Kodak Professional begins shipping its DCS Pro 14n Digital Camera this week, which means the first units will start arriving at Kodak-authorized dealers during the first week of March 2003. The DCS Pro 14n camera - featuring a 13.89-megapixel, full-frame CMOS sensor, magnesium body for exceptional durability, basic and advanced operation settings, and the ability to capture high-quality images at three different resolutions - arrives in time for the PMA trade show in Las Vegas.

Designed to be easy to learn and to use, the DCS Pro 14n camera delivers the sharpest images possible today and will receive a number of important enhancements over the next several months through firmware upgrades to optimize its specifications. Firmware upgrades are free to Kodak Professional digital camera customers, and are a compelling part of the DCS Pro 14n camera's value and appeal - the ability to "renew" the camera regularly by adding functional enhancements and new capabilities.

"We're pleased to bring the Kodak Professional DCS Pro 14n Digital Camera to market in time for the imaging industry's largest gathering in the Western Hemisphere - PMA," said Madhav Mehra, General Manager, Digital Cameras, Kodak Professional. "This camera represents the very best option available today for many photographic applications. Even so, our work to make it the preferred choice of professional and advanced amateur photographers everywhere will go on. DCS Pro 14n camera users can be confident that their camera is able to meet their needs far better than any other camera on the market."

The DCS Pro 14n camera exhibits some variances in the specifications that were cited at its introduction at the Photokina trade show last September. For example, shots per battery charge is rated at 400, up a third from the announced 300 shots. The camera, originally configured to accept a 3-gigabyte storage card, will accept 4-gigabyte cards once they become available. Enhancements are planned for the file transfer rate (dependent upon third-party software capabilities), jpeg burst depth and long exposure settings. Activation of the camera's MMC/SD storage slot will be part of an upcoming firmware upgrade. And improvements to ISO range will be sought. Effective ISO range is now 80 - 800 at 50 percent (3.4 megapixel) and 67 percent (6 megapixel) resolution, and 80 - 400 at 100 percent (13.5 megapixel) resolution.

These enhancements promise to strengthen what already is a unique, feature-rich camera. In addition to its 13.89-megapixel sensor, variable-resolution settings and upgradeability via new firmware releases, the DCS Pro 14n camera creates and manages Kodak Professional's innovative Extended Range Imaging (ERI) jpeg files. This file format offers the dynamic range of a raw file and the workflow advantages of a jpeg file. In addition, the camera's rugged magnesium body includes a vertical trigger that activates in conjunction with an auto-orientation sensor, saving the photographer time by automatically rotating images as they're transferred to a computer. These and other capabilities place the DCS Pro 14n camera in a class by itself.

Due to the tremendous interest in and demand for the camera, it probably will be several months before every currently open back order can be filled. For most countries, Kodak Professional has instituted an allocation plan to help ensure an equitable distribution of cameras. Suggested U.S. list price for the DCS Pro 14n camera remains at USD $4,995. Dealers determine "street price." Based on current demand, it is likely initial U.S. street prices probably will stay very close to the suggested list price.