Kodak DCS 520 (1998–2001)
The Kodak DCS 520 is a 2-megapixel digital SLR built on the Canon EOS 1n body with the Canon EF lens mount. Kodak announced it February 3, 1998, and it was produced until 2001. The original price was $14,995. It was essentially the Kodak-badged twin of the Canon D2000, and some owners called them the same camera with different nameplates. A DCS 520X variant with a Xena CMY color filter existed but was never sold.
This is not a small camera. The digital back, battery compartment, processing unit and extra controls add bulk to the EOS 1n shell. The whole thing weighs 1.7kg and stands 180mm tall. The sensor is a Kodak M15 2MP CCD with 1728×1152 resolution and a 1.3x crop factor. It shoots at 3.5fps with a 12-frame buffer. DPReview (1998) noted that the faster capture rate gave it the necessary boost for action photographers. Storage was PCMCIA Type III cards. One reviewer's test setup used a 340Mb hard disk, and a 520mb Callunacard sold for $620 in 1998.
Owner reports are mixed. The menu system "takes some getting used to," and one user complaint listed simply "Weight - Abandonment by its parents Kodak and Canon." Another owner was a Canon person with many Canon lenses and flashes, so the EF mount was a natural fit. One inherited an unopened DCS 520 and asked whether it was usable, since the original battery may no longer hold a charge. Customer service experiences with Kodak UK and London dealer Leeds Photovisual were described as superb.
Known specs:
- 2.0-megapixel Kodak M15 CCD sensor, 1728×1152 resolution
- Canon EF lens mount
- 3.5fps capture, 12-frame buffer
- 1.7kg weight, 180mm height
- PCMCIA Type III storage
- Kodak NiCD battery
Surviving documentation is thin. No ISO range, shutter speeds or detailed metering specs are recorded in the archive. The DCS 520 was priced and built for working pros rather than enthusiasts.
eBay Listings
As an eBay Partner, we earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support our independent vintage technology research.