Kodak DX6440 Digital Camera
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ABOVE: Oceania Regatta passengers board a tender.

View unedited 1242 x 1656 image (527 Kb)

What I liked about the DX6440:

Ease of use. The Kodak EasyShare DX6440's user-friendly design makes it a good choice for beginning photographers, for people who don't use a camera often enough to remember complicated procedures, or for travelers who just want to take pictures without hassle.

Good ergonomics. The DX6440 is big enough to hold comfortably, yet small and light enough to carry around all day. Just as important, the controls are big enough to see and operate, the 1.8-inch LCD display is easy on the eyes, and the rounded body edges won't snag in a purse or coat pocket.

Battery life and options. I was able to go all day on a single charge while visiting ports of call on my Oceania Regatta cruise, even when I took 200 or more photos. And if the rechargeable batteries had died, I could have replaced them with a disposable lithium battery pack in seconds.

Built-in memory. On the one day that I filled up a 256Mb SD card and didn't have an extra with me, the DX6440's 16Mb of onboard memory came to my rescue.

Integrated system design. The Camera Dock 6000 and Printer Dock 6000 make the DX6440 even more useful, as does Kodak's EasyShare software.

Saturated colors. Some digital cameras produce drab-looking images. Not the DX6440, which uses Kodak's Color Science technology to produce colorful digital images that are optimized for printing.

Competitive price. The Kodak EasyShare DX6440 is a bargain at a U.S. street price of $375 to $400, camera dock included.

What I didn't like:

Viewfinder. Most point-and-shoot cameras treat their optical viewfinders as afterthoughts, and the DX6440 is no exception. Based on my experience with two samples, you can expect the viewfinder to be tilted a degree or two from the horizontal, which is annoying if you're photographic window frames or triumphal arches.

Shutter lag and write times. If you're used to a film camera, you may wonder why shots aren't captured and recorded instantly when you depress the shutter button. The DX6440's lag and write times aren't excessive by digital P&S standards, but they're annoying if they cause you to miss a once-in-a-lifetime shot of a Buckingham Palace guard who adjusted his crotch when he thought nobody was looking.

Two missing switches. I missed the DX6440's lack of a dedicated on-off switch (more convenient than the Mode dial) and an exposure-compensation button (to save drilling down through a menu). These are minor gripes, and most users will be happy that Kodak chose to err on the side of simplicity.

Wrist strap. Like most digital P&S cameras, the DX6440 uses a wrist strap instead of a neck strap. You can attach your own neck strap, but the camera's shape and weight distribution make it bounce against your chest if you do. (I solved this problem by tucking the camera into the right-hand bellows pocket of my Magellan's Air Strip Shirt, where it fit perfectly.)

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