The Kodak EasyShare
DX7590 is a direct evolution of the DX6490 that
we tested precisely a year ago.
This camera maintains the design and the 10X Schneider-Kreuznach optical
zoom, but with a resolution increased to 5 megapixel and a redesign of
some of its external controls.
Embedded at the top of the grip is a control called the Jog Dial. The
Jog Dial can be both turned and clicked like a mouse button, and serves
to directly adjust shooting parameters that are shown superimposed on
the monitor or the EVF for:
Aperture: ranging from f2.8 to f8 at the wide angle
end, and from f3.7 to f8 at the telephoto end when the camera
is set to Aperture priority or Manual mode.
Shutter Speed: covering a range of 1/1000 to 16
seconds when the camera is set to Shutter Priority or Manual
mode.
Exposure Compensation: ± 2 EV in 0.3 EV increments
(P/A/S/M modes).
Flash compensation: ± 2 EV in 03.EV increments
(P/A/S/M modes).
ISO sensitivity: Auto (80 to 160 ISO) or 80, 100,
200, 400 and 800 ISO (800 ISO is only available at 1.8 MP)
with the P/A/S/M modes.
On top of the grip, the round, chromed
shutter button is accompanied by four additional buttons to the
left of the speaker which plays back the sounds captured by the
camera.
First, closest to the front of the camera is a small release button used
to pop-up the flash. Closer to the back is a row of three buttons with
the function of each button clearly identified by an icon:
The first button on the left selects the Flash mode:
Auto, Fill-in, Red-eye reduction and Flash off.
The middle button selects the Macro mode which
offers a focusing distance of 12 to 70 cm (4.7 to 27.6
in.) in wide angle, and 1.2 to 2.1 m (3.9 to 6.9 ft.) at
the telephoto end of the zoom; or the Landscape mode
which uses a fixed, infinity focus.
The third button has three functions, called up one
after the other:
Exposure Bracketing captures three images
successively: one at the nominal exposure value;
then one over exposed image; and another under
exposed by a preset amount selected from a range
of ± 1 EV in 0.3 EV increments.
First Burst, the camera captures up to
5 photos at 2 frames per second or,
Last Burst, the camera takes up to 30
exposures at 2 frames per second but only saves
the last 4 photos.
The Kodak DX7590 is equipped with
an electronic viewfinder (EVF) composed of 311,000 pixels with
a frame rate of 30 frames per second, giving it a sharp image.
In addition, a diopter correction dial, to the left of the exit
pupil, makes it possible to adjust it to one's eyesight.
On the opposite side, to the left of the EVF housing, a button serves to
switch between the EVF and the 2.2 inch LCD monitor with its 153,000
pixels.
To the right side of the viewfinder,
a small round button represents one of the major changes between
the DX7590 and the DX6490. Unlike the DX6490, the DX7590 has
a separate On/Off switch. The DX6490's was located as
the intermediate position between the still image mode and the
video mode on the Mode Dial.
The Zoom control, at the upper right of the camera's back, also
serves to zoom in or out of an image, allowing a magnification of up to
8X.
All the other controls are arranged
on the right side of the LCD monitor, starting with two buttons
that are stacked above the Mode Dial:
The Status button controls the amount of information
displayed on the LCD monitor or the EVF. In Review mode,
detailed camera settings are displayed for a reviewed image
(image name, capture mode, AF mode, date and time, resolution
and quality, colour effect if applicable, focal length
ISO, flash mode, ISO, exposure compensation if applicable,
shutter speed, aperture, flash compensation if applicable,
white balance).
Pressing the Share button forces the camera to
enter the Review mode (Playback) and presents a special
menu that offers options to select photos for emailing
or sharing over the Internet. (See the Characteristics
section for details on this menu.)
The Mode Dial has had a certain number of modifications since the
introduction of the DX6490. The modes P,S, A and M now
all have their own position on the Ring.
The centre of the Mode Dial provides
a chrome-finish joystick that is used for menu navigation
or to make selections by pressing it straight in. Additionally,
while in review mode, tilting the joystick downward will display
the images stored on the memory card in a vignette format with
9 images per screen.
The Mode Dial itself has 11 positions:
Auto: the camera looks after everything
but the user can modify some settings (ISO, light measurement
and focus). All of these changes are lost once the camera
is turned off.
Program: in this mode the DX7590
automatically sets the aperture and shutter speed but all
other menu options can be set manually, including the exposure
compensation and ISO. User made settings are recalled even
if the camera is turned off.
Aperture Priority: allows choosing
the aperture while the DX7590 picks a corresponding shutter
speed. The aperture range available depends on the zoom
position, at the wide angle end f2.8, f3.2, f3.6, f4, f4.5,
f5, f5.6, f6.3, f7.1 and f8 are available. At the telephoto
end apertures start at f3.7 and continue through to f8.
Shutter Priority: provides control
over the shutter speed while the camera tries to match
the shutter speed to an aperture. Shutter speeds cover
from 16 seconds to 1/1000 second.
Manual: provides complete control
over both the aperture and shutter speed, and the DX7590
indicates the resulting exposure using the exposure compensation
indicator.
Custom: serves to use any of P, A,
S and M modes along with any other special settings for
exposure compensation, flash compensation and ISO speed,
and save them so they can be recalled by turning the Mode
Dial to the Custom position.
Video: the DX7590 can record movies
at either of two image sizes, 640 x 480 pixels at 12
frames per second, or a 320 x 240 pixel image size at
20 frames per second. In either case sound is captured
in mono and the length of the recording can be set to
5, 15 or 30 seconds, or set to use all available memory
on the card. Disabling Continuous AF is recommended to
avoid the motor noise from being recorded, which means
that the focus is determined at the first frame and locked,
as is the zoom position. The white balance and exposure
however are dynamically adjusted as the recording progresses.
Portrait: uses a large aperture (f2.8
to f3.7) to capture the subject clearly while causing the
background to blur slightly. As always, the blurring effect
is more noticeable if the zoom is used.
Sports: this mode automatically controls
CCD sensitivity and boosts it if needed to maximize shutter
speed and freeze moving subjects.
This dial position displays the icons for
each of the 14 Scene modes in the lower part of
the viewfinder or LCD monitor. The desired scene mode can
then be selected using the joystick:
Close-up:
sets the camera to macro focus and uses a large
aperture to avoid the image being blurred by
camera shake. Sensitivity is locked at 100 to
avoid noise, and focus and metering are set to
Spot to ensure the subject is sharp and exposed
correctly.
Landscape:
disables the flash, sets the focus to infinity,
the sensitivity to 100 ISO, the white balance
to Daylight and the metering to multi-pattern.
Night Portrait :
uses the flash with Red-eye reduction to capture
the foreground and a slow shutter speed to capture
the background. This mode uses multi-pattern
exposure metering and a sensitivity of 140 ISO.
Night Landscape:
sets the focus to infinity and disables the flash.
Sensitivity is set to 100 ISO.
Snow: is designed
to capture bright snow scenes. Exposure compensation
is adjusted to +1EV and sensitivity is set to
100 ISO while the flash is set to Auto.
Beach: uses
the same settings as the Snow scene mode (100
ISO and +1 EV), but adjusts the white balance
to Daylight.
Text: serves
to reproduce documents. The focus is switched
to Macro mode, and exposure compensation to +1
EV. Sensitivity can automatically increase up
to 140 ISO.
Fireworks :
the camera must be stabilized on a tripod. The
aperture is fixed to f5.6, and the shutter speed
to 2 seconds. In addition, the white balance
is set to Daylight, sensitivity to 100 ISO, and
the focus is set to infinity.
Flower: the
camera is set to Macro mode, uses a large aperture,
white balance at Daylight and the ISO is set
at 140.
Manner/Museum:
flash and sounds are disabled and Auto ISO is
used (up to 140 ISO) while the white balance
is set to Auto.
Self Portrait :
sets the focus to wide angle, moves into macro
mode and uses the flash with Red-eye reduction.
The camera is set to 100 ISO.
Party: uses
the flash with red-eye reduction and the ISO
and White Balance are both set to Auto mode (up
to 140 ISO).
Children:
for action pictures of children playing in bright
light. The flash and sensitivity (up to 140 ISO)
are automatic.
Backlight:
this mode uses fill-flash to light the backlit
subject, a large aperture and a sensitivity of
100 ISO.
Favorites: to review images that
have been labeled as favorites(see the Characteristics section
of the review for more information).
The final three external controls of the DX7590 are located below the Mode
Dial:
Serves to erase unwanted images. A photo can
be deleted immediately after capture; or one or all photos
can be deleted when the camera is in playback mode.
Calls up the menu available for the Mode in use (see
the Characteristics section). The number of
options available varies according to the mode in use;
however, the Setup menu is always the same (see the Interface
and Software section for more details on the Setup
menu).
Starts the Playback mode.
Like its predecessor, the Kodak
DX7590 has an external PC flash connector.
The connector is protected by a soft plastic cover that fits flush to the
surface of the camera on the upper left side. The connector accepts all
standard external flash cables to a maximum of 500 volts, and allows synchronization
at any shutter speed.
Overall, the Kodak
EasyShare DX7590 is very similar to the previous model, the
DX6490, and has inherited its ergonomic, comfortable, and well-balanced
feel. Controls are clearly marked and quite easy to use. Moreover,
the addition of a button for the power is a considerable improvement,
as is the redesign of the Mode Dial which makes it easier to
change from one mode to another. It must be noted however,
that it is no longer possible to start the camera directly
in Playback mode without the lens being extended.
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Introduction
