Kodak DX6490 Review

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By: Steve's Digicams

Review posted 9/3/2003

Click on the DX6490 Zoom for a QTVR tour

The Kodak DX6490 zoom digital camera is the most advanced EasyShare digital camera to date and provides stunning image quality thanks to a number of innovative features. It incorporates a high quality 10X optical zoom lens, an exclusive high-speed, low-light precision auto-focus system, new Kodak Color Science image processing algorithms, and 4 megapixel (MP) resolution that results in sharp, striking prints up to 20 x 30 inches.

The DX6490 camera is the first to unite a professional quality Schneider-Kreuznach Variogon 10X optical zoom lens (38-380 mm equivalent) with a f/2.8 - f/3.7 maximum aperture; a new Kodak Color Science image processing chip for the richest, most accurate colors; low-light precision auto focusing; and multiple shooting modes for optimal creative control - all with effortless operation that people have come to expect from Kodak. The aperture priority, shutter priority and manual modes lend a significant degree of advanced functionality for the more accomplished photographer, and its pre-programmed sport, night, portrait, landscape, close-up and automatic modes -- plus a new automatic fill flash for backlit scenes -- provide point-and-shoot simplicity.

A press of the DX6490 camera's red-jeweled "Share" button allows a person to immediately select printing, e-mailing, and mark as favorite options for each picture, and on-camera sharing is made simple with a 2.2-inch, high-resolution LCD screen. In addition, the camera's new album feature, when used in conjunction with Kodak EasyShare software v3.0, allows categorization of pictures right on the camera.

The DX6490 will be available worldwide beginning in September 2003 with a US$499 suggested retail price and establishes a new price-to-performance benchmark for 'advanced amateur' photography.

DX6490 Zoom Features

4-megapixel CCD for prints up to 20 x 30"
10X Schneider zoom 38 - 380 mm (35mm equivalent)
High-speed precision, low light auto-focus
Big 2.2-inch TFT color LCD, indoor/outdoor type
TTL Multi-pattern, center weighted, center spot metering
ISO equivalent of 80, 100, 200, 400, 800 or automatic
White balance: automatic, daylight, tungsten, fluorescent
Color mode: b&w, sepia, saturated or natural color
Adjustable image sharpness
Exposure modes: Auto, sport, portrait, night, program, aperture priority, shutter priority, manual
Burst mode captures up to 6 pictures at approx. 3 fps
320x240 movies w/sound length limited only by memory
16MB internal memory, SD/MMC card slot
Powered by proprietary lithium battery pack
Audio-Video Out (NTSC or PAL selectable)
Included EasyShare camera dock/battery charger
Optional EasyShare printer dock 6000

The included Kodak EasyShare 6000 camera dock (U.S. bundled product) addresses two of the biggest objections to digital cameras: easy connection and battery charging. Once the camera is placed in the dock, pictures are automatically uploaded to the computer and the dock recharges the camera's battery pack. The system also includes software that allows users to connect to the Internet to e-mail or print their pictures. EasyShare makes picture sharing as easy as picture taking: one-button simple.

Physical Views

The very compact DX6490 and a standard CD for size comparison.

The 10X Zoom Kodak DX6490 and Fuji FinePix S5000

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Page Two

DX6490 Zoom Specifications

Windows:
CCD resolution	4.23 MP (2408x1758 pixels)
image resolution	4.0 megapixel (2304x1728 pixels)
image quality	4.0MP - best (print, enlargement 20" x 30") 3.5MP - best (optimized ratio for 4" x 6" prints, 3:2) 2.1MP - better (small print) 1.1 MP - good (e-mail)
zoom lens	Schneider Kreuznach Variogon 10X optical zoom, 6.3-63.2mm (35mm equivalent: 38-380mm) 3.0X Advanced Digital Zoom
focus/auto-focus	Multi-zone, center-spot
focus distance	wide std. - 0.6m (2 ft.) to infinity; tele std. -- 2m (6.6 ft.) to infinity; wide/tele infinity: 20m (65.6 ft.) to infinity
display	LCD - 2.2" (5.6cm) 153k pixels, Indoor/Outdoor display;
aperture	f/2.8 - 8.0 (wide); f3.7 - 8.0 (tele)
shutter speed	16-1/1700 sec.
ISO equivalent	Automatic - (80 - 160); Selectable - 80/100/200/400/800
white balance	auto, daylight, tungsten, fluorescent
flash mode	automatic, fill, red-eye, off; external flash synch available
flash range	wide - 0.5 - 4.9m (1.6 - 16.1ft.); tele - 2.0 - 3.7m (6.6 - 12.1 ft.)
viewfinder	electronic - 1.1cm (.44 in.), 180K pixels (800x225)
self-timer	10 seconds
scene/other modes	automatic, sport, portrait, night, landscape, close-up, program, aperture priority, shutter priority, manual
color mode	color, black and white, sepia, saturated, neutral, sharpness (sharp, standard, soft)
macro/close-up mode	wide - 12 - 70cm (4.7 - 27.6 in.); tele - 120-210cm (47.2 - 82.7 in.)
burst mode	3 fps, up to 6 pictures
light metering method	TTL-AE (menu selectable: multi-pattern, center weighted, center spot
exposure compensation	+/- 2.0 EV with 0.33 EV step increments
exposure control	program AE aperature priority, shutter priority, manual
click to capture	0.65 seconds
shot to shot	<2 seconds
movie mode	continuous digital video with audio capture, audio playback on camera
movie image resolution	320 x 240 pixels at 20 fps
movie length	up to 80 minutes, limited by capacity of external memory card
capture mode	capture always ready
auto-orientation	auto picture rotation
delete	dedicated delete button
review	dedicated review button
share	dedicated share button
review mode	2X or 4X magnify, picture info, slide show, multi-up, fast scroll, protect, albums
video out	NTSC, PAL (user-selectable)
software	Kodak EasyShare software v3.1
interface	Dock Compatibility - Kodak EasyShare camera dock 6000, Kodak EasyShare printer dock 6000
storage	internal storage: 16 MB internal memory external storage: MMC/SD card expansion slot
power options	Kodak EasyShare 3.7V 1700mAh Li-ion rechargeable battery (KLIC 5000 or KLIC 5001) Kodak EasyShare camera dock 6000 (included) optional 5V adapter optional Kodak EasyShare printer dock 6000
image file format	still: JPEG/EXIF v2.2; movie: Quicktime
interface	USB 2.0 compatible, Kodak EasyShare camera dock 6000 and Kodak EasyShare printer dock 6000 compatible
lens protection	lens cap tethered to camera body
tripod mount	1/4 in. standard
weight	337g / 11.9 oz. (without battery and memory card)
dimensions WxHxD	99.6 x 79.9 x 81.2mm 3.9 x 3.1 x 3.2 in.
warranty	one year
System Requirements
WINDOWS 98, 2000, Millennium Edition, or XP Personal computer with 200 MHz processor or greater 32MB RAM available 70MB hard drive disk space available CD-ROM drive Available USB port 16-bit or higher color monitor
Macintosh:
POWERMAC System MACINTOSH OS 8.6-X 64MB RAM available 100MB hard drive disk space available CD-ROM drive Available USB port 16-bit or higher color monitor

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