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I have used many cameras, but this one has features I have never seen in any camera. The camera has a menu for each type of photo-taking, and lacks nothing I would want in a camera. I really enjoy using it.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
We needed a new one at work as the old one wouldn't hold a charge, though that could have been the old rechargeable batteries. And the back to the battery compartment was not attached. So I bought this as a replacement, it's the exact same.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
This camera (Kodak Easyshare Z981) is wonderful! I really like it. However, if you need/want a point and shoot I would not suggest this one. It has a bit of a 'learning curve' to get used to which settings to use and when, much like a D-SLR, it does have many higher end features that must be understood and correctly set before 'excellent' quality can be obtained using t hem. The Zoom is 'Awesome' though the last 2-3 stops in magnification tends to require use of a Tripod or brace of some sort for consistently good results. The best 'range' of focus (for the Z981) up to and within the X26 of the zoom. The digital zoom will let you get the shot but at max Zoom (ie 120-130X) the pics get noisy. For Macro and Macro-plus settings this camera is Fantastic! Perfect for most hobby photog's For Low light without flash it can be difficult but (again) once you've experimented (and learned) what settings to use it does an adequate job. Best For: Long zoom shots where it would not be practical to carry a lot of equipment or to use/carry large telephoto lens. And very good WIDE angle shots the 14 megapixel output allows really professional level pictures. Video quality is good (more than simply acceptable) but I'd recommend a tripod or other means of steadying while shooting, especially at long ranges.Read full review
I bought the Z981 because of the price, the 26x zoom and its famous German manufacturer, the EVF, the RAW feature, the large LCD, and the 14 megapixels. It looks like a semi-professional camera, and it can be, sometimes. In 'Smart Capture' mode, the camera sets itself; you have no control over anything but the zoom. It will choose an ISO, shutter speed, aperture, flash, and then use in-camera JPG compression and noise reduction. That's bad if you need a fine image, but if you only want a small print or web shot, it's OK. Better to leave the camera set on 'P' and the ISO at 100, then after you get a record shot, take the time to get a better one with 'M' or 'A'. Be aware that the max range of f-stops is only from 2.8 to 8.0 (3 stops), and that there's barely a 1-stop range at full zoom! Don't use Shutter Priority with the Z981-— use the Sports/Action setting if you need to stop movement. RAW/KDC: 'Fine' JPG's aren't that fine-- smooth areas are blotchy and pasty up close-- especially above ISO 100, because noise reduction is automatically added along with JPG compression. There is really no other choice but RAW if you care about true high quality results. Bracketing exposures has to be done manually in RAW; the auto-bracketing function in the Z981 doesn't work except in JPG. Oddly, the Color, Contrast, and Sharpness settings all affect the RAW image. Images deteriorate very quickly as ISO numbers go up, and noise is noticeable as early as 100, though only by direct comparison with 64. Other long-zoom point-and-shoot cameras I've tried had serious chromatic aberration problems; the Z981 has almost none. I couldn't test the Image Stabilization since it can't be turned off/on, but it seemed excellent. Camera shake wasn't noticeable even at long zoom extensions, although I was careful not to use shutter speeds under 1/125. The Super Macro setting allows a distance of less than half an inch from the front of the lens to the subject! The sharp macro shots so far show an astounding ability in this area. There is no real manual focus-- AF and motorized manual focus (MF) only. The AF got confused by a dark red car as well as a distant landscape at full zoom, but usually did well. Batteries: After only twenty-five JPG shots, the battery meter showed the level below half. Take extras with you. Pluses: 1) Records good HD video 2) Has an EVF and a large, bright LCD 3) Amazing macro/zoom range (from less than half an inch at 26mm to 676mm!) 4) Very low chromatic aberration 5) High quality images possible at ISO 64 and 100, especially in RAW 6) Uses AA batteries instead of proprietaries 7) Low price-- you still get an awful lot, even with the minuses 8) Has the usual tricks for photo manipulation, from face recognition and scene presets to black and white and sepia imaging 9) A decent 'point and shoot' snapshot camera, except for its size Minuses: 1) Digital noise gets pretty bad by ISO 200 2) Blurred edges from mid to max zoom 3) Only 3 f-stops at best, 1.3 at worst-- little depth of field 4) Battery life is short 5) AF issues-- sometimes it can't focus at long zooms 6) Even 'Fine' JPG compression looks bad up close 7) No real manual focus. 8) No thread to mount filters, etc. 9) Rather useless 'Keyword Tag'(except with Kodak software) Some great photos are possible with the Z981 if you: 1) expose at minus 2/3-1.3 EV when shooting in direct sun; 2)use only ISO 64, 100 & RAW; 3) crop the blurry edges out of your telephoto shots.Read full review
I love this camera! It has an incredible lens range and produces very good pictures. It is a superzoom camera, with a lens equivalent to 26mm to 676m (in a 35mm camera). This goes from super wide angle to a super telephoto, and in a compact camera. It is definitely not a pocket camera, but it easily fits in a small camera bag, and only weighs about 12 ounces. Compared to a full-fledged digital SLR, it is very compact and light. In good light, the pictures are excellent. In dim light, photos are start to get noisy or "grainy", but that is common to other superzoom cameras I have read about. But stay in good light, and the pictures are great. The only fault I have found with the camera is that the edges are a little soft at the extreme wide-angle setting. Again, I have read that about other super zoom cameras, so I guess it comes with this class of cameras and their huge zoom ranges. The camera comes with all the scene modes anyone could ever ask for, along with full manual controls, just like a digital SLR. All in all, this camera is great value for the money. They can be purchased new on Ebay for about $200 or less. A digital SLR will cost at least twice that much, even without a lens. This Kodak also comes with a zoom range that until recently was right at the best you could obtain. Recently, the other camera makers have issued camers with an even great zoom range, but they also cost over twice as much money. Also, I am not sure I would ever use a wider zoom range than the Z981 has. I am very glad I purchased the camera, and I would recommend it to anyone except a working professional!Read full review
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