Bibble Labs launches Bibble 5 Pro

Wednesday, 30 Dec 2009 11:30 GMT

Bibble Labs has voiced that Bibble 5 Pro is right away available. The ultimate version of its RAW workflow as well as conversion software has been in development since Sep 2006 as well as was originally slated for recover in the fourth quarter of 2008. The association says its software is up to 88 times as quick as 'similar applications.' Customers who have purchased Bibble 4 after Sep 1st 2006 can get the giveaway upgrade to the ultimate version by logging-in to their accounts upon the Bibble Labs site as well as clicking upon the 'Upgrade' link.

Click here for more report or to download the hearing version

Samsung unveils 14Mp CL80/TL240 digital camera

Samsung introduces 14Mp CL80 / TL240 digital camera

Samsung unveils a brand brand new compress digital camera by a USA website. The brand brand new Samsung CL80 (to be well known as TL240 in alternative parts of a world) facilities a 31mm far-reaching point of view lens with 7x visual zoom, a 14-megapixel CCD as well as Dual Image Stabilization. You can jot down HD video in 1280x720p fortitude during thirty frames/second as well as we can upload cinema by a Wi-Fi capability. On a behind of a camera we will find an considerable 3.7" AMOLED touchscreen with Haptic sensor jot down to yield moving as well as audio feedback...

HIGHLIGHTS

31mm Wide Angle Lens
The CL80's 31mm far-reaching point of view lens as well as 7x visual zoom gives we a wider shooting range from a shorter stretch with some-more coherence than 35mm cameras. Capture images of beautiful landscapes, complete wedding parties as well as skyscrapers but carrying to behind up to get a shot. The precisely cut 31mm visual lens delivers clear, clean images with even fortitude from core to edges. Each lens aspect is multi-coated to minimize ghosting or flaring for a great shot each time.
14 Megapixels & 7x Optical Zoom
Samsung's CL80 comes entirely equipped with a loyal color-filtered 14-megapixel CCD as well as boasts a absolute 7x visual zoom, guaranteeing some of a sharpest images available. This camera additionally produces incredibly detailed images which can be used for copy poster-sized photos.Smart Auto 2.0

Take professional-looking photos with Samsung's Smart Auto feature. Smart Auto analyzes key elements of your composition such as color, brightness, suit as well as subject; then automatically adjusts to take a undiluted shot. So we never have to be concerned about your photos being washed out, too dim or out of focus. Smart Auto has sixteen different preset modes, for a accumulation of settings. These modes can be bypassed for primer control.
Dual Image Stabilization

The Advanced Dual Image Stabilization (IS) underline allows we to capture crystal-clear, blur-free shots but regulating a flash or tripod. The TL210's Advanced Dual IS combines both Optical as well as Digital Image Stabilizers to furnish pointy images but a noise commonly found in alternative cameras. The visual IS compensates for palm trembling by shifting a lens in a opposite direction. When regulating Optical IS isn't utterly enough, a Digital IS automatically takes over to safeguard blur-free images.
HD Movies

Record movies in a palm of your hand. The CL80 is like carrying a compress HD video camera which additionally takes professional-grade photos. You can jot down HD video in 1280x720p fortitude during thirty frames per second. The H.264 format additionally allows we to jot down twice as most as an MP4 as well as 4 times some-more than an MJPEG - a format used in most alternative digital cameras - as well as delivers a most higher video as well as sound quality.

Instant Uploads with Wi-Fi

Email your photos without delay from your camera, or upload your cinema as well as videos to a web but regulating your computer. The CL80 creates it possible, as well as as simple as we can suppose thanks to a Wi-Fi capability*. Now when we see a undiluted span of boots for your friend's wedding, we can upload it to Facebook, Flickr, Photobox or Picasa in an instant. Or when your cat does which hilarious backflip again, we can share it with palliate on YouTube. The CL80 connects we as well as your network to each impulse worth sharing.
Wi-Fi only available where corroboration not required.

3.7" AMOLED Touchscreen LCD

Your viewing experience only got a lot some-more interactive with a CL80's 3.7" far-reaching touchscreen display. And a picture only got a whole lot improved as well as brighter too as a CL80 boasts an considerable AMOLED display. And unlike alternative touchscreen displays, a CL80 uses Samsung's Haptic sensor jot down which provides moving as well as audio feedback with each control. Now that's a manageable camera.
Check-out a stream line of Samsung digital cameras during Shopping.comDecember 27, 2009

Support UNICEF, you can make the difference!

You can have the disproportion for children. UNICEF depends wholly on intentional contributions for all the work. You can donate, or purchase UNICEF cards and gifts, or turn the volunteer.

Happy holidays from dpreview

Friday, twenty-five December 2009 00:00 GMT

The entire team during dpreview would similar to to instruct all our readers the very Happy Holidays (whichever you're observing). As you applaud our 11th anniversary we're looking forward to another sparkling year here during dpreview, with some-more brand new facilities in the pipeline and of course even some-more of the tall peculiarity calm which made this site what it is today. Whatever you're doing today, suffer yourselves and thank you for being the partial of dpreview.com!

NIKKOR 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II and TC-20E III

Nikon announces a AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II as well as AF-S Teleconverter TC-20E III

Nikon Inc. today voiced two brand new NIKKOR optics which broach a pinnacle of image quality for professional photographers who demand super telephoto capabilities.
The new, quick orifice AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II super telephoto lens as well as AF-S Teleconverter TC-20E III broach images with overwhelming edge-to-edge sharpness as well as distinctness throughout a frame.
Both optics are concordant with a FX format ... A quick telephoto lens charity built-in Vibration Reduction (VR II), as well as a world's initial telephoto converter to implement an aspherical lens element, fluctuating focal length by 2, both concordant with a FX format
TOKYO Nikon Corporation is gratified to announce a release of two brand new lens products, concordant with a FX format. The quick telephoto AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II lens is equipped with quivering rebate (VR II) which reduces a goods of camera shake up up homogeneous to a shiver speed increase of we estimate four stops. The AF-S Teleconverter TC-20E III, is a world's initial teleconverter* to implement an aspherical lens element.
Nikon's development of a FX-format D3-series as well as D700 digital-SLR cameras has perceived extensive support from professional as well as modernized amateur photographers. Nikon is expanding NIKKOR lens as well as accessory lineups by releasing new, high-performance products concordant with a FX format, allowing us to cater to a some-more modernized final of users.

* As of Dec 10, 2009 (according to investigate conducted by Nikon Corporation).
AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II first features
Built-in quivering rebate (VR II) charity camera shake up up remuneration homogeneous to a shiver speed increase of we estimate 4 stops
The addition of A/M (autofocus with primer override; AF priority) focus mode prevents random switching from autofocus to primer focus. Along with M/A (autofocus with primer override; primer priority) mode, which enables primer focusing by rotating a focus ring while autofocus is handling as well as M (manual) mode, this makes for a total of three focus modes.
The lens optics as well as Nano Crystal Coat so well perceived with prior lenses have been adopted without modification
For one some-more report upon a AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II click hereAF-S Teleconverter TC-20E III first features
An FX-format concordant teleconverter which extends a focal length of a first lens by 2X*
The world's initial teleconverter to implement an aspherical lens element
A brand new optical pattern which offers higher contrast as well as resolution
Utilization of an aspherical lens component enabled a some-more compress as well as lightweight teleconverterFor one some-more report upon a AF-S Teleconverter TC-20E III click hereDecember 10, 2009

Just posted - Nikon D3000 review

Friday, eleven December 2009 13:55 GMT

Just posted! Our in-depth examination of a Nikon D3000, that replaces a popular D60 as Nikon's ultimate entry-level DSLR. A brand new guide mode as well as revamped AF complement make a D3000 a constrained ascent for D60 as well as D40X users, but a lack of a Live View function will not go unnoticed in a feature-hungry entry-level sector. Does a D3000 have what it takes to turn aristocrat of a beginners' DSLRs? Click to examination our in-depth twenty-seven page review.

Simon: This isn't only a brand new review: it's also a debut of a brand new reviewer. We're gratified to acquire Barnaby Britton, a ultimate further to a dpreview.com reviewing team. Barney comes to us uninformed from several years reviewing cameras for a UK's oldest as well as many reputable photographic magazine, Amateur Photographer, as well as we're really blissful to have him.

Click here to examination our in-depth examination of a Nikon D3000

Related news, 25 many new articles

• Just posted - Nikon D3000 review
• Nikon launches revised 300mm F/2.8 VR lens
• Nikon releases TC-20E III 2x teleconverter
• Nikon updates Capture NX & Camera Control Pro
• Just posted! Nikon D300S in-depth review
• Zeiss launches ZF.2 lenses with CPUs for Nikon
• Nikon releases 'Learn & Explore' app for iPhone
• Nikon updates ViewNX software
• Nikon D3S short hands-on
• Nikon unveils D3S high-speed pro DSLR
• Nikon AF-S DX Micro Nikkor 85mm F3.5G VR
• Lomography offers Diana F+ adaptors for Nikon & Canon
• Nikon explains recall of serviced D5000s
• Nikon unveils S1000pj - a world's first projector camera
• Nikon announces CoolPix S70, S640 as well as S570
• Nikon introduces D300S with HD video recording
• Nikon D300S short hands-on
• Nikon unveils D3000 entry-level DSLR
• Nikon D3000 short hands-on
• Nikon releases AF-S 70-200mm F/2.8G ED VR II
• Nikon annnounces AF-S DX 18-200mm VR II lens
• Nikon issues use advisory advisory for D5000
• New association to rise future Nikon firmware
• Just posted! Nikon 50mm F1.4G lens review
• Just Posted: Nikon D5000 in-depth review
• Nikon updates Camera Control Pro 2

Click here for all Nikon associated news

Please wait, fetching ultimate prices.

SIGMA DP2 Firmware Update Ver.1.03

Sigma Corporation is pleased to make known which firmware Ver.1.03 for a DP2 is right away available for download.

Benefits of a firmware refurbish
Decreases a few camera solidify underneath certain conditions.
The correctness of a Auto White Balance has been improved.
This firmware refurbish should be practical to any DP2 camera which has firmware Ver.1.02 as well as lower ... SIGMA FIRMWARE UPDATE

SIGMA DP2 Firmware is right away available to download.
The firmware is a program, which runs inside a camera as well as controls its
operation.

WHO CAN DOWNLOAD THE UPDATE?
Customers regulating Sigma's DP2
*Please note; this firmware cannot be used with a SIGMA DP1 as well as SD DSLR
series cameras.

NEW CAMERA FIRMWARE UPDATE NOW AVAILABLE
SIGMA DP2 Firmware Ver.1.03
This firmware refurbish should be practical to any DP2 camera which has firmware
Ver.1.02 as well as lower.
* If your camera already has firmware Ver.1.03, we do not need this update.

BENEFITS OF THE FIRMWARE UPDATES
Ver. 1.03
Decreases a few camera solidify underneath certain conditions.
The correctness of a Auto White Balance has been improved.

Ver. 1.02
The correctness of a Auto Focus has been improved.
The magnification display function can be selected by only dire a OK
button when in Manual Focus mode.

Ver. 1.01
Decrease a materialisation of few camera solidify underneath certain
conditions.
The correctness of a Auto Focus has been improved.Additional information: Sigma refurbish instructions as well as firmware ver 1.0.3 downloadDecember 8, 2009

New DxO Optics Pro v6.1 for Windows supports Canon 7D, G11 and Nikon D3000

The following is an unedited press release, shown as received from the company represented. We've inaugurated to present selected releases but editorial comment, as the way to provide our readers more report but serve overtaxing our limited editorial resources. To avoid any possible confusion or dispute of interest, the Imaging Resource will always obviously heed between company-provided press releases as well as our own editorial views as well as content.PRESS RELEASE: New DxO Optics Pro v6.1 for Windows supports Canon 7D, G11 as well as Nikon D300056 brand brand brand new DxO Optics Modules as well as user interface improvements.

The brand brand brand new chronicle 6.1 of DxO Optics Pro for Windows adds support for 3 brand brand brand new cameras:
- Canon EOS 7D (Standard or Elite Editions);
- Canon PowerShot G11 (Standard or Elite Editions);
- Nikon D3000 (Standard or Elite Editions).

For this brand brand brand new release, DxO Labs bound several bugs as well as additionally done the little improvements to the user interface, formed upon customer feedback as well as suggestions, including:
- full screen arrangement mode for increasing visual comfort
- one more shortcuts for improved productivity
- one more presets for increasing flexibility

Check the recover records for more information.

Furthermore, 56 brand brand brand new DxO Optics Modules are now available to DxO Optics Pro users, covering the Canon 7D, DIGITAL REBEL XTi/400D, DIGITAL REBEL XSi/450D, DIGITAL REBEL T1i/500D, Nikon D3, D300, D300s, D40x, as well as D3000; the Olympus E-30, E-420, E-510, as well as E-620; as well as the Sony A300, A850, as well as A900. See list below.

DxO Optics Pro v6.1 for Windows, both Standard as well as Elite editions, are rught away available, during an exceptional thirty % bonus until Dec 31, 2009.

All customers who purchased DxO Optics Pro 5 after June 1st, 2009 are entitled to the giveaway upgrade to chronicle 6. All alternative users good from the special 40% bonus until Dec 31, 2009.(First posted upon Wednesday, Dec 9, 2009 during 09:05 EST)

Review posted for Canon PowerShot S90!

A Review includes a User Report as great as full picture analysis. (more)Test Images
(click to enlarge)

Still Life

Multi Target

Basic Specifications Resolution: 10.00 Megapixels Lens: 3.80x zoom
(28-105mm eq.) Viewfinder: LCD LCD Size: 3.0 inch ISO: 80-12800 Shutter: 15-1/1600 Max Aperture: 2.0 Mem Type: SDHC / SD Battery: Custom LiIon Dimensions: 3.9 x 2.3 x 1.2 in.
(100 x 58 x 31 mm) Weight: 6.2 oz
(175 g) MSRP: $430 Availability: 10/2009 Test Summary
(Mouse over items for explanations)Power-on Time2.1 secShutter Lag,
Full Autofocus0.430 - 0.490 secShutter Lag,
Prefocused0.088 secShot to Shot time2.43 secContinuous Speed0.94 fps
(No limit)Best Macro2.56x1.89 in
65x48mmViewfinder accuracy
(Optical)n/aViewfinder accuracy
(LCD)100%Distortion
(Wide Angle)0.4%Distortion
(Telephoto)0.1%Battery Life
(CIPA standard)220 shots10.00
Megapixels3.80x zoom
3.0 inch
LCD

Canon PowerShot S90
Overview

by Shawn Barnett as great as Zig Weidelich
Review Date: 12/07/09

Long a personality in digital cameras, Canon has been personification catch-up of late, moving swiftly to compare alternative manufacturers' recent moves in a digital camera space. It used to be which they grappled radically with a wiring powerhouse Sony upon a consumer side, yet that's changed to a vast wiring manufacturer, Panasonic, a company whose digital cameras have been in such tall direct which people have been paying full cost as great as some-more for cameras identical to a LX3, TS1, as great as ZS3, even a year after their introduction.

But that's great headlines for us, a consumer, given Canon's additionally a vast company means of branch upon a dime to broach an form of cameras to answer any challenge, giving us some-more choices. The PowerShot G11 should by no means detract from a Canon PowerShot S90, a camera whose facilities review identical to a laundry list of final from technology editors identical to myself, clean wrapped in to a small, pocketable format.

The S nomination marks a lapse of a semi-pro moniker, last used by a S5 IS, yet some-more importantly by a S40 by S80, unequivocally renouned cameras between enthusiasts in their day.

More conspicuous than that, though, is which Canon, a digital camera marketplace leader, is a initial to take a step behind in a megapixel race with both a G11 as great as Canon S90. Last year's G10 had a 14-megapixel sensor, as great as most of Canon's slot cameras have 12-megapixels. Did they blink? we do not consider so. We've all watched with concern as megapixel counts continued to climb in even a smallest cameras -- driven by perceived consumer demand. Our tests uncover utterly clearly, though, which most of these cameras have some-more difficulty with blurring which comes from a sound termination necessary during such tiny pixel sizes. Worse, these poetic high-resolution sensors exhibit some-more flaws in a optics, which requires camera companies to somehow mass-produce unequivocally tall peculiarity potion to go with these tiny, tell-all sensors, encased in cameras whose prices go upon to fall. In short, a digital camera attention has fallen chase to a law of diminishing returns.

Thank goodness.

Now we can get behind to a office of detailed excellence, rsther than than a continued "bigger is better" contest. In theory, a Canon S90's specs should broach improved picture peculiarity in low light.

The Canon PowerShot S90 has a sell cost of US$430, yet is accessible from a tiny online retailers for less.

Canon PowerShot S90
User Report

by Shawn Barnett

To utterly a couple of of us, an everywhere camera should be small. Hence a unequivocally certain reply to a Olympus E-P1 as great as Panasonic GF1. But that's not tiny sufficient for many. we still carry a slot digital camera for everywhere photography, as great as a Canon S90's vital competition looks some-more identical to a Panasonic LX3 than a E-P1 or GF1. The Canon S90 seems to answer a call utterly well, with an all-black body evoking a suggestion of a company's EOS cameras, total with a comparatively pocketable profile.

Though it looks positively pocket-sized, a Canon S90 is a tiny thicker, entrance in during 1.2 inches thick, compared to a LX3's 1.1-inch thickness. Weight, though, is a tiny reduce upon a S90 when we add a label as great as battery, during 6.95 ounces (197g) compared to a LX3's 9.1 ounces (257g), utterly different from their unclothed weights (sans battery as great as card).

The Canon S90's lens reminds me of a singular underline which hasn't come behind to a Canon G-series, given a maximum orifice is f/2.0. This changes to f/4.9 as we wizz (a tiny rebate than a old G6's f/2.0-3.0 range). Equivalent to a 28-105mm lens, a lens covers 3.8x range, as great as can concentration as tighten as dual inches.

Canon's box-and-circle pattern is renouned as great as mostly imitated, yet this time a ring around a front lens element isn't customarily for decoration, it's a moving Control ring which we can program to perform a singular of multiform functions: Focus, ISO, Exposure, White Balance, as great as Zoom. It's critical to note which there's no visual viewfinder upon a Canon S90, so all adjustments will need to be done via a LCD.

The Canon S90 still uses a ring around a shiver symbol for wizz control, customarily this time it's somewhat recessed in to a camera's top deck. You can additionally see a Ring Function symbol which allows quick changes to what a front Control ring does. The pop-up peep is additionally strangely suggestive of a Panasonic LX3. It rises as great as falls underneath motorized control, rsther than than a springloaded mechanism which we have to press down to close. Noticeably not in is a peep hot shoe, which could additionally suggest to reason an visual viewfinder; something of a longed for event there, yet it's not something I'd miss.

The Mode dial includes a full complement of manual as great as semi-auto bearing modes, as well as Auto, a tall ISO mode marked by a candle, Scene, as great as Movie modes, as great as a user-programmable Custom mode.

I unequivocally identical to a minimalist entrance from this angle.

The Canon S90's back, too, is no-nonsense, all importance upon a 461,000-dot, 3-inch LCD, which Canon is calling a PureColor System LCD. It's unequivocally beautiful, with colourful tone which beats most digital camera LCDs.

A fairly standard, if somewhat tight, cluster of buttons lines a right side, as great as a Control dial surrounds a nav cluster. Because a Canon S90 uses a Mode dial in multiple with a Playback button, it's a shooting-priority camera, ready to leave Playback mode with a half-press upon a shiver button, most elite between photographers who wish their camera ready during a moment's notice.

VGA Movie. An 11.1MB record lasting 8 seconds. Only digital wizz is available. (Click to download MOV file.)

Just underneath a Mode dial is a raised territory with a tiny cutout to suggest as a thumbgrip. we would cite a tiny kind of hardness or rubber table pad for incomparable grip

Movies. The Canon S90 additionally captures movies, customarily they're in VGA resolution during thirty frames per second, rsther than than a increasingly usual HD format. The Canon S90 has an HDMI port for arrangement of high-resolution images upon an HDTV.

Unfortunately, identical to most slot digital cameras as great as a Canon G11, we can customarily wizz in digitally with a Canon S90 whilst recording video.

Storage as great as battery. Memory label options include SD, SDHC, MMC, MMCplus, as great as HC MMCplus cards. The PowerShot S90 draws energy from a proprietary NB-6L lithium-ion battery pack. Battery hold up is approaching to be a tiny reduce than average, during we estimate 220 shots, as great as 300 minutes of LCD on-time in Playback mode.

Shooting with a Canon S90

When Canon announced a G11 as great as S90, we chose to concentration upon a Canon S90 given we was certain it would be a some-more renouned camera, meeting a needs of some-more enthusiasts overall. Its not as vast distance means incomparable portability than a some-more massive G11, as great as a full-stop advantage it has creates it utterly attractive; besides, a Canon S90 is a new design, as great as a G-series has been evolving for a prolonged time.

So we guess it's not a surprise which we was some-more disappointed with a PowerShot S90's shortcomings when we perceived both, given my expectations were higher. The Canon S90 additionally has fewer controls, so whilst we struggled with 3 out of 17 controls upon a G11, we struggled with 4 out of 13 controls upon a Canon S90, which is a aloft struggle-to-control ratio.

Loose dial. The vital flaw with a Canon S90: a openly spinning Control dial.

Control dial. we keep wondering why Canon, a company with tons of knowledge designing great cameras, would put EV remuneration upon a lax Control dial upon a back. These guys know how to pattern a great Control dial, evidenced by a Control dial which has graced a behind of a company's mid-range to high-end SLRs given a beginning of EOS SLRs, dating behind some-more than 20 years to a movie days. These have regularly had great organisation detents, creation environment changes certain as great as deliberate. Even a G11's Control dial clicks as it goes around. Why this loosie-goosie thing has persisted in Canon's recent slot cameras is a mystery.

By default, this behind Control dial adjusts bearing remuneration in Program mode, as great as it's so lax it does so all a time, possibly we wish it to or not. It's a vital liability when sensory with a Canon S90, given we have to check your settings all a time. If we allot a front ring -- which has wonderfully stiff detents -- to EV compensation, a behind ring afterwards controls a ISO setting. It's some-more innocuous, yet we still run a risk of accidentally becoming different a ISO, which we did frequently.

Deepening a poser is why they would have put an EV adjustment symbol upon a ring when it's regularly active when sensory in Program mode. Sure, in Manual mode this symbol switches between Shutter as great as Aperture control, yet it would have some-more sense in Program mode if this symbol actually activated a EV Compensation function, rsther than than carrying it active all a time. The bottom line is which we regularly have to be attentive to a Canon S90's Control dial, except when sensory in Full Auto mode. With a Mode dial set to Portrait Scene, a Control dial automatically changes a Scene mode, mostly accidentally. Here, during least, it functions as I'd prefer: requiring me to press a EV Compensation symbol to start compensating.

Fixing this is a elementary firmware upgrade, so here's hoping which Canon sees fit to have a slight shift here, during slightest adding an choice in a Menu to set a duty of a Command dial by mode. Naturally, we wish this dial to regulate shiver speed as great as orifice when in Tv as great as Av modes, yet again, we have to carefully watch your ride given a Control dial has no detents, instead spinning freely.

Click ring. The programmable Control ring is a mixed bag, yet it functions great for ISO as great as for orifice in Manual mode. Its functions lend towards to shift by mode, adding a tiny unnecessary confusion.

Control ring. The front ring is indeed charming, as great as functions flattering great with most settings, yet it can be reserved to as great most tasks. I'm not articulate about a Ring Function button's options. I'm excellent with which customizability, yet by default a Control ring's uses shift with a bearing mode as well. If we set a front ring to STD (Standard) when sensory in Program mode it controls a ISO. If we afterwards switch to Shutter priority (Tv) mode, a duty of a ring changes to adjusting a shiver speed. Now how do we regulate a ISO? The Function menu, of course.

Switch to Aperture priority as great as right away a front dial controls a orifice setting. Okay, creates sense: a pass adjustment we can have to bearing in Program mode is ISO, so a Front dial controls bearing by default. I'd have liked carrying Program shift as an choice upon a front Control ring, yet that's handled by a behind Control dial, after we half-press a shutter, afterwards a EV button, a convoluted process.

You can tighten a front dial in to ISO mode, yet we found a Canon S90 infrequently forgot which I'd done which setting, as great as started adjusting a shiver speed or orifice when we turned a dial.

You can additionally have have have use of of of a Control ring to set Manual focus. Unlike a Canon G11, Manual concentration functions great sufficient when objects have been close, identical to your desk, yet not unequivocally great beyond that. You'll additionally find there's a lot of clicking behind as great as forth with which desirable dial, creation utterly a racket. It's a vast complaint when in Shutter priority mode, too, we forgot to mention, as there have been so most settings along which scale.

WB excellent tuning. With a Control ring set to regulate White balance, we spin a ring once to regulate blue to Amber, afterwards press a Display symbol to get even some-more control.

It gets unequivocally cool -- as great as dangerous -- when we set a Front ring to carry out White Balance. You can possibly customarily pierce between Blue as great as Amber or strike a DISP symbol as great as switch to a full Cartesian coordinate xy axis arrangement as great as add Green as great as Magenta to a mix. The Control ring adjusts a X axis as great as a Control dial controls a Y axis.

Zooming with a Control ring is customarily silly. It moves in zones, yet a camera doesn't shift settings immediately, as great as infrequently I'll click by dual settings -- even slowly -- prior to it realizes we longed for to zoom.

Ultimately we motionless to tighten a Control ring in to portion as a ISO control, as great as used a Rear dial to regulate exposure. When we wish to regulate exposure, possibly in Program or a dual semi-auto modes, a Control dial functions unequivocally well, as great as gets to a environment most faster than a Control ring. The Control ring's excellent detents do lend towards to shake up a perspective utterly a bit as we spin it, so for me it's improved left to rebate frequent operations, identical to ISO.

Use a Canon S90 in full-auto mode, as great as it performs utterly well. It selects between a couple of Scene modes as indispensable as great as customarily gets a shot. Were it not for that, I'd steer most users to alternative cameras. The Control ring changes to zoom, as great as a Control dial upon a behind is completely deactivated in Auto mode. It's a enthusiasts who have been starting to be miffed with a controls whilst regulating a pleasing settings, as great as those who wish to rest upon a singular Scene mode (again, given a Control dial seems to name between Scene modes during random, interjection to a looseness).

The Canon S90's Mode dial is great as great as firm, customarily a approach it should be, reminding me of a dials upon a Canon G11.

Top controls. The Mode dial as great as shiver symbol have been great, yet a wizz ring is as great delayed to respond, as great as a Ring duty symbol is where a Power symbol should be.

Zoom. Now to plunge in to a last of a Canon S90's rings. The wizz ring, which surrounds a shiver button, is unequivocally delayed to respond. we saw this upon a Canon G11 as well, yet alternative Canon indicate & shoots during my disposal have been faster to reply than these dual high-end models. It's flattering annoying, creation it most harder to frame your images. we additionally ran in to an blunder I've not privately seen upon any Canon camera (though we know such errors do occur).

While perplexing to have tiny adjustments to a wizz level by quickly flicking a wizz toggle initial a singular citation afterwards a other, a camera suddenly stopped responding altogether, putting up a "Lens error, restart camera" notice. This compulsory which we mislay a battery as great as reinstate it, as everything upon a Canon S90 was otherwise unresponsive, together with a energy button. It happened twice in dual minutes whilst out shooting, afterwards again whilst adjusting a Control dial in Auto mode.

Range. Though a LX3 has a wide as great as splendid 24-60mm f/2.0-3.0 2.5x lens, a Canon S90's f/2.0-4.9 lens is means of incomparable telephoto magnification, from 28-105mm, or 3.8x.

Speaking of a lens, it has in couple of instances tiny tub exaggeration during wide-angle, which gathering a curiosity to see possibly Canon had used a same pretence which Panasonic did with a LX3 as great as multiform alternative cameras, which is correcting for this exaggeration prior to saving a file. We opened a RAW record with dcraw, a program which doesn't apply exaggeration correction, as great as saw a tiny thespian exaggeration during wide-angle. There's unequivocally tiny exaggeration during telephoto. Distortion correction is becoming significantly some-more common, though, as great as it's tough to disagree with a excellent results.

The lens has assuage chromatic misconception during wide-angle, during slightest in JPEGs. The camera's estimate does a flattering great pursuit of reducing a intensity. Telephoto, however, has a tiny chromatic misconception which appears in a core as great as corners, which can reduce contrariety as great as cause a tiny picture density in unequivocally splendid areas.

Buttons. The energy symbol is located as great far to a left, so we customarily press a Ring Function symbol instead. Most Canon PowerShots have their energy symbol right where a Ring Function symbol sits, so it's a bizarre preference upon Canon's part.

Autofocus. I've review a expectancy which a Canon S90 is a G11 in a not as vast package, yet that's not utterly so. Many facilities have been missing, as great as a the singular we skip most is a G11's Flexizone AF, which allows we to pierce a AF box around a screen. With a Canon S90, we have a preference of choosing Face AiAF, which will possibly acknowledge a face or select from between nine AF points across 80 percent of a screen, or Center AF. An fan camera should have a ability to select an AF point. What a S90 does have that's critical is a preference between a not as vast as great as incomparable AF box, something I've enjoyed upon multiform Panasonic cameras, together with a GF1.

As we pronounced of a G11, a Canon S90 is infrequently delayed to focus, as great as mostly fails, yet most of which sense was formed by a initial territory we received, with sequence series 0004. This camera had difficulty focusing upon a core indicate in a INB indoor test shot, instead preferring a behind wall. We spent a lot of time looking during this, enlarging a concentration aim to get this camera to stop looking during a behind wall, to no avail. But a second territory we perceived didn't have this trouble, focusing some-more identical to I'm used to from PowerShot cameras. Sometimes it balks upon subjects where I'd pattern it to do better, yet a corresponding some-more aged with my SD1000 didn't uncover most difference.

Full AF shiver loiter is an area where a Canon S90 has an advantage over a Panasonic LX3, entrance in during 0.43 as great as 0.49 second during wide-angle as great as telephoto respectively, whilst a LX3 turns in times of 0.77 as great as 0.76 second.

High ISO. Where a Canon S90 has placed a importance is upon low light performance. Before we started sensory low light images, we sat down as great as grabbed an picture from an comparison camera, a Canon A640, whose 10-megapixel ISO 800 peculiarity we reputable in a day as great as attempted to have have have use of of of Photoshop to tweak a picture sound in to something identical to a Canon S90's. we didn't even get close. we could conduct removing most of a chroma noise, yet a luminance sound so pock-marked a dim areas of a picture which a S90's far cleanser outcome was untouchable.

At full resolution, a Canon S90 has a couple of tools during a disposal for improved low-light photography. First is a somewhat incomparable sensor with a reduce resolution than a predecessor, second is a f/2.0-4.9 lens, afterwards a ISO operation from 80 to 3,200, as great as eventually a Canon S90's DIGIC 4 processor does utterly a pursuit upon a tender record prior to saving it as a JPEG.

As ISO hits 800, though, Canon has defaulted to a unequivocally soothing understand of a scene in a JPEGs, which is a polar conflicting of what a Canon S90's competition has done: a Panasonic LX3 sharpens a heck out of a image. According to my printed tests, Panasonic's approach functions improved for printing true from a camera, yet Canon's approach leaves a photographer some-more options.

So yet it's not something we normally do, we checked to see what would occur if we aggressively sensory these tall ISO images in Photoshop. we managed to raise a luminance noise, yet a chroma sound was so light which we got radically a same outcome as we get from a LX3: frail images with a great pellet settlement to them. we did a same alteration to a Canon G11's images, as great as came up with a same result. It's expected which Canon has selected to let a aim fan photographers do their heightening in post, a plan they've pursued given during slightest behind to a EOS 20D.

Canon S90
ISO 1,600 JPEG
Straight from cameraCanon S90
ISO 1,600 JPEG
Unsharp Mask 1.0, 200%Panasonic LX3
ISO 1,600 JPEG
Straight from camera

Canon kept a S90's heightening utterly conservative starting during ISO 800, resulting in a Gaussian-blur entrance which sharpens utterly well, it turns out. Printed formula with a sensory record demeanour great during 8x10, whilst a not sharp images demeanour a tiny soothing during which size. Images demeanour customarily a tiny improved tangible than a LX3's images, yet we have up to five sound rebate options with a LX3, whilst a Canon S90 has no option.

Low Light mode. The Canon S90 is means of capturing images during up to ISO 12,800, yet customarily during marked down resolution, as great as customarily in a special Low Light Scene mode where we have radically no control. Resolution is 2.5 megapixels, as great as your customarily options have been Drive modes, Compression levels, Flash modes, Self-timer, as great as Macro mode.

We didn't test it in a lab, yet we did snap a couple dozen shots to see how it worked handheld. Unfortunately we can't regulate a ISO environment in Low Light mode, so we had to have have have use of of of my mini-blind to carry out a light in my darkened room upon a stormy day. As a result, a images have been framed a tiny otherwise in any shot. we was surprised by a Canon S90's unwillingness to shift shiver speed as we reached ISO 6,400 as great as proceeded by 8,000, 10,000, as great as 12,800; instead it stayed during 1/15 second during f/2.0. ISO 3,200 was prisoner during 1/25 second as great as f/2, as great as ISO 6,400 during 1/20 second as great as f/2. See a crops below, afterwards click upon a images for a incomparable view.

ISO 3,200ISO 4,000ISO 6,400ISO 8,000ISO 10,000ISO 12,800

With this comparatively low subject detail, we consider a printed formula during 4x6 inches have been great from ISO 3,200 to 8,000. At 8,000 shadows reduce as great as chroma sound asserts itself more, generally in a silver of a radio. Adjusting levels as great as heightening improves this image, yet it's a upper extent for my taste. Click upon a images upon top of to download as great as imitation them for yourself.

Throughout this range, a picture we saw upon a camera's shade was brighter than a scene, so a Canon S90 is we do a tiny considerable work here, as great as there's not a lot of sound upon a LCD as it gains up to uncover we what it can do.

Rarely does this pixel-binning process produce a serviceable picture during 4x6, let alone anything larger, so we're tender which it functions as great as it does. But we can stop being as great tender with a 12,800 number, as those images have been a tiny as great severe to be called usable. The empathize is which we can't set a ISO level to extent a noise; a camera controls that. You additionally won't be sensory in finish darkness, yet a dim office with a blinds sealed upon a stormy day is flattering damn dark.

Overall, my knowledge with a Canon S90 was improved after capture than during. The comparatively tiny commission of images which we suspicion great sufficient for printing were unequivocally utterly good; as great most of a alternative images were formula of errors upon a camera's part or else my frustration with a given mode, as great as as great mostly due to a unruly behind Control dial.

I had a heck of a time perplexing to keep a Canon S90 from blowing highlights upon a bright, yet pale day, as great as adjusting a EV environment didn't have sufficient of a difference. Though Imatest tells us which a Canon S90 has over 8 stops of dynamic range, we found a highlights were as great mostly blown. Shooting RAW does leave a tiny latitude, infrequently allowing liberation of highlights, yet not always.

ISO 800. You could contend which a shot identical to this in great window light would demeanour great with any camera, as great as you'd be right, yet not indispensably during ISO 800. The stand during right shows a tiny slight luminance as great as chroma noise, yet it's flattering conspicuous for an ISO 800 shot.

But a Canon S90 does have a tiny overwhelming images when we conduct to get everything right. One of my favorites is of my son during a party after he's had lizards embellished upon his face. He was flattering proud as great as longed for to see what they looked like. I'd customarily taken a half dozen becloud shots of his brother in somewhat rebate light prior to we gave up as great as switched to Auto, afterwards his artwork was eventually complete. The window light was perfect, a Canon S90 set ISO 800 as great as it during f/4, 1/100 second. You see a outcome during right, converted via DPP during a default settings. Stunning. Look closely as great as there's a tiny smoothing of a skin due to DPP's sound suppression, as great as a eyelashes have a tiny chroma sound dancing around them, yet it's unequivocally not conspicuous in prints up to 11x14 inches. we additionally done a conversion via ACR for your some-more aged (see a Gallery). It was noisier overall, yet a sound is customarily luminance noise, delivering a great 8x10-inch print.

As we walked around sensory with a Canon S90 during an all-day family event, we kept remarking, "Man, this thing is frustrating." we consider a tiny of which would vanish with some-more use, yet I'm not certain I'd entirely master which behind Control dial. Fix which as great as speed up a wizz control, as great as a Canon S90 would be simpler to use.

Vibrant color. As happened with a G11, a Canon S90's colourful shade showed these colors even some-more dramatically than they appeared upon a computer.

That pleasing LCD additionally infrequently tricked me, showing some-more colourful tone than we would in conclusion see later onscreen. With a Canon G11, we used a tiny tumble leaves as an example, shot customarily moments after we shot a same scene with a picture you'll see in a Gallery, yet we found it even some-more heavy when sensory a tiny Christmas arrangement lights. we dialed behind one-third stop upon a bearing after we saw a LCD's understand of a scene, which was colourful as great as bright, approach as great bright. But we probably could have left a alternative approach when we demeanour during a final image.

Ultimately we should have bracketed this shot customarily to be sure, as a histogram wouldn't have told me much. The second shot is a tiny better, taken during f/2.0 interjection to a wider setting, yet we can additionally see a tiny of a glow we was perplexing to avoid by reducing a exposure. A quick levels adjustment in Photoshop would move possibly picture up to snuff, though.

Another great underline is a Canon S90's suggest of a preference when deleting an picture prisoner in RAW+JPEG: You can select to delete both, or customarily a RAW or customarily a JPEG.

Printed results. Print peculiarity is excellent from a Canon S90's images, with great color. ISO 80, 100, as great as 200 shots have been serviceable if a tiny soothing during 16x20 inches yet get utterly frail when printed during 13x19 inches. Even ISO 400 shots have been serviceable during 13x19 yet have been a tad soft, heightening up some-more during 11x14.

ISO 800 shots have been serviceable during 11x14 when noticed from a distance, yet crop up soothing upon tighten inspection. They come behind in to usefulness during Letter distance (8.5x11). Or, if we sharpen them a bit as we did upon a G11 to compare a relations oversharpening upon a Panasonic LX3, they demeanour great during 11x14.

Comparing shots from a Canon S90 with those from a Panasonic LX3, we discovered customarily how a LX3 gets such considerable printed formula during this ISO setting. The LX3's high-ISO shots actually demeanour flattering bad onscreen, with utterly a bit of sound as great as unequivocally coarse-looking details. Printed, though, they demeanour surprisingly good. What became apparent as we studied images from a dual competing cameras was which a LX3's files had a lot of flattering large-radius heightening practical to them. onscreen, they demeanour unequivocally over-sharpened, yet printed during 8.5x11 inches, they looked utterly good.

Applying identical over-sharpening to a Canon S90's images (1.0 pixel radius, 200%) produces identical formula onscreen, yet excellent formula upon a prints as well, producing great-looking Letter distance prints. With no processing, a Canon S90's ISO 1,600 images have somewhat soothing 8x10-inch prints. ISO 3,200 prints demeanour great during 5x7, if a tiny soft, yet sensory as described above, they're in couple of instances good. This is a somewhat improved opening altogether than a Canon G11 gave.

Analysis. The vast story with a Canon S90 is a lower-resolution sensor as great as a faster lens than is normally enclosed upon a tiny camera. Most critical fan photographers would trade megapixels as great as wizz operation for improved picture peculiarity in low light, given it improved avails us of a light all around us. That creates for better, some-more healthy photographs. So most photographers we know cite cameras identical to this, as great as eventually a attention is listening.

And a great headlines is which a Canon S90 does broach improved opening in low light, as great as a visual peculiarity is considerable relations to a camera's size. The bad headlines is which a Canon S90 is some-more unwieldy to have have have use of of of than it should be. If we have time to have a photo, a Canon S90 has a calm to work with we as great as can customarily have it happen. But if we have fast-moving kids we have to capture, or customarily wish to fire off a couple of snapshots, you're improved with full Auto mode. You can still invalidate a peep in Auto as great as suffer a Canon S90's low-light prowess, yet but a uncertainty brought upon by a lax Control dial (you still have to put up with a indolent zoom). The faster full-AF shiver loiter is a vast plus, too, entrance in during 0.43 as great as 0.49 second during wide-angle as great as telephoto settings.

Canon S90 Features

• 10-megapixel CCD
• 3.8x wizz lens (equivalent to a 28-105mm lens upon a 35mm camera)
• 4x digital zoom
• 3-inch tone LCD monitor
• Full Manual by Automatic bearing available, together with Aperture as great as Shutter priority as great as 19 Scene modes
• Built-in peep with 3 modes as great as an intensity adjustment, as well as red-eye reduction
• SD/SDHC/MMC/MMCplus, etc. memory label slot (no label included)
• USB 2.0 mechanism connection
• HDMI out
• Lithium-ion battery
• Software for Mac as great as PC

In a Box

The sell package contains a following items:

• Canon PowerShot S90
• Wrist strap WS-DC9
• Battery horse CB-2LY
• Battery container NB-6L
• AV wire AVC-DC400
• Interface wire IFC-400PCU
• Software CD

Recommended Accessories

• Extra battery container NB-6L
• Large genius SD/SDHC memory card. (These days, 8GB is a great tradeoff between cost as great as capacity.)

Canon S90 Conclusion

Pro:Con:

• Very tiny body which is easily pocketable
• Excellent, high-res, colourful LCD
• Fast f/2 lens during wide-angle
• Optical picture stabilization
• Front Control ring is handy for a tiny controls
• Firm Mode dial
• Shooting-priority pattern means camera is regularly ready with a half-press of a shiver button
• Good auto WB in tungsten lighting
• Sophisticated white balance control
• Smart Auto with Scene Detection
• HDMI output
• Most compress camera with an f/2 lens
• Custom mode allows we to save as great as entrance your favorite settings quickly
• Better low-light focusing than G11
• Adjustable core AF indicate size
• Similar sound opening to G11, yet somewhat stronger NR
• Faster startup than G11 (smaller lens)
• Faster full AF than G11 as great as LX3
• RAW as great as RAW+JPEG mode
• Face detection, face self-timer
• Intelligent Contrast functions well
• Digital Photo Professional program included
• Excellent printed results
• ISO 80 shots have a great 16x20-inch print
• ISO 3,200 shots have a decent 5x7
• Low-light mode turns out serviceable 4x6-inch images up to ISO 8,000

• Rear Control dial turns freely, which causes inadvertent bearing changes
• Front Control ring's duty changes with a mode
• Zoom carry out takes as great prolonged to respond
• Flash is placed where fingers have been customarily in a way, preventing it from opening
• Power symbol is in bad position
• Only annals VGA movies
• Only zooms digitally whilst recording movies
• Slightly soothing images during default settings
• Lens not as great as G11's; softer during telephoto, tall geometric exaggeration during wide-angle in uncorrected RAWs (but JPEGs have been excellent)
• Moderate chromatic aberration, aloft in uncorrected RAWs
• No visual viewfinder
• Lacks a ability to manually name an AF indicate alternative than center
• No sound rebate adjustments
• Flash bearing remuneration seems to work in reverse (lower settings outcome in brighter images)
• Flash overexposes during min. distance
• Very disproportionate peep coverage during wide-angle
• Slower cycle-times than G11 as great as LX3
• Sluggish peep recycling
• Lower-than-average battery life

Canon gets extremely tighten to a preferred slot camera with a PowerShot S90, tighten sufficient which a great infancy of users will be extremely happy with it. These tumble in to dual groups: those calm to fire radically in Auto mode, as we're all flattering used to we do with slot cameras, as great as those peaceful as great as means to take their time with a unequivocally means Canon S90.

There's a enticement to be disappointed with a Canon S90, mainly given a expectations have been as great high. We wish SLR peculiarity in a slot package, as great as that's not utterly starting to happen, during slightest not now. But a Canon S90's lens as great as sensor multiple do a tiny extraordinary things in low light, so most so which it's a Dave's Pick for which reason alone. Unfortunately it's not a finish manoeuvre interjection to a careless behind Control dial as great as a delayed wizz control. These dual foibles have environment bearing as great as wizz level roughly intolerable most of a time, such which we longed for 60 percent of a shots I'd have been means to get with alternative cameras. Switching to Auto eliminates half of a complaint given it disables a behind Control dial, yet we do not buy an expensive camera identical to a Canon S90 to fire in Auto mode.

The great headlines is which fixing a complaint should be customarily a firmware ascent away. Canon customarily needs to have a Control dial disabled in Program mode until we press a EV button; improved would be incomparable customizability overall, creation it programmable by bearing mode. Having a Control dial default to Program shift would be some-more useful, as great as a some-more approaching option, we think. It would certainly be rebate expected to mess up exposures. Whether it will occur is an open question.

Regardless, as great most of a Canon S90's facilities have been as great great to dismiss. Printed peculiarity is unequivocally good, in a tiny ways surpassing a abilities of a Canon G11, despite a incomparable apparent sound termination in a Canon S90. And a present of an f/2 lens in a slot camera is tough to overlook. In-camera estimate fixes most lens anomalies, creation a flattering extraordinary as great as utilitarian wide-angle to telephoto range. And when everything's working right, a Canon S90 can have a tiny astonishingly great images. So with a tiny warnings about a controls, a Canon S90 earns a Dave's Pick.

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Printer Review: Kodak ESP 5250 All-in-One Device

Digital Camera Home > Kodak ESP 5250 All-in-One Device

NEW & IMPROVED

Kodak ESP 5250
-- Third Time a Charm?

Editor

Review Date: Dec 2009

We initial reviewed Kodak's pigment-based all-in-one inclination in Dec 2007 after furloughed a Canal Pond facility in Rochester, N.Y. where a ink as great as cartridge complement was developed. We found a ink complement revolutionary, delivering long-lasting prints during cheap prices.

The printer, however, was another story. We essentially tested dual of a 5000 array printers as great as found both to be severely flawed, suffering juvenile firmware that crippled a inclination for anything yet straight duplicate as great as scanning.

We didn't get a hands upon a second era Kodak devices, yet after a briefing with Kodak's Tom Bentz, a third has arrived during a fort in a form of a $160 ESP 5250. We've been regulating it to imitation all for a integrate of weeks now.

Is a third time a charm? Let's find out.

FEATURES | Back to Contents

The categorical reason to consider a Kodak device continues to be a ink system. Using Kodak's 3 grades of coded paper as great as a pigmented four-color inking system, we can have cheap yet prolonged lasting prints. The ink assets have been considerable yet so have been a life ratings.

What's special about a ESP 5250 model is a wireless connectivity as great as vast 2.4-inch LCD, in all appreciated in stand-alone mode.

Like a $130 ESP 3250 (with a not as big LCD as great as no WiFi), it includes an SD tag reader. Kodak claims usually a singular percent of a marketplace uses CompactFlash cards so there isn't a CompactFlash slot. Also missing is a USB pier in front (for, say, a PictBridge tie or a Bluetooth adapter).

Oddly sufficient for a company that is responsible for so most tone negatives in a world, a 5250 additionally does not embody a clarity unit. So no movie scanning.

And whilst we competence expect to, we can't indicate to a mental recall tag in a tag reader.

Nor do a ESP printers imitation upon both sides of a sheet. Two-sided duplicate is a primer operation, only.

But they have been Energy Star certified, distinct a 5000 series, regulating reduction than a singular watt in sleep mode (which displays ink levels as great as vigilance strength) as great as usually 4.6 watts in standby.

The Box. Turn it upon a side to get a printer out.

SPECIFICATIONS | Back to Contents

Printing specifications include:

• Print speed: borderless Kodak Lab Quality 4x6 photos in as tiny as twenty-nine seconds; writings up to thirty pages per notation in black as great as twenty-nine pages per notation in tone (although tangible throughput upon genuine writings is substantially less)
• Print sizes: standard-size borderless photos up to 8.5x11; standard-size writings up to 8.5x14
• WiFi: built-in 802.11 b/g; wirelessly imitation cinema from your iPhone or iPod hold (see http://www.Kodak.com/go/picflick for some-more information)
• Supported Memory Card Formats: Secure Digital/Secure Digital High Capacity, Mini SD, Multimedia Card, Memory Stick/Memory Stick Pro
• Paper capacity: holds a limit of 100 sheets of twenty lbs. paper or twenty sheets imitation paper (minimum paper distance 4x6 to a limit paper distance 8.5x14)
• Display: 2.4 in. tone LCD
• Ink cartridge compatibility: Kodak Black Ink Cartridge (10 Series), Kodak Color Ink Cartridge (10 Series)

Scanning specifications include:

• CIS visual scanner, 1200 dpi during twenty-four bit
• Scan multiple cinema simultaneously as great as program will emanate separate picture files automatically
• Scan writings as great as photos up to 8.5x11.7
• Scan as great as edit your writings with visual character recognition

Copying specifications include:

• Copy speed: 30/29 cpm (black-color)
• One-touch tone duplicate yet a computer
• Copy writings or photos with a singular button
• 20 to 400 percent scaling or fit to page as great as have up to 99 copies during a time

General specifications include:

• Power consumption: Energy Star certified
• Dimensions [WxDxH]: 16.6 x 11.8 x 6.9
• Weight: 14.0 lbs.
• Connectivity: built in Wi-Fi, 802.11 b/g
• USB external pier (one in a back)

System Requirements are:

• All systems: 512-MB RAM, CD-ROM, USB port, 1.2GHz processor
• Windows: Windows 7/Vista/XP-Home (SP2+), Explorer 6+, 500-MB free tough hoop space
• Mac: OS X 1.4.8+, PowerPC G4, G5 or Intel-based Mac, 200-MB free tough hoop space

Warranties, that require proof of purchase, include:

• Product: One year from squeeze or 13 months from date of manufacture
• Print Head: One year from squeeze or 13 months from date of manufacture
• Ink Cartridges: One year from purchase

IN THE BOX | Back to Contents

The sell box includes:

• Kodak ESP 5250 All-in-One Printer
• Kodak Black Ink Cartridge
• Kodak Color Ink Cartridge
• Paper Sample Pack
• Power supply
• Adapter cord
• Startup Guide
• User Guide
• Kodak All-in-One Printer Software

With a wireless printer we do not need a USB wire (one of a things we always inspire manufacturers to provide). But we do need a router.

And, you'll need paper. But not your typical swellable inkjet paper. Kodak creates 3 grades of imitation paper for this printer in various finishes as great as they have been all porous, not swellable.

You'll have a tough time finding generic porous writings (other than matte papers) as great as an even harder time regulating them (unless we have a ColorMunki to emanate ICC profiles for them given manufacturer profiles would most expected be formed upon dye-based inks, not Kodak's pigments).

So devise to buy Kodak ink as great as paper for this printer.

You'll additionally wish to download a PDF from a Kodak await page or during least bookmark a Web version. The support enclosed in a box doesn't go unequivocally far.

CONSUMABLES | Back to Contents

Ink options have been straightforward:

• Color Ink Cartridge: $14.99
• Black Ink Cartridge: $9.99

Alternately, we can buy them bundled:

• Color Ink & Black Ink Cartridge combo pack: $24.98

That's a convenience, not a discount.

Paper, upon a alternative hand, is a far some-more complicated proposition. Kodak has 3 grades of paper (you'll notice a disproportion in thickness) that operation from Ultra Premium Photo Paper to Premium Photo Paper to Photo Paper. These have been all coded upon a behind side so a printer knows yet being told what it's duplicate on.

In addition to a grade, a writings come in a accumulation of finishes. Ultra comes in High Gloss, Studio Gloss or Semi Gloss; Premium in Gloss or Matte; as great as Photo Paper in Gloss or Matte.

Sizes have been either 4x6 or 8.5x11. Quantities shift from packs of twenty sheets to 25, 50, 60 as great as 100 piece packs. Paper pack prices operation from $3.99 to $36.99.

A Premium Photo Value Pack includes 135 sheets of Premium Photo Paper as great as a singular Color Ink Cartridge for $19.99.

The 5250 can hoop solid paper from twenty to twenty-four lb., imitation paper up to 12 mil as great as 100 lb. tag stock. To imitation transparencies, have have have have have have make make use of of of of of of of of a inkjet accumulation with a white stripe. You should additionally have have have have have have make make use of of of of of of of of inkjet varieties of adhesive labels as great as iron-on transfers. Most customary envelopes have been compatible, too.

Henry Wilhelm has tested a 5250 as great as expelled a Print Permanence Ratings inform that estimates imitation life during over 300 years for any of a writings solely Ultra Premium in a Studio Gloss finish (which is incomparable than 264 years) when framed with a UV filter. When framed underneath potion a shortest rating is 120 years (Premium in Gloss) as great as longest 259 years (Ultra Premium in Semi Gloss).

Quality Logic has reported a Cost of Ink Per Page with a initial era 5000 array as great as second era ESP Kodak printers that have have have have have have make make use of of of of of of of of a same record as a 5250. Using ISO Yield Standards (for printed pages not photos), a inform shows Kodak printers during $0.069 as great as $0.068 a page. The successive closest competitor is Canon (MP520) during $0.089. The closest HP is a Photosmart C6280 during $0.097.

Most companies sell printers next price with a expectancy that profits will be warranted upon ink sales. Consumers tend to buy a least costly printer, subsequently angry about ink costs. So a strategy works.

Kodak's initial era printers were some-more costly than a competitors' printers, requiring a three-year investment to be some-more careful than a competition, yet this era is competitively priced. With reduce ink prices over a life of a printer, a Kodak approach, whilst unconventional, has a lot starting for it.

At a bunker, buying a set of tall fealty inks for a Canon MPs runs us about $60 compared to a Kodak $25. HP would argue we can get a gold paper/ink package that's competitive with Kodak. But not for $25. Big difference.

The genuine questions about a Kodak inkjets spin those of imitation peculiarity (especially compared to printers regulating some-more colors) as great as device functionality (particularly a firmware). We'll try those after detailing a installation.

INSTALLATION | Back to Contents

Installing a printer was a breeze, frankly. It took about 36 mins as great as it took that prolonged usually given we were scribbling unreadable records as great as receiving 42 photos for a unboxing gallery.

Kodak's support does indicate we to a setup video for a printer. Our aging CPUs had a tough time gripping up with a video, that seemed a tiny prolonged upon animation for a report imparted, so we skipped it. We figured if we got stuck, it would be great to refer to it for a second opinion. But we never got stuck.

Installation Video. Seven reels to get we going.

Unboxing. A bit overdone yet helpful.

That's given a designation beam booklet was unequivocally unequivocally clear. Kodak could have put some-more instructions upon any page, maybe even reducing it to a poster, yet we looked during a page branch as a respirating exercise. Read an instruction, do it, breath, spin a page.

Unboxing a Printer. Compared to a thirty lb. 5500, a fourteen lb. 5250 is a zephyr to unpack. Our box flaps didn't have a graphic, yet assumingly there is a spirit about how to slip a printer out of a box (by putting a box upon a side).

You can have have have have have have make make use of of of of of of of of a device similar to any printer continuous to a computer, of course, yet as an All-in-One printer, it can additionally be used yet a computer. You can duplicate writings (including prints), have prints from mental recall cards in a tag reader as great as indicate to your mechanism (wirelessly or via USB). You can not indicate to an SD card.

Our greatest complaint was finding a available place for it. Because it's wireless, we can put it anywhere it can find your network, as prolonged as it's near an electrical outlet. So your choices abound.

Movable tools have been hold in place during shipping with orange tape. The fasten is easy to find (look upon a behind as great as inside, too).

Connecting a Power. Powering upon a printer is next. The brick is continuous to an electrical opening with a unequivocally marked down energy cord. But a brick itself has a prolonged thin cable, so a net outcome is no inconvenience.

As a lightweight device with a imitation conduct doing during tall speed (delivering those twenty-nine pages per notation in color), we expected a 5250 to have a tiny noise. And whilst it is audible, it didn't unequivocally bother us.

Once we have power, we have been invited to name a language. There isn't a vast selection yet a options embody U.S. or International English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portugese or Dutch. You additionally set your region (some ink cartridges usually work in a tiny regions).

Print Head Installation. There have been great tiny notches upon all a packaged items so we know usually where to rip them. It's a great tiny hold we unequivocally most appreciate.

More importantly, a ethereal tools of a imitation conduct have been stable by orange plastic. Follow a designation beam to mislay any in sequence carefully. Then place a imitation conduct in to a carriage as great as press it firmly forward until it clicks underneath a gray latch in to place.

You do have to press flattering tough prior to we hear "a shrill snap," as a beam explains.

Cartridge Installation. The ink cartridges have been stable by an orange cosmetic cradle that comes off with a tiny effort. But they do click easily in to place.

If you've had a bad knowledge installing cartridges in alternative printers, you'll be gay with a Kodak experience. Along with Canon, nobody else creates it utterly as easy.

Calibrating a Printer. The LCD will discuss it we a printer has to be calibrated as great as what to do about it (press a Start button). The calibration picture is printed upon letter-sized solid paper.

Calibration. Just imitation a singular piece as great as you're calibrated.

As a calibration settlement is printed upon a singular sheet, it is assumingly additionally scanned. You do not have to bucket it in to a scanner when it's printed. It takes a integrate of mins (maybe three) as great as you're calibrated.

Connecting a Printer. Now you're eventually ready to discuss with a printer how we wish to bond it. That's not a same as joining a wire to it, though. Don't do that yet.

You have dual choices: set up a USB wire tie without delay to a singular mechanism or set up a wireless tie to your network. A third choice lets we defer a choice, so we can have have have have have have make make use of of of of of of of of it standalone right away.

If we name a USB connection, you'll be directed to cocktail a enclosed CD in to your mechanism to implement a software.

That includes Kodak AiO Home Center, that is utterly a bit reduction extensive upon a Mac than it is upon Windows. Both versions let we configure a printer, have have have have have have make make use of of of of of of of of it to indicate (through Home Center or your picture modifying software), perform upkeep (including uploading a diagnostic to Kodak) as great as sequence supplies. The Windows chronicle includes a record browser, modifying capacity as great as duplicate options.

You're afterwards educated to bond a USB wire (not supplied) to a printer.

If we name a Wireless connection, we have dual opposite methods of connecting. If you're regulating a WPS-enabled router, we name a WPS tie choice from a LCD menu as great as afterwards either a Push Button Configuration choice (in that we have dual mins to push a WPS symbol upon your router) or a Generate WPS PIN choice (in that we generate a PIN upon your router as great as come in it upon a printer).

Or, if you're similar to us as great as prefer to do things a primer way, we usually let a 5250 find your network as great as type in a password. The practical keypad is easy to use. And it unequivocally happens usually as fast. In a case, we're regulating a WEP password, that is a great understanding shorter than a WPS password, so there's a tiny consequence in regulating a WPS shortcuts above.

A successful tie is prior to long reported, with a vigilance strength as well.

The successive trick is to discuss it your computers upon a network about a 5250. Kodak's designation CD installs a motorist as great as plug-ins as great as Kodak AiO Home Center. It even prompts we upon a Mac to finish a designation in System Preferences, waiting for we to do so until it restarts. Very easily handled.

Software Installation. Just click.

Registration Reminder. A integrate of options.

Setup. Clear instructions upon what to do upon your doing system.

OS X Printer Browser. The installer waits for we to finish.

That's in all appreciated upon a home network where we have to repeat a designation upon any computer.

Date. All said as great as done, we were amused a integrate of days after to see a printer has a clock. We set a Date as great as Time yet we have no suspicion why.

INK CARTRIDGE | Back to Contents

Kodak's inking complement is opposite in multiform ways. Let's demeanour during usually how.

Black Cartridge. Bottom view.

It competence not demeanour similar to most from a outside, yet any cosmetic wrapped ink cartridge is essentially enclosed in Argon gas that is pumped in to a bag with a full cartridge prior to it's sealed. The Argon gas blocks contaminants from entering as great as cushions a cartridge, that will final up to eighteen months stored in a bag.

Under a paper tag with a tone report is a mylar tag that seals a top of a gray opening cap's opening system. It takes both labels to sign opposite evaporation. The opening top itself is welded to a black tank regulating tall speed quivering that melts it upon in a unequivocally accurate operation.

Color Cartridge. Well suspicion out.

Inside, a tank is filled by a vast felt that soaks up a ink. No poser there. Except it would appear to have it formidable to prep a ink by jolt a cartridge. While we do have to shake non-stabilized inks, Kodak's inks have been stable. You do not need to shake them.

Installing a Kodak ink cartridge in a printer is unequivocally a singular of a most appreciative experiences we've had. Just snap it in. It creates hit during 6 points to stabilise a cartridge as a imitation conduct fast moves over a sheet.

But a singular of a pet peeves about a imitation conduct designation process is usually how tough we have to press a ethereal imitation conduct to get it seated in a printer. How come is that? Again, it's a sidestep opposite a tall velocity during that a conduct will be traveling. It's secure, no disbelief about it.

On a 5250, there's a black target plaque that shows we where to push hard. A tiny light gray latch slips over a conduct when we do.

THE INK | Back to Contents

We've reported upon Kodak's singular colouring inks extensively, commencement with a product key announcements, given it's unequivocally a key to a system. So we'll summarize here.

They have been pigments not dyes, to proceed with. But they have been distinct alternative pigments given they have been utterly small. Kodak drew upon colouring harsh patents starting behind to a X-ray movie emulsion record to rise a miniscule twenty nanometer ink pigments with polymer binders. The X-ray plan was an try to replace a tone interlayer written to forestall tone decay that sparse as great most light with a colouring covering that would separate reduction light as great as thus avoid losing sharpness.

The exceptionally tiny distance of a pigments provides dual key benefits. First, given they separate reduction light, they yield a incomparable progression than normal distance pigments. Second, they enlarge imitation conduct reliability, clogging a nozzles reduction frequently. That's always been a complaint with Epson printers, that additionally have have have have have have make make use of of of of of of of of pigments.

The tone progression emanate is a treacherous one. Kodak essentially claims their colouring set has a incomparable progression than dye-based ink sets, not usually alternative pigments. But in a tests behind during a bunker, Canon's dyes exceeded a Kodak colouring gamut, as we reported in a 5300 review.

The Canon print, though, has a value of having been done with a tall fealty ink set (more colors). While a Kodak imitation relied upon a set of usually 3 tone inks as well as black, a Canon had a value of a set of 8 inks. As a former pressman, we can vouch for that explanation. And in fact, when we review a output of an HP three-ink imitation similar to those from a A626 we reviewed to a Kodak prints, a Kodak has deeper shadows as great as some-more contrast. No disbelief regulating a black ink helps Kodak here, too.

The not as big particles additionally improve gloss performance. In fact, a transparent ink in a tone cartridge is not a gloss optimizer (as we competence find in an Epson inkset). Instead, it's a polymer cloaking written to sign a ink in a porous writings Kodak uses.

Kodak's writings have been not a swellable sheets typically used with dye-based inks to encapsulate a tone in a gelatin layer. They have been porous sheets that suck in a liquid vehicle that delivers a pigments to a aspect of a sheet. The transparent cloak seals those pigments upon a paper as great as provides instant-dry handling. That slight tackiness we feel when we hold a imitation uninformed from a Kodak printer is that coating. It extends over a full width of a image, we noted, regardless of a printed picture size.

One of a some-more interesting stories in a growth of Kodak's pigments involves what they early observed as a haze that would form over a picture in a tiny places. The outcome was a result of successive drops of ink physically distorting a drops of ink that had been previously laid down upon a sheet. Light was being sparse by a distortion, combining a haze.

Because Kodak developed any part in a ink, it could optimize a formula to defeat this outcome rsther than than merely find a tiny compromise. There were most variables to operative this out, together with hue.

So is a record restricted to a three-hue set of inks? No, yet Kodak hasn't yet extended a record to a incomparable ink set.

THE PRINT HEAD | Back to Contents

Nothing, of course, is permanent. But what Kodak has completed in a imitation conduct will pass for permanent.

Ready to Go. Black (left) as great as tone cartridges installed in a imitation head.

The Kodak dump ejector is written so a heater will never be "attacked mechanically." To jump out a drop, a heater in a banishment cover is pulsed on, combining a fog burble in a ink. As a burble expands, aspect tension pulls a ink in to a droplet. After a heater is pulsed off, in most designs, a fog burble collapses onto a heater with poignant force, as great as over time will repairs a heater. In a Kodak design, a fog burble vents to a atmosphere, as great as a cover refills with ink. Fire it as most times as we like, a heating element remains untouched.

Firing a imitation conduct requires electricity as great as we were amused to clarity why Kodak determined a energy expenditure had to be 35 volts. In a tiny countries, special permits have been required to work equipment during voltages above 40. Keeping it during 35 volts meant it qualified as an appliance worldwide.

The imitation conduct quick-firing nozzles work during twenty-four kHz, given a foe runs in between 6 as great as 12 kHz. That delivers faster prints as great as unchanging laydown.

But it additionally illustrates how Kodak's carry out of a complete settlement -- ejectors, ink, media -- lets them optimize instead of compromise.

THE FIRMWARE | Back to Contents

Firmware has been a complaint with Kodak inkjets. The 5000 array was deplorable in that regard. The e.g. that still puzzles me is a proofsheet markup that let we name some-more images to imitation than a submit paper tray could hold paper for, that is no crime in itself. But given a printer itself mislaid track of what had been printed when a paper ran out, it meant we could never imitation some-more than a initial twenty selections -- as great as that usually if we remembered to bucket a paper tray first.

LCD. Straightforward selections have it easy to get ahead what we wish to do.

In a successive era inkjets, Kodak usually private a tiny of a complaint functions as great as introduced an LCD menu system. A integrate of functions were moved to a Home Center program (for Windows anyway) yet they were mostly omitted.

And that trend seems to continue with this generation. Why can't you, for example, indicate to a mental recall card? Other multifunction inclination manage. It usually hasn't been implemented upon a 5250.

And where did PictBridge as great as Bluetooth (with an discretionary adapter upon a PictBridge USB port, say) go? Not to mention disastrous scanning as great as CompactFlash compatibility.

Well, Kodak is quick to dump facilities a research shows have been tiny used. It saves a integrate of bucks. And that assumingly counts during a indicate of purchase.

While that does cut a price of a device itself, what we finish up with after a integrate of rounds of this is a reduction means device for a bit some-more income than a competition. Comparing this to a Canon MP980, for example, is no contest. The MP980 can do most more.

With a marked down functionality of a 5250, we didn't run in to deal-breaker firmware problems. But we did run in to a integrate of glitches. Previewing a imitation we were copying led to a double text agreement upon a LCD. We had previewed a duplicate as great as pulpy a OK button. We should have pulpy a Start button. Pressing a Back symbol let us try it again.

THE INTERFACE | Back to Contents

That tiny glitch competence leave we with a bad impression of a 5250's carry out panel, yet it's unequivocally a singular of a better interfaces upon a multifunction device that we've seen.

Control Panel. Well suspicion out.

The best interface we've seen is HP's hold screens. Not usually have been they hold screens, that avoids a nuisance of seeking for a right button, yet they additionally hoop some-more tasks (like scanning to a mental recall card) than a 5250. Despite that, we never get lost.

Having a successive best interface isn't similar to losing a Super Bowl, however. It's an glorious interface (providing we can find a task we need to do in it).

Kodak spent a tiny time minimizing a buttons as great as operative upon a layout to have it easy to use. And they've succeeded.

The four-way navigator with an OK symbol in a middle will be familiar to anyone who has used a digicam. Back as great as Home get we out of any jam. The Zoom as great as Rotate buttons have been convenient. And a Cancel as great as Start buttons have been self-explanatory.

The usually thing that threw us was a View as great as Print Photos choice when an SD tag is inserted. The settings (switching from 4x6 to 8x10, for example) were upon a same list of menu options as a options to View as great as Transfer a photos.

HOME CENTER SOFTWARE Back to Contents

To indicate to your computer, we have have have have have have make make use of of of of of of of of a Home Center software, that can be run standalone or by a plug-in.

There have been 3 categorical panels in Home Center: Select, Tools as great as Maintenance. Select connects to or displays a available ESP printer as great as shows a ink levels. Tools offers Scan to shift indicate settings, Home Center to shift Home Center's settings as great as Scan Application to indicate photos as great as documents. Maintenance includes Print Test Page, Printhead Alignment as great as Clean Printhead. You can additionally upload diagnostics to Kodak.

Select. Displays printer as great as ink levels.

Tools. Change settings as great as scan.

Maintenance. Test pae, alignment, cleaning as great as diagnostics.

The Home Center Scan Application dialog has dual tabs: Scan Settings as great as Adjustments. It's utterly elementary as great as clearly laid out, roughly a pleasure to have have have have have have make make use of of of of of of of of although energy users will find it a bit as great simple.

Scan Settings has 4 panels:

• The initial is Adjust Scan Settings, that gives we multiform types for automatic configuration (Color Picture, Black as great as White Picture, Color Document, Black as great as White Document) as great as a law setup (with Resolution as great as Output Color popups).
• The second is Picture, that lets we enable Automatically Detect Multiple Pictures (for saving as separate files) as great as Manually Select Area to Scan (which has a singular Free Form popup option).
• The third is Properties, that reports a indicate settings for Image Resolution, Size, Estimated File Size as great as Quality Prints Up To Size. That final is handy information.
• The fourth panel is a Scan Preview with buttons for Cancel, Preview, Scan as great as Scan All next Zoom In as great as a Zoom Out buttons.

Scan Settings. As elementary as it gets.

That's about as elementary as scanning gets. To complicate things, take a demeanour during a Adjustments tab. The fourth panel doesn't change, yet we have dual brand brand brand new panels to a left:

• Adjustments that request to a current picture can enable Kodak Perfect Touch with sliders for Brightness, Contrast as great as Saturation. There's additionally a popup to set 4 levels of Sharpening.
• You can additionally Convert to black as great as white, setting a threshold to establish that grays go that way, as great as we can Invert Colors.

Adjustments. Some flexibility, too.

The scanning program is severely simplified by a miss of any kind of movie scanning. That's no disbelief why a scanner's limit fortitude is 1200 dpi, although charity usually 24-bit scanner (8-bit channels) is a bit reduction exciting than a 48-bit scanning (16-bit channels) competitors offer. But again, a device usually scans reduction perfectionist contemplative element where a density operation of 2.0 is sufficient, so it's adequate.

USING THE 5250 Back to Contents

We used a 5250 for all for a integrate of weeks. Here's a inform of a experience.

Copy a Photo. Our a a single preferred exam imitation is an infant wearing pinkish upon a red sofa. No duplicate has ever usually duplicated a strange print, prisoner with a digicam as great as printed upon a Canon i9900 printer with tall fealty inks. But no all-in-one we've attempted has ever finished a poor job of it, either.

The closest compare was substantially a Canon MP980 yet it lengthened a picture a bit as great most to have certain it would bleed. The 5250 creates a comfortable imitation a bit cooler via as great as lightens a darkest tools of a cinema (like a hair). It's not upsetting yet it suffers in comparison.

Considering that there's no disastrous printing, imitation copying is flattering critical upon a 5250. We would have liked to see it spot-on accurate instead of ideally adequate.

Printing from Photoshop. The installer does not implement any ICC profiles for a 5250. So where we competence expect to discuss it Photoshop to conduct tone as great as name an ICC form for a ink set as great as paper we have been using, as we would with any alternative printer, tall finish or not, in this box we do it differently.

Printer Options. Basic imitation options in a driver.

Printer Options 2. Second page of options display where to shift Media Type.

That's no disbelief given Kodak has barcoded a behind of any piece of a imitation paper so a printer knows 1) a ink as great as 2) a paper. You unequivocally do not need a form in that case. And if you're regulating an duplicate that doesn't let we name a form (Apple's Pages comes to mind), this proceed is an advantage. You simply let a printer conduct color.

We printed utterly a integrate of images upon both matte as great as glossy sheets with in all glorious results, although we had issues with a matte prints.

First Prints. Our initial prints were from Photoshop. We'd usually taken a tiny natural light shots of a flower agreement with a D300 as great as opened a DNG record in to an uncompressed 34.9-MB picture that we recklessly threw during a 5250.

It choked, duplicate a great part of a darkest tools of a picture as a dithered monotone. Reducing a fortitude (to a lavish 300 dpi solved that problem).

When we discussed this with Kodak, we were told a emanate usually occurs upon PowerPC Macs using OS 10.4.11 as great as duplicate to a paper that is not Premium glossy or a third celebration imitation paper with a matte finish. That was us, duplicate upon dual Kodak matte papers.

The workaround is to name Other Photo Paper - Matte in a printer motorist underneath Media Type. A brand brand brand new printer motorist resolves a emanate yet it hasn't been expelled yet.

Our initial prints of a picture were upon lettersized Photo Paper matte as great as were pleasing. We after printed a same picture upon 4x6 Ultra Premium in High Gloss as great as were additionally gay with a rich tone rendition, fairly digest what we had concocted upon screen in Adobe Camera Raw. Pretty considerable for usually 4 tone inks.

Print from a Card Reader. The 2.5-inch LCD creates it easy to see what you're doing yet it can't paint a tone accurately. Our prints from an SD tag populated with images from an EasyShare One digicam were not bad during 4x6 sizes. But a blue sky was striated upon an 8x10 printed upon Kodak matte paper. Every 1/8 in. usually there was a fainter line of blue sky.

Again we incited to Kodak for an explanation. This time we were told to purify a imitation head. Considering it was a brand brand brand new imitation head, we didn't expect that to help yet it did. A bit. We a single after another to get lines during 1/8 as great as during 1/4 in. intervals via 8x10 prints upon Kodak matte papers.

We printed a same picture (11.4-MB when uncompressed) from Photoshop upon Premium Photo Paper in Gloss as great as did not see a striated sky. So we attempted it from Photoshop with a Premium Photo Paper matte in black as great as white as great as again saw a striated sky.

We never completely got absolved of them, unfortunately.

Black as great as White Printing. We used Premium Photo Paper in Matte to imitation a tiny images in black as great as white. Again we used Photoshop to emanate a black as great as white picture from tone captures with both a built-in Black as great as White authority as great as iCorrect EditLab.

Results were disappointing in dual respects. Even upon this reward sheet, a sky area was striated. And a tonal operation seemed abbreviated, given roughly a posterized outcome in a tiny areas of a image. Quite contrary to a outcome we were seeking for.

So it's not a black as great as white printer.

Document Printing. We printed a 20-page InDesign request in black only. Despite a simplicity, we were duplicate two-up so there was a great understanding of processing starting on. We hence didn't see anything similar to thirty pages per notation coming out of a 5250, yet as any page printed, we beheld a printer stopping as great as starting multiform times per page.

While we can substantially achieve thirty ppm in black as great as white with a page picture resident in a printer (the same page thirty times), in genuine life, expect a great understanding less. It took multiform mins to imitation a 20-page request upon 10 sheets of paper.

Book Printing. We reprinted a Pages book that we firm with a Unibind Photobook Creator. We hadn't been happy with a tone given Pages provides no tone government itself. The workaround is to export your plan as a PDF as great as imitation a PDF in an duplicate that does have tone management.

But wouldn't it be a lot easier, we thought, to imitation to a 5250, that can conduct tone all by itself with a barcoded paper? Sure.

And, in fact, it was not usually easier, yet a tone was most better. The usually locate was that all a Kodak paper has yellow erratic bars upon a back, that is not utterly tasteful in a book.

Address Labels. Once we stumbled across a bright suspicion of setting up a request for a 5250 regulating Page Setup, we were means to fairly imitation a mailing labels upon Avery 5161 labels. The 5161s have been written for laser printers yet they work excellent in an inkjet, too, where fuser feverishness isn't an issue.

We attempted to smear a ink upon a labels with a soppy finger, yet we couldn't do it.

Wireless Scanning. We scanned a black as great as white document, a tiny 3x2 imitation as great as a tiny prints, all wirelessly regulating Photoshop CS3. We accessed a Home Center dialog from a Import command.

Our black as great as white request came out fine. There's no choice to compress a record for wireless delivery (as there is upon a Canon MP980) yet it arrived fast as great as intact upon a computer. Very vast tone scans, however, take a prolonged time to arrive.

The tiny photo, however, exhibited a strange pattern, roughly as if it had been printed upon a singular of those linen-textured papers. It hadn't. It was printed upon a 204-dpi tone sub, with no visible dot settlement during all.

We asked Kodak about it as great as tech support's research done sense. "Your strange tone underling imitation was 200 dpi. Since this is reduce than your scanning fortitude of 300 dpi, we have been seeing an aliasing outcome any 3 indicate rows. If we were to indicate during a unequivocally tall fortitude (1200), we competence be means to zoom in as great as get a spirit during what your imitation pixels unequivocally demeanour similar to yet during 300 dpi, you're usually removing a incomparable settlement effect."

One reason that done clarity was given a scans of prints done upon a 5250 were perfect.

MAINTENANCE Back to Contents

Kodak claims a 5250 requires no upkeep alternative than cleaning a scanner potion as great as lid. It does counsel we to leave a printer plugged in to an AC opening or, if we have have have have have have make make use of of of of of of of of a energy strip, to leave a energy frame on. You should never energy off an inkjet with a energy frame anyway. You can easily overrule a imitation conduct parking routine that keeps it from clogging.

The printer does have upgradable firmware. New versions can be downloaded from a await page, that additionally includes instructions for installing a brand brand brand new firmware. You can find out what firmware chronicle your printer has by duplicate a Test Page from a Maintenance menu. The Windows chronicle of Home Center Software additionally checks for firmware updates when seeking for a own program updates.

The Maintenance page upon a LCD menu or Home Center Software additionally has an choice to Clean a Printhead as great as to Calibrate a Printer.

CONCLUSION Back to Contents

From a key of Kodak's pigment-based inkjets, we've been impressed with a concept. The finely ground pigments suited to a extensive paper grades as great as finishes all barcoded for identification by a printer promised a level of peculiarity as great as repeatability not usually gifted in a multifunction market.

The initial era hit a shelves with juvenile firmware that done most of a facilities nonfunctional. The second era private most of those features. And a third generation, of that a 5250 is a flagship, follows suit, obscure a price of a device.

So if we wish disastrous scanning, PictBridge, Bluetooth, a ability to indicate to an SD tag or thumbdrive or need a CompactFlash tag reader, you'll have to demeanour elsewhere.

What Kodak offers is assets upon consumables as great as a morality of duplicate to a pre-profiled device, let's call it. That unequivocally helps with an duplicate similar to Pages. And it doesn't unequivocally harm if we imitation from Photoshop.

And WiFi setup was between a easiest we've ever experienced. That's no tiny thing when we have to configure multiform computers.

We did run in to a number of problems testing a printer, yet roughly all of them were resolved to a satisfaction. The third time around competence not utterly be a appeal for Kodak, yet a inkjets have been eventually housebroken.