By Owen Ferguson
Kodak has released two new digital cameras, one aimed at the consumer user and one aimed at the professional.

These new offerings from Toronto-based Kodak Canada Inc. are known as the DC240i and the DC290.

The DC240i, with it's fly translucent casing, is styled after the popular "blueberry" Apple iMac, sheathed in a bubble of blue and white polymers that leave its innards visible. Kodak seems to be hoping that consumers who've picked up on the style factor of iMacs will also pick up on the style factor of these new cameras.

So what does one find inside the blueberry casing? Well, the DC240i's innards are essentially the same as those of the slightly less flashy DC240. Both feature a 1.3 megapixel CCD sensor, 3X (33 to 117mm equivalent) optical zoom, and USB or serial interface for both Macintosh and Windows computers. Unlike the DC240, however, the DC240i comes with an 8MB flash memory card (as opposed to a 4MB one) and also includes a battery charger. It lists for $899.

Although the DC240i, with its colourful casing, was obviously designed for midrange consumer appeal, the other new offering, the DC290, is a professional-quality camera through and through. Listing at $1,549, the DC290 is a significant step above its predecessor, the DC260/265 platform, and although it retains the same shape and sides, the innards have had a thorough reworking.

Of course, as with any camera, the DC290's most important feature is its CCD, a massive 2.1 megapixel one capable of capturing images with a resolution of 2,240 by 1,500 using proprietary resolution enhancing technology.

The camera also offers the option of saving images in an uncompressed TIFF format, as opposed to the standard compressed JPEG format for greater image integrity. This, along with a burst mode that allows shooting three frames per second (to a maximum of five frames at high-res or 20 at standard) and the ability to record voice comments along with the pictures recommend this camera to the professional or the serious hobbyist.

Like the DC240i, the DC290 offers a choice between a serial connection or a much faster USB port for picture download. It comes with a 20MB flash memory card and a battery charger.

One nice feature of both cameras is they come not only with rechargeable Ni-MH batteries, but with four standard disposable AA alkaline batteries as well. This means that as the rechargeables charge, you can start shooting using the disposables right out of the box. Although a small gesture, this adds a lot to the feeling that these are quality products.

Mac enthusiasts match camera to 'blueberry' iMac Kodak loaned CDN a DC240i to test, and we spent a couple days putting it through the paces. Over all, the camera is nicely designed with its 328-gram body fitting nicely in one hand. The power switch is located on the back, a vast improvement over the DC210, which had the power button located right next to the shutter release, a design flaw that leads to such incidents as people turning their cameras off while trying to snap pictures with them.

Unfortunately, another design shortcoming in the DC210 line persists with this new model. The viewfinder is located in such a position that you naturally bring it up to your right eye. Underneath the view finder on the left of the camera is the LCD display. This positions it directly in front of your nose while shooting, which means the LCD is forever collecting nose sweat.

However, the camera's LCD display is wonderful. It's bright and beautifully coloured, and the navigation of the onboard operating system is both easy and intuitive, using left-right and up-down scroll buttons as well as an action button. The camera can be set up so that once you snap a picture, it appears on the screen for a few seconds and you are given the option of deleting it with a touch of a button.

The camera also offers some extra gimmicks, such as the ability to include one of a number of predefined borders around the shot. This, along with the iMac styling clearly mark the 240i as a lifestyle-based device aimed at consumers.