This, my friends, is the new Kodak DCS ProSLR/c digital camera. This camera has a Canon lens mount, so it accepts all Canon EF (EOS) lenses. So, what does it have in it? Oh, nothing much ... just a 14 megapixel full-frame array, calibrated ISO from 6 to 800 with non-cal'd from 1000-1600, ERI-JPEG (A new form of JPeg with colorspace info and 2 stops of exposure latitude) and more. Oh Mommy .... brings a tear to my eye. :) -=>Donald

Drool! I'm sure they do this just to taunt you. Sure looks like a Canon...

Just weeks after the launch of the DCS Pro SLR/n - the Nikon F-mount based 14 megapixel digital SLR with the industry's broadest ISO range - Kodak are set to launch the Kodak Professional DCS Pro SLR/c targeting professional and advanced amateur photographers using Canon lenses. Available in May at a list price of 2995 (ex VAT), the sibling camera will offer the same superior resolution, broad ISO performance and extended burst depth as the DCS Pro SLR/n but with Canon EOS lens mount compatibility. David Kitchin, Kodak Professional Marketing Manager for Digital Products said: "Now our customers have a choice of lens mounts. With the launch of the DCS Pro SLR/c Canon lens users seeking stunning image detail and the broadest ISO range, can take advantage of the highest performance sensor available in a digital SLR today, plus other features unique to this model. In addition to the EOS lens mount the DCS SLR/c camera also includes an infrared (IR) remote for shutter release, a flash sync of 1/180th of a second with a Focal Plane (FP) flash mode up to 1/6000th of a second when using an EX - series Speedlite, and an overall shutter speed range from 1/6000th to 30 seconds." The DCS Pro SLR/c digital camera contains a high-performance imaging system and full size 35mm size CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) sensor, boasts 14 million pixels with a total available ISO range of 6 to 1600 and offers variable resolution raw files. Added Kitchin: "We offer the best of medium-format image quality with the convenience and flexibility of 35mm photography in our digital SLR cameras. And this latest addition to the portfolio delivers the highest resolution of any digital SLR with an ISO range that meets the needs of a wide variety of professionals including wedding, portrait, event, commercial and advanced amateur photographers. As with the DCS Pro SLR/n, the DCS SLR/c camera leverages the same 4536 x 3024 pixel (effective), 12-bit CMOS imager that covers the full 24mm-by-36mm image area of 35mm film. With a full-size sensor, photographers regain the benefits of true wide-angle lenses and can use their CANON EF-lenses the same way they used them with 35mm film. This new sensor incorporates advanced High Performance-Low Noise (HPLN) technology, incorporating a unique pixel design and an optimized device manufacturing process that enables increased sensitivity and reduced noise levels that result in broader ISO performance." The DCS SLR/c camera's sensor incorporates an enhanced optical transmission system that further increases image quality - particularly with tungsten light sources. Photographers can select the appropriate image size that suits their particular shooting environment and workflow. Full resolution 14MP, 6MP, and 3MP sizes are available for both RAW and JPEG files and thumbnail 0.8MP size for JPEG files only. As with the DCS Pro SLR/n, photographers using the SLR/c will have the benefit of a fully calibrated ISO range of 6 to 800, while those that utilize DCS raw files can also access a non-calibrated ISO range that extends from 1000 to 1600. In addition to this broad ISO range, the feature set for the SLR/c camera includes long-exposure capabilities, enabling exposures up to 30 seconds at settings down to 6 ISO, a full resolution raw image burst depth of ~19 frames from the cameras integrated 512 Mb RAM buffer and a hardware 'sleep mode' that conserves battery life when the camera is not in use. The camera captures images at about 1.7 frames per second. Images can be saved as DCR raw files, normal JPEG files or ERI-JPEG files. The ERI-JPEG files serve as another form of picture protection for photographers, especially in situations where re-shooting is inconvenient. They provide two stops of exposure latitude and extended colour space within a JPEG workflow - a benefit unique to Kodak. Images are stored via COMPACTFLASH and/or MMC/SD memory cards. Images can be written to each card type simultaneously in any combination of the three available formats. In addition, FIREWIRE connectivity - at a transfer rate of up to 12 MB per second - adds speed to the photographers' workflow. Designed with a new, custom magnesium body, the DCS Pro SLR/c camera includes a vertical trigger that works in conjunction with the camera's auto orientation sensor. The sensor detects the camera's orientation +/- 90 degrees from the horizontal position. This enables automatic rotation of the image as it moves to a computer for manipulation, saving photographers' time and improving workflow. Simplifying Digital, Free Firmware Upgrades The DCS Pro SLR/c camera includes features for both new and more advanced digital shooters. The camera operates in two user modes: basic and advanced. It defaults to the basic setting and offers a very intuitive, simple interface. In the advanced mode, the user can access and adjust a host of capture, resolution, storage and other settings. Many key features of the DCS Pro SLR/c camera are based on Kodak Professional firmware and are not hard-wired within the camera, so they can be enhanced and easily upgraded with free firmware downloads from Kodak. Said Wilfried Goll, Product Manager, Professional Digital Capture: "Free firmware upgrades essentially give photographers a 'new' camera, whereas most other manufacturers require the purchase of an entirely new camera system to receive the latest enhancements. Kodak leverages the CANON Evaluative - Through The Lens (E-TTL) flash metering system in the DCS Pro SLR/c digital camera. Now photographers can expect near-perfect flash exposures - an improvement over many existing professional digital cameras. All these new features are hallmarks of our efforts to make digital easier for our customers." The DCS Pro SLR/c has a camera interface localized in nine languages and comes complete with the latest versions of the following software: Kodak Professional DCS Photo Desk - including Expert level noise processing tools Kodak Professional DCS Camera Manager Kodak Professional DCS File Format Module Kodak Professional Extended Range Imaging Technology File Format Module

$4000(US). Too rich for my blood. at least until they have a FF sensor. ;-)

Oh, but it does have a FF sensor. Get out the checkbook. :) hehehe -=>Donald

I've got a buddy photographer who's getting one of these in their hands Tuesday (the Nikon mount flavor) - and we're going to run it through the paces. if anyone has any particular tests they'd like to see done, let me know. (keep in mind, this isn't MY personal test - so all wishes may not be granted......but suggestions may give us additional ideas as to how to test this sucker!) Of course - all findings will be posted here first! :^)

drool

I can get You a cheap one Donald....wink wink....no Questions asked :]

I appreciate that Tedzo, but, uhh .. that's ok. I hear there may be a shortage of bricks and I wouldn't want you using up your supply and missing out on something later this year. :)

Wow!! I think I will wait 6 months when it I may be able to get it for $1500 the way that digital technology seems to be going!! Has anybody tried the new Nikon D70 which seems rediculously good for the money!! Knocking spots off many of ones I had short listed !! When will it ever end who cares!! Can only be good for us.. 4 k for a camera few non professionals can afford this, but this one may just be worth the money..

Danob - I wouldn't count on it coming down all that much. The DCSPro/c and DCSPro/n are professional level cameras. If history is any indication, these pro bodies will hold their value for quite some time; just like the Canon EOS 1D/1DS and Nikon D1H/D1X. I doubt that any of the new cameras (EOS 1D Mark II, DCSPro/_, Nikon D2H) will have any significant price movement for at least 1-2 years; if then. Even the old Kodak DCS pro digital cameras (based on Nikon and Canon film bodies) still sell regularly on eBay for over $2000 and they're 2megapixel cameras.

One thing you MAY want to watch for are price drops in the "older" technologies (the Nikon D-100, etc.). Maybe not so much on the "new" market, but I'll bet there'll be a bunch of them on E-Bay real soon!

Well I bet they will esp the D100 !! Sure Donald but 2k for a 2 megapixel I would not part with my dough no matter how pro it was!! Cant imagine any reason fo buying one..

It's build quality. The Kodak DCS Canon cameras were built around the Canon EOS 1 series bodies (Canon's top of the line camera). They are built like tanks and they take beautiful photos - they were made as studio cameras. I wouldn't pay that much for one either, but some people do. Oh yea, the prosumer cameras on the other hand will drop in price as new models come out. It happened with Canon (when the 10D came out, the D30 can be found used for ~$400-500 and D60 at $550-700). That's less because of build quality and more a factor of the Gear Heads out there who apparently have lots of money to just buy "the latest thing". You know the guys, they forever talk about the newest body, lens, gadget and doodad they have but you never actually see a photo from them. :) Ok, I'm being a little mean, but only a little. :) -=>Donald