Kodak EasyShare DX3900 3MP Digital Camera w/ 2x Optical Zoom

The 3.1-megapixel Kodak DX3900 offers excellent images, the ease of use of a point-and-click digital camera, and a number of interesting features that help it stand out from the crowd.

The camera's 3.1-megapixel resolution captures images at 2,160 x 1,440 pixels, while lower-resolution modes are offered at 1,800 x 1,200; 1,536 x 1,024; and 1,008 x 720. Picture quality is excellent as the camera picks out the most detail possible, while color reproduction is spot on. The automatic white balance is also very good, helping correct picture color no matter what the lighting conditions.

The camera will happily work automatically; however, a range of manual controls lets you specify exposure, white balance, focusing, ISO speed, and shutter speed. The LCD menu system is well designed, clear, and very easy to use, even though the display itself is a bit on the small side. A 2x optical zoom--with additional 3x digital zoom--is provided and works quickly with a snappy auto focus.

Part of the EasyShare lineup, the camera is compatible with the separately available docking station, which not only provides a permanent USB connection with your PC, but also charges the camera's batteries that are supplied with the pack. The software ties in with the docking tray, letting you transfer images with the press of a button. When connected, the camera also appears in the My Computer window as a new drive, giving you direct access to the memory card. The dock isn't an essential purchase, as you can sync the camera with your PC without it, but it does come in handy and is well worth considering.

The only annoyance with the camera is the tiny 8 MB memory card supplied, which simply isn't big enough for this camera's megapixel capacity. This size of card only allows you to store 7 images at top quality or 15 with a higher compression mode. Fortunately, buying additional memory is not going to set you back too much more. Otherwise, the only missing feature is video-capture, which is offered by many competing cameras. However, there's no doubt about the excellent image quality and the DX3900's ease of use. --Nick Baxter

The sharp-looking Kodak DX3900 is the first 3-megapixel digital camera to be introduced into the EasyShare System lineup. It is compatible with the Kodak EasyShare dock (sold separately), which allows for fast and simple image downloading, in addition to recharging your camera's batteries. The standout features of the DX3900 are its 3.1-megapixel CCD sensor, all-glass lens with 2x optical zoom, 3x digital zoom, autofocus, USB connectivity, and a 1.5-inch LCD screen.

It also includes a built-in flash, real-image optical viewfinder, four image resolution settings, maximum image resolution of 2,160 x 1,440 pixels, and a weight of only 7.9 ounces without batteries. The DX3900 even has white balancing with four settings: automatic, daylight, tungsten, and fluorescent. Included in the box are the following: camera, wrist strap, lithium battery, CompactFlash card, USB cable, video cable, dock insert, user's guide, Quick Start Guide, and software CD.