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Kodak DC3800 DIGITAL CAMERA PICTURE CARD 8MB FLASHCARD USB
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Kodak DC3800
DC3800 DIGITAL CAMERA PICTURE CARD 8MB FLASHCARD USB Review, by Tracey Capen, PCWorld.com May 30, 2001
WHAT'S HOT: An ultracompact shape is the DC3800's star attraction. It weighs less than half a pound, and the steel-gray case is only as thick as two decks of cards stacked together. Moreover, its controls are so simple that even the most techno-phobic user should be comfortable using it.
WHAT'S NOT: To keep the DC3800 small and simple, Kodak left out some critical features. Toping the list: serial or USB output ports. To move your shots from camera to PC, you have to remove the CompactFlash card and insert it into an external USB-based card reader (bundled with the camera). The DC3800 does have a video output port that lets you view your images on a TV.
Also missing are even the most basic exposure controls, such as an exposure value adjustment or white balance options. You'll also have to live without thumbnail views--the small LCD screen shows you only one shot at a time. And the camera's small size comes at a stiff premium: $399 is expensive for a camera with a list of features this thin (for example, it has no optical zoom). Finally, Kodak does not offer phone support on weekends.
WHAT ELSE: Our test shots were a cut above the average for cameras in the under-$500 price range. The camera produced solid whites and accurate colors overall. Most exposures tended to fall a bit on the dark side, and we noticed some loss of subtle shading in reds. Details in our still-life shots had average sharpness, but we noticed some odd yellow banding around fine black lines.
The DC3800 lets you review shots immediately after you take them, but you have to be quick. The image pops up for about 2 seconds and is then saved to the CompactFlash media. If you hit one of the control buttons before the image gets saved, you can delete the shot without having to switch to playback mode. Like most cameras, the DC3800 lets you fire off several shots in quick succession, but only at its lowest resolution.
Though the menus are just simple text messages, they're easy to decipher--in large part because there are so few options. Unlike most digital cameras, there's no LED status display--you have to turn on the LCD to view battery status, number of shots left, and other data, which tends to be harder on battery life. Button controls are limited to the self-timer, flash mode, and three very simple navigation buttons. A simple dial has camera settings, review, and shooting modes, plus a macro setting. Though the DC3800 is missing a slow-sync flash mode--useful for highlighting subjects in low-light settings without killing off the background--it has the usual flash options, including red-eye reduction.
BEST USE: Consider the DC3800 if small size and light weight are at the top of your wish list, and you are willing to live with the camera's limited options.
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Review Now! Already own it? Tell us What You Think
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Reviewed by: msquad17
Overall: After I installed the USB driver, the USB driver for my printer wouldn't work!!! Do I have to reinstall the driver for each as well as swapping the cables to go from using one to the other on my USB port?? This is NUTS!
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Reviewed by: Billynda
Strengths: Small, easy to use...
Weaknesses: For what it is, it works fine...You want "bells & whistles" you have to pay for them...
Overall: One problem, The USB Card Reader will only "read" my photos once per "boot" ...meaning I have to reboot the computer before the compact flash card will be recognized...
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Reviewed by: Mikar
Strengths: Compact, easy to operate, good picture quality
Weaknesses: low battery life, poor software,
Overall: A good product with a few annoying flaws. Easy to operate, the on-board firmware is intuitive, the controls are well designed and the users guide is clear and well written. Picture quality is good and the LCD screen is viewable in all but direct sunlight. Viewing pictures on TV through the video port is easy and a good feature. Battery life is very short when using standard AA, highly recommend investing in Ni-MH rechargeables - and buying spares. Memory card replacement is a bit fiddly as the access door doesn't open wide enough. The software used to download pictures appears to be ok at first glance but is buggy and not well designed. After re-loading the software twice with no improvement, I now by-pass the software altogether and download pictures through Windows (which recognizes the supplied card reader as a disk drive through a USB port). Manually copying the images onto my hard drive then using other software to manipulate the pictures is easy (the images come over in JPEG format) and much preferable to using the supplied software.
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