Kodak's DC215 zoom digital camera captures great moments with easy-to-use controls. It is sleek and compact with a silver metallic design. For close-up shots, it offers 2x optical zoom capabilities. One million pixels provide the necessary detail to generate crisp, photo-realistic pictures up to 5 by 7 inches. The controls allow you to choose the image quality setting you prefer so you don't waste precious memory on bad shots.
For better control of your camera, Kodak provides either automatic or manual exposure modes. The flash has several programmable modes so you can take pictures in any lighting condition. A full range of editing software is included, as well as a serial cable for image transfer. It is compatible with either PC or Macintosh systems.
1 Would never buy another Kodak
I have this camera. It has been fine. However, knowing what I know now I would never buy another Kodak camera. Ever. I dropped this camera, and a little plastic piece broke off which keeps the battery pack in the camera. Not a big deal. But NOONE repairs Kodak cameras. Instead you HAVE to send it into their corporate repair center and they instead sell you on trading it in for a refurbished camera. So, I can send this one in and for $250 get a new refurbished camera. But it only sells for $50 more on amazon.com - and thats a new, non-refurbished one! Its a total crock. Just be forwarned. I'd never buy a camera which I cant get repaired locally.
2 Kodak DC215
I got this camera second hand from my boyfriend after he bought a new one, and though I like the easy to use laid back atmosphere of it, I wouldn't recommend this camera. It's big, kind of heavy. Even though this camera HAD been taken care of, the battery holder was broken too, it has to be held on with duct tape. Carry spare batteries too, it really drains the juice out of them. I've gotten around sixty five to seventy pictures. Turning off the LCD screen helps.
On the other hand, if you just want to play around and take some pictures here and there on the weekends or whenever, this would be a good starter/hobby camera, it's tough and can take a beating (it's been dropped numerous times on concrete floors and the like since it's been mine).
3 A Good Camera for the Beginners and Technology Illiterates
I received my Kodak DC215 Zoom as a gift for my birthday a few years back. It was my first digital anything (I still proudly carried my analog cam corder, kept my contacts in a paper address book, etc.), so I was very excited (being the technology buff that I am). While boxy and a little on the heavy size, the camera really doesn't look bad at all. Its nicely built as its survived a few perilous falls, however one of the rubber flaps has fallen off over a few years of use.
The camera takes nice pictures for what you're paying for, however the zoom leaves much to be desired-expect to be huddled real close to your subject as you snap away.
Another downside to this camera is its use of the serial port to transfer pictures. This is extremely slow and takes a few minutes to even list the pictures on the camera (and if you've got more than 20 or so to transfer, go grab a cup of coffee). There's no other options for transferring, so you're stuck in that aspect. Don't buy this camera if you need to take a lot of pictures in a short amount of time... I'd say it takes at least fifteen seconds to store the picture after you snap it.
A nice feature of the camera is its ability to be hooked up directly to a TV or VCR. You can even have it run through the pictures as a slideshow. The review feature and preferences menu on the camera is very nicely layed out, and you can easily view and delete pictures as you please.
Overall this camera definetly gives you your money's worth.. however, if you're looking to take more than vacation and family pictures to stash away in your [on-line] album, I'd strongly suggest looking at other cameras. While its good for beginners and the casual user, the Kodac DC215 Zoom leaves much to be desired.
4 Decent if you like huge heavy clunky cameras
This body design is so outdated, it is not worth the price at all. It is huge and heavy. The performance isn't bad, but one problem I had (I owned 2 - not because I liked it so much but my company uses them) and I had the same problem on both of them - the battery compartment won't stay closed and you have to hold it closed with tape. Also, sometimes it will have a brain fart and the screen will go all snowy, and you will be snapping pictures but they aren't taking, even though it appears that they are. But when you go back to review them, they aren't there. I also had this problem on both cameras but it wasn't as common - it only happened about 3-4 times over a year period (and I use the camera almost daily). The battery life is pretty good - I can usually get 75 or so pics out of it before I have to recharge the batteries. But I would not really recommend it since there are definitely other models out there that are much better for this price.
5 The battery life is horrible.
The camera is decent for the price. What I really don't like is the battery juice just gets sucked out. I constantly have to recharge my batteries and it's really a pain. Plus, the battery holder broke. Now I have to hold it together with tape.
6 reasonably good, but not great
I've owned a DC215 since January 2000 and I've taken 6950 pics with it so far. Ninety-five percent of these pics were taken with the smaller 640X480 size because the larger size is too big for my laptop screen and the quality is too poor. I've printed out less than 20 pictures (as I prefer to keep them in digital format anyway). Here is what I think:
Pros:
* picture quality at 640X480 is very good; better than most cameras of its time
* with a 10MB card you can take 114 such pictures
* adapts to changing light levels very well
* comes with Adobe PhotoDeluxe
Cons:
* after about 1000 pics the zoomed-out shots started looking really out of focus; today I rarely take a picture while zoomed-out and I consider the zoom feature next to useless
* it uses 2.0 amperes of juice! To conserve batteries I had to turn off the LCD feature, making that nearly useless too
* The close-up feature is totally useless because of how much juice it drains (unless you have an AC adapter)
* to save as jpeg in Adobe PhotoDeluxe requires 7 clicks of the mouse and 30 seconds of time (multiply that hundreds of times and you get a frustrated user)
* sometimes the camera acts like it has a mind of its own, turning on and off whenever it wants (but this is rare)
* the camera programmers decided that the date/time has to be re-entered whenever the camera loses it, this can be really frustrating if you're trying to avoid using the LCD screen to save batteries
* the lens cap wore out after a year and it no longer fits the lens, making it useless
* the battery holder is still intact, but just barely
7 Best bet for a starter/ first digital camera
This was my first digital. I would not recommend this for a person above the beginner level. I re-placed this with a next level DC3800(I did not have big budget).
Pros:
á Good for a starter
á Very good close up shots
á Ease of handling
á Good zoom
á Video out (with good options)
á All cables in box
Cons:
á Heavy (due to 4 batteries)
á Slow data Transfer (serial)
8 Battery Tray Breaks Easily
Battery carriage breaks easily. I now have to use duct tape to keep the battery carriage closed and that works for about one day. I'm not the only one with the problem. Check out eBay -- lots of these cameras are up for sale, but with a broken battery carriage.
9 Intuitive...
The best personal digital camera for the money. Kodak should have never discontinued this camera. I've used it in the construction industry and the military prior to that. It's been rained on, snowed on, in the desert and in the mountains. I've tried other Kodak's but this is the one for me. Keep the prices low, pretty soon I'll have 5 of them. Thanks!
10 Great starter digital camera
This model, no longer in production, is an excellent starter camera for those interested in seeing what digital photography is about. I have taken many pictures with mine with very nice results. I do alot of 35mm photography too, and bought this as a "carry along" for snap shots and it's been exactly what I wanted. Battery life isn't good so I would strongly suggest getting some rechargeable batteries...they last much longer.
I've had no other complaints...
11 Poor quality product
I have owned my DC215 for about two years, and I have several gripes about its quality.
* Occasionally, the flash will go off an instant after the picture is taken.
* After a year and a half, it started powering itself off randomly. Now it does this all the time.
* It tends to scramble the order of the pictures in its memory. Occasionally I've had pictures disappear.
* The viewfinder doesn't accurately represent the picture that is taken, so if you rely on the outlines in the viewfinder, you tend to cut people's heads off.
Overall, it's a semi-decent camera, but I'd recommend choosing something else.
12 Kodak DC215 Battery compartment
Yes, i really have thought this camera has been great for the two years I have owned it...until my battery compartment wont stay in the camera any more after the tiny plastic clip holding it in has snapped!
13 My experience with the DC215 over one year's use
For a 1.3megapixel camera, I've been very pleased with the picture quality of this camera. At 4x6 the pictures are very good (detail & color). At 5x7 some pixelization begins to become apparent. At 8x10 pixelization is very apparent on most pics. If you're taking pics with little detail (portraits and flowers and such) 8x10s are acceptable when viewed from a few feet away. The built in flash does a real nice job. NiMH batteries are a must. I also find that the brand and capacity of the batteries varies greatly and will give you from minutes to a few hours of serious use. I find that Rayovac 1600mah batteries give me the best service. Of course using the built in LCD screen greatly reduces battery life. I recommend carrying a spare set (4). An upgraded compact flash card is also a must. At the best resolution I get 56 images on my 16M card. I find the JPEG format easy do deal with in most photo application programs. The only drawback is the serial interface cable. It takes a long time to transfer a large number of images to the Computer. While I haven't yet purchased one, a USB compactflash reader would probably be a good idea. The camera is very easy to use and the menu options are very intuitive. (I've never read the manual past a brief lookover.) I recommend this camera to beginners and intermediate users who want pretty good results at a low price.
14 Great Camera, Be Careful Opening the Battery Compartment
I have used my Kodak DC215 camera for two years and have been very pleased with the quaility of the photographs (though some indoor lighting causes small white "orbs" to show up in the photographs). BUT, not too long after I bought it, the tiny plastic clip that keeps the battery holder in the camera broke without me even knowing it--that's how small/weak it was. I solved the problem with a bit of duct tape and bought an adaptor to avoid using batteries when I don't have to. The camera has worked great for taking close-up digital photos of old family photos.
15 Two years old...still working great!
I got this camera two years ago Christmas. I love the camera, it is really easy to use and the clarity of the pictures is wonderful. I use it to take pictures of my 18 month old who is constantly on the go and I never have to worry about fuzzy pictures. To those who complain of the download time, I would suggest investing in a flashcard reader, they run [pretty low]after a rebate. It is well worth the investment, it takes all of 2 secs to download 50 pictures. I would definitely recommend this camera.
16 Truly a simple, straight-forward no nonsense digital camera.
Like many consumers, I spent a lot of time reading review after review on all kinds of digital cameras and finally decided on the Kodak DC 215 for several reasons: great color balance (vs. Olympus' pastel toned images), ease of operation (vs. the overly complicated Olympus and Canon LED menus) and conservative battery consumption. And heeding other DC215 owners, I also purchased the Kodak AC adapter and two sets of rechargeable NicadMH batteries. Even without the use of a flashcard reader, it takes about 20 seconds per shot to upload onto one's computer with a transfer setting of 57,600 cps. As for any negative comments, I would highly recommend masking around the eyepiece (especially the sharp corners) with plastic tape (electrical tape is just fine) since the frame's corners can easily scratch ones eye glasses. Overall, the Kodak DC 215 should be rated a "Best Buy!"
17 Good Deal, Takes Nice Pictures
I took this camera to school and really enjoyed taking alot of pictures without having to pay developing costs. The best feature of this camera is its ability to capture colors so well. All well lit pictures are vibrant and clean. I only have a few problems with the camera that you might consider before buying. First, the casing is easily dented, as I found out when I accedentlly knocked it against a dresser. It still works perfectly, just has a small dent. The camera is also kind of bulky and not too easily gripped. Normally I use a HP Photosmart printer wich has a card reader in it to retrive my pictures and this works quite well, but the serial connection is very slow and not much fun. I am about to buy a laptop and I am discovering many do not have serial ports. This will make it hard for me to retrive pictures while on vacation, I will probably buy a usb to serial adapter. All in all this camera is still a good buy, and I am reccomending for such a great price.
18 Unreliable for heavy useage
I've had my camera for a year and a half. Since I'm a real estate appraiser, I take lots and lots of pictures and have found this camera to be less than reliable. During the first year the "zoom" assembly failed and had to be repaired. Fortunatly it was still under warranty. On damp days the camera often would not operate properly. The battery compartment is flimsy and most everyone I know has theirs secured with rubber bands. Often times when I got back to my office, pictures which showed up on the LCD as takes, just weren't there. The best feature of this camera is it's metal body, light weight and good picture quality. Maybe just for home use, this would be a good camera.
19 I thought it was a great camera but ... not really!
I bought this camera about a year ago and relatively speaking, I didn't have any problem with the pictures that it produced. However, it needs 4 AA battery and this can only last for 10 pictures (for rechargeable battery) and that could be very costly. For a long trip, I normally bring 2 rechargable units (or 1 with 8 slots) with the converter so I can have 2 sets of 4 AA batteries and also, I have to bring some regular batteries for backup in case I want to take more than 20 pictures. After ~a year of using it (about 4 trips) the zoom got stuck. NOTE: This camera normally will reset the zoom at power up. If battery run out of juice after picture was taken, then the zoom will not reset until a new set of battery is installed. Now, after I replaced a new set of battery and turned the power on,its motor tried to reset the zoom, but it couldn't. Thus, it automatically powered itself off. What a feature! I took this camera with me on my Highlands (Scotland) trip and the zoom got stuck just after I took 1 picture. Needless to say, I coudn't use it at all. I was very upset because the guarantee just expired and it probably costs at least $50-100 to fix. I decide to trade it in for a new camera. One more thing, the compartment for battery doesn't stay close anymore (lock is not working) so I have to use rubber band to keep it shut. How about that for a ... buck camera! Stay away from it if you can.
20 amazing value
I recently bought a kodak dc215 for my son but have found myself using it more and more it only cost £125 from a company called staples in the uk. I worked as a proffessional photographer for a number of years in the eighties and early nineties and when digital photography first became available experimented a little but the quality was so bad then and the price so prohibitive I never chose to buy one. but the quality of this simple point and shoot camera is astounding and for such a small price the only criticism I would have is the sheer volume of batteries needed to feed it and the software that comes with it could be better (but it is still highly usable.) I realise that the quality of the printer has a lot to do with the final product but I do believe that the image quality has to be there in the first place to achieve such good results. If anyone is looking to buy a simple camera at a reasonable price I would recommend this product unreservedly.
21 Really like this camera
Got this camera about 10 months ago and it passed my test -- my wife uses it and doesn't complain about it being too hard. In fact, except for the occaisional disposable, we don't own, and probably won't own, another camera until we replace this with another digital.
This is definitely for the "Instamatic" crowd. Point and shoot, fixed focus, etc. Everything is made really simple, without getting too technical.
I love being able to put them up on the web quickly, and email to friends quickly.
Negatives: (Hey, everyone want's to know what I don't like first.) 1. Delay after taking the picture. This is the only real complaint I have. It doesn't seem like it would be that bad, but if you want to take several shots of something in a row, you have to wait. Kinda kills the moment. 2. Batteries. This was a complaint until I started buying NiMH batteries. DON'T try it with NiCads -- just doesn't work. And you might want to have some "emergency" Lithiums around too (though they are so expensive, I don't do that normally). 3. I went for the gold, so I got an 8MB card, and it was too small. So, I just bought a 16 MB card. I rarely get it full, and if I do, I dig out the 8MB for the rest. Or, I just get rid of the lousy pictures. 4. Software -- since I never plug my camera in directly, I was dismayed that the software keeps complaining that I didn't plug in the camera. So, I just copy all pics onto the hard disk and look at them with the default Microsoft picture viewer. If need be, I clean them up with PhotoDraw 2000 (which is a total pain -- don't think you're getting anything if you get it). We get by. Some means to keep notes for each picture would be great.
There are probably some things I'd look for in my next camera, but all in all I'm pretty happy.
22 Not worth the price
The camera feels solid and it is, quite easy to use. The fixed focus and no choice of compression mode make it impossible to get a sharp picture, espacially with nature shots. It always comes out fuzzy. I regret my purchase.
23 Great Camera for the price
I bought this camera last year (2000) for use at work to take pictures of product defects for quality improvement. Our buildings are dark and the products are dark grey. Using the flash, different angles and the software to enhance the photos, I found this camera to be great. Granted, the downloading is a bit slow, but hey, at work I'm getting paid! After over a year, this camera is still working great. No complaints: I'm no artiste, but I know how to use a camera. If you do too, buy it.
24 Great Camera, Reasonable Price
The only thing that I can say about this camera that isn't positive is the downloading speed through the serial connection. This camera takes great quality pictures, is easy to use, a comfortable size, and is a bargain compared to its peers. The optical zoom is the best feature because most cameras in its class only have digital zoom. The editing software included is not the best, but that should not stop anyone from buying this camera.
25 Excellent camera for fun and experimenting
Word to the wise, try before you buy. I was looking for an decent quality camera to take lots of pictures and to save myself money in the process of taking horrible pictures. After about 2-3 weeks of comparison of prices, features, and customer reviews on Amazon, this Kodak camera came in first. I almost got an HP, but their customer support confirmed that using rechargable batteries would void the warranty(that is dumn!). It is so nice to take photos and immediately see them on the computer, even the bad ones. One of the best features is the RCA video out cable. I took about 25 shots at Easter of kids and parents, afterward, I showed them on the big screen TV, everyone loved them. If you are looking for a camera that you can have lots of fun and get years of enjoyment, this is an excellent choice. Also, save yourself some money and buy through amazon. Even with next day or second day air, you will save yourself about a hundred dollars, versus paying SALES TAX!
26 I thought Kodak would be higher quality
Admittedly this is the low end of the Kodak line, but even keeping this in mind I was disappointed with the picture quality with my DC215. Furthermore, after about 3 months the flash developed a nasty habit of going off a half second after the picture is taken. I would recommend either a different brand, or a higher-end camera.
27 An excellent budget digital camera
I wound up buying the DC215 while on holiday, after losing our old 35mm camera. At the time, I thought I was getting a bargain at around 220UKP, but have since seen the camera back in the UK for the same price. I wasn't aware that you could get such a well featured digital camera for this kind of money.
The camera has a versatile range of flash settings, including 'fill in flash', 'red eye reduction' and 'no flash.' The 'exposure compensation' feature is very useful in poorly lit conditions, when the flash would be inappropriate or useless. The camera also features a 10 second self-timer and a macro facility.
The biggest shock is battery consumption - in fact, if you use disposable alkaline batteries in the DC215, you'll probably find that the cost per picture is higher than buying and developing 35mm film! A decent collection of NiMh rechargables is an essential accessory, but there's no need to buy the Kodak brand ones. I wound up buying a couple of sets of Uniross 1300mAh NiMh batteries, which work very well. There's no reason why you can't use NiCd batteries if you already have them, but if you're buying especially for the camera, then the NiMh batteries are well worth the extra cost.
The features which I found annoying (most of which have already been mentioned) include the capacity of the standard memory card (4Mb) the slow download speed via the serial cable, the limited capabilities of the 2x optical zoom, and the fact that the 'zoom' facility in 'review' mode does not allow you to zoom in far enough to check the detail of the picture (which is supposedly the whole point of the facility.)
In review mode, the camera shows the pictures in two stages - a low resolution (and very blocky) image is shown instantly when a picture is selected and, if the picture is left on-screen for a short time, this is overwritten by the high-resolution version. Unfortunately, the camera also operates in this way when viewing the pictures through the video out connector - so each picture in the 'slide show' is first shown in blocky low-res, and then updated to full resolution after a short delay.
The camera features a conventional viewfinder, which is normally adequate for framing up pictures. It is also possible to switch on the LCD for a real-time view of the picture to be taken, although this is best avoided if possible as it severely drains the batteries.
Output quality is very good, provided that you set the resolution to high. For each resolution, there are three possible quality settings, which affect the amount of JPEG compression applied to the picture files. For the technically minded, 'Best' mode generates JPEGs with a quality setting of 94% - 'Better' and 'Good' use 85% and 75% respectively. Even at 3x magnification (on the PC screen) it is difficult to see the difference between the 'Best' and 'Better' settings, and for normal (1x) viewing, the differences between the three qualities are unnoticeable. A 16Mb card will store roughly 65 'Best', 90 'Better', and 135 'Good' pictures in high resolution mode. The camera displays an estimate of the number of pictures remaining on the card (based on current compression and resolution settings) although this figure tends to be on the conservative side.
One bonus of the design is that the serial and video connections use standard jack plugs, and the leads are simply straight-through cables. I have already made two spare serial leads, so I can download the camera at home, at work, or on the move (into my notebook PC) without having to remember to bring the cable with me.
All in all, it's not the perfect camera, but it's not far off - the only things really missing from my 'wish list' are a more powerful optical zoom, a USB port, and a better 'detail' viewer in 'review' mode. For 220UKP, I'm not complaining!
28 Kodak DC215 Digital Camera
I am a television news anchor. This camera was recommended to me by a photographer for National Geographic, who was a guest on my show. Since I bought it, I've not taken a single picture with my old 35mm camera. The color quality the DC215 offers is amazing! People can't believe the pictures I show them were taken with a digital camera. And for the price, you can't beat this deal. One of the best purchases I've ever made!
29 Got problem...
Bought the digital camera a month ago and i was disappointed with some of the features. 1st problem with this camera is the poor result when you take a landscape pictures or any distant photos. The image was fuzy and the pixel was large enough to be seen on the photos. Second problem with this camera ...tend to trip the alarm sensor at the airport and stores...extermely annoying when you travel.
i agree the price is great, but it is worth what i pay for.
30 Minor Problems
One problem I came across: Many times, not always, after I press the Shutter button, the LCD shows the picture with the delete icon, I believe unless I want to delete it, I should just wait for the camera to keep this picture and be ready for the next one. However, the LCD goes off. I have to press the "do it" button to bring back the LCD preview to be ready for the next one. (My batteries are charged). Is this normal? Need to ask Kodak. Meanwhile, if you know the answer, email to jeng2000@ureach.com
31 I have had mine for 2 days
If this camera keeps doing what it has done so far, I will be extremely pleased with it... I wanted an inexpensive digital camera to make pictures to be viewed on a computer screen. Never plan to ever print any of the pics on paper. It does a SUPER job if you hold it steady and if you get the lighting just right. I especially like the color display on the back of the camera that shows the EXACT composition of the picture that you are going to get. The close-up capability (8 inches away from the subject) is important to me, too.
You need to have realistic expectations about the electric power consumed and the limitations of the serial interface as well. It can use up four good batteries in an afternoon if you keep doing things with it that take a lot of power, and the images take a few seconds to transfer to your computer. You should consider an A/C Power Supply and/or rechargable batteries if your will be using it a lot.
32 I love photography, and I love this camera!
This little camera is a great performer. The pictures are very sharp for it's one megapixel rating. I have a 1200 X 1200dpi printer-I purchased a photo cartridge and I am amazed at the prints I am getting. This camera recommends 5 X 7 enlargements for the best and highest resolution setting, but if you crop or save a picture with the Kodak Pictures Now Software (included with the camera) you can save it at the best and professional setting, and you will get some great prints-even 8 X 10.
I think the color is dead on for outdoor shots. I bought the lens adapter from Kodak that allows for 37mm screw on filters; have UV, Polarizer, ND6, ND9, & FLD for flourescent light-if needed. But Kodak has a great lens coating on their lens; my indulgence in the extra filters was lagnaippe for me-many shots (most all) need no filter at all.
Kodak Pictures Now software is very good, enabling you to crop, set brightness or contrast, and has templates for printing single or multiple shots on a page, or different shots on a single sheet at a variety of different sizes to save paper. If you get the Kodak card reader the software with that is very good also, enabling you to do a bit more-you can even touch up those laugh lines (look ten years younger!) along with more detailed editing, and it offers templates for editing and printing as necessary. I have Photoshop, and although it is useful, it can be time consuming and somewhat mind-boggling. The software provided with the camera is good; the one with the cardreader gives you a little more to work with, and both are fast and easy to use.
An important feature for me is the wide-angle lens (29mm-48mm Zoom) for landscape photography. It is THE widest lens I have found (except for the Kodak 4800 digital-28mm) for a camera of this type and price-range. Also, you can control exposure + or -2 stops in half step increments. It has a self-timer & video in/out to view on tv. It is easy to program, installed easy on my computer. You can store what seems like a zillion photos at the best & highest setting on a CD rom. I also got 2 sets of NiMh rechargeable batteries and rechargers-always keep my extra set in my camera case. I bought 2 extra 16mb picture cards; I can get over 50 pictures on one card at the best settings.
To wrap this up, if you want to explore digital, (I've had my Canon F-1 for 23 years) but are skeptical because you are used to high-end 35mm SLR or larger format, this camera is a great one to start with. Do not let the ISO, aperture, and shutter speed ranges fool you or stop you. You can even take great night pictures-a favorite of mine-get the tripod-with a little available light. If you are an artist who wants a camera for reference material, look no further-this is the one. It is amazing what this little camera can do! Kodak hit the jackpot, so did I!
33 Great digital camera for typical snapshots.
I wanted a digital camera but I didn't want to spend a fortune, and I wanted one that would take good quality pictures. I set my upper limit at $300 for the camera and began shopping. I looked at everything from $39 to $500. I spent hours on the internet reviewing cameras. I also scanned the Sunday sale ads waiting for the right camera and price to come together. It did. I bought a Kodak DC215 for $299. Included with the camera was a SanDisk card reader. I was ready to take pictures.
I shot a few pics the first day and uploaded them to the internet. How easy! Over the first few days I took more pics and continued to upload to my album. I also set it up where anyone could view the pictures and/or order prints. My family, 600 miles away, can only call once in a while and say hello, but can enjoy the pictures on the internet whenever they wish.
After uploading about 50 pictures I decided to order prints online. I'd heard so much about "resolution" and "recommended print size" that I was scared that I'd get very grainy prints in the mail. What I received (using the lowest resolution on the camera for the prints) were wonderful, glossy, 4x6 prints. Every bit as good or even better than from 35mm film. I was amazed at the quality.
I later purchased a 32MB card for about $70. It holds up to about 485 pictures. I'll use this card when we're on vacation.
I couldn't be happier if I'd spent $999 on this camera. The only drawback - it takes only snapshots. If you want telephoto or wide angle, etc, get a good 35mm and use film. For digital this camera can't be beat. I love it. It's EVERYTHING I set out to acquire at a very, very reasonable price.
34 kodak dc215
just got my dc, love it!! i've tried several different brands, $2oo to$800 ones, for the money this is by far the best deal. color great, easy to operate, kodak quality.i got a card reader, takes to long downloading from camera.
35 Great camera!
I got this Camera about 2 months ago and I have been loving it everytime I use it! The picture quality is great and it is very easy to use for people getting started with digital cameras. The only thing I have to complain about it that the software that downloads the pics is very slow. I use the good ole "Paint" program which makes things much more easy!
36 Solid performer at a good price.
This is a fine little digital camera for beginners or casual users. It looks good, has great balance in the hand, and offers enough features to make it fairly versatile. Aside from the recreational user, it might be an ideal camera for someone like a real estate broker who wants to have something handy in the glove compartment, but doesn't want to worry about a very expensive piece of equipment getting lost or stolen. The camera is not perfect, but it is a good buy. PROS: 1) Appearance, weight & balance. 2) Highly readable (and adjustable!) LCD display. 3) AAA batteries readily available...(2 sets of rechargeable would be great). 4) Optical (2x) zoom. 5) Switchable resolution settings: a) 640 x 480 perfect for emails & websites. b) 1,152 x 864 good enough for 5" x 7" prints. 6) Very good software package. 7) Kodak service & warranty. 8) Readily available CompactFlash memory cards. 9) Faster recovery btwn shots than most digicams. 10)Useful & handy lens cap.
CONS: 1) Fixed focus lens (like old 110 cameras). 2) Limited (2x) zoom. 3) No USB connection to download shots to PC (this will make the purchase of a separate memory card reader a must). 4) Need for battery charger & rechargeables (to be practical).
37 Kodak stands behind their product.
I purchased this camera about a year ago. After 11 months of constant use (alomst 4000 shots) the pictures started getting really fuzzy with a few spots. I called KODAK and they issued an RMA and I shipped it back to Kodak. Less than a week later, I had my camera back. They replaced the lens, the case and several other internals. Good as new. No "the warranty doesn't cover that" BS.
The camera is an excellnt buy (the price has come down ... since I bought mine) and Kodak customer service was a pleasure to work with.
Highly recommended....
38 Auction Listings Digital Camera
I use the Kodak DC-215 exclusively for eBay Auction listings.. I have received MANY emails asking what Camera I use and complimenting me on the clarity and color of my photos... I have never used the Camera for any other purpose but for digital images loaded into my computer, it is OUTSTANDING... I plan to purchase another Kodak DC-215 as a 'Back-up'. (Just in case)..
39 Remarkable Quality
Being a top of the line 35mm camera user, I was pleasantly surprised by the ease of use and the photo quality of the DC215. The pictures were of exceptional quality and the 8 x 10 prints were much better than most of the digital pictures I took with a high end Olympus digital camera. This camera is sturdier than most digitals I have seen to date. I only had a slight problem with the tonal quality of the some blues and purples, but this is easily corrected with most photo software. I do recommend the PF card reader though to be able to easily access your photos. The Gold version of this camera does include the card reader in the package.
40 Great camera for the price
I am new to the digital image realm. Having scoped many different cameras, I have found this DC215 to be a great user friendly peripheral. If you know how to use a regular 35mm camera, this is no different. Picture quality is terrific. I use a HP 812 deskjet to print all my 4X7 prints. One item to keep in mind. Not necessary this particular camera, but with all, I suggest you purchase a compact flash card reader. This makes transfering all your images to your desktop in a snap. The cable provided with the camera is simply useless. If the DC215 interests you, Kodak has a package called Digital Camera Expansion Pack that comes with (4) AA rechargable batteries, compact flash card reader (serial connection), PCMCIA adapter, and a 8MB compact flash card for less than $100. Bottom line in shopping for a digital camera. If money is not an issue, hell go with the Top of the Line model. In the other hand, if you are me with limited spenting funds, make sure you look for a camera that has batteries which can be recharge. Purchase a camera that comes with at least 4MB of memory.
41 Great camera but beware first.......
.....the machine will only work with a serial port on your computer. We had just bought a new Compaq notebook computer and I figured this camera was a perfect Xmas present for Jill. Woe is me! No serial port on the Compaq. Now I'm scrambling for all the stuff it takes to hook the thing up. Probabl solution: a new color printer with a slot to insert the memory card, thereby bypassing the computer entirely.
In summary: check your port first.
42 Poor color accuracy with the DC215
Feature are limited, but not bad for an entry level camera. The big deficiency with this camera is color accuracy. Color intensity and accuracy (particularly with greens) is terrible---really substandard. In fact, color accuracy is much worse than my old Olympus D-400L that this was meant to replace. I have since seen the same complaints mentioned in reviews of this camera in various PC magazines.
Not recommended.
43 Great Camera
Bought the camera last weekend and we are so happy with it. I am really impressed with the quality of the pictures. Even pictures taken in 640X480 low res. look great on the computer.
The settings are very easy to change and the internal software is very user friendly. I showed it to my 80 year old grandmother and she was snapping pictures in no time. She even figured out how to delete the one's she did not like.
If you are looking for a simple, no extra B.S. digital camera this is the one for you.
44 I just got a Bargain!
This camera is a very good deal. I got it today, and I like it very much. The quality of the pictures it takes is very good. Doesn't have a lot of features, but this is what is expected from a <$300 camera. Comparing it to HP C200, which is of the same price, this one definitely wins. 2X Optical zoom, and picture quality is much better. The only problem is that the Flash Memory Card is kind of small only 4 mb
45 Excellent Digital Camera for Small Price
I bought this camera for my personal use and I'm very pleased with it. I took several pictures of my car to show off to my friends, they were amazed, thinking I'm using an expensive digital camera like professionals do. I've purchased the kodak batteries and charger, it seem give the camera longer life than conventional AA batteries. The imaging software supplied very hard to use, therefore I'm using microsoft photo editor that I very familiar. If you insist to evaluate the quality, you can access the sample I took at my website at http://www.azril.com/civicvtec.html
46 Great Camera - but goes thru batteries like crazy!
I love the Kodak DC 215 camera that was purchased before we went on our honeymoon. We bought two 16MB memory cards because we didn't have access to a PC where we were going. Tons of pictures, no film.. and we know right away if the shot is messed up and can retake it!
It goes through normal AA batteries like crazy, but I've heard it works much better and more efficient with the rechargable batteries available from Kodak.
This camera will impress you and your friends and family. The highest rez and quality produces some fantastic pics - I've never seen pics of this quality before.
It's very durable (trust me, it's been to Mexico and back, kayaking, and got toted around in my purse for days) - the design is sturdy and you won't feel like you need to baby it.
We bought this one instead of a comparable model from a competitor that uses floppy disks - we easily would have had to take 30+ disks with us on vacation! This is the way to go if you will be away from your computer for a while.
47 Great Camera
I received this camera for my birthday and really like it a lot. It's a big upgrade from the Casio QV-11 I was using.
What makes this camera great? Well, it is very easy to use. It's simple to change the settings, uplink to your PC and use in general. And the results are really top notch.
It also feels much more durable and is nicer to handle than comparable models made by Olympus, Canon and Minolta.
The way I have the camera set up, it takes 35 pictures at a very nice resolution and quality on the 4MB Compact Flash card that is included. I just bought the 16MB Flash because I'm using the camea so much, so keep in mind that at some point you may be dropping another $40-50 on memory, as the amount that comes with the DC-215 is passable, but not spectacular.
48 No risk camera buy - great value for money
This is the best buy I ever did!
I bought the Gold millenium package of the Kodak DC215. It is exactly the same camera as the standard DC215, which comes in silver. It adds a 8MB flash card instead of 4MB and a fast USB card reader. I regretted the purchase somewhat after I found out that my two year old PC doesn't have a USB plug, so I have to use the serial cable, which is also provided as a slower alternative. I also found the 8MB card just too small for a weekend trip. Since digital pictures are essentially 'free', I tend to make more pictures than I used to. The 8MB card is good for some 40 to 50 pictures. I am now thinking about a 64 MB card in order to avoid laborious selecting and erasing of pictures on the road. Altogether, after checking your PC, I recommend the silver DC215.
I had the camera working out of teh box in two minutes! Installing the PC application was really easy and my first pictire was on the web in 15 minutes. The camera does consume power quickly. I found it unworkable with 4 standard AA batteries. I bought a charger and 8 Ni-Mh batteries from the KODAK website. It is a great addition to the camera! The batteries are good for two to three weeks vacation use. The charger is a really nice and compact design; highly recommended!
Now on the camera itself: It is an amazing camera that makes crystal sharp picture beyond belief. Having had 12 normal camera's before, I know what it takes to make good pictures. This camera has some outstanding features: (a) an incredible wide angle which allows for great indoor pictures (b) a powerful flashlight that does a great jobs under all circumstances. I normally works automatically, but can be forced to flash, which gives really nice 'fill-in' light effects. (c) incredible sharpness over the whole 'depth' of the picture. Nearby objects (up to 3 inches, no kidding! ) and far away objects remain crystal clear and sharp. (d) a clear LCD that, after getting used to, is the best way to take pictures (instead of putting the camear in front of your eye) (e) an easy user interface on the camera to review pictures (f) the TV cable is just fun! It amazes people that you can see the pictures immediately on the big TV screen. (g) easy upload of JPEG files to attach to your emails. With our family living in Europe this is a great feature that is really a lot of fun. (h) The LCD screen shows the picture for 20 seconds after taking it. This is a great feature on trips: Take a picture and show people what it looks like and offer to send them it afterwards by email. It makes friends quickly!
Finally: if you're in the market today to buy a digital camera, you have to realize the following. There are three price bands: $300; $300-$550, and $550 and above. If you're a professional, you probably do not read my review and you're in for the $550 and above category. If you want 'something better than the rest', you should buy a camera of the second category $300-$550. I warn you though, that cameras in that category will decrease in price sharply and will cost only $300 in 12-15 months. So my take is: buy a $300 camera. You will not be disappointed. And with the Kodak DC215 you buy an amazing piece of equipment.
49 great!
this is one camera i love. it has a great LCD and super software bundle. i really wish i could rate higher than 5 stars. the only thing that i would reccomended is a 4 pack of AA lithium batteries.
there is absolutely nothing wrong with this camera. so go ahead, buy yourself one.
50 Beautiful Camera in a millennium gold Package!
I purchased this camera as an upgrade from my DC50 and have been in impressed with it every since I've opened the package. The camera was ready to go within minutes of opening the box and the software was simple to install and had me downloading pictures to my web site within ten minutes.
I purchased the DC215 millennium gold due to the larger compact flash (8mg) and the inclusion of the USB compact flash reader. Both additions have made this an excellent camera. I recently toured Harpers Ferry National Battlefield and took several pictures of the surrounding scenery as well as group photos, and amazed the group by displaying the pictures on the T.V. via the direct camera link as soon as we returned home. They turned out crisp, detailed and in perfect focus!
The camera is a little hard on AA batteries so I went out and bought lithium batteries and have not had to replace them in over three weeks of constant use. Rechargeable might be the next step but right now I'm having way too much fun with this camera and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a megapixel on a modest budget. It's both IBM and MAC compatible, with loads of great software!
