The camera controls are straightforward; there's a wheel to flick between taking pictures and viewing them, a switch to set normal or wide-angle mode, the standard menu navigation buttons, a flash control button and a two-step shutter release. The camera comes supplied with 8 MB of internal memory as well as a compact flash slot. This means that even without buying more memory, you have space for 12 shots at high resolution (1800 x 1200) or 50 shots at low resolution (900 x 600). As the camera stores images to the JPG format (which uses compression) these figures will vary depending upon the complexity of the subject.

The camera performs well in varied conditions, producing crisp, clear images and the colour balance is superb even when faced with a mixture of natural and artificial light. Images are immediately visible on the good-sized LCD panel. Other strong points include the short latency between pressing the shutter release and the taking of a picture, the fast flash refresh time and the ability to take several pictures in quick succession. The obvious omission is the absence of a "movie-mode" for the recording of short MPEG files.

Part of the EasyShare range, the camera is compatible with the separately available docking station, which not only provides a permanent USB connection with your PC but also charges the camera's batteries that are supplied with the pack. The software ties in with the docking tray, letting you transfer images with the press of a button. Though the camera also appears in the My Computer window as a new drive giving you direct access to the memory card. The dock isn't an essential purchase, as you can sync the camera with your PC without it, but it does come in handy and is well worth considering.

There are two main software programs supplied with the camera--a simple image-editing tool that also enables you to create slideshows and send images to friends via e-mail and the Image Transfer software that runs in the background, waiting to upload pictures via the separately available Dock. --Nick Baxter

Manufacturer's Description
High-quality pictures
The DX3500 features 2.2 megapixel resolution, 3X digital zoom and a convenient close-up mode to ensure great looking pictures every time. It's the perfect camera for sharing pictures over e-mail or for printing photo-quality prints.

Easy to shoot
Great pictures at the touch of a button. The DX3500 comes ready to shoot with 8MB of internal memory, and a Compactflash expansion slot that lets you add additional memory so you can take and save even more pictures. The camera also comes with a 1.8" LCD screen which lets you preview and review your shots, so you always know that you got the perfect picture.

Easy to share
With the Kodak Camera Dock (Not Supplied) sharing is easy. Just place a DX3500 in the dock, touch the button and pictures are automatically sent to your computer and are ready for e-mailing and printing. The Camera Dock will also quickly and automatically recharge your camera's battery pack, so you'll always be ready to take more pictures.