DX6490 Firmware Wishlist

Blonk · Nov 28, 2003

claudeo said:
Thanks, Val.

A couple more:

Keep both sharpness and saturation "sticky" when switching from

PASM to auto and back.

Manual WB option (ideally a way to set WB from grey or white

card, maybe by adding to the manual control wheel, where selecting
the manual WB option by pressing the wheel would activate the mode
until balance process either succeeds or times out)

Zebra stripes on highlights when highlights are too hot (like on

pro video cams)

While we're on wish list, how about EasyShare?

Fix the bug in Easyshare so it does not lose the file timestamp

info when copying files from the camera or SD card (it saves the
internal timestamp OK, but the file itself gets its timestamp set
to the upload time).

Bring back some of the tweaking control options from previous

versions.

Have an option to package and bundle files not just to CD, but to

some arbitrary destination e.g. folder, SD card, etc. This would be
nice not only for people using the camera for slide shows, but also
for people like me who can't use ES to make a CD because the CD-R
drive in my laptop is not supported by ES.

One can always dream, no?

How about allowing the camera to be used as an external drive. I'm about to travel overseas and have to take the software or a multi-card reader with me, so I can store photos onto cd at internet cafe's. If windows recognises the camera as a removable storage device, this would make life a little simpler.

Blonk

bobtex · Nov 29, 2003

You asked so...

1 - shooting multiple frames - allow delete of individual frames on the sequence in the post shot review - currently if you hit the delete button you can only delete the entire sequence. - Have to go to review and review individually, select and delete.

2 - speaking of delete - make this easier - currenlty the text on the delete covers the entire picture, making it impossible to make a decision as to what to delete without exiting the delete function. One suggestion is to shrink the delete text to the bottom right of the frame so that you can see 75% of the picture while still in the delete mode. This might prevent Kodak from seeing a lot of cameras come back with faulty / overused joysticks.

3 - while we are wishing - exposure bracketing - allowing multiple pictures / frames taken at + - some fixed level around the selected exposure. This would allow us to compensate for blown out pictures or underexposed pictures, especially for us rookies who are trying to do things on PASM rather than auto all of the time.

The rest are great suggestions. I love the camera and the results. I was on a trip to the Outer Banks of NC (USA) over the Thanksgiving holiday - my brother in law has a sony V1 - we took a lot of the same pictures and consistently used / kept mine because of color (the sony seems to like skin to look bluish) and the clarity.

artisto185461 said:
Please keep it coming.

Val

Eric_L · Dec 1, 2003

I wonder when there will be a new Firmware update...

I just saw pictures at dcresource.com of the Canon A80 (also 4Mp) and these pictures seem to have much more detail than those from the DX6490.

I think the most important things to change in this update are to give the user a choice for lesser compression and noise reduction!

In my opinion it's really a pity that such a great camera as the DX6490 looses details caused by such a high jpeg-compression!
Other brands just let the user decide about this, so why won't Kodak?

Eric

David J Russell said:
Just got this camera, love it! But here is my wishlist for the next
firmware release.

1) Include function to disable AF
2) On Menu's, allow you to go up (wrap- so you don't have to go all
the way down on the menu, to get to the last item).
3) Include an option to relax compression method used, or include
RAW support.

Thats about it.

korvus · Dec 1, 2003

I have'nt had an issue with the compression. All the photos I have taken pretty much equal or exceed the Nikon 5700 I had. I have made 13"x19" prints on my Canon S9000 and although they are different subjects they look every bit as detailed as the prints from the 5700.

korvus

Eric_L said:
I just saw pictures at dcresource.com of the Canon A80 (also 4Mp)
and these pictures seem to have much more detail than those from
the DX6490.

I think the most important things to change in this update are to
give the user a choice for lesser compression and noise reduction!

In my opinion it's really a pity that such a great camera as the
DX6490 looses details caused by such a high jpeg-compression!
Other brands just let the user decide about this, so why won't Kodak?

Eric

David J Russell said:

Just got this camera, love it! But here is my wishlist for the next
firmware release.

1) Include function to disable AF
2) On Menu's, allow you to go up (wrap- so you don't have to go all
the way down on the menu, to get to the last item).
3) Include an option to relax compression method used, or include
RAW support.

Thats about it.

Click to expand...

--
+---------------------+
~ Kodak DX6490 ~
+---------------------+

artisto185461 · Dec 3, 2003

Blonk said:
claudeo said:

Thanks, Val.

A couple more:

Keep both sharpness and saturation "sticky" when switching from

PASM to auto and back.

Manual WB option (ideally a way to set WB from grey or white

card, maybe by adding to the manual control wheel, where selecting
the manual WB option by pressing the wheel would activate the mode
until balance process either succeeds or times out)

Zebra stripes on highlights when highlights are too hot (like on

pro video cams)

While we're on wish list, how about EasyShare?

Fix the bug in Easyshare so it does not lose the file timestamp

info when copying files from the camera or SD card (it saves the
internal timestamp OK, but the file itself gets its timestamp set
to the upload time).

Bring back some of the tweaking control options from previous

versions.

Have an option to package and bundle files not just to CD, but to

some arbitrary destination e.g. folder, SD card, etc. This would be
nice not only for people using the camera for slide shows, but also
for people like me who can't use ES to make a CD because the CD-R
drive in my laptop is not supported by ES.

One can always dream, no?

Click to expand...

How about allowing the camera to be used as an external drive. I'm
about to travel overseas and have to take the software or a
multi-card reader with me, so I can store photos onto cd at
internet cafe's. If windows recognises the camera as a removable
storage device, this would make life a little simpler.

Blonk

Blonk,

If you use Win XP or OSX, the camera does work as a mass storage device and shows up without using any special drivers from Kodak.

Val

Eric_L · Dec 3, 2003

Any idea when there will be a Firmware update?
Will there be something done to the compression level?
Honestly that i really find the most annoying thing of the DX6490....
the awfull high-compression!

Eric

Schmoe · Dec 3, 2003

I'll add my voice to those asking for a user-selectable compression level. Some of my shots, I think, have been pushing the limits of what the camera can do (not because I'm a great photographer, but just because I'm always wondering "can the camera do this?") and even though they'll print out OK, I see jpg artifacts in lots of shots when viewed 1:1 on the monitor. I'd really like RAW support with, perhaps, two or three compression levels.

Jase

Eric_L said:
I just saw pictures at dcresource.com of the Canon A80 (also 4Mp)
and these pictures seem to have much more detail than those from
the DX6490.

I think the most important things to change in this update are to
give the user a choice for lesser compression and noise reduction!

In my opinion it's really a pity that such a great camera as the
DX6490 looses details caused by such a high jpeg-compression!
Other brands just let the user decide about this, so why won't Kodak?

Eric

David J Russell said:

Just got this camera, love it! But here is my wishlist for the next
firmware release.

1) Include function to disable AF
2) On Menu's, allow you to go up (wrap- so you don't have to go all
the way down on the menu, to get to the last item).
3) Include an option to relax compression method used, or include
RAW support.

Thats about it.

Click to expand...

jim cowan · Dec 5, 2003

David J Russell said:
Just got this camera, love it! But here is my wishlist for the next
firmware release.

1) Include function to disable AF

Hi David,

If Kodak's still listening, boy howdy on that. I was in a pizza place taking pictures
of my daughters soccer party. Every 1/2 shutter went through a focusing cycle,
it was dark enough, and I was zoomed 1/2 way, and it was crowded, that focus

would take a long time, watching the EVF shoed subject going into/out of focus 1 or

2 times, and sometimes not settling on the subject. And it seemed it wouldn't stop even though

I lifted off the shutter, until it had focused on something. Frustrating. A killer though

was when the trophies were being handed out, it refocus after each shot, and not always
at the same subject. I gave up trying to photo that.

Again, need some manual control over the focus'ing.

thanks
jim cowan

David J Russell · Dec 6, 2003

Its frustrating in the dark, where it will autofocus - and get the perfect focus and then just blur out and miss it! On my camcorder, you can fine tune the focus, with plus and minus keys if the AF misses it.

Maybe you could fine tune the focus with ... the joypad?

jim cowan said:
David J Russell said:

Just got this camera, love it! But here is my wishlist for the next
firmware release.

1) Include function to disable AF

Click to expand...

Hi David,
If Kodak's still listening, boy howdy on that. I was in a pizza
place taking pictures
of my daughters soccer party. Every 1/2 shutter went through a
focusing cycle,
it was dark enough, and I was zoomed 1/2 way, and it was crowded,
that focus
would take a long time, watching the EVF shoed subject going
into/out of focus 1 or
2 times, and sometimes not settling on the subject. And it seemed
it wouldn't stop even though
I lifted off the shutter, until it had focused on something.
Frustrating. A killer though
was when the trophies were being handed out, it refocus after each
shot, and not always
at the same subject. I gave up trying to photo that.

Again, need some manual control over the focus'ing.

thanks
jim cowan

Mr Majestyk · Dec 7, 2003

David J Russell said:
Just got this camera, love it! But here is my wishlist for the next
firmware release.

1) Include function to disable AF
2) On Menu's, allow you to go up (wrap- so you don't have to go all
the way down on the menu, to get to the last item).
3) Include an option to relax compression method used, or include
RAW support.

Thats about it.

Include histogram!

Jan-Bart · Dec 12, 2003

to go with the flow:
1) user selectable compression...
2) user selectable focus...

and have it ready by friday(and i'll have fries with that)

JB

K8176929 · Feb 17, 2004

I know that this is old, but I see a lot of what we wished for the DX6490 has appeared on the new DX7630, see here
http://www.kodak.com/ ... ... 19/131/1840&pq-locale=en_GB

interesting reading the spec of the DX7630, amongst a lot of new tweaks to the OS, shame we can't have some of these features for the DX6490 (please), but the one that caught my eye was 'Flash compensation -- adjust exposure level + - EV of flash pictures'.
The others that did were:

Exposure bracketing -- automatic 3 images with user-selectable brackets (+ - 0.3, + - 0.7 or + - 1.0 EV)
22 scene and color modes

I also noted on reading the manual that natural colour is the default on this camera.

And this one! there is Fine or Standard for jpg compression, and the manual makes the point of saying 'NOTE: The Fine setting renders a larger file size.

Jan-Bart said:
to go with the flow:
1) user selectable compression...
2) user selectable focus...

and have it ready by friday(and i'll have fries with that)

JB

David Davies · Feb 17, 2004

K8 said:
interesting reading the spec of the DX7630, amongst a lot of new
tweaks to the OS, shame we can't have some of these features for
the DX6490 (please), but the one that caught my eye was 'Flash
compensation -- adjust exposure level + - EV of flash pictures'.
The others that did were:
Exposure bracketing -- automatic 3 images with user-selectable
brackets (+ - 0.3, + - 0.7 or + - 1.0 EV)
22 scene and color modes
I also noted on reading the manual that natural colour is the
default on this camera.
And this one! there is Fine or Standard for jpg compression, and
the manual makes the point of saying 'NOTE: The Fine setting
renders a larger file size.

Jan-Bart said:

to go with the flow:
1) user selectable compression...
2) user selectable focus...

and have it ready by friday(and i'll have fries with that)

JB

Click to expand...

--
David Davies - So there really is someone listening to your prayers!!!!!

greenbushy · Feb 17, 2004

David Davies said:
K8 said:

interesting reading the spec of the DX7630, amongst a lot of new
tweaks to the OS, shame we can't have some of these features for
the DX6490 (please), but the one that caught my eye was 'Flash
compensation -- adjust exposure level + - EV of flash pictures'.
The others that did were:
Exposure bracketing -- automatic 3 images with user-selectable
brackets (+ - 0.3, + - 0.7 or + - 1.0 EV)
22 scene and color modes
I also noted on reading the manual that natural colour is the
default on this camera.
And this one! there is Fine or Standard for jpg compression, and
the manual makes the point of saying 'NOTE: The Fine setting
renders a larger file size.

Jan-Bart said:

to go with the flow:
1) user selectable compression...
2) user selectable focus...

and have it ready by friday(and i'll have fries with that)

JB

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

--
David Davies - So there really is someone listening to your
prayers!!!!!

So come on kodak how about a firmware upgarde for less compression on the dx range of camera even if there is a fee to help pay for the development of this update well then fine and ok, I myself have the 6340 and love it but the choice of less compression would by good much like my old dc280 which produces simillar file sizes in the same pics as the 6340 does, and i don't really intend buying a newer camera so a firmware update to address this issure would be perfect and make the dx seriies cameras top of the range.

Or is it that Kodak don't want to admit to making a mistake regarding this issue.
Greenbushy

iancjc · Feb 18, 2004

greenbushy said:
So come on kodak how about a firmware upgarde for less compression
on the dx range of camera even if there is a fee to help pay for
the development of this update well then fine and ok, I myself
have the 6340 and love it but the choice of less compression would
by good much like my old dc280 which produces simillar file sizes
in the same pics as the 6340 does, and i don't really intend buying
a newer camera so a firmware update to address this issure would be
perfect and make the dx seriies cameras top of the range.
Or is it that Kodak don't want to admit to making a mistake
regarding this issue.
Greenbushy

perhaps they got the commpression spot on - taking into account the Kodak position on the lack of sd cards until september 2004!

makes the 16mb internal all the more vital!

Iancjc

greenbushy · Feb 18, 2004

iancjc said:
greenbushy said:

So come on kodak how about a firmware upgarde for less compression
on the dx range of camera even if there is a fee to help pay for
the development of this update well then fine and ok, I myself
have the 6340 and love it but the choice of less compression would
by good much like my old dc280 which produces simillar file sizes
in the same pics as the 6340 does, and i don't really intend buying
a newer camera so a firmware update to address this issure would be
perfect and make the dx seriies cameras top of the range.
Or is it that Kodak don't want to admit to making a mistake
regarding this issue.
Greenbushy

Click to expand...

perhaps they got the commpression spot on - taking into account the
Kodak position on the lack of sd cards until september 2004!

makes the 16mb internal all the more vital!

Iancjc

Good point

but seriously a 128 meg card is cheap and more than enough for most people who are always close to home, dare i say i think 64 meg is more than adequate for most including myself.

LearningDP · Feb 21, 2004

Any "insiders" know whether Kodak is seriously considering adding a the choice of lower compression in an update?

Perhaps there will be a new 6mp 10x version with the new options they added in the 76xx?

Eric R. · Feb 21, 2004

LearningDP said:
Any "insiders" know whether Kodak is seriously considering adding a
the choice of lower compression in an update?

Perhaps there will be a new 6mp 10x version with the new options
they added in the 76xx?

If by udate you mean firmware update. They have said no.
--
Eric R.

K8176929 · Feb 21, 2004

Eric R. said:
LearningDP said:

Any "insiders" know whether Kodak is seriously considering adding a
the choice of lower compression in an update?

Perhaps there will be a new 6mp 10x version with the new options
they added in the 76xx?

Click to expand...

If by udate you mean firmware update. They have said no.
--
Eric R.

I must have missed that one?

jim cowan · Apr 18, 2004

Hi,
Two more requests:
Change the manual EV level from
grey to white for extra visibility. Its ok
when way out to be red, but the grey
was nearly impossible to see out in the
desert this weekend.

After taking a picture in manual leave
the last chosen item (fstop, shutter speed)
as active, instead of switching back to
PASM choice.

And on a dexterity challenge, just about
every time I over shoot the off and instead
end up on movie. The camera should check
if its back to off before cycling on/off again.
I found that I got it from PASM to Movie
to OFF before the first cycling of the lens
to off mode, then it'd cycle back out and
in again to off.

Still hoping for a firmware upgrade.

thanks
jim cowan

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