Kodak Z950 User Manual

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2Taking pictures/videos
Taking a picture
NOTE:  For more information on Smart Capture and other modes, see page 7. Framing marks do not appear 
in some SCN (Scene) and Video modes. 
Using the framing marks
Framing marks indicate the camera focus area. 
1Press the Shutter button halfway.
If the camera is not focusing on the desired subject, 
release the Shutter button and recompose the scene.
2Press the Shutter button completely down to 
take the picture.
NOTE:  Multiple framing marks may appear when faces are detected.
Press the Shutter 
button halfway to 
lock the focus. 
When the framing 
marks turn green, 
press the Shutter 
button completely 
down.
1
2Turn the Mode dial 
to Smart Capture
.
Framing marks 
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Taking a video
Reviewing the picture/video just taken
After you take a picture/video, the LCD displays a quickview for several seconds. (To 
dismiss the quickview sooner, press the Shutter button halfway.) The picture/video is 
saved unless you press the Delete  button.
To review pictures/videos anytime, see page 17.
Press the Shutter 
button completely 
down and release. 
(To stop recording, 
press and release 
again.)
1
2Turn the Mode dial 
to Video
.
Delete
Play a video
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 7
Capture modes
Capture modeFor
Smart 
CaptureGeneral picture taking—it offers excellent image quality and ease of 
use. 
■Faces are detected.
■The scene is analyzed for other content and for lighting.
■KODAK PERFECT TOUCH Technology is applied, for better pictures.
You can choose the best picture size and aspect ratio for your 
needs—just press the Menu  button and choose Picture Size.
■3:2 (the best choice when making 4 x 6 prints)
■16:9 (wide screen)
■4:3 (the default setting)
SportSubjects that are in motion. Shutter speed is fast.
Panorama“Stitching” 2 or 3 pictures into 1 panoramic scene. (See page 12.)
ScenePoint-and-shoot simplicity when taking pictures under special 
conditions. (See page 8).
Program
Aperture
Shutter
ManualMore creative control. (See page 13).
VideoVideo with sound. (See page 6.)
Choose the mode that 
best suits your subjects 
and surroundings.
SCN
P
A
S
M
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							8www.kodak.com/go/support Taking pictures/videos
Scene modes
1Turn the Mode dial to Scene  .
2Press     to select Scene modes.
NOTE:  If the mode description turns off before you finish reading it, press OK.
3Press OK to choose a Scene mode.
SCN modeFor
High ISOPeople indoors, in low-light scenes.
PortraitFull-frame portraits of people. 
Night 
Portrait Reducing red eye of people in night scenes or low-light conditions. Place the 
camera on a flat, steady surface or use a tripod. 
LandscapeFar-away scenes. The camera uses infinity auto-focus. Auto-focus framing 
marks are not available in Landscape.
Night 
Landscape Distant scenery at night. Flash does not fire. Place the camera on a flat, steady 
surface or use a tripod.
FlowerClose-ups of flowers or other small subjects in bright light. Focus is Macro.
Sunset Capturing the deep hues seen at sunset.
BacklightSubjects that are in shadow or “backlit” (when light is behind the subject).
Candle lightCapturing the ambiance of candle light.
Manner/
MuseumQuiet occasions, like a wedding or lecture. Flash and sounds are off.
TextDocuments. Focus is set to Macro Focus.
BeachBright beach scenes.
SnowBright snow scenes.
FireworksBright, colorful light displays. Flash does not fire. Place the camera on a flat, 
steady surface or use a tripod.
ChildrenAction pictures of children in bright light.
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 9
Using zoom
Use optical zoom to get up to 10X closer to your subject while taking pictures/videos.
1Use the LCD to frame your subject. For focus 
distances, see Camera specifications, page 51.
2Press Telephoto (T) to zoom in. Press Wide Angle 
(W) to zoom out.
3Take the picture or video.
NOTE:  To get a focused picture every time, use the auto focus 
framing marks (see page 5).
Use digital zoom to get up to 5X beyond optical zoom while taking pictures. Press 
Telephoto (T) to the maximum optical zoom. Digital zoom is not available in Smart 
Capture mode.
NOTE:  You may notice decreased image quality when using digital zoom. The slider on the LCD turns red 
when the picture quality reaches the limit for an acceptable 4 x 6-in. (10 x 15 cm) print.
Self-PortraitClose-ups of yourself. Assures proper focus and minimizes red eye.
StagePeople on a lit stage. Fast shutter speed, high ISO. Flash and sounds are off. 
(Flash setting can be changed.)
SCN modeFor
Optical zoom Digital zoom
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Using the flash 
Use the flash when you take pictures at night, indoors, or outdoors in heavy shadows. 
Flash settings are limited in some capture modes.
Flash modesFlash fires
Auto When the lighting conditions require it.
FillEvery time you take a picture, regardless of the 
lighting conditions. Use when the subject is in 
shadow or is “backlit” (when the light is behind 
the subject). In low light, hold the camera steady 
or use a tripod. 
NOTE:  (Not available in Smart Capture mode.)
Red-eye Reduction 
Choose a setting in the 
Setup menu,see 
page 34.Preflash A preflash fires, shrinking the eye pupil, before 
the picture is taken.
Digital Correction A preflash does not fire; the camera corrects red 
eye.
NOTE:  When using digital correction, image 
processing takes longer than when using 
preflash.
OffNever.
Press the flash button repeatedly to scroll through flash modes.
The current flash mode is shown on the LCD.
view single picture.
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 11
Using the self-timer
Use the self-timer when you want to be included in a picture, or to ensure a steady 
Shutter button press. Place the camera on a tripod or flat surface.
1Repeatedly press the Self-timer/Burst button to choose a self-timer setting:
10 seconds—A picture is taken after a 10-second delay (so you have time 
to get into the scene).
2 seconds—A picture is taken after a 2-second delay (for a steady, shutter 
release on a tripod).
2 shot—The first picture is taken after a 10-second delay. A second picture 
is taken 8 seconds later.
2Compose the scene. Press the Shutter button halfway, then completely down.
The camera takes the picture/pictures after the delay.
Use the same procedure to take a 2- or 10-second self-timer video, but press the 
Shutter button completely down.
Using burst
Use the same procedure as above to use the burst feature.
NOTE:  The camera stops taking pictures when you release the Shutter button, when the pictures are taken, 
or when there is no more storage space. Burst is unavailable in some modes.
ModeIconDescriptionPurpose
First
BurstCamera takes up to 3 pictures 
while the Shutter button is 
pressed.Capture an expected event. 
Example: 
A person swinging a golf club.
Last
BurstCamera takes up to 30 pictures 
while the Shutter button is 
pressed. When it’s released, the 
last 3 pictures are saved.Capture an event when the precise 
timing is uncertain. 
Example: 
A child blowing out candles.
10
2
2x
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Taking panoramic pictures
Use panorama to “stitch” up to 3 pictures into a panoramic scene.
NOTE:  For best results, use a tripod. Individual pictures are not saved, even if panorama capture is 
cancelled before stitching occurs. (Exposure Compensation, White Balance, Exposure Metering, AF 
Zone, AF Control, Color Mode, and Sharpness are set with the first picture. The flash is set to Off.) 
You can use the self-timer (2- and 10-second delays) while taking panoramic pictures. See page 11.
1Turn the Mode dial to Panorama  .
2Press   to highlight Panorama Left-Right or Panorama Right-Left (depending 
on the direction you want to pan), then press OK.
3Take the first picture.
After a quickview, the LCD displays the liveview and an “overlay” from the first picture.
4Compose the second picture. Make the overlay from the first picture cover the 
same portion in the new picture. 
5If you are taking only 2 pictures, press OK to stitch them together. 
After you take 3 pictures, the pictures are automatically stitched together.
Take 2 or 3 
pictures.
Get 1 
panoramic 
picture.
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 13
P, A, S, and M modes
Use these modes when you want more control over your camera and pictures.
NOTE:  Settings you change in P, A, S, or M modes apply only to pictures taken in those modes. The settings, 
including Flash, are maintained for P, A, S, and M modes—even when you change modes or turn off 
the camera. Use Reset Camera (see page 35) to reset P, A, S, and M modes to their default settings. 
If using flash compensation, the flash cannot be in the Off setting (see page 10).
ModeWhen to usePress ,  
to control
Program mode offers the ease of auto shooting 
with full access to all menu options. The camera 
automatically sets the shutter speed and aperture 
(f-stop) based on the scene lighting.Exposure compensation (how 
much light enters the 
camera), flash compensation, 
focus mode, and ISO
Aperture Priority mode controls depth of field (the 
range of sharpness). The aperture setting may be 
affected by optical zoom.Aperture, exposure 
compensation, flash 
compensation, focus mode, 
and ISO
Shutter Priority lets you choose a faster shutter 
speed to prevent motion blur. The camera 
automatically sets the aperture for proper exposure. 
(Use a tripod for slow shutter speeds.)Shutter speed, focus mode, 
ISO, and flash compensation
Manual mode offers the highest level of creative 
control. (Use a tripod for slow shutter speeds.)Aperture, shutter speed, flash 
compensation, focus mode, 
and ISO
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Changing P, A, S, or M mode settings
P, A, S, and M modes control the aperture (f-number, also known as f-stop), shutter 
speed, exposure compensation, flash compensation, focus mode, and ISO. Use the 
Menu  button to control all other settings.
1Turn the Mode dial to P, A, S, or M.
2Press  to access a setting. Press   to change the setting.
Aperture—(also known as f-stop) control the size of the lens opening, which 
determines the depth of field. 
■Smaller f-stop numbers indicate a larger lens opening; good for low-light.
■Larger f-stop numbers indicate a smaller lens opening; keeps the main subject 
sharp; good for landscapes and well-lit conditions.
Shutter Speed—control how long the shutter stays open. (To prevent blur, use a 
tripod for slow shutter speeds.)
Exposure Compensation—adjust the exposure. If the picture is too light, decrease 
the setting; if it’s too dark, increase the setting.
Flash Compensation—adjust flash brightness.
Focus Mode—choose Auto, Close-up, Landscape, or Manual Focus.
ISO—adjust the camera’s sensitivity to light. Higher ISO indicates greater sensitivity. 
NOTE:  A higher ISO may produce unwanted “noise” in a picture. For ISO speeds, see Camera 
specifications, page 51.
Aperture Shutter 
speedExposure 
compensationISO Flash 
compensationNote: A yellow setting 
indicates possible 
unsatisfactory results. 
(However, you can still 
take the picture.)Focus 
Mode
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