The 2.2-megapixel Kodak DX3600 digital camera is similar to the DX3500, with several great additional features, including a 3x optical zoom (plus 2x digital zoom) and movie mode. It handles like a point-and-shoot, and delivers excellent quality images at a maximum resolution of 1,800 x 1,200 pixels--perfect for e-mailing or prints up to 8-by-10 inches. The DX3600 contains 8 MB of internal memory, plus it features a CompactFlash expansion slot for additional memory. Part of the Kodak EasyShare System, this model includes a docking station. The dock will upload your photos straight from the camera to your computer at the push of a button, and it recharges the camera batteries while connected to your camera.
The DX3600 offers continuous video with audio. It comes with a built-in microphone and speaker, and allows you to capture and review video with audio right on the camera. You can also connect the camera to a computer or a TV to watch your video footage. This camera comes with two AA lithium batteries, video cable, USB cable, wrist strap, Kodak Picture software CD, documentation, and a custom camera insert for optional Kodak camera dock. It has a USB port and is compatible with both Windows and Macintosh systems.
1 Battery Life is Very Poor
The Kodak DX3600 would be a very nice camera except that battery life is very poor. I'm lucky to get 8 pictures before the batteries go dead (I use rechargeable batteries with the Easy Share dock, and AA Alkalines).[...] Kodak is aware of the problem. Here is their response to my query about poor battery life...
'Because batteries are chemical products involving internal chemical reactions, their performance may deteriorate with prolonged storage.
NiMH rechargeable batteries, if not used for a while, may need to be reconditioned as you would when using them for the first time.
Otherwise, deactivation of the internal reactants may cause decreased capacity, which causes premature termination of charging. In other words, the batteries will not charge completely, even though the dock indicates they have.
If this happens, we have a couple of recommendations. First, make sure you have the latest firmware. If you don't, consider updating your camera to the latest version. You can locate the update by going to:
http://www.kodak.com/go/software
Once there, choose your camera from the list. The next page will offer all the available software for your model, including any current firmware updates, if available. The firmware download will have a "Read-me" file that contains the directions for performing the update.
Once you have successfully completed the update, we recommend
conditioning your battery the way you would if it were being used for the first time, as we mentioned above. It is important that you be sure you always have a fully charged battery. To do so, place the camera on the KODAK EASYSHARE Camera Dock. When the charge light turns green (all three green lights are lit for a Dock II), then remove the camera from the dock FOR A MINIMUM OF 5 MINUTES, and place it back on the dock. The 5 minutes the camera is off the dock are the key to correct recharging
for a new or uncharged battery. Repeat this same process until the combined charging time, while the light is red on the dock, EQUALS A MINIMUM OF 2 HOURS.
Once you have completed this charging process, we recommend that you leave the camera on its dock and intermittently check it for power (remove from the dock for a while then replace it). If you use your
camera frequently, of course, you will always have a charged battery because you will be removing and replacing it. If you do not use your camera frequently, periodically remove the camera from the dock and take a few test shots. Doing this assures a properly maintained battery so
that you will have lots of power.
Do not make the mistake of trying to charge the KODAK PHOTOLIFE Lithium Battery, CRV3, that comes with the camera. It is not rechargeable, and an attempt to do so could result in leakage. Also, please be aware that the camera will only charge the KODAK KAA2HR NiMh Battery. Non-Kodak
batteries or individual AA rechargeable batteries (including Kodak batteries) are not compatible with this charger. If you need a separate charger, they are available at the Kodak online store.
Remember, your camera's dock is only charging when it displays the red light. If the light is green, that means it is either done charging or has detected another type of battery it cannot charge.
PLEASE NOTE! Your camera's batteries lose power during image reviews and when adjusting camera settings. Use of the LCD screen is also a big drain.......................'
If I had known about the battery problem I never would have bought this camera. Did you read the section above when Kodak states "the batteries will not charge completely, even though the dock indicates they have." We can send robots to Mars but we can't make a battery charger that knows when a battery is really charged? What the hell good is a battery charger that doesn't know if a battery is charged or not? So just because the little green light says charged you can't believe it. I tried the firmware upgrade and that was futile, no help at all, just a waste of time.As is, I now carry at least 8 AA Alkalines (they last about 10 pictures if you keep the LCD turned off) whenever I use this camera away from home because you never know when it will just shut down by itself from weak batteries.
In defense to the camera I will say that it takes good pictures in daylight (night pictures with flash are worthless), I like the fact you can add other lenses and the built in video recorder is ok. The included software is nice. It includes options to adjust tint, brightness, crop etc.... The photo album is easy to use and makes saving the pictures easy. Also the removable compactflash card is a nice feature.
So if you decide to get this camera be prepared to buy lots of AA batteries. Personally I will never buy another Kodak product. I don't think it's right to sell a product with an apparent design flaw and then offer the consumer a, in my opinion, worthless remedy. These cameras should have been recalled and the consumer offered a full refund or a camera that works the way it should!
2 Trouble from the start
First - I do have to say that the camera is relatively easy to use and takes very nice pictures. However, the battery life with this camera has been problematic since the first day that we received it. We have used several different batteries, as well as different battery chargers in an effort to rule out other problems. But this camera continued to be a problem. Eventually replaced with a Sony DSC-P93 - and haven't looked back since. Glad to be rid of this camera - very frustrating when you are trying to use a product to record your family's memories, and constantly run into problems with a quirky camera...
3 Kodak DX 3600 a trustworthy camera...
I've had a kodak DX 3600 camera now for about 2 years. I have found that the quality of pictures has been excellent and the video mode is brilliant, as few digital cameras offer video with sound being recorded too. At the start i had battery problems and problems with it powering down unexpectedly but it was sent back to Kodak and it was a faulty connection between the power section and main part of the camera, since then i have had little problems with power, like all didgital cameras they do go through batteries but just be sure to have enough charged up, and the dock it comes with handily charges the batteries. At 2.2 mega pixels i have found it brilliant, there is brilliant image quality for what i'm using it for and it doesn't take up alot of hard drive space, with the average photo taking up about 400Kb on the best picture quality setting. I would reccemmend this camera.
4 Excellent Quality for 2.2 meg. but battery life bad.
This camera surprisingly prints great quality pictures in 3x5 to 5x7 sizes. The only problem I have with this camera is the rechargeable battery life is poor. The camera dock and the rapid charger does not adequately charge the batteries and I own 3 batteries and have a problem with all of them. I own the Kodak DX6490 now and do not have a problem with the battery keeping charged, so I believe they fixed this problem with later models.
5 Lots of problems!!!
When we first got the camera, we were impressed. It was easy to use, and the pictures that we took printed out very nicely.
However, after having the camera for a few months, we started to see the following problems.
1. POOR BATTERY LIFE
After only a couple of weeks of use, the rechargeable battery that came with the camera would only take 5-6 shots before dying. We kept the camera contantly on the dock, so it should not have run out. I assumed it was a defective battery and bought some desposable batteries for it, but had a similar problem. With a brand new battery, it would take 20-30 shots and it would fail to work.
2. RANDOM POWERING OFF
This was really annoying. After several months of use, the camera started turning itself off frequently. Sometimes I have to restart it 4-5 times to get it to stay turned on. Even then, it will often turn itself off when trying to take the picture. I have 3 small kids, and I have missed so many shots because of this.
3. LONG PAUSE BEFORE SNAPPING PICTURE
I know this is not a defect, but is probably by design (probably the auto-focus working), but there is a half second pause between the time you push the button and the picture actually takes. We have missed many shots because of that as well.
I hate to say it, but I will not buy a Kodak camera again. It's too bad, because when this did work properly, the pictures were really good and the dock is really a good idea. We eventually decided to buy a new, higher end camera (Fuji Finepix S7000). We will see how that turns out :)
6 Slow response, okay for point and shoot and in bright light
This camera has a very annoying problem- when you push the button to take the picture there is about a half second delay before the picture is actually taken. This is really NOT good if you are hoping to take pictures of kids, candid photos or pictures of anything in motion. Other cameras are less expensive and don't have this horrible problem.
Aside from this problem, if the picture is taken in bright light and at close range, the colors look wonderful.
7 Excellent digital photos at a bargain price.
I am amazed at the quality of photos the DX3600 produces. Prints are crisp and color excellent quality. It's light weight, simple to use (afer studying the manual for about one hour), displays the shot immediately in the LCD window, so one can retake, if necessary. I found the internal memory got used up far too quickly so upgraded to a memory card, which works beautifully. The software is easy to use and enables one to crop, adjust color, etc., effortlessly. Uploading, e-mailing and printing are no-brainers. It may lack the sophistication of more expensive models, but for the price I don't think one could do better.
8 Shutter Problems...
This camera worked great for about 6 months. Humidity caused it to goof up and restart itself a lot (setting time and date back) until it finally has stopped working all together. Real easy to use and all but what a pain if you live in humid weather. :(
9 Nice camera but software is not easy to use
Nice camera. Takes great pictures that we can develop at Coscos or other outlets. Its just a shame that the software is so difficult to use
10 One of the best for the money
First let me say that a leading consumer magazine rated this #1 of the 2 mega-pixel cameras. I would agree with their assesment
First the good features:
The first thing that sets this camera apart is the optical zoom. The ability to zoom in or out just that little bit makes getting the right photo that much easier. Digital zoom is a worthless gimmick that will degrade your picture quality a great deal, if you plan on using zoom go for the optical.
This camera also has a macro setting, which allows very close pictures of plants and insects to turn out suprisingly well.
The movie setting is another bonus, that allows you to take small movies complete with sound. The movie quality is not great and it only works when well lit, but I have had a lot of fun with it. It is just about perfect for posting short clips on the web.
The ease of use is fairly good. The picture quality is very good.
The bad points:
The display screen washes out in strong sunlight. To be fair this is comon to most cameras.
It is a little bulky by modern standards. I think most point and shoot film cameras were about this size. If you plan to stick it in your pocket make sure you have big pockets.
Battery life is subpar and drain is very high. You will not be able to use alkaline batteries, only Ni-Mh or Lithium. With a few extra sets of batteries long trips should be fine, but don't forget the batteries.
The optical viewfinder is cheaply made, hard to use, and somewhat innacurate. It is still usable, but I expected better from Kodak. Use the display screen when possible.
11 Another winner from Kodak!
I bought this Kodak DX3600 camera as a DEMO model from a chain store and it works perfectly! It was missing a cable and I called Kodak customer service and they immediately sent me a free replacement--and this is for an open-box purchase. I also have a DX3500 with which I took 6,000 pix in about a year, and it is still going strong. I bought this one for the fun video clip feature and the optical zoom. I was pleasantly surprised to find the closeup feature on the 3600 model takes superb photos in amazing detail of the flowers in the arboretums I visit, and closups of the kids. I use Kodak rechargeable batteries--no docking station, and also the Energizer blue and silver photo AA batteries with up to a 256MB compact flashcard. The camera is great and so is the Kodak customer service!
12 Best Buy Camera
I purchased this camera a year ago--after being convinced that digital was as good, if not better than film. I'm not going to debate the pros and cons between the two here. What I will tell anyone that's interested is that I picked this camera after doing some research as to what you want in a digital camera.
Consumer Reports ranked this camera as a Best Buy in it's class. The DX3600 is a 2.2 megapixel camera. On high resolution, it takes a 1200x1600 picture. The color and clarity are phenominal to work with. With resolution so great, it's a nice way to take pictures and easily enlarge them to 8x10s without losing the clarity.
The buttons are minimal, and the full color menu is easy to navigate and understand. I did not feel the need to read an owner's manual when I received my camera. It was truely a point and shoot.
I purchased a 128mb card to use with my camera. I have been able to go on trips for 7-8 days, take 25-20 high resolution pictures each day, and I still have room to add more pictures to the card. How nice to not have to worry about carrying around film anymore.
The camera is light-weight, easy to handle, and easy to carry. It's the perfect point-and-shoot camera to take on a walk, to a party, or on a trip.
Add all of this to the fact that the DX3600 is affordable, and you can't beat it!
If you're given the chance, give this camera a chance--you'll be delighted you did!
13 Solid, Easy to Use, Reliable
I bought this camera about 1.5 yrs ago, and it's still in great condition and gives real value for somebody who wants a beginner digital camera. Let's also not forget that it also allows to you to shoot some video, and that it is very easy to hook up to a TV (using a supplied composite cable)...U can of course just plug it into your computer using USB. If you are using Windows XP, you don't even need to install the supplied software, XP, just recognises the camera easily and gives you wizards to help u out, but for pre-XP operating systems, you will have to install the supplied software. The menus and interface are very basic and easy to use.
I don't recommend this camera for pros, it is definitely not meant for them. The zooming is very basic, and the digital zoom is practically useless(never got a clear picture with it). The flash is useless at night without some serious extra light sources. DEFINITELY buy the optional Camera Dock and here's why: The lithium batteries recommended for this camera are only available on this continent currently, and are VERY HARD TO FIND outside it (and also very expensive - if you are going in for the CRV3). I have been in India for the past yr, and wasted many of the regular alkaline batteries, until they finally started carrying CRV3s over here recently. Boy do I regret not buying the dock and rechargables!!!
Overall, though, this camera is a great buy for somebody who is new to Digital Cameras
14 a great value that's easy to use
What a great camera. My wife and I purchased this camera about a year ago and have put over 1,000 pictures through it. It still works great and I've never had an issue with it. There are your basic issues that you have with all digital camera (digital zoom is not something you will use a lot, poor light will give you dim pictures) but, again, this is something you will find in one way or another in all cameras. We purchased the camera alone and were always thinking about the dock (in Win. XP..when you hook the camera up to your computer via USB cable, the software kicks in and you are immediately at the wizard to download pictures...so the dock is by no means necessary). We received the dock, batteries, case, tripod, paper combo for christmas and have been happy with that as well. The rechargable batteries are not performing for us at all. They will hold their charge for a few pictures but if you are using the screen to preview them, the batteries will soon die. I like to use cheap old AA's and they work for months at a time. The features of the camera make it great to work with and the pictures are of a great quality even hastily printed out. The software was quickly installed by my wife (the person who swears she's not computer friendly) in a few minutes and we have never had an issue with it. We have now added a 32 meg memory card and have 98 pictures on the highest quality setting!
Basically, if you're looking for a point and shoot...pick the camera up, you won't be dissappointed. Definitely get a memory card of at least 32 megs but give the dock and all that a second thought. It's a great upsell but isn't necessary, and if you aren't a fan of the rechargeable batteries...is almost completely unnecessary.
15 1 full year of use and 900 pics/vids later, still great
Ive owned this for a little over a year now and it has never let me down. Ive taken about 900 pictures/videos with it and its still running great. I did a LOT of comparing when I decided to buy this camera. I wanted a camera around 2 mega-pixels, decent zoom, decent battery life, and most importantly, unlimited video capabilities that included sound. This camera was pretty much the only one at the time that met all those guidelines. Other cameras matched pretty evenly as far as megapixels, zoom, and battery life went, but what sold me on the Kodak was the fact that it was practically the only camera that ALSO had video that was only limited by the size of the memory card you had in it AND the fact that it had sound on top of that. The only thing about the video is that if you want to take video in doors you really need a lot of light. It will come out kinda dark otherwise. But for the money it is rather excellent.
I compared this to my friends Nikon of about the same caliber. While his pictures turned out a little bit better it was close enough for me to still prefer my Kodak.
The configuration menu has just about everything I would ever want to modify in it. Date stamping, quality adjustments, and a "close" mode for taking pictures of something within a few feet of the lens.
The battery life is pretty much what you would expect from a digital camera. If you use the display too much it will run out pretty quickly, but thats never been a problem for me. Im still using the same battery pack(ive recharged it a bunch of times in the last year, of course). I bought the docking station with it. Heres a tidbit that Im not sure others are fully aware of yet: You can use the camera while its on the docking station. So if youre just taking a pictures of things in one room(like i often do for ebay auctions), you wont ever have to worry about battery life. It can run from the power of the docking station.
This camera has been great and Ive never regretted buying it.
16 good for entry level
Generally speaking, I am satisfied with kodak 3600. I bought this camera for my newborn baby. It is my first digi-camera. And it works pretty good so far. The color is bright and vivid. The resolution is good enough for home use. The only drawback I found is that the writing speed to CF card is not fast enough. I can take 3 to 4 photos very quickly, then need to wait like 10 seconds to let it finish writing to CF card. I feel that Canon S200 is much faster considering the writing speed.
17 Great Camera, surprised with what 2MP can offer
I have owned this camera for a few months now and I love it for several reasons. It has superbly excellent outdoor picture quality and its indoor pictures are great, too. Be warned, the movie feature isn't that great. Outdoor is o.k. and o.k. means 75 marks out of 100. But the indoor ones, you can hardly see what, I would give it 25 out of 100. It is a big dis advantage of not being to use the flash while taking movies. And I can tell you in full faith, buy the CRV3 lithium for a few bucks extra and though it is rare some studios have it, because the alkalines are wasted on this camera. It takes up a huge lot of battery power. I have praised this camera, but the greatest feature about it is the quality I get for 2.2MP. It is simply suberb. You can get top class 8x10 prints with this and as for the 4x6 and 6x8 photos, you can't get better ones than this in studios. If you are trying to buy the dock, DON'T. And I mean it. It's a waste of [money]. The USB port transfer software and hardware are VERY GOOD. Do not hesitate with the buying of the dock thinking whether it is useful. It isn't unless you want to charge your Ni-MH batteries.
18 Not Kodak Quality
After one year of use, our camera acts very finicky about taking pictures. About 50% of the time the camera will not turn on, but will give the "battery low" red light--even though it has been sitting on the charging dock. After repeatedly switching on and off, it will usually turn on, but by then the photo op is usually lost. Also, although the pictures are easy to send over the internet, they do not print out well at the receiver's end.
19 Good camera at a good price
This is my second camera & I bought this one because it was compatible with the built in photo programs on my Mac. Works great with the hardware that I have. I would give this product 5 stars because the hardware is great but when trying to figure out how to download the movie clips to my mac I called Kodak ... still waiting...
20 There Has to be Better Cameras Out There
First, the Kodak branded battery that was included with the camera was awful. The camera could literally take 2-3 shots immediately after charging all night. Of course, when I wanted them to fix the problem, I had to send in the camera for 6-8 weeks rather than Kodak just sending me a battery that works.
In addition, Kodak recently turned off - or quit advertising - their tech support #. They're trying to make everyone use their online knowledge base. I understand that but with the problems highlighted in the reviews of this product, I would think they'd offer a higher level of support.
In agreement with other comments, the battery life is awful. I carry 2 sets of backup AA batteries when I take the camera away from home.
The camera itself takes pretty good pictures in the right environment. That is, as far as the flash can reach. In low light, it can't focus and you can't do so manually - result is terrible pictures.
On the plus side, the software that comes with the camera is simple but effective.
21 Not happy with Kodak
I have a different model Kodak camera, however they all use the same EasyShare software. Running Windows XP, I could not get the software to work properly. After several hours on the phone with Kodak tech support, they couldn't get it working either. They said they are aware of the problem. It is now several weeks later and they still don't have a fix. They don't really seem to care either.
It might not be a bad idea to consider other brands, instead of Kodak. Since, if the software won't work properly, then what good is the camera?
22 Kodak DX 3600
The best deal I could of found
23 Versatile and easy to use
Decent battery life, I use rechargeable Nickel Hydride and find that just two in this camera hold up nearly as well as the four I used in my last Kodak camera. Instead of the Easy Share system, I opted to buy extra batteries and more compact flash memory since I'm on the road and download my photographs to my laptops through a PCMCIA adapter or a USB card reader into whichever computer I'm nearby. The files are JPEGs and not KDC format, so most computers easily recognize the files in the cards and transfer them using Windows Explorer for quick copy and paste or drag and drop functions. The Kodak transfer software is easy to use and the email feature that automatically allows the sender to select one of three file sizes to keep transfer time to a minimum. It produces decent video segments, which depend on the speed of the compact flash to store more than a couple of minutes of video. The quality of the images from this 2 megapixel camera is very good. I carry it in my jacket pocket and it gets banged around and still produces great images. If I wanted a higher image quality camera, I'd have to give up the flexibility and ease of access; and for my uses, it works just fine.
I'd like to see a little more positive feedback when I trip the shutter, as going from the half down to focus, and the full down to take the photo isn't a distinct tactile sensation. The screen in full sun is sometimes hard to see. The digital movies are produced to use Quicktime MOV file formats, so not everyone easily displays them as compared to the MPEG when they're passed to family or friends. I'd buy another, maybe two, especially at these prices.
24 Very Poor Battery Life= Very Poor Camera
We have had nothing but frustration with the battery problems associated with this product. If a camera is one thing it has to be reliable. For the past months we have used the Kodak as our sole camera only to find that we have constant problems with the batteries charging improperly. We contacted Tech Support and checked the website and found that this was a documented problem (TIB4324). I did what they said to do - if you see the green light, lift the camera up and put it back down again for a total charge of 2 hours when the light is red. I proceeded to pick the camera up and down in excess of 20 times on multiple occasions and have not yet gotten a full charge. I would also like to point out the we are forced to do this each time we charge, not only the "first time the batteries are charged", like the bulletin states. Who has this kind of time? The proposed remedy is completely ineffective. A person cannot be expected to "babysit" your product, simply because it is defective. Kodak has sent us new batteries and we have used different Ni-MH batteries, but after a very short time, the camera still shuts down. We have now sent the camera back to be serviced again by Kodak and are wishing we never purchased it in the first place!
25 Simply Super, easy-to-use
I'm a camera and cell-phone maniac to begin with and this product has satisfied our needs impeccably. The film quality is quite good outdoors though the indoor quality isn't marvellous. I didn't buy the dock and I find it quite easy to transfer with the USB cable. The picture quality is exceptional. Indoor and outdoor pictures, you get far more than you expect. And talking about safety my camera easily survived a 2 foot fall 1 and a half weeks after it was brought and the batteries just came out, thats all. The zoom is not enough to be precise, but o.k. I have'nt experienced the battery problem that many users are talking about and I am quite happy without the charger(mind you, I'm on my 1st set of batteries.) though I off the camera whenever I finish using it. This camera is marvellous.
26 Save yourself the trouble
Kodak put all of their emphasis on the Easy Share software and none of it on the camera itself. I bought 17 of these cameras for use on a scientific project. After two weeks, 6 of them had to be returned to the vendor with non-functional lens motors. I'm sure it won't be long until the other 11 break. This camera is cheaply built with substandard parts. DO NOT BUY THIS CAMERA.
27 Very pleased
I have just purchased this camera and already I am very impressed with the quality and ease of use.
The product came with the batteries, I put them in and I was already to take a picture. It was extremmely easy to download this picture onto my computer (with the provided software ) and e-mail it off to the grandparents and aunts/uncles. I do not have the dock, which is an extra, but I understand that a dock makes it even easier ( if that is possible ).
I have fun taking short videos of the kids and then playing it back on the LCD screen for all to watch. I have not yet tried to send a video through the e-mail, but I am sure going to have fun trying.
I shopped around and both my husband and I are extremely satisfied with the excellent quality and the extra features that come with this product. Well worth the money!!
28 Poor design
I bought this camera recently and added also bought a padded carrying case for it. During a football game, I returned it to its case, latched the cover, and set it on the seat beside me. I stood up, and brushed it off the bench; it fell approximately 18 inches - in a padded case. This short and padded fall broke the camera! Kodak refuses to repair what appears to me to be a very fragile product. If you buy this product, treat it like an fresh egg (or a rotten egg as far as I am concerned. So much for buying American.)
29 A Very Nice Camera
Beofre I had this camera, I had many "Sure Shot" film cameras. Since early this year, this camera has provided me everything I have expected and much more-with a very good price (refurbished; I also brought a 64MB memory card-a must for digital camera- plus a backup rechargeable battery). Last week, I took this camera to a very fancy wedding in New Jersey. I shot around 30 pictures. Since it was done in an evening at low light situation, many of them were not successful because the distance was a little too far. For those that were within the flash light range, they looked real good. I published them in OFOTO website and sent the link to people whom I captured on the picture - without having to print a single copy. Before this, I often used this camera to also capture motion film of my two cats - as they hunted for the flies or jumped to capture toys. These were fun moments that I have sent to my daughter in school to keep her updated. I will eventually print some paper copies along with other photos I had, but this experience has made me a beliver of digital camera and the price and quality provided by DX3600 has made this possible. From my last batch of OFOTO pictures, I really don't think you will need a camera with more than 2.1MB Pixels if you only print the pictures with 4x6 or 5x7 sizes. Granted, this camera is not perfect; but I remembered no real disappointments and a lot of great benefits and therefore gave it a 5 rating.
30 Excellent click and shoot camera
I have enjoyed this camera a lot since I purchased it in April. I have never had a problem with picture quality. My wife is an artist and she has done sketches by looking the digital version of the picture. The printed print quality is not as good - but I have had excellent results after manipulating the image in Photoshop. (I do the same for pictures or images I scan through a scanner. Once you're used it, the pre-press process only takes a couple of minutes per picture.) For the price I paid, I'm satisfied with the image quality. I do notice that I end up white balancing many of my indoor shots.
The ease of use makes up for this in my mind. I'll take a 100 to 200 pictures in a weekend and color correct 10-20. The zoom is weak, but the 'shutter' speed is decent and I've even gotten some decent motion shots. One of the things I love about this camera is the number of shots I can fit on a 64 bit memory card...
The video feature is also very cool. It was an unexpected bonus with the camera. With a large memory card I can take several minutes of video before having to dock the camera. The video is not the greatest quality - but its nice to have a video camera that fits in your pocket.
If you're a serious photographer who wants to print every shot this is probably not your best bet, but if you're looking for a versatile digital camera for a reasonable price - I'd recommend the DX3600.
31 Kodak Digital Camera and Softwear.
The DX3600 2.2 gig. camera is very nice.You can make 8x10" blow ups that are beautiful.And get great shots inside, outside, sunny or cloudy. Great zoom, plus you can get a lens kit for it. And the softwear that comes with it is makes it so easy to record the pictures onto your hard drive,drop into the kodak picture program to print or enlarge, correct or E-mail. I like Mine, you should get one.
32 Unimpressed
Pictures from the Kodak are not quite up to scratch. At 'best' resolution, the prints are unimpressive and indoor shooting is almost a complete no-no on this camera. The lag on the shutter action is enough to "lose a moment", and the red-eye flash mode is a tad simplistic. On the plus side, the av-usb connector for a direct tv slide show is absolutely fantastic. Unfortunately, the lack of an adapter/DC connection takes a heavy toll on battery life.
33 Dissapointed.
I bought this camera last December based on the reviews of some people here. What a mistake! 2.2 Megapixels is not enough for taking pictures indoors even in daylight. I had some pictures printed by OfotoNow and came back dull as ever. That was pictures measuring 6x4 and in the best resolution for the camera. Now I find it hard to believe 80 people have a problem with their eyes. Maybe some people are just easily satisfied. Now I am looking for a camera that takes pictures in as high a resolution as regular film cameras.
34 Digital Photography Easy!!
Overall, if you're looking for a flexible, easy-to-use, easy-to-learn digi-cam, the DX3600 from Kodak is a nice place to start. It's basically a point and shoot camera that makes digital photography (and videography!!!) accessible even to non-techies.
FEATURES:
Digital Camera: At it's highest resolution of 1800X1200 it can hold about 25 pictures or so. The easy to review LCD screen gives you instant feedback on your pictures and helps you decide on the spot whether or not they are worth keeping. You can add on another memory card to give you even more flexibility with the number of shots you can take.
Digital Video: This is actually what sets this product apart from others in the market. The digital video features allows you to actually record up to several minutes of video. The video is automatically saved to MPEG format for easy playback on your PC.
Easily Works With Your PC:
The DX3600 connects easily with your PC and comes with transfer software so you can easily download, edit and e-mail your pictures and videos, this allowing you to share your pictures easier with family and friends.
THE VERDICT:
Overall, if you need a nice, easy to use camera to record your everday (and not so everyday) moments, the DX3600 is a nice camera to start with. If you need somewhat they gives real close attention to detail (like if you're taking pictures of documents with fine print) this isn't for you. However, for everyday/normal/touristy use, this is just perfect.
Highly Recommended
35 Do NOT buy one......TRUST ME.
This product is garbage. Kodak has really let us down with this camera. When it works it is a great camera. The pic quality is great, the movie function is pretty nice as well but something is inherently wrong w/ these cameras. I have returned mine 3 times and every single camera has had the same problem. There is something wrong w/ the power source/batteries. The camera when new will typically work well for the first couple of uses and then it will start to power off like the batteries are dead. YOu can test the batteries and they are fine. I just received my 3rd camera yesterday and it is doing the same exact thing that the other cameras were doing. 3 out of 3 cameras w/ the same problem obviously means that your chances of owning one without any problems is not good. If I could return it for a full refund I would but now I have had it too long. MY LOSS!!!
36 Very nice camera
Coming from a guy who is not that good with electronics, I found this camera easy and fun to use. Not only is it quick and easy to take point and shoot pictures, but the software that comes with the camera makes it is easy to upload your favorites onto your home computer. This Kodak camera is lightweight, compact, and will be easy to take with you on vacations, parties, or anywhere else you could possibly need a camera. The LCD screen is nice and in a great format. The picture is clear and the menus are easy to scroll through. You can line your picture up using the view finder, or (which is another nice thing about this camera) you can line up what you are going to take the picture of in the LCD screen and get it lined up exactly how you want it.
If you are looking for an easy to use, quick and efficent camera. This is the one. Kodak does a superb job making the picture experience as fun and painless as possible.
37 Kodak DX3600
Just returned from two days in Colonial Williamsburg and shot 253 pics. This is my first foray into the digital camera world and it was super tough leaving my EOS Rebel at home. I'm used to the 28-300mm zoom lens and shooting shot after shot quickly. I bought the 3600 in March 2002 and this was my first real "test" with it. Both good and bad...
First the good: When I returned last night I loaded all 253 shots into my Mac Powerbook using iPhoto. Loading and previewing the images was a snap! Probably over 95% of the shots were good. It took a few shots for me to properly steady my pics, but I did. I really enjoyed the ability to immediately see what I had shot and determine whether to keep it or not, although in the bright sunlight seeing images in the display is difficult. I like simply putting another compact flash card into the slot instead of changing film every 24 shots or so. I had taken the camera to a friend's wedding a month earlier and found that the flash is only good for about 8-10 feet or so. So, for distances over that, turn off the flash. You will be surprised how well the shots turn out.
The bad: From what I had experimented with earlier, there really is a lot more light out there that one would imagine. But, this meant turning off the flash each time the camera was turned on. Yes, that's right, with digital cameras, unlike my EOS, I had to turn it on each time I wanted to take a pic. We stopped by a park on the way to eat lunch and after taking a few initial shots, I left the camera on while I ate a sandwich. Batteries totally unusable. I had to switch to the backup set and put the others on charge. Being used to the zoom capabilities of my 35mm, I found the 2X optical somewhat lacking. I used it more for framing the shot than zooming. There were some instances where a better zoom would have been nice. I had experiemented enough to stay from the digital zoom, because I am not that steady.
I also noticed that there is no way to control the exposure; it's automatic. Again, being used to the EOS, I did have a few blurry shots where the lens stayed opened longer that I wanted. I also should have bought a "pouch" or something to carry my camera and accessories in. The wrist strap fit nicely and the camera is easily used with only one hand, but having it around my neck would have been more comfortable to me...yes, the EOS thing again.
Overall: Probably my biggest complaint is the zoom capabilities and lack of control over exposure. Again, there is turning the flash off each time I turned on the camera. I finally worked out the system, "flash" "flash" "select" to turn it off when unable to easily see the display.
Would I recommend this to first-timers? Yes, it's a good camera for the money and the 2mp is plenty...I don't remember the last time I printed a pic larger than 8X10...do you? I used the highest quality setting all the time and turned the viewfinder off to save battery consumption.
I may still go back to the EOS on the next trip I take...maybe not. I think I will look for the Olympus 2100 because of its zoom and stabilizer capabilities. (I didn't buy it earlier because I hesitated to spend [the money] to begin digital photography.) Buy this as your first digital camera and experiment with it a lot. It is actually a good camera and will help you make the transition into digital photography. As I said, for the next excursion, I will either take the EOS or get the Olympus. Digital has the advantage of not having to change the film cartridge every 24 shots and then not having to wait for the local "one-hour" developer to see what you have taken. That is something I really like.
I hope you found this info helpful.
38 Big letdown so far.
The day I got this camera I tried taking some pictures indoors and noticed the flash was not working. I called the Kodak company, and they walked me through some procedures to make sure I was operating it correctly. Needless to say, the flash does not work and I am sending it back to Amazon.com for another one. I just hope this doesn't happen again or else I will never buy another Kodak camera again. Kodak said I could send it in for repair.....yeah right, no way! I paid for a new one that works, and that's what I'll get.
39 Takes great pics, but what is up with the batteries?
I bought the DX3600 about a month ago, and was immediately impressed with the quality of the photos and extreme ease of use. I had done fair amount of research and determined that this unit was the best bang for the buck in the 2 megapixel digital camera price range. I even added the docking station which is a nice convenience to recharge the batteries and transfer images with no hassle.
Another selling point for me was the video mode, which works very well (no, this is not camcorder quality) for quick clips of my son that I can save or email. It would be nice to have an option to at least use the 2X optical zoom (why not?) to bring the action a little closer, but it is what it is.
However, it did not take long to realize that there was a problem. The battery life would ususally only last for 10-20 shots, than just die without warning. I tried leaving it on the charger longer, but the same thing kept happening--sometimes even worse! I figured that unit must be defective, so I took it back for a replacement. The new unit worked only marginally better for the first day, but then started acting just like the other one. Major inconvenience!
I would expect to be able to shoot AT LEAST 60+ shots with the LCD screen in use before the batteries flopped, but no such luck. I have even been careful to shut it off when I was not about to use it again immediately. Often times it would just not turn on again!
I have read reviews from many others who have had similar problems, but I am not willing to deal with Kodak to try fixing it. It is truely a shame, because it is so very simple to operate and the picture quality is excellent. Be that as it may, I am dumping this unit and buying a Canon PowerShot S330 ELPH camera. They are a bit more expensive, but seem to offer more for the money (including a 3X optical zoom rather than a 2X) and do not seem to have such reliability problems. Also, the Kodak is definately not pocket sized as is the Canon. I wish I could recomment the DX3600, but it just dissapoints.
40 Simply the best value for your money
Easy and fun to use, I get excellent picture for every single shot. I've enjoyed getting good results out of this camera without fussing over a whole lot of buttons/settings. Don't know what else to add to the review. I would say just buy this unit and try it out yourself, and let everyone else knows what you think.
41 Just as described
This is my first digital camera, and it is terrific! Easy to use, even for someone who doesn't read instructions. I took many pictures using the standard quality setting and they are excellent. The one touch transfer process is a breeze, and the camera capacity with the 128 MB picture card I purchased is more than sufficient. The digital movies I took are quite good, and the sound is excellent. I would recommend this camera without reservation.
42 Great all purpose Digital camera for the Price
This camera is a great starter or all purpose camera. It takes great pictures and is quite simple to use. There are not a lot of bells and whistles to confuse the novice, or burdon those who want to just point and shoot, but it still takes great pictures. Be prepared to purchase a memory card as the 8MB internal memory will be very limiting.
43 Avoid Like The Plague
I was warned by a friend who is knowledgeable about digital photography to avoid Kodak products at all costs - I though he was exaggerating!
I received the package in good condition with no signs of damage or rough handling. I opened the package and followed the instructions, the camera took a total of 4 pictures and quit! I repacked it and sent it back the same day.
The folks at Kodak should be ashamed at the quality of their products. Take my advice and don't be played for a chump. DON'T BUY KODAK.
44 Great little camera for the price.
This is my third digital camera. All of them have been Kodak & I had been satisfied with them (aside from a few issues on the DC50) - they are all still working fine. I bought this one for the 2 megapixel resolution, the optical zoom and the 2:3 image ratio (so you can print out a 4x6 image without cropping). After using it, I also like how light it is - it only requires two batteries rather than four (as some of it's competitors). The video feature comes in handy in a pinch. Certainly plan to upgrade to at least a 128mb Compact Flash card.
There is always room for improvement. USB 2.0 support would be good (it can never be fast enough). A 3x optical zoom or better would make it more attractive to consumers. The looks are goofy - I think I prefered the traditional forms of earlier models & the on/off switch keeps switching back on as I slip the camera into the camera case.
45 Reliability a Keynote
I purchased a DX3600 for specific work in genealogical research. I needed a camera able to cope with lots of work and the DX3600 has fully met all my needs. In the past three months I have taken over 10,000 images, all of which have been faultless, and the camera has not missed a beat. It is so simple to use and to download. I would highly recommend it to anyone needing a reliable digital camera with high output of quality images.
46 I researched before I chose this camera
I still wasn't sure, but when I saw the 8 by 10 I printed where my black cat's fur was visible as fur, not a black blotch, and he was easily recognizable, the colors of his cat tunnel were bright, as the tunnel actually is, and many of the titles in the bookcases behind him could be read. I got some close-ups of my two black cats that I'm really pleased with. I use the USB connection to upload to my computer. The software is easy and prints various sizes, including 3 by 5 - four on a page.
47 Super Easy to Use and Great Photos!!
Well first of all I should say that I have a new Mac Ibook because I see that there seems to be problems with the kodak program using windows. I should also say that this is not my first digital camera so with that said here's what I think.
This is probably the best digital camera either myself or my friends have used. Because I was familiar with digital cameras I had also bought a 128 card so i could take 200 pics on the best mode (1800 x 1200) which takes excellent pictures and on the good mode (900 x 600) i can take almost 700!! The controls were so easy I didn't have to read the instructions to figure out how to work it and when I was done taking pictures...I didn't even have to load software because Macs come with IPhoto and all you do is plug in the usb conection and push the little button on the dock (i'll get into the dock in a minute) and wham...there are your photos. Unbelievably simple....unlike other experiences I have had with digitals where the instructions might as well be written in another language...
The video that comes with the camera is great when you don't want to bring a camcorder and your camera. And the really nice feature is while most cameras are limited to 30 sec of video and sometimes no sound, this camera does sound and is only limited in time to how much memory you have. I've shot 3 minutes worth of stuff that nobody else got.
Run out and buy this camera, there are lots of deals and you won't be disappointed.
Here are my recommendations if you do buy this camera:
1. all digital cameras don't do well on regular batteries so do yourself a favor and buy the dock which comes with rechargable batteries. Also it keeps the batteries charged constantly which is nice. The dock also has a single button to push to transfer all your pictures which is nice also. I have no idea why they don't just package the two together since you really do need to have the dock.
2. As with all digital cameras, buy extra memory the day you buy it. 8 is just not enough for anything and I don't know why all the camera companies continue to even sell cameras with just 8. Buy as much memory as you can afford, that way when your at your special event you won't run out of memory right when you need to take a picture.
48 Good Camera, battery pack problems
Excellent picture, with great features and user-friendly software. I have had to return the camera several times due to problems with battery back and docking station. Because this was one of the first models with the docking station, I recommend buying a later model DX3700, 3900, 4900, etc. Hopefully they have worked out the kinks.
49 An excellent entry level camera
As someone who remembers to develop her film a year or more after it is done and takes a year to complete a roll, I just couldn't be classified as a shutterbug. Now that I don't have to worry about the cost of film developing and the extra step of taking it to get developed, I've begun to take lots of pictures and experiment.
This camera was a good value for the money and easy to set up on my Win98 system. The pictures come out very well.
The only problems that I had with the camera is that the battery pack that you use with the dock seems to sit loose in my camera, occasionally causing the camera to think that it is out of batteries. When that happens, I simply reseat the batteries and I am fine. This doesn't happen often enough for it to impact my enjoyment of the camera. (This is most likely the issue with the camera not turning on, but flashing a red light that a few people mention below.)
50 A great experience!
I am a newbie to the digital world. I selected a Kodak because I thought it would be a good entry level brand to go with...easy to use, etc. I was not disappointed. The camera is very easy to use and generates great pictures...with great sharpness and wonderful color. The dock makes transferring the jpeg image files to computer a snap, and the Kodak software allows you to manage the images very easily. My only surprise came with how quickly the batteries are used up. Although the dock recharges the batteries while the camera is mounted, I have gone out and purchased a supplemental charger and extra batteries to keep me snapping away without having to quit after one set of batteries is gone.
A great choice for my first foray into the digital world!
51 Perfect 2MP camera!!! But 2MP is insufficient
I bought this camera in February and sold in May to buy a better one (a Kodak DX4900). Why? I'll explain.
This camera has a great price value, takes very good pictures. If you don't have more money, buy this one. But be warned, 2MP is simply not enough. I don't need super-fantastic-extra quality prints but I do like getting a 6x8 or 8x10 print where you can't tell if the picture has been taken from a digital camera or from film camera.
The printers most online photo companies use to print digital images print 300dpi (dots per inch). That means that to get the best picture you can have you need a picture with that resolution. If you want a 4x6 print you'll need a (300x4) x (300x6) picture. That is 1800x1200, which is the maximum resolution this camera offers. That's right; you need at least 2MP to print a perfect 4x6 print. If you don't believe me, ask the company where you'll get you're prints from, what's the resolution of their printers. Yes, with 2MP you get good 6x8 prints and not to bad 8x10. But to get a 8x10 picture where you can't tell if it's a film picture or a digital one you need at least 3MP or more.
If you don't mind about the resolution, the camera is perfect. I loved it. Except the sound of the videos had a poor quality and my batteries usually ended before my 64MB Compact Flash filled up. I always took extra batteries in my pocket.
52 Seems Super, Another masterpiece
Kodak has done it again. This super Camera offers many quality features you can trust upon. For me, the dock is utterly irrelevant. You can transfer pics equally well without it.
Super thing!
CONGRATULATIONS! KODAK AND AMAZON
53 Kodak DX3600 Digital Camera
Wow!!! What a nice camera. This is definitely a camera made for a man. I was able to use the camera without reading any of the directions.(I eventually did read them). The lithium battery that came with the Camera are still going strong. Also the recordable .mov movies that you can create and share over the internet are great. But they do take up a good chunk of memory. The only down side is having to ...spend the moneyfor the docking bay. You can't recharge the batteries without it.
Overall: good work Kodak, you made me a loyal buyer.
54 One of the best cameras under $[money]!
I've used this camera for about 8 months and very pleased with it. If you buy the dock, it keeps the camera charged 24/7 and comes with a one-touch transfer feature for beginners. It's great that you don't have a time limit when recording video! Even most of the expensive brands have a 5 to 60 second time limit...but DX3600 will keep recording as long as you have free space in your multimedia card. Good sound quality during playback and looks good even on bigscreen TV.
PROS: Cool design. Good 2.2 MP pics. Unlimited video recording. Decent optical (70mm)and digital zoom. 1 touch photo transfer. Fully automatic operation. AV (both PAL/NTSC)out. USB out.
CONS: Can't use zoom or flash when recording video.
55 very nice for the money
I bought this camera with the docking station and I LOVE using it! I had my digital pictures processed using Ofoto and they turned out better than regular film processing. I had indoor and outdoor pictures processed and they both turned out marvelous. The camera is easy to use. Definitely purchase a memory card with this. I just wish the zoom worked on the LCD screen instead of just in the viewfinder. I keep it on the docking station when I am not using it and I have never had a problem with the batteries running out of power.
56 Kodak DX3600
This is a nice camera with very good features for the price, however there seems to be a very long delay in the picture taking process. If the subject is moving at any speed at all, it usually is out of the view finder by the time the picture is recorded, unless you try and follow it like a video cam. Another problem has been the on/off switch. At least 50% of the time the camera will not turn on, and on some occasions turns off before the timer feature is activated and will not turn on again. This appears to be a fault with this unit and not a funtion of the camera in general. I have read others have had the same problem, which leads to a suspect quality control issue with Kodak. I will return this camera and try another unit, because I do like the features, however the long term sevice contract may be something to consider for the Kodaks at the time of purchase.
57 Camera is great when it works..On/Off does not function well
This camera would rate a 5 when in working condition. The pictures are clear and it is very easy to use. However, I had to return the camera 2 times for having the same on/off switch problem (I will be buying a different model after the 2nd return)...Problem is that it does not consistantly turn on when you turn on the on/off shutter..A red blinking light comes on and the camera does not turn on....I'm wondering if anyone else has had this problem...
58 Excellent camera and inexpensive to boot
Did research on digitals before purchasing. I'm only an average user that didn't need too many bells and whistles, mainly wanted one to take pictures at my beach wedding, etc. This camera got good reviews every site I went to. So I went out and purchased the camera, got it home, and was up and running with it instantly. The software was easy to setup and gave me no prob's on a 200mhz celeron with 64mb, and with just the USB cable-the transfer from camera to computer was still easy. I was totally impressed. I've also read about short battery life. I did buy NiMH batteries and a quick charger, but haven't had to use them yet.....the one-time Nicad's that came with the camera have been going strong for the last 5 days...and believe me, i'm putting the camera thru it's paces...this is a new toy to me, and I've taken well over 400 pic's of everything and anything to test the quality. The picture quality is excellent, the camera is easy to use as well as the accompanying software. This camera is a total deal and I am very happy with this purchase.
59 DX3600 Easy to use
Out of the box, 10 minutes to load the battery and software, and I was taking pictures. I wanted a point and shoot that was easy. Kodac did just that, perhaps making everything to easy.
Good Points: extreme easy, apparent quality is good, auto adjust for low light or high daylight. Pictures look good, but yet to try it on the printer. No problem with WIN XP. User settings are saved, no need to re-set after turn on-off. Bad points: Could not integrate my email program address book. Had to type the address manually. Note- this was direct from the Kodac program. Perhaps I have some learning to do, but this did prove to be cumbersome. Recommendation: As point and shoot, so far so good. Will see quality when I print out on my photo quality printer. Suspect from what I have seen, these will be OK. Easy - yes. Menus - easy. Instruction book - straight forward. Camera is so far everything they advertised. 2.2 MPx appears good to take the family pics. Video mode works good, be careful, it picks up everything (sound).
60 Great camera should have better software
I love this digital camera. It is just great. I take lots of photos in general via different cameras, and I find myself bringing this one everywhere. It is the best investment if you have a new baby, for example ... it's not as pricey as other models but has all the features. The videos are a little pixelated, but you can always pretend when your baby is older that it was old (like Super 8) technology. In other words, I personally do not mind the mood of the video quality although I would NOT purchase this camera if that were a concern. The photo quality on the other hand is superb. Finally, the software needs better quality assurance. It software crashes every time I transfer to my Windows 2000 Pro system (and also on Win NT). It just stops in the middle of a photo. Fortunately, there is a workaround: Turn your camera on and off and try again. You won't lose the photo, but will end up with a damaged dupe. For every upload, I have 3 or 4 of these. I upgraded the software via a website patch that took a long time to download, but it has the same problem. If it weren't for the workaround, I'd have to say don't buy it. But cross your fingers that this problem is just for now, until a patch comes out.
61 Perfect for 1st-Time Buyers. Eliminated the fear of Digital.
This review is for those people who don't already know a lot about digital cameras . . . . This camera made my first-time digital camera experience very pleasant. I know nothing at all about digital camera technology, so I was extremely anxious about buying and using one. Both the camera and instructions were very easy and user-friendly -- almost like a mini "Idiot's Guide to Using a Digital Camera" (Hey, I'll admit it). The instructions were simple and in plain language -- with lots of pictures to point out where everything goes and can be found.
It took about 10 minutes to figure everything out (where the battery & memory card goes, etc.), and after that I felt tremendously comfortable using it.
This camera went to Spain with me 2 days after I bought it; it took fabulous photos and gave me no problems at all.
On a 48mb memory card I managed to get 217 photos in normal mode. The 8mb internal memory that comes with the camera held 37 normal-quality photos that looked great.
Favorite qualities: Optional no-flash, the ability to instantly look at your photo and decide whether to keep it or not, and the ability to review your photos virtually at will. Many cameras certainly have these features, but the user-friendliness of the Kodak DX3600 took the fear out of using them for the first time.
Get the battery charger & batteries; it really helps.
62 Overall, a great camera!
If I were to rate this camera only on its quality of photos and ease of use, it would be a clear 5 star item. But I too had to return the first rechargeable battery pack and that video recorder part is pathetic. I hate that you can't just buy your own rechargeable batteries and expect the docking station to charge them too. (But you can still use fully charged substitutes) The camera feels a bit cheap with its plastic case but its a wolf in sheeps clothing! The photos that come out of my photosmart printer taken with this camera blew me away! The Outstanding quality of the prints easily matched those of my old wedding camera. Now I fill my albums with high quality 5x7s and larger. If your goal is a digital thats easy to use and makes outstanding photos, this one is a great choice.
63 great little camera
i bought the camera and dock and teamed it up with the hp photosmart 1115 printer and now have a great system of taking and developing pictures. easy to use with great results. i would really and have recommended to others looking into buying a digital camera.
64 Looks great on the surface
The DX3600 looks like one of the best cameras in it's price range. However, after owning one for six months I can tell you that it has some serious pitfalls.
The flash is not strong enough to take a decent indoor picture. Pictures taken indoors will be very dark. This camera takes some great pictures outdoors, but honestly, my DC25 took way better indoor pictures.
The batteries that came with the camera worked for about 4 months, in the last two months though I've gone through about a dozen sets of batteries under the same useage. Sure a couple of those sets of batteries were the cheapo Rayovac type, but even the 1700ma Energizer rechargables only last a couple days of average use.
I do not have the EasyShare Dock because frankly [money] is a bit much for a battery charger when the camera comes with a USB cable to get the pictures out, which does work very well with the included software. Maybe the Dock & the Kodak batteries give better life, but I haven't found the third-party battery yet that lasts more than a week, let alone 4 months.
The Quicktime movie ability is one of the reasons I bought this camera. However, the cameras inability to take a good still picture indoors transfers to the Quicktime feature as well. Images are often too dark and the auto iris changes brightness harshly. This feature does work well out in the day light, just like the still picture function.
All that said, this camera takes some great pictures out in the sun light. If you do mainly outside picture taking, then this is a great buy. The included software is decent, but not great. If the camera had a little more user control over the picture taking process, and the flash were stronger (actually, the flash is probably stong enough, but when the flash is turned on, the camera automaticly steps down the iris...stupid) this would be a very solid camera and well worth the roughly [money] this camera retails for (without the dock of course).
65 Good still shots, don't buy for the video only
The biggest selling point for me on this camera versus others in this class/price range was the unlimited (per memory) video capability, and the Kodak docking system. I was very disappointed in the video quality. I'm not a fan of QuickTime which is the format used. I am very, very impressed with the Kodak docking system, and software!
In the process of preparing to return the camera for one of better still photo quality, and sticking with Kodak's docking system, I found some surprises. The 3600 has a larger LED viewer than the 3700 or 3900. The 3900 has no onboard memory and the 3700 has digital zoom only. Both the 3700 & 3900 have 3.3 megapixel which goes beyond the 8 X 10 print quality compared to the 2.2 which prints only(?) 8 X 10. Neither the 3700 or 3900 have ANY video capability.
If you are looking to catch video only, don't buy this camera. If you are looking for quality still shots for the dollar, ease of using your computer to work with them, this IS the camera!
Needless to say, I will be keeping my DX3600!
66 Kodak DX3600 - prepare to spend a lot more $$$$
After much research on digital cameras and trying them out, I purchased this camera. For the first couple of months I was very disappointed. I could not get the camera to stay charged for more than a half hour or so. Also I couldn't print my photos clearly. After several frustrating calls and emails to Kodak, I did get help with the charging problem. I could never get photos to print, however, so I purchased the Kodak Personal Photo printer. Now I love the camera, I take pictures and print them without dealing with my computer. The camera is very easy to use, the menus are easy to read and understand. My pictures come out great digitally and in print. I recommend this camera but be prepared to pay for a lot of accessories: extra memory, the dock, and possibly the Personal printer if you really want to enjoy it.
67 GREAT CAMERA AT A GREAT PRICE
We got this because it was rated a "Best Buy" by a consumer magazine. We've used a few digital cameras in the past, and this camera was by far the easiest to use.
The video option is great and it even captures sound! We love making little movies of our baby.
Just be sure you get a big memory card to go with it, and you can take pictures and videos all day long.
68 Kodak DX3600 Digital Camera
The Kodak DX3600 Digital Camera is a joy to own. The onboard menus are easy to use, and the camera can change from still photo mode to movie mode at the turn of the dial. With my San Disk 128MB Compact Flash memory card, I can take 797 low resolution photos, which at 900 X 600 resolution, is still clear, crisp, and sharp. The box includes an external video upload cable, which, on the front audio and video ports on my RCA TV, I can play back my stills, or video with sound, and pan and zoom controls. I like it so much, that I'm getting the combo camera/dock for some friends of mine who are getting married this March. They'll need a reliable camera that comes from an established leader in the photography business.
69 Great point and shoot VeriPic compatible camera
This camera is a significant improvement over previous Kodak cameras. We were testing this camera for VeriPic software compatibility and were pleasantly surprised at its ease of use. We had previously used Kodak DC215, DC260, DC265, DC290 and DC5000. We were pleased with how much lighter this camera is than the DC290 as well as this camera is frugal on batteries.
This camera take standard or rechargable AA batteries. This will save you a lot of money in the long run. Beware of other cameras from other manufacturers that use their own battery types. The photos are crisp and sharp and the auto-focus is accurate. The colors from this camera, as is true for all Kodak cameras, appear warm and inviting. Kodak really knows how to do the color mix well! Best of all, this camera will work with VeriPic software so this camera could be used for legal or insurance work where digital photo authenticity is necessary. This is a great all around point and shoot camera.
70 It's easy
This cmeera is almost as easy to use as a 35mm. yet it is digital. All the features are fairly easy to use and are easily explanitory. We shopped around before the purchase of a digital camera, and this is about the best in features for the money.
71 Great Buy!
I wanted to buy a digital camera for about 9 months. I researched the different models and brands on many different sites. I got suggestions from friends, family, people at work etc. When I finally made the decision I couldn't be happier. The DX3600 was a great choice for me. I am not a great photographer but this camera takes great photographs. A few days after I purchased the camera I was at a wedding. My brother who never used the camera before took a picture of myself and my fiancˇ. The picture turned out so well that I used the Amazon/Ofoto service and had it printed as two 8x10 to give to our Mom's for Christmas. The photograph was taken in the same spot and the wedding photographer took pictures and there is almost no difference in the quality. The only downside I can see is the size of the internal memory of the camera. If you are going to take any more then a half dozen pictures at one time you will have to purchase a compact flash card to store pictures. Other than that it's fabulous!
72 DX3600
This camera was a real bargain. It's very easy to use for my wife who is nervous when using digital cameras. For, a digital camera owner and user for five years, it is great. It has great resolution and unlike many digital cameras in this price range a pretty good flash. I wish it had a more powerful optical zoom, but is adequate. A 64 MB card really increases versatility, especially when shooting video. The audio & video is impressive when you consider it comes from a still camera.
73 Usually works pretty well...
but sometimes the camera won't turn on. It has a little door that covers the lens. Once in a while, after turning on the camera, the little lens cover doesn't open correctly. Often it takes several tries to get the camera to turn on properly.
Aside from this irritation, the camera works great. It takes great pictures.
74 Best camera I ever had
This camrea is easy to use and takes great pictures. the software that comes with the camera is great too. Being a man of few words let me quote Tony Tiger,"It's Great!!!!"
75 great pictures, simple to learn, but limiting battery.
this camera takes great pictures is very easy to learn, but the battery lasted 1 day and isn't rechargable.
The easyshare dock comes with a rechargable battery pack, but costs another $....
also, after installing the included software onto my Sony vaio laptop, the computer got very messed up and I had to reinstall the whole operating system.
everything else about the camera is wonderful. It takes really good quality pictures esp. in close up mode. for a reasonable price. And it works very well with my mom's powermac G4.
All in all a great camera with few, though severe, shortcomings.
76 It's Great!
I bought this camera for my own personal use during the Christmas holiday season. I took the camera out of the box and started using it immediately. I was able to go through all the functions of the digital camera without having read the instructions. I even did a video clip. This was my very first time ever using a digital camera. I am a very satisfied customer and would recommend this to anyone purchasing a camera (digital or otherwise). The pictures were simply gorgeous also.
77 Great Camera, plus good options!
I just purchased this camera, and its great! I bought this about a week ago, and have used it on several ocassions, and it takes great pictures. Plus it has the 2x Optical zoom! You cant go wrong with this camera. It hasa solid 2.2 megaPixels, plus many, many options!
78 Great Value
I purchased this camera and I have got to tell you it is a real nice camera. Don't buy it without the dock, it is nice to have the recharing feature. I also purchased a 96 card from Viking that is more than enough.The camera recharges in about 2 hours max. This camera works with XP you just need to go to the Kodak website and download the driver.
If you shop around Amazon has a good deal on the dock and the camera, in fact I could not find the two sold together at any other stores. It is a good value, clear picutures and fun. My 10 year old uses it no problem.
79 The best yet!
I'm 11 going on 12. I have had much experience with cameras, especially Nikons. I take pictures for a local skate park, so I do know what I'm doing. Anyway, so I'm opening my presents on Christmas morning, and I get to the Digital Camera. I decide to test it without even looking at the instruction manual! It was so easy to use and the picture quality is amazing! It's picture quality is as good, possibly better, than the heavy duty Nikons I'm used to working with. The KODAK DX3600 has a darn good zoom on it too and it captures every single moment. It stores up to 50 pictures on its Internal Memory alone! It's wonderful. And the amazing part is that I never had to read the instruction manual to learn how to turn it on/off. I recommend this camera to everyone from novices to experts! Take my advice, get this camera!
80 Kodak is back ! The DX3600 Zoom is the Best in its Class!!!
Finally Kodak, the father of the family box camera arrives big in the Digital Camera Arena loaded & user friendly.
The DX3600 has it all and will please all, firm the casual amateur to the avid photo buff.
Summary: This is Consumers Choice for a really excellent Digital Camera to have. A great value and easy to use. Takes great pictures and videos (320x240) with sound (NOTE: With the 2x2 LCD screen they can be reviewed, edited, copied, & deleted). Easy down load capability to your PC with the provided software. (NOTE: Kodak has an entire stand-a-lone System (no-PC required)to include the; Camera Dock, Personal Picture Maker 200 printer & Kodak Photo paper available see my reviews). The DX3600 has a 2x Optical zoom (very important for true magnification without loss of detail) & hi res - 1600x1200 lines for outstanding 8x10 pictures! Has 8MB internal memory (12 hi res pictures or 30 seconds of video w/sound). Additional Memory can be provided by Picture Cards. (Note: I recommend a 96MB card this will provide an additional 140+ pictures!!!! Remember you can review/edit/delete pictures as you go). The DX3600 comes with rechargeable batteries (good for 30 - 50 pictures per charge / depending on your LCD use). (Note: I recommend you take extra AA batteries (DX3600 uses 2)for long photo shoot outings !!!) The Camera Dock option is a great unit to include on your trips. The DX3600 also comes with a USB cable for PC hook & an audio/video cable for TV hook-up!!! This way you can all see immediate picture results. (NOTE: you have a slide show feature in this camera. This is awesome!!)
The quality of your pictures will improve and become outstanding the more you use the camera. This is a versatile, easy to use, great money value and Kodak is the only Digital Camera manufacturer that provides the complete economical photo products from the camera, Photo printer w/LCD screen/direct Picture Card access, famous Kodak photo paper (Satin, Hi-Gloss finish etc.), Photo inkjet cartriges and Picture Cards up to 128MB. This Camera is awesome and with the great price and the 2.2 megapixels is all you need!!! Enjoy.
81 Excellent Entry Level Camera
This is my first digital camera. I have used them in the past and am fairly familiar with the technology.
First, here are the requirements that I had when I went shopping/researching:
- Very easy to use
- Good battery life
- 2.1 megapixel
- Battery charger
- Ease of downloading
- Universal Serial Bus (USB)
This camera met all the requirements. At 2.2 Megapixels, the pictures are really good. 1200 x 1600 at max and 600 x 800 at min. I have had the camera for almost four weeks now. I guess I have taken around 500 pictures so far. I have tried all the settings.
At high resolution, I took Christmas pictures. I printed the pictures on a Cannon S600 printer at 4 x 6 size. The printed pictures were extremely good. We sent them out with the Christmas cards this year.
I bought the camera dock at the same time. This is an extremely useful add on. To download the pictures (and recharge the batteries) all you do is turn on your computer, dock the camera and press the download button on the dock. The software loads and asks where you want to put the pictures on the harddrive. Very easy.
I bought a 64 meg Compact Flash. At high resolution, I can get 96 pictures. At low resolution I can get 406 pictures.
Also, the camera has the ability to take digital video. 300 x 200 and something a bit lower. An interesting feature, but of limited use. Since the aperature is so small, you need plenty of light. The microphone is over sensitive. Anything above normal voice levels is distorted. Still, it is interesting. With the 64 meg card, I can get around 12 - 15 minutes of video at the max resolution.
I like the camera and have no complaints. So far, it has met or exceeded all of my requirements for an entry level camera.
82 Great Camera
To tell you the truth, the DX3600 is an absolutely great camera for the price. The first praise for the camera would have to be its image quality. The quality is excellent. I printed out an 8 by 10 photo and was utterly surprised by the detail in the picture. The optical zoom is great too, it dosen't degrade the quality of the pic at all. I wouldn't recommed using the digital zoom option. Though most people say that the flash could be stronger, I think that the flash is great. It creates the perfect lighting without burnout (Super white in the middle of the piture) like many digital cameras do. The movie mode is an awesome added bonus to the camera. You need to have good lighting to film in movie mode. I'd also recommend getting at least a 32mb flash card. With it, you can take up to 49 highest quality pictures. The menus of the camera are simple, making the camera easy enough to use to where a 7 year old could operate it. It's the perfect family camera. The battery life is about 150 pictures with RAYOVAC 1600mAh rechargeable batteries. The camera is made of plastic, yet I'm surprised at how sturdy it is. I was carrying much things in my hands including the camera when the camera fell 3 or 4 feet onto my tile floor. I examined it an found no scratch, dent or crack. I then tried it out and it still worked like a charm. Thank you Kodak.
My only complaint for this camera is that it induces much noise into the picture when the flash is not used in low light conditions.
Overall, I think that this camera deserves a 5 star rating for its ease of use, quality, and durability.
83 Easy to Use
I just got this camera a few days ago. Very easy to use and manual is very easy to understand. I even used it prior to reading the manual and I have never used a digital camera before. The software loaded with no problems and the camera dock works great. The picture color looks good, although I have not printed any yet. I even veiwed the pictures on our TV and they looked good. I have not had any problems with the batteries, but Christmas isn't here yet, so I haven't taken very many pictures, and have put the camera back on the dock when I've finished taking the pictures. I read many reviews and picked this camera based on the options, value for the price.
84 junk
this camera looks good online, but it is made of cheap plastic. The lens has trouble sometimes so pictures have to be retaken. I DO not recommend this camera to anyone!
85 Worked great for five hours
I loved this camera when I first started with it-it was easy to set up and start taking pictures right away. My impression was that the body of the camera was rather flimsy, however, the picture qality was very good for my purposes. I took some pictures of my work, used the software to edit them, printed them out, and now these pictures are in my portfolio. Sometimes it seemed finiky- you had to push a button two or three times to enter what you wanted. But, in general, it worked great for a couple of hours. Then, the camera just quit! Can't charge the battery, can't use the lithium batteries, nothing! The lense will not retract into the body of the camera when it is off. The only life I get from it is a very brief (half a second) display that says "Camera needs service" before it goes dead again. I don't know, maybe I just got a lemon, but if I could afford a pricier camera with all of the DX3600 features, I would probably get it.
86 Good for the price
It's simple and effective. Picture quality is great. Works with XP after you download the updated software. Only complaint I have is the battery life. The camera comes with Lithiums which will be dead after playing with the camera for a little while. The rechargables that come with the dock aren't bad. If you plan on using the video feature, plan on buying a NiMH charger for extra batteries. I filmed three mpegs (about 1 minute each) and the batteries were drained. Under regular point and click cases it works fine. I took about 60 pictures and the batteries were still good. Make sure you get a memory card. A 32MB card will hold about 50 top quality pictures and 190+ regular quality.
87 Great for Vacations and Everyday
I got this camera a few days before a Disney vacation. It didn't take long to learn how to use it and took great pictures! The movie mode is great for fast action like rides, when a still frame doesn't capture it all, but they do use a lot of memory. I would suggest a 128mb card to make sure you have plenty of room. The battery is great because its rechargable, with the dock, but keep a spare set with you in case it runs out of power. I'm guessing 50 to 100 pics on the battery, but it also uses a lot of power if the LCD is on a lot or if you review and delete a lot. Downloading at the touch a a button is awesome, especially if you have over 400 pictures to download. Any other way, you would sit at the computer for hours! It's great not to have to reload film all the time. I only wish I had bought it sooner!
88 Simplicity at it's best
We wanted a simple camera that took great pictures and we got it. With everything automatic there are not a lot of ways to mess up a picture. It is a true point and shoot and downloading is touching a button. No hassles!
We have taken some(I think)great pictures and have printed them out 8x10 with fine results. We have an early Christmas party this weekend and we can't wait to get the grandchildren and the rest of the family with no more 6 month wait to use the film and get it developed.
89 First Digital Camera
I bought 2 of these, 1 for myself and one for my mother as a Christmas present. I'm trying mine out, and so far, it's terrific. I especially like the dock, and actually, that was the main reason that I looked at the KODAK line in the first place. It really is as simple, as advertised, to download pictures to the computer from the dock with the touch of 1 button.
The included software is simple to use and basic, but does most everything that the average photographer will need to do. I really like the ability to easily send a digital photo as email.
I'm not sure that I'll use the video function very much, but it's an interesting feature to have.
Overall, I think this is an excellent value, especially compared to several other cameras that I looked at.
90 Excellent camera for the price, minor battery problems
First, the quality of the pictures is excellent. The videos with sound take some practice to make look and sound good. We got a 64 MB CF type 1 card and rarely fill it all the way up (using highest quality settings). A good camera for the price - no real complaints except as noted below.
I have experienced the battery problems mentioned by other owners. For some reason, the camera looks at the fully charged 1.2 volt NiMH battery and thinks it's not fully charged (Lithium and Alkaline batteries are 1.5 volts each). I was never able to get stand alone AA NiMH batteries to work.
If you have a dock, this seems to help: Place the camera on the dock and wait for the light to go from red to green. Repeat the process several (around 5 or 6) times (remove the camera and replace it on the dock, wait for the light to go from red to green). I can now shoot 40 meg of movies and take 10 pictures with flash with no battery problems.
91 Sooo easy
This is a great camera system. Ease of use while taking pics, and transfering. The software gives you many enhancement tools.
Very fast tranfers because the camera is always at 100% power while on the dock. I just love.
92 A great digital camera for everyone - Highly recommended!
I bought this camera bundled with the dock last week. It has been a sound investment, in fact I sold my DX3500 to get this one! The optical 2x zoom is a great additional feature and if needed the 3x additional digital zoom is okay. (...) The movies are not of great quality, but they are perfect for fun and sharing, especially via e-mail to family and friends (I plan on using it on the race course when I autocross next season...perfect movies for the PC). I am thoroughly impressed with this camera, it's value, options, and quality...truly the most bang for your buck camera on the market. I don't even have to tell you how many great accessories are available for this camera. The software was very easy to install and use and the one-touch downloading from the dock is an invaluable luxury that works like a dream.
This is my 3rd digital camera upgrade this year! From a Kodak DC3200 to a DX3500 and now this one, I do not regret the slight upgrade from the DX3500, this DX3600 has many advantages in my opinion for just aslight amount more. I do not see myself upgrading for a while to come. When I do it will be in addition to this one, not a replacement...Highly Recommended!!!
The one and only issue...You need to be patient!...the bundle does not come with any charged batteries. And although the manual says it takes 2-2.5 hours to charge the included batterey pack, it actually takes a lot longer for that initial charge to prep the camera. The first day I had the camera the status light would randomly blink red and the camera would not turn on. This was very frustrating, I thought the camera was defective. Since the first day however and after a solid 24 hour charge period on the dock, I have not encountered this problem since...so please remember... patience for the first charging. Kodak is apparently already aware of this, enclosed with the dock were instructions to re-dock the camera several times for the first charge even if the green light on the dock comes on. It has a very good charge life, but if you are going to be mobile I would recommend getting a MAHA rechargable NiMH battery charger with the 1600 series NiMH rechargables, this charger even comes with a car adapter! A great buy from Amazon, for a great camera.
93 Good camera for any beginner.
This camera has enough good features to make it quite useful. The 3:1 optical zoom is fine (the 2:1 digital zoom is not), the 2.2 megapixel resolution is adequate for enlargements up to 8" x 10", and the flash is acceptable (a bit hot really). The docking station included in this package makes this a very simple camera to recharge and it also makes the transferring of images to a PC almost foolproof. That means a great deal, as the 3600, left in its cradle, is always charged and ready to go, and once returned to its cradle, archiving or emailing becomes an easy task even for a novice. The overall quality is okay but not spectacular, with a cheap plastic feel to it. The weight and balance are also just fair. Lastly, the included memory card is too small but larger cards are readily available. Overall this is a very nice package for the casual user or new digital photographer.
94 Experience with DX3600
This is my 3rd digital camera. I've had a kodak DC-50, and 2 Epson models. Installing the DX3600, the software locked up repeatedly on my Win98 system, finally installed but took about 30 minutes to get a complete, proper install. I let the camera charge for several hours, then began taking pics. I filled a 64 MB flash card and chose objects or views inside my house. I took pics of the same things, using all available options on the camera. I transferred to my pc and the transfer was easy. No problems with the dock or software during transfer. Now for the pictures, most were excellent quality, not too dark, if anything, a bit too light. How you see your pics will depend on your computer monitor settings. As for the Zoom capabilities, when I used the manual zoom, picture quality was excellent. When I let the camera zoom using the software, 'close up mode' the pictures were fuzzy. This is not the mode to use, obviously. I emptied the card and started over with the video featuree. You must have bright lighting for this feature to work. The video was very smooth, but dark. With improved lighting, it was improved, but don't plan on filming the kids opening presents on Christmas or anything special. You'll be disappointed. Over all, the camera is good. Not quite what I expected from previous kodak standards. It is very easy to use. I didn't read the directions and had no trouble with the menus. The dock is optional, mainly for keeping the batteries charged. The camera is lightweight with a plastic shell, dock is plastic too. Overall, I'm NOT 100% satisfied. I don't know if I'll keep the camera or return it for something else.
95 Love the camera, not the battery
I recently purchased this bundle. I love the camera. It is easy to use and the pictures are great. The software is fine for a beginner like me. My problem is with the dock and the rechargeable battery. The dock works great. The pictures transfer to my computer quickly. The problem is trying to charge the rechargeable battery. That does not seem to work. I can leave it in the dock for days, the charge light is green (indicating a full charge) But when I turn on the camera,no power. I even sent my first dock back and have had the same problem on the second setup. I have emailed Kodak and hope they will help. Otherwise I will have to stick with the lithium batteries.
96 Great Camera!
Well, let me start off by saying, I am no camera expert, and this is my first digital one. I must say however, I am quite impressed! There are various types of flashes, such as the red eye flash. It didn't take me long to figure out, and the instructions manual was not needed. There are 2 minor cons: The picture showed on the cameras screen looks a little different than what it looks like on the computer, which probably caused me to delete a few good pictures. Also, this thing eats up batteries very quickly, unless you buy a special kind that the camera comes with. I do recommend this camera to anyone who likes quality digital pictures at a unbelievably low price!
97 Ease with Excellent pictures
I love this camera. It is so simple to use, you take it out of the box point and shoot. I find the color to be bright and true, indoors and out. The dock makes it a breeze to download your photos and the Kodak softwear is simple to use. I did get mine with an additional 34MB flash card which holds about 40 pictures. For someone who wants a camera that is easy to use and gives great photos, this is the one for you.
98 Great camera...
This is my second digital camera. I first owned a Polaroid PDC700 which got dunked in the ocean during a fishing trip. Anyways, those who owned one would know how incredibly slow it was to download pics to the computer using the serial cable connection. Well, with the Kodak DX3600 with dock, it really is as simple as transferring with the touch of a button. And since it's a USB connection, pics of bigger size load much quicker than they ever did on the Polaroid. The Camera's pretty simple and intuitive to learn...Finally, ended up buying one with a dock on Amazon. Picture quality is great. Much better than the ones I took with the Polaroid. The digital and optical zoom are nice features, but they do give you warning that pictures may not be as clear if you use the digital zoom oeer the optical. And after some testing, it was true especially when it comes to close-ups. I find it's a lot better to get more detail using the close-up option rather than focusing manually. Using a Flash indoors may not give you as good a quality picture as outdoors in normal daylight, but it still takes much better pcitures than the fuzzy ones the Polaroid took indoors with a flash. The movie feature is nice though not really recommended to take keepsake digital movies. It's just a nice option to send e-mail videos or small website video clips. I wouldn't video my family reunion with it as that's what true digital camcorders are for...Oh, and the rechargeable battery that comes with the bundle is uncharged. So, for those of you who want to play with your camera as soon as you get it might want to buy some AA batteries beforehand as it takes about 2 hours to fully recharge the batteries when you get them.
99 Well rounded camera.
I purchased my camera in September and it works great. The picture quality is very good, even with the optical zoom. The video option is a great feature, but you do need good (and consistent) lighting for it to work well. The microphone for sound recording (with video) seems to be directional and garbles any narration the operator may try to provide. Overall, a good camera for a good price with quick and easy picture transfer. I would recommend improved image viewing and editing software (i.e. ACDSee).
100 Very good camera. Very good price
I ordered this camera after reading the reviews here at Amazon and I am glad to order it. In general, the camera is very good and the price is good too. Kodak did a good job. The quality of the pictures are very good outdoor, but a little dark indoor but still very good too if you have the lights on at home. I beleive the camera needs a stronger flash. I found the movie feature is very good. You can make movies with sound. The problem is that you can't make movies indoor unless you have a strong light (the movies I made indoor came up to be dark unless all lights are on). No problem with the quality of outdoor movies. The camera is extreemly easy to use with lot of features. There are lot of optional accessories for this camera. The best are the 37mm wide-angle length and the telephoto lens. The battery life is also very good. I have a friend who has the Olympus DC510, and I found out the quality of pictures for the Kodak and the Olympus are similar. However, Kodak camera has the movie feature, lot of more optional accessories and also cheaper. In general, I would recommend this camera to anyone.
