Kodak DC25 (1996)

The Kodak DC25 is a compact consumer digital camera from 1996. It appears to have been the first camera to use CompactFlash storage. Surviving documentation on the camera itself is thin.

What the record shows is a 0.27-megapixel camera built around a 493×373 CCD sensor. That's enough for roughly 26 images on the included 2MB CompactFlash card. It had a built-in LCD screen for reviewing pictures after the shot, which was a notable feature for the era, and a built-in flash. The DC25 was part of Kodak's DC series, the company's budget consumer line, positioned against the far more expensive professional DCS series. The original price was around $500 (sources conflict between $499 and around $500).

Two practical caveats come up repeatedly in owner accounts. First, the camera records images in an unusual RAW format that needs conversion before the files are usable. Second, it runs on "exotic" batteries that are difficult to source today. Geograph Britain and Ireland flags both of these as real hurdles for anyone trying to use a DC25 now. The camera has a small following too. It shows up in user review threads with a middling 3.6 rating, and at least one Reddit user insists it "cooks in low light."

Beyond that, the record goes quiet. No detailed specs on lens, shutter, ISO, or dimensions have surfaced in the sources checked.