Model Design / Appearance (7.5)
The Kodak DX7590 is styled like an SLR, with a smooth, boxy construction that resembles elements of modern architecture. There are indented contours crafted into the camera body to ensure the user keeps a firm grip on the EasyShare DX7590. The camera has a black body with brushed smooth silver highlights. Most of the frame is built from sturdy molded plastic, with added rubber panels for gripping, covering ports, and cushioning the viewfinder. The overall design of the camera body is solid, with the feel of a true SLR encasing the souped-up point-and-shoot imager.

Size / Portability (6.0)
This camera comes with a wrist strap, but we cannot recommend dangling the camera on your wrist for long periods of time. Even without the battery and memory card, the Kodak EasyShare DX7590 weighs 12.3 ounces. The body measures 3.9 x 3.2 x 3.2 inches, totaling 39.9 inches³. At this size, the frame feels a bit too bulky to be considered a compact camera. However, with its minimal weight, the camera will feel comfortably transportable around the user’s neck. The size and styling of the DX7590 make the body far too large and awkward for a pocket, and although the camera could fit in a purse, it would fare better if stored in its own camera bag.

Handling Ability (7.5)
The Kodak EasyShare DX7590 is boxier than most 5-megapixel cameras because of its SLR-like design. It is smaller than a true digital SLR at 3.9 x 3.2 x 3.2 inches, but still requires two hands to hold securely. The rubber grips and divots in the camera body make for easy handling and advanced control. There is a large right-hand grip to give the user a firm grasp on the frame and necessary stability when shooting. The left hand can comfortably support the camera without obstructing the lens, however, it feels a bit odd without a manual focus ring. The inclusion of a focusing ring would have helped handling and provided advanced control for the camera’s manually-oriented users.

Control Button / Dial Positioning / Size (7.0)
The camera’s layout is an area in which Kodak DX7590 could improve. The back of the camera has buttons and controls laid out without apparent reason. The exception is the main mode dial; it is large and positioned logically next to the LCD screen. The joystick in the center of the mode dial is small and difficult to use. It is supposed to be pushed up, down, and side to side for navigation and directly depressed into the camera to make a selection. However, because of its size and limited movement, the joystick sometimes presses to the side instead of straight in and vice versa. When engaging the viewfinder, which is larger and far more accessible than others on most recent 5 megapixel cameras, the mode dial and all other buttons for that matter are difficult to identify and control. While this camera wasn’t constructed for speed, changing modes or finding buttons while shooting will require some fancy finger-work.

Menu (7.5)
To access the menu, the user must depress the Menu button beneath the function dial. Depending on which shooting mode is selected on the function dial, the menu will display an expanded or reduced list of options. The basic menu in automatic and preset modes lets the user choose the self-timer, the image size and quality, exposure compensation, auto focus mode, color mode, and storage album. The manual mode has all of those settings, plus metering, focus zone, white balance, and sharpness. In playback mode, the menu allows the user to select an album for storing the image and decide whether to store the image to the card or internal memory. The Kodak EasyShare DX7590 can protect files so they’re not accidentally erased. Images can be viewed in a slideshow, as thumbnails, or as single frames. To scroll through the menu, the user must press downwards or upwards on the joystick centered in the function dial. To select a setting, the user must press the joystick straight into the camera body. The problem comes when thumbs or fingers move quickly, either pressing the joystick straight down instead of moving it up or vice versa. Overall, the menu isn’t the easiest seen on a digital camera, but it’s still fairly intuitive with pictures next to the words and laid out in a fairly simplistic manner.

Ease of Use (7.5)
Kodak digital cameras are known foremost for their simplistic design and overall ease of use, largely indebted to its Share button. Ideologically, Kodak attempts to create a single button for most essential control features and reduce the effort needed for control and functionality. The Kodak DX7590 could be one of the more difficult Kodak cameras to maneuver, but it is still relatively easy to use when contrasted with other brands. The joystick and small buttons aren’t the most user-friendly, but once the user has become familiar with the layout of the camera, navigation and control is virtually effortless.