Originally Posted by Cooperd0g

The "sole manipulator" bit isn't for "I have the controls right now so I'm logging PIC for this 30 minutes. You'll have the controls next and you'll log the next 30 minutes."

Sole manipulator means that there may in fact be more than one person on the plane, but you are the only dude flying. As in, the rest are not qualified pilots or not qualified to fly that plane. That answers (i).

For (ii), that is pretty obvious that if are the ONLY person in the plane you are thereby the pilot in command. However, many companies don't want you to list that as PIC if it was before you got you wings (mil) or commercial certificate (civ). I have a ton of solo jet time in my military training and it all counts towards my total, but most companies don't want to see it listed in my PIC info even though the FAA says I as PIC for those flights.

Lastly (iii) means that in a multi-crew plane, who ever is designated as the PIC by the company is the guy who gets the PIC time. You could fly from take-off to landing doing everything, but if you aren't the captain, you can't log PIC. You may be pilot at controls, but you are not in command. Basically whoever signs for the jet is the PIC.

To answer you question: No, you technically cannot log PIC if you were not the captain of those flights no matter how you try and wrangle it (sole manipulator or which seat you were in). It is always best to underestimate you flight time accomplishments than to overestimate them. Get caught overestimating and it will cost you the job.