Personally, I think it was love at first sight. Upon opening Kodak's signature yellow & red logo box, I discovered the EasyShare DX7590 zoom digital camera, accessories, and features galore. As I began to explore the camera, I thought, "Wow!" I was immediately intrigued with the myriad of picture-taking modes. While I could set the mode dial to 'auto' for general picture taking, which offers an excellent balance of image quality and ease of use, I also had the choice of accessing other modes on the dial, such as Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Manual, Custom, Video, Scene, Sports, and Portrait, for more creative control. As in many digital cameras, access to a number of other features was also provided via the menu button (i.e., picture size, compression, white balance, exposure bracketing interval, exposure metering, focus zone, color mode, sharpness, etc.) while scrolling through the list displayed on the LCD screen. What was even more pleasing was the ability to access, quickly and single-handedly, the features that I use on a regular basis, such as ISO, shutter speed, flash compensation, exposure compensation, and aperture - all of this at virtually the touch of a button, or more specifically in the case of the DX7590 - a mode dial, jog dial, and joy stick. As well, I was especially looking forward to testing the features that Kodak has integrated within the DX7590, such as the Schneider-Kreuznach Variogon 10X optical zoom lens (38-380mm equivalent), Kodak's Color Science image processing chip, and intelligent matrix metering, all of which provide opportunity to produce remarkable results typically associated only with high-end SLRs. So many goodies in one little package, and so, the fun began!

As I suspected, the more time I spent shooting with the DX7590, the more impressed I became with the results it delivered, especially when stacked against other manufacturers' higher-resolution digital cameras and shot under the same conditions and camera settings (see following test shots). I was absolutely thrilled with the Schneider-Kreuznach Variogon 10X optical zoom lens, particularly when photographing the birds and wildlife that frequent my back woods, giving me the ability to zoom in and capture their activity with such clarity and detail while remaining indiscreet and only yards away, resulting in some awesome photographs.

After taking some test shots with the DX7590, it was time to transfer the photos from the camera to my computer. A simple installation of the Kodak EasyShare software CD to my laptop, placement of the DX7590 to the EasyShare Camera Dock 6000, and connection of the AC adapter and USB cable made the photo transfer process very easy, as the software prompted me through each step. Once the photos had been transferred, I was able to create an album (file) and begin the photo editing process. I found the editing capabilities of the EasyShare software to be rather limited when compared to other software, such as Adobe PhotoShop Elements. However, in keeping with Kodak's trademark "ease of use," they still hit the target. The edit function offers features such as Crop, Red Eye, Enhance, Brightness/Contrast, Exposure, Rotate, Zoom, and Fun Effects (which includes Black & White, Sepia Tone, Coloring Book, Cartoon, and Fish Eye.) As well, when it came time to print, I was very pleased with the print quality of the photos as captured by the Kodak EasyShare DX7590.