Kodak DC4800 Zoom

Here's a good look at all of the DC4800's controls. We've already covered the mode dial, exposure compensation dial and the data LCD. Note that the mode dial is marked along the edge as well as on the top. The large silver button near the front is the shutter release. Across the back edge are dedicated buttons for the selftimer/burst mode, infinity and macro focus, and the flash modes.

Alongside the color LCD are the Menu and Display buttons as well as the 4-way jog switch (see below).

Navigating the camera's menu system couldn't be more intuitive. Press the Menu button to bring up the menu system, navigate up or down using the UP and DOWN portion of the 4-way jog switch and accept items using the yellow OK button.

The yellow OK button also serves as the LCD monitor on/off control.

The DC4800 is equipped with a f/2.8-4.5 3X optical zoom 28-84 mm (35 mm film equiv.), it has a 2X digital zoom option. The power zoom has two driving speeds. Accepts accessory lenses and filters (43mm thread size, requires adapter).

Normal focusing range is 1.6 ft (0.5m) to infinity. In Macro mode the focus range is 0.7 to 2.3 ft (0.2 - 0.7m).

Aperture settings:

• Wide (28 mm): f/2.8, f/5.6, f/8
• Telephoto (84 mm): f/4.5, f/9, f/13

Unique to the DC4800 Zoom, the lens cap is actually attached to the lens itself. Other cameras that extend their lenses always "pop" off the cap or refuse to extend until the cap is removed. The DC4800 can extend it lens with the cap still firmly in place.

The PhotoSolve.com folks have just released their Extend-a-Lens 4800 adapter for the Kodak DC4800. This simple and inexpensive lens adapter lets you easily attach 43mm filters and add-on lenses to the Kodak DC4800.

Located on the right side in the large handgrip is the access door for the CompactFlash Type I card slot.   Kodak includes a 16MB CF card. The small LED above the card slot flashes green when the camera is writing to or reading from the CF card.

The DC4800 Zoom has a high-speed USB port for image download. The Video Out port is user-switchable for NTSC or PAL television formats. The battery charger / AC adapter plugs into the DC IN port on the bottom.

Note the standard PC flash sync port for connection to external flash units.

The camera is powered by a 3.7v 1100mAH lithium rechargeable battery. Included is the combination charger and AC adapter.

The battery charges "in-camera" in about four hours if the camera is turned off. When the camera is turned on the charger acts as an AC power supply.