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Designed for Tough Use Many of today's consumer digital cameras are pretty much alike. While some models may differ slightly in resolution, focal range, and styling from others, it's sometimes difficult to distinguish one camera from the next. That's because most cameras are designed for the same customers and the same applications.  One camera that clearly breaks the mold, however, is the new Kodak DC5000 Zoom. Designed specifically for use under adverse shooting conditions in which other digitals would probably fail, the rugged DC5000 is larger and heavier than other cameras with similar capabilities. With class-4 weatherproofing and a rubberized, hard-shelled body, this model is ideal for backpacking and boating, as well as for use by police, fire and public safety agencies that need a camera that will consistently perform in hostile environments. An optional image authentication module for the DC5000 meets legal requirements for digital images intended for use as evidence. In short, while this new digital camera may be targeted at specialty applications, it's also well suited for adventure travelers or people who just want to be able to shoot in the sand, surf or snow. Although the DC5000 is thoroughly weatherized, it's not an underwater camera. Thus, while this model cannot be submerged, it will work perfectly during exposure to rain, heavy surf spray and dust. It is important to thoroughly clean the camera with a damp cloth after shooting under adverse conditions. Easy Operation
With oversized buttons and controls, the DC5000 is very easy to operate, even when wearing protective gloves. Essentially a ruggedized version of the Kodak's DC280, the DC5000 has a 2.1-megapixel CCD with a maximum resolution of 1760x1168 pixels. That's sufficient for very good 8x10s and acceptable 11x14s. The camera also offers a lower resolution option which captures images at a 896x592 pixels. This "standard" setting is useful for online activities and e-mailing. Images are stored on CompactFlash cards in a standard JPG image file format.  | | The Kodak DC5000 digital camera is a rugged, weatherproof model that is specifically designed for use under very adverse environmental conditions. Its rubberized hard-shelled body and class-4 weatherproofing make it an ideal photographic tool for backpacking, skiing, boating and other watersports activities. | Optics are quite good. The camera features a 30-60mm (35mm equivalency) f/6.5-f/13 zoom lens with 3X digital zoom capability. Atop the camera, you'll find a monochrome LCD panel which also serves as a frame counter, along with three buttons for setting flash modes, activating the self-timer, and choosing either infinity or close-up focus modes. Other than the shutter release button, all other controls are on the back of the camera. Below the power switch lever is a larger rotating lever called the mode dial. It's used to activate settings in each of the four operating modes: capture, review, setup and transfer. The DC5000 features a built-in multi-mode electronic flash with a range of 9.8 feet. All in all, the camera has a very stylish, solid, look and feel. Image Preview Options
Images can be previewed on the 1.8-inch color LCD on the back of the camera. The DC5000 also features a coupled viewfinder, which can be used instead of the LCD to frame compositions to save battery power. Once shot, an image appears on the LCD for seven seconds. There's a small trash icon above one of the navigation buttons that can be used to immediately delete an unwanted image. A small black knob next to the mode selector controls LCD brightness. Most digital cameras offer some form of brightness control for the LCD, but it's generally accessed through a sub-menu. That means that all the pictures in a sequence have to be viewed at the same brightness, or the user has to go back into the sub-menu to make the required brightness changes for each frame. That's a cumbersome way to work. It's quite handy to be able to dial in just the right brightness for whatever picture is being viewed on the screen.
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