Kodak DCS Pro 14n Digital SLRKodak's latest digital SLR brings full-frame, 13.7 megapixel resolution to market for under 5,000.<<Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests :(Previous) | (Next): Camera Modes & Menus>> Page 8:Operation & User InterfaceReview First Posted: 03/23/2003 |
Operation and User Interface
Anyone already familiar with Nikon 35mm SLRs should feel at home with the 14n's user interface, which is very similar. The dials and control buttons that affect basic camera operation are very similar to those of many 35mm models, with only the portions relating to digital operation presenting a learning curve to be climbed. The 14n's combination of external dials and controls make it quick and easy to change most of the camera's primary exposure settings without delving into the LCD menu. The LCD menu itself is quite large, but is divided into four subject tabs for simpler navigation. I personally wasn't too keen on the layout of the 14n's LCD menu system, feeling it to be somewhat cumbersome to navigate. On a positive note though, you can select up to five functions for rapid access via the "hotkey" on the 14n, providing shortcuts to LCD menu functions, as well as to functions shown on the smaller status display on the camera's rear panel. I didn't shoot with the 14n long enough for the menu system to become completely intuitive, but did find that the hotkey function made a big difference in how easy it was to use.
Depth of Field Preview Button: Nestled between the hand grip and lens
on the camera's front panel, this button stops down the lens aperture to the
value you've selected, so you can preview the depth of field through the camera's
viewfinder.
Lens Release Button: On the opposite side of the lens, this button
unlocks the lens, allowing it to be rotated and removed from its mount.
Focus Selector: Directly below the Lens Release button, this selector
dial controls the main focus mode. Positions are Manual, Single, and Continuous.
Sub-Command Dial: Located at the top of the hand grip, on the front
of the camera, this dial controls a variety of camera settings when turned while
pressing a control button.
Shutter Button: Angling down from the camera's top panel, just over
the hand grip, this button sets focus and/or exposure when halfway pressed.
It releases the shutter when fully pressed.
Power Switch: Surrounding the Shutter button on the top panel, this
switch turns the camera on or off.
Exposure Compensation Button: Behind the Shutter button on the top
panel, this button adjusts the exposure from -3 to +3 exposure equivalents (EV)
in one-half-step increments when pressed while turning the Main Command dial.
Pressing this button together with the Auto-Exposure Bracketing button resets
all of the camera settings to their factory defaults.
Flash Exposure Compensation Button: To the right of the Exposure Compensation
button, this button adjusts the flash exposure compensation from -3 to +1 EV
in one-half-step increments when held down while turning the Main Command dial.
LCD Illuminator Button: On the right side of the top status display
panel, this button illuminates the LCD status displays briefly when pressed.
Flash Head Release Button: On the left side of the pop-up flash compartment
(as viewed from the rear), this button releases the flash from its compartment.
Drive Mode Selector Lock Button: Located in the far left corner of
the top panel, this button locks or unlocks the Drive Mode Selector.
Drive Mode Selector: On the left side of the camera's top panel, this
dial selects the camera's drive mode. Options are Single, Continuous, Self-Timer,
or Lock Exposure (this last locks the exposure settings so that they cannot
be changed).
Exposure Mode Dial: Sitting directly on top of the Drive Mode Selector,
this dial sets the camera's exposure mode. Choices are Program (P), Shutter
Priority (S), Aperture Priority (A), or Manual (M). The dial also accesses the
camera's ISO and AF Area Mode settings.
Auto-Exposure Bracketing Button: In the top left corner of the camera's
rear panel, just below the Exposure Mode dial and Drive Mode Selector, this
button activates the camera's Auto-Exposure Bracketing mode when pressed while
turning the Main Command dial. Pressing this button while turning the Sub-Command
dial changes the bracket step size, the number of frames in the series, and
the order that shots are taken in, cycling through a series of configurations
involving various combinations of those parameters. Pressing this button in
conjunction with the Exposure Compensation button resets the camera's settings.
Flash Sync Mode Button: Adjacent on the right to the Auto Exposure
Bracketing button, this button controls the operating mode of the built-in flash.
Pressing the button while rotating the Sub-Command dial cycles through Front-Curtain
Sync, Slow Sync, Rear-Curtain Sync, Red-Eye Reduction, and Red-Eye Reduction
with Slow Sync modes.
Menu Button: The topmost button in a series lining the left side of
the LCD monitor, this button displays the settings menus and activates the LCD
display. This button also cancels the menu display.
Nav+ Button: Beneath the Menu button, this button activates the LCD
and displays the last-accessed image, with a small Image Mode menu overlay that
lets you choose the type of playback display you want. (Normal, index, histogram,
or zoomed.) During image review, this button changes the action of the arrow
keys. With this button held down, the up/down arrow keys jump between image
folders, while the left/right arrow keys jump 10 images forward or backward
on the memory card.
Hotkey Button: Just below the Nav+ button, this button can be customized
as a shortcut key to menu functions. When pressed, it activates the LCD display
with a highlight over the shortcut function, so you can quickly change a setting.
Pressing the left or right arrow keys while this button is held down cycles
through the programmed hotkey shortcuts. (The manual says the top or bottom
keys, but on my prototype unit, it was the left/right keys that cycled through
the shortcuts.)
Digital Status Button: The final button in the series lining the left
side of the LCD monitor, this button highlights the last-used function on the
digital status LCD screen, as well as its associated menu option on the larger
LCD monitor. Holding down the button while pressing the right or left arrow
keys cycles through the different functions shown on the digital status display
beneath the main LCD monitor.
Delete Button: Adjacent to the right side of the LCD monitor, this
button displays the image erase menu, allowing you to delete images from the
memory card.
Tag/Record Button: Below the Delete button, this button displays the
Tag menu when pressed quickly and released. (The Tag menu lets you tag recorded
images for printing or a number of other post-capture operations within the
Kodak DCS Photo Desk software. Pressing and holding this button for more than
one second enables an audio record mode, which records short sound clips to
accompany captured images.
OK Button: Just above the Four-Way controller on the back panel, this
button confirms menu selections. Pressing this button while the LCD monitor
is inactive turns it on and displays the most recently captured image, with
a small Image Mode menu overlay that lets you choose the type of playback display
you want. (Normal, index, histogram, or zoomed.)
Cancel Button: Below the OK button, this button cancels menu selections
and backs out of menu screens. It's also generally how you turn off the main
LCD display when you're finished using it.
Four-Way Controller: Dominating the right side of the camera's back
panel, this rocker-toggle button features four arrow keys. In any settings menu,
these buttons navigate through menu selections. In image review mode, the right
and left arrows scroll through captured images on the memory card. When the
LCD monitor is powered off, the arrow keys let you select the AF area.
Four-Way Controller Lock Switch: Surrounding the Four-Way controller, this rotating ring locks the controller and prevents it from making any adjustments.
Main Command Dial: Located in the top right corner of the rear panel,
this dial adjusts a variety of camera settings, when turned while holding down
various control buttons. In Aperture Priority and Shutter Speed Priority modes,
this dial sets either the aperture or shutter speed settings. In Manual exposure
mode, the dial sets the shutter speed.
Metering System Selector: To the right of the viewfinder eyepiece on
the rear panel, this dial sets the camera's metering mode to 3D Matrix, Center-Weighted,
or Spot modes.
AE/AF Lock Button: In the center of the Metering System Selector, this button locks focus or exposure for one shot.
Vertical Shutter Release Button: Located on the bottom of the right side
of the camera (when looking at the back panel), this Shutter button can be used
when shooting vertically. It's indented slightly to prevent it from being accidentally
pressed during normal use. NOTE that the vertical release is also disabled by
default. It can be enabled via the camera's setup menu.
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