Kodak DCS 760 (2001)

A professional DSLR built around the Nikon F5 body, with a 6-megapixel CCD sensor, made for high-end commercial and field use.

Overview

The Kodak DCS 760 is a professional digital SLR released in 2001. Kodak took the Nikon F5 film body and modified it to hold a digital imaging system. It was designed for portrait, fashion, commercial, and military work, and NASA used it in operational service from late 2001 through 2008. It captures 12-bit raw images in a lossless compressed format and stores them on dual PC Cards. An onboard microphone handles voice annotation.

Specifications

Sensor	6-megapixel (3032 x 2008) ITO CCD
Effective imaging area	27.65 x 18.48 mm
ISO sensitivity	80–400 (pushable to 2 stops)
Lens mount	Nikon F Lens Mount
Burst rate	1.5 frames per second for up to 24 images
Buffer	128 MB
File format	Lossless compressed 12-bit raw
Color depth	36-bit (12 bits per channel)
Autofocus system	Five-area phase detection with three cross-type sensors (Multi-CAM1300)
White balance	Auto, Daylight, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Flash
Video output	NTSC or PAL
Interface	IEEE 1394 (FireWire)
Storage	Dual PC Card slots
Dimensions	158 x 194 x 88 mm
Weight	1.86 kg (with battery)
Focal length multiplier	1.3x
Color filter array	Primary color (GRGB)
IR filter	Built-in lithium niobate anti-aliasing filter
Display	Improved color LCD with wider viewing angle
Special features	Intervalometer, GPS option, on-board histogram, custom white balance, +1.1 EV exposure, Open API for third-party software

Design

The DCS 760 uses a weather-sealed magnesium alloy body derived from the Nikon F5, ensuring durability in field conditions. It integrates Kodak’s proprietary indium tin oxide (ITO) CCD sensor, which offers higher light transmittance compared to polysilicon sensors, along with low-noise electronics and a software noise-reduction filter. The camera supports wireless Ethernet for rapid auto-save to a laptop and includes an Open API for custom application development.

Context

The DCS 760 belonged to the Kodak DCS 700 Series and succeeded the DCS 660, with improvements in ISO range, burst rate, and buffer capacity. Its competition included the Canon D30 and Fuji FinePix S1Pro. It stayed in production until Kodak introduced the 14-megapixel DCS Pro 14N in 2003. A monochrome version, the DCS 760M, came out in 2002.

Market

Used units have turned up on eBay, with observed prices between $400 and $800. NASA used the camera extensively from 2001 to 2008, including in extreme environments.