Kodak DC290 Zoom

A new burst mode can capture up to four high- or 16 medium-resolution images at up to three frames per second. Manual control of the aperture is also possible in half-stop intervals down to F16, but only through the external flash menu. You can also set exposure compensation to +/-2EV in half stops. Composite video output is offered for TV slide shows, and there's even infrared for wireless connectivity. Probably best of all, though, is the USB interface, which rushes images across in as little as three seconds, compared to around a minute over a conventional serial connection.

The highest-quality JPEG setting on the DC290 reduces native image file sizes of over 6Mb to an average of around 500Kb, with complex images peaking at just under 1Mb. In JPEG terms, this isn't particularly harsh compression, and you'll need to look very closely at this setting to spot any artefacts. In our tests, the DC290 picked up all the detail we'd expect and demonstrated superb colour saturation. It's certainly on a par with both the Sony DSC-F505 and Nikon CoolPix 950. However, one advantage both the DC290 and CoolPix 950 have over Sony is an uncompressed TIFF mode. You may not get many images to the pound - only three in the DC290's case - but for the ultimate quality they're unsurpassed.

The USB connectivity, 20Mb of memory and all the other features make the DC290 an extremely attractive proposition. At this level of quality and features, the choice boils down to personal preference of design, handling and brand loyalty. Two other cameras worth investigating are the gadget-tastic Sony Cyber-shot DSC-F505, and the discounted Nikon CoolPix 950. However, whichever you choose, none of these cameras will disappoint.

Author: Gordon Laing