Kodak C663 Performance

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Kodak C663 Performance

Timing and Performance

Kodak C663 Timing
Slow startup but average shot to shot speed, and very good shutter response. (Limited buffer capacity, slow writing to memory card though.)

Startup/Shutdown
Power on to first shot	4.9 seconds	Time it takes for LCD to turn on and lens to deploy.
Shutdown	2.2 seconds	How long it takes to retract lens and stow in your pocket.
Buffer clearing time	31 seconds (Small/Basic, 3 shots in continuous mode)	Worst case buffer clearing time.* This is the delay after a set of shots before you can remove the card. Some cameras won't retract their lenses and shut down until the buffer is cleared.
Mode switching
Play to Record, first shot	1.2 seconds	Time until first shot is captured
Record to play	3.1 seconds	Time to display a large/fine file immediately after capture
Display recorded image	0.7 second	Time to display a large/fine file already on the memory card.
Shutter response (Lag Time):
Full Autofocus Wide	0.41 second	Time from fully pressing shutter button to image capture, zoom lens at wide angle position.
Full Autofocus Tele	0.41 second	Time from fully pressing shutter button to image capture, zoom lens at telephoto position.
Prefocused	0.083 second	Time to capture, after half-pressing and holding shutter button.
Manual focus	0.30 second	For most cameras, shutter lag is less in manual focus than autofocus, but usually not as fast as when the camera is "prefocused" (On the C663, this time measured in "Landscape" scene mode.)
Cycle time (shot to shot)
Single Shot mode Large Fine JPEG	2.16 seconds	Time per shot, only 2 shots this fast before having to wait for buffer to empty, though. Post-buffer-fill cycle time is a very slow 7.7 seconds.*
Single Shot mode 1200 x 900 JPEG	2.14 seconds	Time per shot, only 2 shots this fast before having to wait for buffer to empty, though. Post-buffer-fill cycle time is an even slower 9.38 seconds for small files.*
Early shutter penalty?	Yes	Some cameras refuse to snap another shot if you release and press the shutter too quickly in Single Shot mode, making "No" the preferred answer.
Continuous mode Large Fine JPEG	0.44 second (2.3 frames per second); 3 shot limit; ~26 seconds to clear	Time per shot, only 3 shots this fast before having to wait for buffer to empty, though. Buffer clearing is very slow, even with a fast card.
Continuous mode 640x480 JPEG	0.44 second (2.3 frames per second); 3 shot limit; ~31 seconds to clear	Time per shot, only 3 shots this fast before having to wait for buffer to empty, though. Buffer clearing is very slow, even with a fast card.
Flash recycling	5 seconds	Flash at maximum output.
Download speed
Windows Computer, USB 2.0	433 KBytes/sec	Typical Values: Less than 600=USB 1.1; 600-770=USB 2.0 Low; 771-4000=USB 2.0 High
*Note: Buffer clearing times measured with a Kingston Ultimate 133x SD memory card. Slower cards will produce correspondingly slower clearing times. Slow cards may also limit length of bursts in continuous mode.

The Kodak C663's performance ranges from slow to better than average, depending on what you're trying to do. It starts up rather slowly at 4.9 seconds, waiting for the lens assembly to fully extend. However, wide angle and telephoto lag times are very good, as is the shutter lag with prefocus (half-pressing and holding down the shutter button before the final exposure). Shot to shot cycle times are a little slower than average, at about 2.15 seconds for large/fine JPEGs, and it can only capture two frames this fast before slowing down to a whopping eight or nine-second frame rate. Continuous-mode speed isn't bad for this class of camera, at a bit over two frames/second, for only three to four shots in succession, depending on the complexity of your subject. After a continuous mode burst, the Kodak C663's buffer memory takes a very long time to empty, even with a fast memory card. (We measured buffer clearing time at 36 - 31 seconds with a 133x SD card.) The flash takes about five seconds to recharge after a full-power shot, about average for this class of camera. Connected to a computer, download speeds are fast enough that you'll probably manage without a separate card reader, but nonetheless aren't as fast as most cameras currently on the market. Bottom line, the Kodak C663 should handle average shooting situations fairly well, though you might consider a camera with a more capable continuous shooting mode for photographing kids or sports.

Battery and Storage Capacity

Battery
Pretty good battery life, depending on the battery type.

Operating Mode	Battery Life
AA lithium batteries	250-350 shots
AA NiMH batteries	200-300 shots
CRV3 battery	350-500 shots

The Kodak EasyShare C663 uses two AA batteries or a CRV3 lithium battery for power, and a custom NiMH "double" AA rechargeable battery pack is included with the camera. The table above shows the number of shots the camera is capable of (on either a fresh set of disposable batteries or a fully-charged rechargeable battery as appropriate), based on CIPA battery-life and/or manufacturer standard test conditions. These aren't bad battery-life numbers, but you still may want to pick up a second set of high-capacity NiMH batteries for extended outings. (The Kodak dock should charge other brands of NiMH cells just fine.)

Storage
No card is included with the Kodak EasyShare C663, although it accepts SD/MMC cards; 28MB RAM is built into the camera.

Image Capacity with 28MB Internal Memory		Fine
2,832 x 2,118	Images	14
2,832 x 2,118	File Size	2.0 MB
2,304 x 1,728	Images	21
2,304 x 1,728	File Size	1.3 MB
2,048 x 1,536	Images	27
2,048 x 1,536	File Size	1.1 MB
1,200 x 900	Images	65
1,200 x 900	File Size	442 KB

We strongly recommend buying at least a 128MB card, preferably a 256MB one, to give yourself extra space for extended outings. The C663's internal memory can hold a few snapshots, but is too small to rely on for routine use.