Kodak NC2000e (c. 1994–1996)
The NC2000e is a Kodak-built digital SLR made exclusively for the Associated Press. It belongs to the Kodak DCS 400 series, a family of Nikon-based digital cameras where Kodak took a film body, added a sensor and digital electronics, and made what one photographer described as a "Frankenstein" conversion. The NC2000e started life as a Nikon N90s.
The camera was designed for photojournalism, especially low-light work. It was a tool of its time in every sense. Reed Hoffmann, who shot with one, summarized it bluntly as "state-of-the-art digital for 1996": 1.3 megapixels, no LCD, very limited ISO, questionable color, and a non-removable battery - for roughly $15,000. The sensor was 20.5mm x 16.4mm with 1,268 x 1,012 pixel resolution, and a sensitivity range of ISO 200 to 1600-equivalents. One working photographer recalled that covering professional sports with the NC2000e was a challenge because flash couldn't be used. Low shutter speeds, fast apertures, lots of noise and questionable color were part of the job.
As The Digital Journalist noted, photographers in Washington used both the NC2000E and the first-generation Nikon D-1 for sports and late-deadline work. The camera has since gained a cult following among vintage digital enthusiasts. One owner reported shooting over 2,000 frames with theirs in 2018-2019, praising its "very strange appeal" for street photography.
Documentation on the NC2000e is thin. Production years are not firmly established - the NC2000 series dates to August 1994, while the NC2000e itself was described as current for 1996. No weight, dimensions, storage format or shutter specifications are documented in the archive. The price appears in sources as both $15,000 and "14740" (currency unspecified). It was a specialized, expensive press camera, and for many news organizations it heralded the coming of digital photography.
- 1.3-megapixel sensor, 20.5mm x 16.4mm, 1,268 x 1,012 resolution
- Based on Nikon N90s film body
- ISO 200–1600 equivalent
- No LCD, non-removable battery
- Made exclusively for the Associated Press
- Price: approximately $15,000
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