The new Kodak
DX7630 offers a 6 megapixel CCD and a retractable 3X optical
zoom from Schneider-Kreuznack.
A textured grip with a rubberized
surface is provided. A lighter grey colour metallic surface decorates
the top, wrapping around the back part of the zoom control which
has the chromed shutter release at its centre.
Three buttons are aligned between the shutter release and the camera's
speaker. Starting on the right, the first button controls:
The second button is to capture close-ups
or distant scenery:
Close-up mode: allows
the camera to focus on a subject that is between 7 and 70
cm (2.75 and 27.6 in.) when the zoom is set to the wide angle,
and 28 to 70 cm (11 to 27.6 in.) when the zoom is set to
the maximum telephoto position.
Landscape mode: sets the
focus to infinity.
The third button, nearest the speaker, is to select:
Exposure Bracketing: the camera
takes 3 photos consecutively, one overexposed by a preset value,
the next at the metered value, the third underexposed by the preset
value. The preset value for the bracketing step is set in the menu
and provides a range ±1EV in 1/3 EV increments.
First Burst: with this mode, the
DX7630 captures a burst of 4 images at approximately 2 frames per
second.
Last Burst: captures a burst of
up to 30 pictures, but only records the last 4 when the shutter button
is released.
Four more buttons are arranged at the top of the DX7630's back. On the
far left of the upper part of the camera's back, the button labelled
with controls
the Display and Info of the monitor. In the Recording modes, the
button cycles between a display with information overlaid on top of the
image coming from the lens; to one that only shows the autofocus brackets;
to turning off the monitor.
In playback, the button can be
used to show the settings of the camera for any image. The data
is presented in two columns, and covers all the
settings, from aperture and shutter speed to exposure compensation,
and even the zoom setting for the shot in 35mm equivalent.
To the right of the viewfinder, the Delete button can be used immediately
after an image has been captured to delete that specific image, or in Playback
to delete one or all images.
Next, the Menu button
displays the menu appropriate to the mode in use on the screen.
And the fourth button, Review, starts the Playback mode.
The DX7630 features a Jog dial, a small wheel that is embedded into
the upper part of the grip. The dial can be rotated and clicked like a
mouse wheel, and serves to select camera settings for such things as aperture,
shutter speed, sensitivity and exposure compensation.
Two more controls are on the back
of the camera, to the right of the large 2.2 inch, 153,000
pixel LCD monitor.
The share button presents a short menu that offers functions to
print selected photos; or print all photos; or cancel all prints; or e-mail
photos to people whose email address has already been loaded on the DX7630
with the EasyShare software included with the camera.
The other control is composed of
two elements. The Mode dial and the Joystick at
its centre which is used to navigate the menus and make selection
when pressed in. The Mode dial features a locking system, a small
grey button that needs to be pressed in while the dial is rotated
to the desired position. The system is designed to prevent the
dial being rotated accidentally.
When the camera is powered On,
the centre part of the dial lights up green. When the camera
is set to Favourites (see below) or connected to a computer,
the inner part of the dial lights up orange. The dial has 10
positions, including the Off position:
Auto: is a fully automatic
mode. Exposure, focus, flash, and sensitivity (ISO) are all
set by the camera. The recording menu remains available,
but the Jog dial is disabled.
Once set to Scene position,
any one of 16 Scene modes can be selected by pressing the
joystick in, which displays the scene modes over the lower
part of the LCD monitor:
Portrait:
the camera uses a wide aperture to blur the background
(the effect is more pronounced if the zoom is
used), and sets the flash to Auto mode although
it can be changed. The lowest shutter speed possible
is 1/8 sec. Sensitivity is set to 100 ISO.
Sport: sets
the flash to Auto (it can be changed) and gives
priority to a fast shutter speed to freeze action.
The lowest shutter speed available is 1/30 sec.
Sensitivity is set to 200 ISO.
Landscape:
focus is set to infinity and forces the flash
off as the default. User can change the flash
modes, but the lowest shutter speed is 1/8 sec.
Sensitivity adjusts automatically, and the white
balance is set to Daylight.
Close-up:
offers the focus range of the Close-up mode (see
above) but cancels the flash. The flash remains
available to the user and the lowest shutter
speed is 1/8 sec. Sensitivity is adjusted automatically.
Night Portrait:
sets the flash to red-eye reduction, but it can
be changed to other settings. The lowest shutter
speed available to the camera is 1/2 sec. Sensitivity
is set to 100 ISO, and the white balance to Auto.
Night Landscape:
sets the flash to forced off and it cannot be
changed. The lowest shutter speed is 1/2 sec.
Daylight white balance is used, and the sensitivity
is set to 100 ISO.
Snow: for
use with bright snow scenes. Exposure compensation
is set to +1 EV to make sure snow appears white;
the sensitivity is set automatically and the
white balance is set to Auto. The longest shutter
speed available is 1/30 sec.
Beach: as
with the Snow scene mode, the DX7630 sets exposure
compensation to +1EV to avoid overexposure. In
addition, the flash is set to Auto and the colour
is set High Colour. The longest shutter speed
available is 1/30 sec.
Text: is for
use when photographing documents. The camera
sets the exposure compensation to +1EV and the
sensitivity to 200 ISO. The flash is forced off
by default but can be used if needed. The maximum
exposure time is 1/4 sec.
Fireworks:
uses a low shutter speed to capture fireworks
displays. Daylight white balance is used, along
with infinity focus, 100 ISO, noise reduction
and a 2 second exposure.
Flower: is
the Scene mode's equivalent of the close-up mode.
Daylight white balance is used and by default
the flash is forced off but it can be changed
to another setting. Sensitivity is automatically
set by the camera and the longest shutter speed
is 1/8 sec.
Manner/Museum:
disables flash and sounds so the camera can be
used in quiet surroundings or discreetly. Sensitivity
is automatically set, and the longest shutter
speed available is 1/8 sec.
Self portrait:
sets the camera to wide angle but the zoom remains
useable. In addition, the mode sets the flash
to red-eye reduction, and the sensitivity to
100 ISO. The longest shutter speed is 1/8 sec.
Party: sets
the flash to red-eye reduction mode, uses Auto
ISO (between 100 and 200 ISO). The longest shutter
speed available is 1/8 sec.
Children:
sets the sensitivity to 200 ISO and limits the
longest shutter speed to 1/30 sec. By default
the flash is set to Auto, and so is the white
balance.
Backlight:
sets the flash to Fill-flash (it cannot be changed),
and automatically sets the sensitivity to between
100 and 140 ISO. The lowest shutter speed is
1/60 sec., the flash synchronization speed.
P
Program: allows the
user to set the sensitivity, exposure compensation, flash
compensation, and any of the parameters available in the
Recording menu, while the camera determines the aperture
and shutter speed. A shutter speed range of 1/1400 to 1/8
sec.
A
Aperture Priority lets
the user select the shutter speed: f2.8, 3.4, 4.0, 4.8,
5.6, 6.7, or f8 when the lens is at the wide angle end;
and f4.8, 5.6, 6.7, and f8 when the lens is at the maximum
telephoto, while the camera sets a corresponding shutter
speed. All other camera settings are available.
S
Shutter Priority: lets
the camera select the aperture that matches a shutter speed
selected by the user. The available shutter speed range
covers from 1/1000 sec down to 64 seconds. All other parameters
remains available.
M
Manual Mode: provides
complete control over the camera's aperture and shutter
speed range. The exposure brightness resulting from the
selection for aperture and shutter speed made by the user
is indicated on the LCD monitor.
C
Custom Mode: lets the
user create a personalized shooting mode by selecting either
Program, Aperture priority, Shutter priority or Manual
mode, and any other setting (exposure compensation, flash
compensation, ISO), and then recalling them all at once
by selecting the C mode.
Favourites: serves only
to view images that have been tagged as Favourites(see
the Characteristics section of the review for more
information).
Video: captures MPEG
4 movies with sound (mono, 8kHz, 16bit) at a frame size
of 320 x 240 pixel and 24 frames per second. By default,
the duration of the recording is dependent on the capacity
of the memory card in use. However, the video clip length
can also be preset in the Video Mode's menu (5, 15 or 30
seconds). During the recording the optical zoom and the
digital zooms are disabled, but the exposure and focus
are dynamic.
Overall the Kodak DX7630 has a good ergonomic design, and although the
camera is quite compact, its controls are easy to use and generally well-placed.
Still, the placement of the On/Off switch as a position on
the Mode dial is not the best, and the locking system is a
bit impractical, increasing the time it takes to turn on the
camera. Moreover, the position of the On/Off switch between
the still image capture mode and the video mode means that
the camera gets turned Off whenever the user switches from
one mode to the other.
Compare Prices for Kodak DX7630 Digital Camera Battery (BLI-236)
Introduction
controls
the Display and Info of the monitor. In the Recording modes, the
button cycles between a display with information overlaid on top of the
image coming from the lens; to one that only shows the autofocus brackets;
to turning off the monitor.
