Kodak DC215 Zoom review

Verdict:

Review Date: 1 Dec 1999

Price when reviewed: (£293)

Our Rating 4 stars out of 5

Review
Specs

Despite its svelte looks, the DC215 is surprisingly heavy in the hand, and feels sufficiently well built to survive being dropped.

The button controls are similar to those on the discontinued DC210 which did so well in our May 99 camera test - just in slightly different positions. The same is true once you start using the on-screen display, but this is no bad thing, as the DC210's system was extremely easy to use. There is, however, little control over the picture you take, with management limited to exposure, image quality and size. By default, the DC215's image size is 1,152x864 pixels.

If there haven't been any major improvements over the DC210, there has been one step backwards: the size of the CompactFlash card has been halved to 4Mb. It can only hold 12 'best' quality and 28 'good' quality pictures, which - as you'd expect - is around half the number of the DC210.

Output is nearly identical to the DC210. Disappointingly, however, the DC215's photographs retain the slightly fuzzy and unfocused look of the DC210's, and details in the distance are compressed into a blur. Its one saving grace, of course, is the 2x optical zoom, which brings the object of your attention that much closer.

Taking the camera indoors gave it a new lease of life. Like the DC210, the DC215 reproduces colours extremely well. However, like its predecessor, it struggles to keep small text legible. Overall, Kodak has failed to keep pace with its competitors, and at this price the FujiFilm MX-1500 is a wiser choice.

Author: - Tim Danton

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