Manage updates with the Download AppKodak EasyShare Z981
Manufacturer: Kodak Part number: 1020304
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The Kodak EasyShare Z981 has attractive specs and pricing, but falls too short on photo quality to recommend it.
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Where to buy
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CNET editors' review
Kodak EasyShare Z981 price range: $390.00
- Reviewed by: Joshua Goldman
- Reviewed on: 06/30/2010
The good: Very good built-in sharing software; cheap.
The bad: Basic options missing; mediocre photo quality.
The bottom line: The Kodak EasyShare Z981 has attractive specs and pricing, but falls too short on photo quality to recommend it.
User reviews
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Great Camera for the more than average user
by Zboyy on April 27, 2010
Pros: This camera has an amazing 26x optical zoom capability, HD movie (720p) w/ optical zoom. The photos are great in RAW format. Manual, semi auto and full auto controls. Vertical shutter. 3'' LCD & Viewfinder. See others in review below...
Cons: Some noise when set on JPEG fine setting even at low ISO, but RAW is great. Nothing else really.
Summary: This Camera has a Quick Shutter speed, it has almost no lag on a class 2, 4GB, SD card,it has a <0.2 shutter speed. It also runs ...
Summary: This Camera has a Quick Shutter speed, it has almost no lag on a class 2, 4GB, SD card,it has a <0.2 shutter speed. It also runs on NiMH 2000 maH rechargeable AA batteries which last a long, long time for a camera this size. There is only one con that i have found, same as above, but all is well with RAW format. It has OIS for anti shake
Also I have found that the color is accurate, a big thing that Kodak does quite well. The only things that can be a problem is the "burst mode". It will take continuous pictures but its pic 1,2, pic 1,2 seconds. Kodak has promised a firmware upgrade that will fix these problems. All is well with this camera and it is a very affordable bridge camera, i got mine at office depot for $299. Hope this helps...
Updated on May 7, 2010
Updated on Aug 9, 2010I have been having same problem as "billtaylorsac ", and I've been able to link it to the firmware update, 1.01. If you you have this camera please don't update unless you want reds to be blotchy w/ no detail or anything. The camera is great without it, i may be sending my z981 in for repair soon so as to get this problem fixed but again , great camera for the more than average user!7 out of 7 users found this user opinion helpful.
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'Great Camera, period" !
by rfinsa on August 11, 2010
Pros: "The zoom, picture quality,user friendly,light, LCD,and viewfinder works great" ! Buy it !!!
Cons: You have to remove the re-chargable batteries and that is pretty much it, if you want to call this a negative.
Summary: I researched many zooms,megazooms,and a few dslr's online, and at the stores. I needed a camera that has all the features. This Kodak Z981camera is getting an ...
Summary: I researched many zooms,megazooms,and a few dslr's online, and at the stores. I needed a camera that has all the features. This Kodak Z981camera is getting an average C- comments by some website editors. I purchased a Nikon P-100 and it takes great pictures but does not take good action sports at night and I even went to a camera store where the sales guy had a hard time working the Nikon P-100. I returned the camera and went against my instincts and bought the "so call average camera" , the Kodak Z981. I would never figure Kodak as a major competitor. The Kodak Z981camera is great and easy for anyone else that wants a no hassle camera that works great and can probably stand with the best of them.
5 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great features, economic, good battery life
by s9paul on January 31, 2011
Pros: Lens is good, offers manual over rides, colour response is good (very close to natural), portrait shutter release button is handy.
Cons: Red and pink saturates 'n details are lost as a result, auto focusing in macro+ does not work well, jpeg compression creates noise, the battery door catch needs improvement, li-ion batteries could reduce its weight and make it appear less bulky.
Summary: It's a recommended buy for the amateur photo enthusiast
Summary: It's a recommended buy for the amateur photo enthusiast
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great Camera Carry it with me Always
by LisaCameraReviews on December 7, 2010
Pros: pretty much every thing. I have had it since May 2010. So far have done about 6,000 photos. Shooting mostly macro and closeup (there is a difference). Did a ton of landscapes at the beach and in the redwood forests.
Cons: Do not like the kind of batteries.
I find the BRIGHT Pink and Deep Red in bright light can get blown out...so used lower on color mode.
Does not take filters or adapters, or shade, etc and that is important.Summary: Price is good, actually on sale recently was 199.
the 14 mp is great to get close up and personal with macros. It has quick focusing on critters, even bees ...Summary: Price is good, actually on sale recently was 199.
the 14 mp is great to get close up and personal with macros. It has quick focusing on critters, even bees on flowers. So far I am Very Pleased.
It is not as heavy as many cameras so can come with me everywhere. I have several cameras, point and shoot through DSLR and this is the one I carry most.2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Easy camera for a seasoned veteran to a beginner.
by baileyshots on September 15, 2010
Pros: The optical lens is a beautiful thing.
Cons: Battery door could us improvement.
Summary: I find this to be the perfect companion to a small digital without the need to carry around cumbersome lenses. I have had a camera in my hands for fifty ...
Summary: I find this to be the perfect companion to a small digital without the need to carry around cumbersome lenses. I have had a camera in my hands for fifty years, and know that eighty percent of good photography is in composition. For a camera that is for the enjoyment of taking good quality images this one fits the bill, if you need to impress others with waving around a long lens mounted on a SLR at birthday parties then it's not for you.
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Intriquing camera with very serious flaws.
by billtaylorsac on July 8, 2010
Pros: Ease of use, in-camera panoramic image stitching, high-def movies. Bright 3" view screen, uses AA batteries.
Cons: Soft pictures (unsharp at all focal lengths), serious over-satuation of images - especially reds (detail totally disappears)- even in the "Natural Color" setting, jerky zooming, awkward on-off switch, gimmicky, cheap construction.
Summary: I used this camera on a trip to Hawai'i. It's fun to use, but the image quality borders on terrible. I'm selling it and going to a ...
Summary: I used this camera on a trip to Hawai'i. It's fun to use, but the image quality borders on terrible. I'm selling it and going to a Lumix DMC-FZ35. I've used the Panasonic Lumix FZ series for a long time - they're fantastic.
3 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Inconsistent photos and noisey movies
by Easysharefanc on November 29, 2010
Pros: 14 MP, 26X Optical Zoom, Rechargeable batteries, keyboard function
Cons: Smart focusfocusfocusfocusfocus (never ends)
Smart focus motor noise records on movie mode because it never stops SMART FOCUSING!!Summary: Smart capture is inconsistent and never quits auto focusing. I tried to cut this feature off and save the rest of the good aspects - to no avail. In desperation ...
Summary: Smart capture is inconsistent and never quits auto focusing. I tried to cut this feature off and save the rest of the good aspects - to no avail. In desperation I began reading reviews to see if it was me or just a learning curve. I have owned Easyshares now for over 10 years and couldn't believe what I was experiencing.
The straw that broke the camel's back for me was the "auto focus" NOISE that records onto the video in movie mode. WHAT? How did we miss this one folks? My Easyshare has been my primary source of movie capturing for YEARS - I'm just so disappointed. Going to DOWNGRADE my easyshare Z981 to one that doesn't have so much SMARTs.2 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great for beginners photographers, but decent for pros.
by friendship12396 on July 18, 2011
Pros: The camera has a nice zoom, and it is very easy to use as a beginner photographer. It is very light weight, and is reasonably priced also. The settings are easy to control for some who might not understand them.
Cons: I feel that the shutter speed isn't great for higher level photographer, but it is a good speed for photographers who would want to still experiment. Along with that, the video setting is noisy also for an auto zoom or when you try to zoom, while taking a
Summary: Overall, I think that this camera is great for photographers who don't want to spend as much money and who are just beginning photography. It is easy to hold ...
Summary: Overall, I think that this camera is great for photographers who don't want to spend as much money and who are just beginning photography. It is easy to hold and maneuver while capturing pictures. The shutter speed could be faster, but it is farely reasonable. The camera picture quality is also very good.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Everything I could ask for.
by annarae94 on June 28, 2011
Pros: Photo quality, ease of use, size, optical zoom, variety of settings
Cons: shutter speed, flash
Summary: I got this camera for Christmas and it hasn't let me down so far. The pictures always come out beautifully with supurb color and when using the right settings/...
Summary: I got this camera for Christmas and it hasn't let me down so far. The pictures always come out beautifully with supurb color and when using the right settings/flash, they harldy ever come out blury. Compared to a sony or nikon camera, the buttons are very straight forward making it very user-friendly. It is the perfect size-not small enough to get lost, nor bulky enough to get in the way. The zoom is absolutely incredible. Somehow it can clearly capture subjects from 100 yards away. I also like that it has all of the options and settings of a DSLR, only on user fiendly switches and buttons rather than on the confusing lens dials. Also, it comes with the rechargable kodak batteries which are total life savers! I recently went on a week long cruise, and was constantly taking pictures/videos. I think that I changed my batteries twice, while my sister, with a simple sony charged her battery 4 or 5 times. However, there is a down side to everything. There are only two minor complaints that i have. The first is the shutter speed. It is almost impossible to take 2 clear photos within 3 seconds of each other. This camera takes wonderful pictures when it has a few seconds to re-focus. And secondly is the flash. When I want the flash on, it's off and when i want it off, it's on. I never know which pictures are actually going to have flash or not. Overall, though, I would deffinitly reccomend this camera to anyone that likes the sharp, clear images and the wide variety of settings of a DSLR, but is intimidated by the cranks and dials...not to mention the price!
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great Camera. Great photos. So easy to use.
by lakebear on May 29, 2011
Pros: Great Autofocus. 26X Optical Zoom. Great smart (Auto everything) setting. Manual controls are very easy to use when you are in the mood to take control.
Cons: I'm going to have to buy one for my husband or I will never get to use it.
Summary: The camera does everything automatically and the photos are great. I've had other long zoom cameras and they had trouble focusing when zoomed and this one doesn't at ...
Summary: The camera does everything automatically and the photos are great. I've had other long zoom cameras and they had trouble focusing when zoomed and this one doesn't at all. Even when fully zoomed and with my slight shake it took great shots.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Kodak
- Part number: 1020304
- Description: The Kodak EASYSHARE Z981 digital camera is where creativity and versatility come together. It zooms in faster, wider, and closer than ever, giving you sharp, steady shots you'll be proud to share. And its unique vertical shutter release and detachable grip give you the flexibility to go from horizontal to vertical shots with ease. From dramatic wide angles to the convenience of ultra-zoom, the Z981 delivers extraordinary performance.
General
- Packaged Quantity 1
- Product Type Digital camera - Compact
- Enclosure Color Black
- Resolution 14 megapixels
- Optical Sensor Type CCD
- Effective Sensor Resolution 14,000,000 pixels
- Optical Sensor Size 1/2.33"
- Optical Zoom 26 x
- Digital Zoom 5 x
- Image Stabilizer Optical
- Auto Focus TTL contrast detection
- Digital Video Format MPEG-4
- Image Recording Format JPEG,
RAW - AV Interfaces Composite video/audio
Exposure & White Balance
- Light Sensitivity ISO 400,
ISO 1600,
ISO 6400 (3Mpix),
ISO 800,
ISO 100,
ISO 64,
ISO 200,
ISO auto,
ISO 3200 (3Mpix) - Exposure Metering Multi-segment,
Center-weighted,
Spot - Exposure Modes Program,
Automatic,
Shutter-priority,
Manual,
Aperture-priority - Shooting Programs Snow,
Manor shot,
Beach,
Sports mode,
Night landscape,
Flower,
Back light,
Night portrait,
Fireworks,
Museum,
Children,
Text,
Self-portrait,
Panorama assist,
Portrait mode,
Landscape - Special Effects Black & White,
Sepia,
Low color,
High color,
Natural - White Balance Automatic,
Presets - White Balance Presets Fluorescent,
Daylight,
Tungsten light,
Shade - Max Shutter Speed 1/2000 sec
- Min Shutter Speed 16 sec
- Exposure Compensation ±2 EV range, in 1/3 EV steps
Lens System
- Type Schneider-Kreuznach 26 x x Zoom lens - F/2.8-5.0
- Focal Length Equivalent to 35mm Camera 26 - 676 mm
- Focus Adjustment Manual,
Automatic - Min Focus Range 27.6 in
- Macro Focus Range 0.4 in - 12 in
- Zoom Adjustment Motorized drive
Camera Flash
- Camera Flash Pop-up flash
- Flash Modes Fill-in mode,
Auto mode,
Flash OFF mode,
Red-eye reduction - Effective Flash Range 20 ft
Additional Features
- Self Timer Delay 2 sec,
10 sec - Additional Features Scene Detection Technology,
In-camera red-eye removal,
Audio recording,
Face detection,
YouTube capture mode,
Auto power save,
Histogram display,
KODAK PERFECT TOUCH Technology,
USB 2.0 compatibility Viewfinder
- Viewfinder Type Electronic
- Viewfinder Color Support Color
Display
- Type 3 in LCD display
- Display Features Built-in
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x Composite video/audio output,
1 x USB,
1 x DC power input
Software
- Software Drivers & Utilities,
Kodak EasyShare System Requirements for PC Connection
- Operating System Support MS Windows 7,
MS Windows XP SP2,
Apple Mac OS X 10.4.x,
Apple Mac OS X 10.6.x or later,
MS Windows Vista,
Apple Mac OS X 10.5.x or later - Peripheral Devices USB port,
CD-ROM drive Miscellaneous
- Microsoft Certifications Compatible with Windows 7
- Included Accessories Lens cap,
Battery charger,
Neck strap,
USB cable,
Camera grip Battery
- Supported Battery AA
- Supported Battery 4 x AA NiMH rechargeable battery ( Included )
Memory / Storage
- Memory Card Slot SD card
- Supported Memory Cards SDHC Memory Card,
SD Memory Card - Internal Storage 64 MB Flash
- Included Memory Card 42.4 MB
- Video Capture MPEG-4 - 1280 x 720,
MPEG-4 - 640 x 480 Manufacturer Warranty
- Service & Support 1 year warranty
- Service & Support Details Limited warranty - 1 year
Environmental Parameters
- Min Operating Temperature 32 °F
- Max Operating Temperature 104 °F
Main Features
- Image stabilizer feature Optical stabilization helps prevent blurry pictures, especially for handheld cameras at slow shutter speeds or when using high optical zoom.
Accessories
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Kodak products on Shopper.com
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- Manufacturer:Kodak
- Address:
343 State Street, Rochester, NY 14650
