In the world of digital SLR cameras, if you have a bagful of Canon lenses and you must buy the best, your choices are either the Canon 1Ds (11MP) at approximately $7500, or the recently introduced Kodak DCS Pro SLR/c (13.8MP) at $3500 after a $1000 Kodak rebate. In this class of cameras the Canon EOS 1Ds, is considered the top-of-the-line. But if you are a professional photographer, a serious enthusiast or (as in my case) a hopeless electronics junkie, it is hard to resist the combination of a 14 megapixel full frame sensor at a $3500 price point.

I was recently at the Adorama camera shop on 18th street in Manhattan, shopping for a camera backpack. I noticed two Kodak direct marketing salesmen at the counter. They had two Kodak DCS PRO SLRs on the counter. It was the one with a black and white Canon 70-200 lens that caught my eye. I did not know that Kodak was making an SLR compatible with the Canon EF mount. Until now I had seen the 14n and the DCS PRO SLR/n both with Nikon mounts only. So I took the bait! They allowed me to play with it in store for as long as I liked. Half an hour later it was only a matter of price.

My previous camera was a Canon EOS 10D. So many of my performance and handling comparisons will be with the Canon 10D with a BG-ED3 battery grip installed.

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WHAT’s HOT.

Outstanding image quality, right out of the box.
I took my 10D and the Kodak to the park last weekend. I set both cameras to the factory default image capture settings. I set the Kodak to record a 6MP image in RAW and JPEG modes. I also took a second image in full 13.8MP resolution. For comparison purposes, I took the same image in 6MP resolution with the 10D. As soon as I took my first few pictures with this camera, I noticed that the images had much better contrast and color saturation. The focusing was fast and tack sharp, and the metering was accurate without any manual adjustments. Comparatively the 10D images looked flat and dull. This was a bright sunny Saturday afternoon at the park. People were walking around the reservoir. Ducks, geese, swans and squirrels created ample opportunities to capture images. Walking around the reservoir also allowed me to take photos with varying levels of light from dark shadowy wooded areas, to a bright glaring Sun reflecting off the water. The most noticeable difference in the images was in the sky. The Kodak rendered a beautiful natural blue sky, while the Canon captured a flat dull gray sky. Even the greenery seemed a lot more natural in the Kodak images. Skin tones looked natural as well. The Kodak images also seemed to be much sharper (with a visible ‘pop’) compared to the Canon. Overall I was pleasantly surprised with the image quality, without tweaking the saturation or contrast.

Full frame sensor.
The 4536x3024 pixel CMOS image sensor, is the same size as a frame of 35mm film (36mm x 24mm). This is great because unlike the 10D, there is no 1.6X magnification or crop effect. This means that my 50mm lens does not behave like an 80mm lens. Now I don’t need to buy those expensive super wide-angle lenses. My 20-35mm lens is more than sufficient for taking wide scenic shots. The sensor is capable of capturing images at the following resolutions:
In RAW mode: 13.5MP, 6.0MP and 3.4MP.
In JPEG mode: 13.5MP, 6.0MP, 3.4MP and 0.8MP.
However, the Kodak does not have either a focus assist lamp, or a pop-up flash. This results in more situations where you will need additional light or an external flash unit. CMOS sensors are notorious for requiring more light to ensure proper exposures. This is more noticeable on the Kodak than the Canon 10D.

Dual CF & SD/MMC card slots.
The dual card slots can be used in a number of different ways. I have a 1GB CF card and a 512MB SD card in my Kodak. I can set the camera to record both a RAW JPEG image to both cards simultaneously. I can also set it to capture a RAW on the CF and a JPEG on the SD simultaneously. OR, I can set it to record images to the CF card first and use the SD card for backup if I need more memory. There are a multitude of variations of these settings, that allow you to proactively manage your available memory.
However, there is a limit of a maximum number of 2000 files (including hidden system files) per memory card.

Upgradeable Firmware.
Many of the features and capabilities of this camera are not hardware, but software based. This software also called firmware, can be upgraded for free from Kodak’s website. Much like Microsoft Windows XP, Kodak keeps tweaking it’s firmware and ironing out bugs, by providing upgraded firmware. The process to download and install is fairly easy, and well explained in the included user manual.

A good value….relatively speaking!
While $4500 for a camera may seem excessive to most people, this camera is $3000 cheaper than the Canon EOS 1Ds. The 1Ds in my opinion is a far superior camera. However with a little practice, the Kodak can be made to shine just as bright. You can use the spare $3000 for buying all those prime lenses you were promising yourself. ….down boy down….

Wide ISO range
In RAW mode the camera has an ISO range between 160 to 1600. In JPEG mode the camera has an ISO range of 160-800. In ‘Long Exposure’ mode, the camera can go as low as 6 ISO. So why do you need such a wide range of ISO settings! In one word, ‘Flexibility’. A low ISO setting along with long exposures (slow shutter speeds), allows you to create in-camera special effects under various light conditions. You can capture some dramatic nighttime cityscapes. On the other hand a high ISO setting allows you to capture some spectacular evening portraits.

Three LCD displays.
The top status LCD displays all the photographic settings such as shutter speed, aperture, metering, auto focus mode, bracketing, exposure level, ISO and remote setting among others. The image LCD displays all the menus in a tabbed format. It also displays the captured images in either single, multiple, zoom or histogram modes. It can even play a slide show of your images. Below that is the digital status LCD. This simple dot-matrix display shows information pertinent to the current image capture or playback modes. When browsing through the various menus, it also displays useful hints and tips. This is particularly helpful in the beginning, when you are trying to learn the various functions and menu choices.

Auto Lens Optimization.
This nifty little feature minimizes any chromatic aberrations in the corners of the image. The camera has a list of the most popular compatible lenses made by Canon, Sigma and Tamron. You can either select the lens you are currently using, or let the camera automatically detect the lens setting. As per Kodak, this allows for a more uniform color over the entire image. I was not able to independently verify the performance of this feature. Maybe in the hands of someone more capable than I!

Tabbed Menus & HotKey Access.
The menus can be viewed in either basic or advanced modes. The basic mode is great for beginners who are getting to know their new digital SLR camera. The advanced mode is great for seasoned photographers who want to fine tune every aspect of their photography. The menus are organized by ‘Image Capture’, ‘Image Review’, ‘Image’, ‘Tools’ and ‘Custom’ settings. The camera has a ‘HotKey’ button. This allows you to preset your most frequently used menu choices, and quickly access them directly using the HotKey button, without the hassle of searching through the various menu tabs.

Image File Formats & Folders.
Images can be captured in either RAW (digital negative), RAW JPEG, standard JPEG or ERI JPEG formats. ERI stands for extended range imaging, and it allows for the editing capabilities of RAW, while keeping the smaller file size of JPEG. At 14MP resolution, you can roughly capture 136 JPEG, 58 RAW & 40 JPEG RAW image files. JPEG files are about 13-15 MB, and RAW files are approximately 12-15MB in size each. I found it is easier to transfer and manage files if they were captured in JPEG RAW format. The native image transfer and viewing capabilities of Win XP, do not allow you to create thumbnails or preview RAW images files in Windows Explorer. You can create various folders in-camera and store images in these folders as you are shooting. This makes it very convenient to later transfer these files in an organized way to your computer. This also allows you to review only the images in a specific folder.

Tags & Voice Annotations.
Initially I thought this feature was gimicky. However I can see how it might be useful. Multiple images can be tagged or marked for either deletion, prevent deletion or DPOF printing. You can also add a short voice annotation to an image, in the form of a WAV file. This helps in leaving yourself important reminders about the moment when the image was taken.

Remote Shutter Release.
Included in the box, is an infrared shutter release remote. This can be used to release the shutter from as much as 15 feet from the front of the camera. It has three user selectable channels of operation. Great for taking self portraits. It can also be set for a 3 second delay after pressing the shutter release.

Intervalometer.
This feature allows for time-lapse photography. The total number of images, time interval between the images and a delay before the first shot, can all be custom set. This feature has limited real world uses. I use it to capture the changing hues of a sunrise over New York city.
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WHAT’s NOT.

Poor ergonomics & unrefined design details.
During my trial shoot in the park, I found this camera to be extremely uncomfortable, unwieldy and awkward. My overall impression was that Kodak had designed this camera primarily for tripod mounted photography. The controls and layout on the top of this camera are taken straight from a Sigma SD10 body. The reason for this is because many of the controls are similar to a Canon camera, and Canon users would find it easier to adapt to the Kodak (and because Canon would not license their body to Kodak, even the DCS PRO SLR/n has a Nikon body). The rest of the body feels, like doctor Frankenstein designed it. The Canon in sharp contrast seems to have the refined lines, layout and functionality of a well thought out, tried and tested design.
- Plenty of visible little screws holding the magnesium alloy body panels together. The main shutter release button is positioned almost horizontally. This may work on a small point and shoot. But on a large SLR it is awkward to extend your forefinger vertically to release the shutter. In comparison, Canon has a more comfortable forward angled shutter release button.
- The shutter speed control knob can only be adjusted by letting go of the right hand grip. On the Canon, shutter and aperture controls can be adjusted quite easily by the thumb and or forefinger, without releasing your grip on the camera.
- The portrait mode vertical shutter release is not recessed deeply enough. The palm of my right hand kept depressing it. Kodak has a nice feature that only activates the vertical shutter release button when the camera is in portrait mode. I found it irritating nonetheless.
- The vertical grip is way too big even for my hands. It is 3.5 inches wide from front to back, and 6 inches from left to right. It protrudes towards the back instead of the front. In portrait mode, the camera actually felt unsafe. Another little annoyance was the memory card compartment cover release. This sticks out above the cover by a quarter of an inch. In portrait mode, my right thumb kept rubbing up against it often enough to cause concern. The cover however seems to be sturdily built. I just hope that it lasts as long as the rest of the camera.

Digital Noise.
CMOS sensors are notorious for being light hungry. Even with the many technology advances in the last few years, Kodak was forced to include an always-on noise reduction feature. When shooting during late evenings and nighttime, you will need to use a tripod. If you increase the ISO setting to enable hand held photography, digital noise becomes a major issue. The camera has two settings, 'Normal' & 'Strong' for noise reduction. While this does reduce noise to a degree, it is still very obvious when viewing images on a PC. And curiously you cannot turn it off for daytime use. And don't waste your money buying expensive lenses with f2.8 apertures, in the hopes of shooting handheld in low light conditions. Invest in a professional tripod and an f4 lens instead.

No fully automatic shooting mode.
Let’s face it! You did not buy a $4500 digital SLR to use it as a point-and-shoot. However, the Canon 10D has a fully automatic shooting mode that essentially converts the camera to a point and shoot. This is invaluable for the times when it is imperative to immediately capture the moment. Rather than let it pass you by while you are selecting the optimum shutter speed and aperture. I would often use the fully auto mode in such clutch situations. Most of those shots actually came out quite good.

Extremely large battery charger.
The included battery charger also doubles up as an A/C adapter. However it is quite large and not conducive to traveling light. (6.5” x 4.5” x 2.25”) The Canon charger on the other hand is 1/3rd the size of this monster.

Grainy viewfinder / focus screen.
This was my opinion the first time I looked through the viewfinder. I got used to it very quickly, however I do notice the difference when I go back to using the 10D.

Zoom-in, only on RAW images.
During image playback, the camera will only allow zoom-in on RAW files. If I am shooting in JPEG mode and want to check focus by zooming into the captured image, I’m out of luck! This is just one of those quirky things that I hope will be addressed in some future firmware upgrade. The Canon on the other hand seems to have no problems zooming in on both RAW and JPEG files.

Sluggish write to CF and SD cards.
A 13.8 megapixel image took about 8-10 seconds to be written to my Lexar Media 42X 1GB CF card with write acceleration. Kodak has included 512MB of buffer memory to enable continuous shooting while files are waiting to be written to the CF or SD/MMC cards. While I found this a bit annoying, I do understand that larger files will require more time to be stored on to digital media.

No built-in pop-up flash.
I used to find the little pop-up flash on the Canon 10D very convenient. It would provide enough illumination to capture
decent shots in low light conditions. With the Kodak, I am forced to carry along my big 550EX flash with 4 AA batteries, just in case I need some extra light. Oh well!

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WHAT’s INCLUDED IN THE BOX?
- Kodak DCS PRO SLR/c camera body with body cap,
- Rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery,
- Battery charger / AC adapter,
- DC Power connector and cable,
- Infrared remote control,
- Firewire / IEEE 1394 cable,
- Hand and neck straps,
- Instruction manual, quick start guide and warranty card (printed & on CD),
- Software CD, DCS Photo Desk, DCS Camera Manager

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The BOTTOM LINE.
At a $4500 sticker price, this camera will not find any appeal for the average consumer. Professional photographers and serious hobbyists however, will appreciate its numerous customizable functions and features. Unfortunately it requires lot's of light or fast expensive lenses and a tripod. However if you have the time, inclination and patience, this camera will reward you with stunning paintings of light.

PS: Stay tuned! I will continue to update this review as I keep discovering the Kodak DCS Pro SLR/c.

See a TEST SHOT over here:
http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=2838925&size=lg

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Read my reviews on other related products:

Canon EOS 10D digital SLR.

Canon EOS ELAN 7e35mm SLR.

Canon EF 70-200mm f4.0L telephoto lens.

Canon EF 20-35mm wide-angle lens.

Canon EF 50mm f1.8 II lens.

Sigma 28-200mm Macro lens.

Samyang 650-1300mm Super Telephoto lens.



Other useful links:

Kodak DCS PRO SLR/c webpage:
http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/products/cameras/proSLRc/proSLRcIndex.jhtml?id=0.1.18.22.3.14&lc=en

DPReview.com review on the Kodak DCS PRO SLR/c
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/kodakslrc/


Recommended:
Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 3500
This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Solid Enough for a Professional