Apr 05, 2001 10:09 PM
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I bought my DC280 in January 2001 – it was bundled with a Lexmark P11 colour printer, total cost £360. For that price I got:
Lexmark Pll colour printer
DC280 digital zoom camera
AC Adapter
Battery Charger
4 * AA rechargeable batteries
battery charger
4 * standard batteries (a nice touch as you are able to use the camera immediately while waiting for the rechargeable batteries to charge up)
8MB memory card
serial connector
USB connector
Kodak software for windows and Macintosh
Resolution - The DC280 has a maximum picture resolution of 2.3 mega pixels which gives very high quality images in terms of detail, colour and sharpness. This resolution is more than sufficient for printing out good quality photos. I have printed A4 sized photos on Kodak photo inkjet paper using a Lexmark P11 printer and the results are very good indeed – you cannot tell the difference from standard film processing output.
The picture quality and picture resolution can be adjusted on the camera itself prior to taking your photos. The better the quality and higher the resolution, the more storage space is required (so less photos will fit onto the cameras memory card). There are 3 options for picture quality:
Best – for printing A4 sized photos
Better – for ‘everyday’ pictures
Good – sufficient for online quality pictures
Resolution can be set to “High” or “Standard”.
Memory - My DC280 was supplied with a 8MB memory card which can store about 11 photos (best quality); 17 (better quality); 70 (good quality). An additional 16MB card is currently available from Kodak (see https://kodak.co.uk) for £40. Other reviewers on Dooyoo have had their DC280 supplied with a 16MB card as standard, so it’s worth checking.
LCD Viewfinder - the DC280 has a colour LCD viewfinder which can be used to preview pictures and to access the on-screen menus.
On-Screen Menus. The DC280 has an LCD status display panel at the top of the camera which indicates how many pictures are remaining, the selected resolution and picture quality, battery level, whether infinity or close up (macro) focus is selected, flash / red-eye reduction on/off etc. These items are permanently displayed as long as the camera is switched on.
In addition, other camera functions can be accessed through a series of menu buttons and the display on the main LCD viewfinder at the rear of the camera. These features are generally user friendly, although some of the icons do take a while to learn.
PC Interface. The camera is supplied with both USB and serial adaptors for connection to the PC.
Lens Features. The DC280 has a very respectable 6X Zoom (2X Optical; 3X Digital), that gives a focal length of 30mm (wide angle) to 60 mm (zoom). It also has a macro facility for close up shots.
Batteries. The DC280 can be powered either by an AC adaptor or 4 AA batteries – the camera is supplied with 4 rechargeable batteries and a charger. Battery life is very good (my last set lasted 2 months with moderate use). However, if you use the LCD monitor as a viewfinder then battery life is reduced to literally hours!
Size. The DC280 is bulkier than other digital cameras on the market. 133mm width * 52mm length * 76 mm height. It weighs 342g without batteries. Some reviewers feel this is a negative point, and I suppose the trend in the gadget market does tend towards smaller and smaller products. Personally though, I think you need something reasonably substantial and robust. Another advantage of the size of the DC280 is that it doesn’t look distinctly like a digital camera – indeed, if it wasn’t for the word “digital” on the front of the camera it could easily be mistaken for a standard compact camera. I think this is a great advantage because it makes the camera less of a target for thieves.
Software. The DC280 is supplied with Kodak software which allows you to transfer your images from the camera to your PC hard drive, undertake limited editing functions and even control the camera from your PC (change the camera set-up etc.). The software is very user friendly and easy for a complete novice to install. If you want to do more detailed editing of your pictures though, you will need to invest in more specialist editing software – something like Photoshop or equivalent.
Price. This camera is very reasonably priced and offers much more value for money than some of the newer camera on the market.
Overall rating. Excellent. Highly recommended.
