The Digital Photography Blog: all you need to know about digital cameras and photography
The Kodak EasyShare DX7630 digital camera will be released in April 2004. It has a 6 megapixel sensor, 2.2 inch LCD screen, will shoot at speeds between 1/1400 to 64 seconds and with apertures from f2.8 - 8.0.
Kodak have cut shutter lag right down to 0.3 seconds has kept the DX7630 compatible with the EasyShare Camera and Printer Docks (6000). They have also retained the 'Share' button which bookmarks the picture for emailing or printing. THe DX7630 has 32MB inbuilt storage but is also compatible with SD cards. It will retail at $499US.
Reviews of the Kodak EasyShare DX7630 will be linked to on this page below as they become available.
Get the DX7630's specifications at Image Resource and DP Review - Kodak EasyShare DX7630.
Following is the Press Release from Kodak.
Press Release
New KODAK EASYSHARE DX7630 Zoom Digital Camera Delivers Unsurpassed Consumer Image Quality
6-Megapixel Model Features the KODAK Color Science image processing chip, SCHNEIDER-KREUZNACH VARIOGON optics
ROCHESTER, N.Y., February 2 — Eastman Kodak Company today unveiled the Kodak EASYSHARE DX7630 zoom digital camera, which features unsurpassed image quality among 5- and 6-megapixel consumer digital cameras. With 6-megapixel resolution, a professional-quality SCHNEIDER-KREUZNACH VARIOGON 3x optical zoom lens, precision low-light autofocus system, and a host of creative controls, the camera is well suited for the avid photographer. It will be available in April 2004 for a suggested retail price of US$499.
“We’ve designed the DX7630 camera for people who need sophisticated control and performance features without sacrificing compact design and ease of use,” said Rowan Lawson, worldwide director of product marketing for Kodak’s Digital & Applied Imaging operation. “The picture quality produced by this camera is nothing short of stunning. The images can even be printed as large as 30 x 40 inches, or even cropped up to 80 percent while retaining a printable 4 x 6-inch or 5 x 7-inch picture.”
Working with renowned German professional optics designer Schneider-Kreuznach, Kodak equipped the camera with a f/2.8 – 8.0 aspheric lens to provide striking edge-to-edge brightness and sharpness across the frame. Image quality is heightened even further with the KODAK Color Science image processing chip. This high-performance digital signal processor with professionally-derived image process engineering — including Kodak’s legendary white balance algorithms — quickly and precisely analyzes lighting conditions and color balance to deliver exacting sharpness, exceptional color accuracy, and proper exposure.
The DX7630 camera’s precision low-light auto-focus system combines rapid phase detection with highly accurate through the lens (TTL) contrast detection to sharply define a subject, even in almost complete darkness. Continuous auto-focus also delivers rapid click-to-capture (0.3 seconds). Selectable focus zones and exposure metering allow exacting control over each scene, while standard and fine JPEG compression settings give users more power over their file sizes and quality.
The DX7630 camera offers automatic as well as fully manual controls, permitting independent aperture settings, shutter speed (1/1400 to 64 seconds), exposure compensation and automatic bracketing, and ISO equivalents. The camera also features aperture priority, shutter priority, program and custom modes, as well as 16 scene modes including sport, portrait, night, landscape, macro and automatic. The more demanding photographer will appreciate details such as first and last burst modes, flash compensation, selectable sharpness, up to 8X magnification in review mode, and highly responsive operation.
The latest EASYSHARE DX model includes Kodak’s new ‘camera favorites’ feature. With a touch of the red-jeweled Share button, people can store multiple pictures in an on-camera digital album. These pictures can then be shared anytime on the camera’s large, 2.2-inch, high-resolution (153,000 pixels) indoor/outdoor LCD screen. The Share button also allows someone to immediately select photos for printing and even e-mailing, with up to 32 e-mail addresses stored in the camera’s memory
For settings requiring more than a still image, the DX7630 camera can capture full-motion video (24 frames per second), with capacity only limited by available memory (32MB internal memory; additional memory can be added via the SD card/MultiMediaCard expansion slot). Automatic picture rotation makes pictures taken vertically appear right side up on the camera, computer screen or television. In addition, the camera is always ready to snap a picture by simply depressing the shutter button, regardless of which capture mode or menu is active — a feature unique to EASYSHARE cameras.
KODAK EASYSHARE software and docks
Photographers can also quickly transfer their pictures to a connected computer with just one touch using the optional KODAK EASYSHARE camera dock 6000 (US$79.95 MSRP). The dock also provides a full lithium-ion battery charge for the camera in less than three hours. DX7630 digital camera owners can also receive the benefits of a dock, plus real, waterproof KODAK 4 x 6-inch prints in as little as 90 seconds, by using the KODAK EASYSHARE printer dock 6000 (US$199.95 MSRP). Both docks are currently available worldwide.
Like all EASYSHARE cameras, the DX7630 includes KODAK EASYSHARE software for WINDOWS and MACINTOSH systems, providing effortless digital picture transfer, organization, basic editing, sharing and printing. The software’s exclusive One Touch to Better Pictures feature — which takes advantage of proprietary color technologies developed by Kodak — helps WINDOWS OS users get vibrant, true-to-life prints from home inkjet printers, while reducing the trial, error and waste usually associated with home photo printing.
The award-winning KODAK EASYSHARE consumer digital photography system — consisting of cameras, software, printer and camera docks, inkjet and thermal papers, and accessories — makes it simple for anyone to take, organize, share, and print high quality digital pictures. More information on KODAK EASYSHARE products is available at www.kodak.com/go/EasyShare.
Eastman Kodak Company and infoimaging
Kodak is the leader in helping people take, share, print and view images — for memories, for information, for entertainment. The company is a major participant in infoimaging, a $385 billion industry composed of devices (digital cameras and flat-panel displays), infrastructure (online networks and delivery systems for images) and services & media (software, film and paper enabling people to access, analyze and print images). With sales of $12.8 billion in 2002, the company comprises several businesses: Health, supplying the healthcare industry with traditional and digital image capture and output products and services; Commercial Printing, offering on-demand color printing and networking publishing systems; Commercial Imaging, offering image capture, output and storage products and services to businesses and government; Display & Components, which designs and manufactures state-of-the-art organic light-emitting diode displays as well as other specialty materials, and delivers optics and imaging sensors to original equipment manufacturers; and Digital & Film Imaging Systems, providing consumers, professionals and cinematographers with digital and traditional products and services.
(Kodak and EasyShare are trademarks of Eastman Kodak Company. Schneider-Kreuznach and Variogon are trademarks of Jos. Schneider Optische Werke GmbH used under license by Eastman Kodak Company.)