Has Kodak Done it Again???

Author's Rating:

Pros: mega pixel mega pixel!!!

Cons: close ups are bad, drain on the batteries

Author's Review
The Kodak DC 280 -- Worth it?

Has Kodak done it again? Have they once again mastered the digital imaging and great pixel quality they have forever been boasting about? Well, YEs and No.

YES!!
Kodak points to its very responsive, quick and sophisticated DC280 Digital Camera. It boasts a whopping 2 megapixel resolution <simply fascinating pic quality>. Many of the above 2.0 megapixels boast this option. The high resolution allows the user to make their own photo-realistic 8 x 10 prints using high dpi printers. Kodak's image quality is one of the best out there. Canon's are also high quality.

The DC 280 boasts a large 20 MB removable KODAK Picture Card that can hold up to 245- standard or 32 high-resolution pictures. It holds many pics indeed but there is a huge drain on the batteries. I recommend purchasing an AC adapter to go along with this camera. Most cameras only come with an 8 MB compact flash card; Kodak seems to include much more in its cameras.

The USB interface allows the user to download in moments...which is not at all shabby. There is also a 30 mm to 60 mm lens, with 2X optical/3X digital zoom. Typically optical zoom is preferred over digital zoom. For reference, refer to CNETs insightful reviews on choosing a camera (main digital camera page).

The 280 is designed much similarly to the other Kodak cameras. The camera's ease-of-use is high. Touch a button, take a picture. Touch another button, view your picture. Lots of functions, but a lot of them are unnecessary for what many unprofessional photographers are looking for.


NO!!
I tried taking pictures of items up-close. No dice! The 280 failed to zoom correctly when I wanted to take up-close high resolution pics. Mid to far away images and pics were excellent, but the close-ups were AWFUL!!!

Many functions as I mentioned before are not necessary. Here are the specs as listed on their page:

CCD Resolution:
1901 x 1212 pixels
Image Resolution: 1760 x 1168 pixels (high), 896 x 592 pixels (standard)
Image Quality Settings: Best, better, good
Image Storage: 20 MB KODAK Picture Card included. Stores 32 to 245 pictures.
Viewfinder: 1.8" TFT color LCD for review and preview, plus real-image optical viewfinder
Lens: Auto focus 2X true optical glass zoom
Digital Enhancement: 3X digital zoom
Lens Focal Length: 30 mm to 60 mm equivalent
Focus Range: Regular: 0.5 m to infinity
Macro: 0.25 m to 0.5 m
Exposure: Auto, or manual override (+/- 2 EV in 0.5-EV increments), automatic white balance and exposure lock
Shutter Speed: 1/2 to 1/755 second
Aperture Range: Wide: f/3.0 to f/7.6; Tele: f/3.8 to f/9.6
ISO Equivalent: 70
Self Timer: 10 seconds
Tripod Mount: Standard
Flash: Strobe flash (auto, fill, red-eye, off), range 1.6' (0.5 m) to 9.8' (3.0 m) wide and 1.6' (0.5 m) to 7.9' (2.4 m) tele
File Formats: JPEG (EXIF)
User Interface: Graphical, menu-driven, easy to navigate
Video Out: NTSC, PAL (user selectable)
Picture Overlay: Time/date stamp, borders
Special Effects: B&W mode; sepia mode; borders included; document mode
Interface: USB, serial, PC card
Power: 4 AA batteries (included) or AC adapter (optional)
Dimensions: 5.2"(w) x 2"(d) x 3"(h); 133 mm (w) x 51 mm (d) x 76 mm (h)
Certifications: VCCI, CE, FCC Class B, C-Tick, ICES-003 Class B, CCIB
Weight: 0.75 lb. (342 g) without batteries
Warranty: One Year

What is necessary on the DC 280 is an adapter. Many other cameras, like my sleek Canon A5 boasts an AC adapter as well as a lithium ion that recharges in half an hours time (sometimes less) with comparable image quality (a little less). The Canon's close-ups are pretty darn good too!!

PRICE!!
This camera just came out. The mega-pixels are simply AMAZING! That's why the price is so high: $849 MSRP

I bought mine at Buy.com for a mere 593 just last week. I will return it however b/c the close-up images are horrible!!!

OVERALL
If you are looking for a monster mega-pixel get this camera. The downside of course is the drain on batteries. The close-ups still need to be improved. Also, this camera is not that sleek at all. It's a bit clunky and oversized. Looking for a high res camera with a small, sleek design then look no further than the Fuji MX 2700 (around 530 dollars).

I recommend looking into the Nikon cameras (high-end Coolpix 950 is a hot seller). I've been hearing loads about them!! They are sold out in many online stores!!