FURTHER up Kodak's now extensive range of digital cameras the DC50 (£860 + VAT) is billed as being for the "semi professional" user. It offers a flash, zoom, and more storage built in. Better again, the storage can be expanded with a slot in PC Card (the former PCMCIA card) memory module.
It is considerably heftier than the DC 20, but includes a zoom control and a flash. Focus is automatic, with a 3x zoom which gives the lens focal lengths of 37 to 111mm. A close up mode allows very detailed shots. Exposure control is automatic, but manual adjustment is allowed.
The viewfinder is optical and offset from the lens, so framing pictures correctly can be awkward at first. A series of marks in the viewfinder indicate different framing and focusing areas.
The built in 1-megabyte memory holds seven high resolution (756 x 504 pixels, 24-bit) pictures. This capacity can be increased by using compression with some quality loss, up to 11 or 22 pictures. Additional storage on PC Cards can increase this radically. For example, a 4Mb card (£189 + VAT) gives 28 high res pictures, or 44-88 compressed.
Irish Times photographer Alan Betson tried out the DC50 occasionally alongside his Nikon F4 (a day to day work camera). He liked the way it captured colours, but the limitations of a mid range digital camera also became apparent.
"The professional use of this camera would only be acceptable if the pictures were to be used at sizes up to 5 x 4 inches," he said. "At larger sizes the pixels in image become apparent."
He said the photographer would also have to get used to the shutter. "It is almost silent and there is a slight pause between pushing the shutter release and the picture being taken. Being certain that you had captured the right moment in an action photograph would be quite difficult.
"If you want the top quality image, film is still the first choice. In other situations its quality might be fine."