The Kodak DX3900 3.1-megapixel digital camera is idiot-proof. It aims to please first-time digital-camera users with its responsive performance, automatic exposure control and easy, point-and-shoot operation. Because it lacks many advanced features other three-megapixel models boast, there are fewer buttons to confuse. This is one case where many users can skip reading the manual because no one can possibly get it wrong. Smaller and lighter than many three-megapixel models, the DX3900 is a significant improvement over its predecessor, the 2.1-megapixel DX3800. It is better designed, sleeker and less bulky. It is easy to use one-handed, fitting comfortably in the palm so the user can rest a finger above the shutter button, leaving the thumb free to operate the zoom and menu scroll buttons. Move the thumb down a little, and the control dial is in easy reach. Beside the 3.8-centimetre LCD screen, two buttons give access to the menu and frequently used controls, such as flash settings, timer, macro and landscape modes, and image-delete function. The maximum resolution - 2,160 by 1,440 with a three-times digital zoom - is a big enhancement. The built-in flash is satisfactory for most environments, outdoor and indoor. It comes with an eight-megabyte CompactFlash storage card, which takes up to 25 pictures at the lowest resolution of 1,080 by 750. Kodak makes reviewing and deleting images quick and easy with the quick-play feature. Instead of having to switch out of shooting mode, simply press the button to display and scroll through thumbnail images. Instead of connecting directly to a PC to transfer images, the older model DX3800 came with a separate USB-based CompactFlash card reader that interfaced with the computer. The DX3900 explores the same idea but in a different way, using the Kodak EasyShare system, which is unnecessary and cumbersome. The EasyShare system is a docking cradle the DX3900 can call home. Kodak's pitch is EasyShare makes transferring images easier. Connect the DX3900's cradle to a PC with the bundled USB cable, turn on the computer, put the DX3900 in the cradle and hit the button on the cradle - there is only one button. The Kodak software installed in a user's PC will transfer images automatically to the desktop for viewing, uploading to an online photo site, editing and e-mailing. If Kodak dropped the EasyShare system, users would not have to carry additional hardware, and the adapter to power it. The adapter also charges the camera, though pictures can be taken for days without the need for a recharge. Though I do not rate the EasyShare system against other more common methods of image transfer, such as using the USB cable to connect the camera directly to the PC and using a CompactFlash or other storage media adapter, Kodak has made the software, with its icon-heavy interface, easier to use than some. The Kodak photo-transfer application is so easy even young children can navigate it with few problems. The DX3900 is priced at HK$3,500 and comes with a one-year warranty. Graphic: rev25gwz
