------------------------------- <-- Digital Cameras (Home) <-- Digital Camera Reviews Index <<Viewfinder :(Previous) | (Next): Exposure and Flash>> Page 5:Optics Review First Posted: 11/23/2005

Optics

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The Kodak EasyShare P880 features a 5.8x optical zoom lens, covering a 35mm equivalent range from 24-140mm. (Zoom is controlled by turning the rubbery Zoom ring on the lens barrel.) This is actually a very wide angle among digital cameras, extending to a moderate telephoto. Focus ranges from two inches (5 centimeters) to infinity in normal mode, with a macro option ranging from 10 to 19.7 inches (25 to 50 centimeters). A Super Close-up mode is also available, focusing as close as two inches (5 centimeters). Available apertures range from f/2.8 to f/8.0 at the wide angle end of the lens' range, or f/4.1 to f/8.0 at the telephoto end, and are manually and automatically adjustable.

The Kodak P880 offers automatic and manual focus control modes, with Single and Continuous AF options. In Continuous mode, the camera continuously adjusts focus without requiring a half-press of the Shutter button, useful for moving subjects. You can let the camera select the AF point automatically, in Multi-pattern AF mode, or bias the focus toward the center of the frame in Center-weighted AF mode. Additionally, you can manually select the AF point from one of 25 placed throughout the frame, by choosing the 25-Selectable AF mode. You can also manually adjust focus, using the focus adjustment ring on the lens barrel. The MF Assist AF option under the camera's Setup menu lets you use the camera's AF system to initially set the focus, then you can use the focus ring to tweak it back and forth. This is useful when you're photographing a subject with depth, and you want the camera to get the focus in the ballpark, then let you manually adjust it to highlight a specific part of the subject.

The Kodak P880 comes with a lens hood for blocking glare, and features a removable, plastic lens cap that tethers to the camera body. A set of lens threads accommodates accessory lens kits, which can extend the camera's wide angle and telephoto capabilities.

In addition to the 5.8x optical zoom, the Kodak P880 offers as much as 2x digital zoom by pressing the Magnify button on top of the camera. Digital zoom increments are 1.4x and 2x, effectively increasing the camera's zoom capabilities to 12x. I always caution readers though, to remember that digital zoom is only enlarging the central portion of the CCD image, and thereby results in higher image noise and lower resolution. In my own shooting, I typically avoid using digital zoom altogether. Digital zoom can be useful though, if you're shooting images for use on the web or other lower-resolution application.

In our tests, the P880's lens proved to be of high quality, with very little chromatic aberration given its zoom ratio. There was very little softness in the corners of the frame at wide angle, and even at telephoto, corner sharpness was better than we're accustomed to seeing on longer-ratio zoom lenses. Geometric distortion was higher at wide angle, but that's somewhat to be excused in light of the P880's excellent 24mm equivalent wide angle coverage.

The EasyShare P880 appears to use a hybrid autofocus system, as evidenced by the IR sensor window above the lens. Hybrid AF systems can sometimes be faster than ones relying purely upon contrast detection, but in the case of the P880, this doesn't appear to be the case: The camera overall is on the slow side of average when it comes to shutter lag.

When we first started using the P880, we had its autofocus-assist light turned off, and as a result became rather frustrated with its focus performance in less than ideal lighting. Most cameras with AF-assist lights have them there for a reason, but we were very pleasantly surprised by how much the P880's AF performance improved when we turned the AF light back on again. With the AF light enabled, we found that the P880 could quite easily focus on a good, contrasty subject as much as 15 feet away, even in total darkness. (Do note though, that like that of most any other digital camera, the P880's AF system really wants to have both the camera and subject motionless when it's trying to focus in dim light. While it focuses surprisingly well in the dark, don't expect it to be able to focus well on moving subjects in dim light. - Faced with a situation like a play, pageant or concert, you'll do far better to set focus manually and hope for the best than to rely on the camera's AF system. - This limitation is quite characteristic of digital cameras.)