Kodak Professional DCS 520 |
The Kodak Professional
DCS 520 (referred to as the DCS 520 from now onwards)
lives up there in the dream world of professional
digital cameras.
Although out of the
reach of most consumers, these cameras are used every
day by professional photographers, journalists and
serious hobbyists.
The 520 is the fourth
generation Kodak Professional digital camera, ignoring
the first generation the second was made up of the
420 and 460 (2 million and 6 million pixels) based
on the Nikon N90s body, the main drawback with the
400 series was the lack of an LCD.
|
| First |
DCS100 |
1990-1992 |
| Second |
DCS200 |
1992-1994 |
| Third |
DCS4xx/EOS-DCS
X |
1994-Present |
| Fourth |
DCS5xx (Canon
EOS-1 body) |
1998 - Present |
| Fifth |
DCS6xx (Nikon
F5 body) |
1999 - Present |
|
The 500 comes in two versions the
520 (2 million pixel CCD) and the 560 (3 x 2 million pixel CCD's -
6 million pixels total). The 500 series is based on the Canon EOS-1N
body with Kodak's digital back, processing unit and expanded feature
set.
The 500 series are also sold by Canon
as the D2000 and D6000.
For this review Kodak were good enough
to loan me the following equipment (thanks to Steve Seah of Kodak
Singapore):
- Kodak DCS 520 Body
- Canon 28mm Lens
- DPA 340Mb PCMCIA Type III Hard
Disk
- Battery & Charger
- ELPAC 885047 AC Adapter (power
supply)
Note:
because of the size difference between 35mm film and the CCD in the
camera you have to multiply the focal length of a lens by a "focal
length multiplier", in the case of the 520 this is 1.6 (focal
length multipliers are listed on the comparison
engine for all pro SLR cameras).
Therefore the 28mm lens supplied
had an effective 35mm film focal length of 45mm. Another example would
be a 28mm to 70mm zoom lens would effectively be a 45mm to 112mm zoom
lens on this camera. (And a 500mm lens would be 800mm !!)
Obviously to get true wide angle
you would have to use an 18mm or less lens.
The
520 and the 560 are also unique in that they feature an anti-alias
filter which prevents the effect known as "aliasing" (rainbow
coloured bands on fine detail such as hair / distant fences etc.).
The anti-alias filter sits between
the lens and the mirror and can be removed if required by removing
a small screw.
This has no noticeable effect on
the viewfinder, exposure metering or focusing systems.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aug 24, 1999
|
Jan 20, 2002
|
Jan 9, 2002
|
Dec 13, 2001
|
No Nikon camera we've tested to date balances stills and video capture as well as the Nikon Z7. Though autofocus is less reliable than the D850, Nikon's first full-frame mirrorless gets enough right to earn our recommendation.
Nikon's Coolpix P1000 has moved the zoom needle from 'absurd' to 'ludicrous,' with an equivalent focal length of 24-3000mm. While it's great for lunar and still wildlife photography, we found that it's not suited for much else.
As a stills camera the Fujifilm X-T3 is a pleasant update to one of our favorite APS-C cameras, significantly improving the autofocus. If you're interested in stills and video, though, it's knockout.
The Nikon Z7 is slated as a mirrorless equivalent to the D850, but it can't subject track with the same reliability as its DSLR counterpart. AF performance is otherwise good, except in low light where hunting can lead to missed shots.
The Canon EOS R is the first full frame mirrorless camera to use the new RF mount. We're well underway putting it through our range of standard tests – take a look at how it compares to the competition and our thoughts on using it so far.
What's the best camera for under $500? These entry level cameras should be easy to use, offer good image quality and easily connect with a smartphone for sharing. In this buying guide we've rounded up all the current interchangeable lens cameras costing less than $500 and recommended the best.
Whether you've grown tired of what came with your DSLR, or want to start photographing different subjects, a new lens is probably in order. We've selected our favorite lenses for Sony mirrorlses cameras in several categories to make your decisions easier.
Whether you've grown tired of what came with your DSLR, or want to start photographing different subjects, a new lens is probably in order. We've selected our favorite lenses for Canon DSLRs in several categories to make your decisions easier.
Whether you've grown tired of what came with your DSLR, or want to start photographing different subjects, a new lens is probably in order. We've selected our favorite lenses for Nikon DSLRs in several categories to make your decisions easier.
What’s the best camera for less than $1000? The best cameras for under $1000 should have good ergonomics and controls, great image quality and be capture high-quality video. In this buying guide we’ve rounded up all the current interchangeable lens cameras costing under $1000 and recommended the best.
The
520 and the 560 are also unique in that they feature an anti-alias
filter which prevents the effect known as "aliasing" (rainbow
coloured bands on fine detail such as hair / distant fences etc.).
Comments