 |   Publisher : Eastman Kodak Company Company : Kodak List Price: Our Price: Too low to display Used Price : $219.99 |
Features
- 14-megapixel resolution for stunning prints up to 30 x 40 inches
- 26x optical zoom and 26mm wide-angle lens; 3-inch bright LCD
- One-button upload to YouTube, Facebook, Flickr, and Kodak Gallery sites, plus e-mail
- Vertical shutter release, detachable vertical grip; Fast click-to-capture speed (<0.2 sec.)
- Capture images to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)
Product Description
The new 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. Kodak’s Share Button lets you tag pictures directly from your camera for e-mailing or uploading to YouTube™, FACEBOOK, FLICKR, and KODAK Gallery. 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. Outstanding pictures are within your reach – put them out there for everyone to see. Because the real KODAK Moment happens when you shareSimilarProduct
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Customer reviews
Kodak Z981 
by .. Michael J. Mcmorrow ()
I have had my Z981 for two weeks and I have given it a thorough testing. My son is a professional photographer and he told me that I would be disappointed with this camera. I told him that I would give it a real-world test and, if I was disappointed, I would send it back.
First the cons: 1) The On/Off toggle switch is awkwardly placed. It is almost impossible to turn the camera on (or off) without moving (changing) the Mode dial. 2) The battery compartment is easy to open but very difficult to close and lock (I use my car key to slide it). Also, make sure the camera works once you have locked it. For some reason, this seems to be a problem. 3) A hotshoe and tilting view screen would have been nice but I knew from the specs that I would get neither. 4) The zoom on the back of the camera (rather than on the top) is awkward but I will get use to it. 5) I would have gladly paid an extra $50 to have the camera built out of heavy duty plastic.
Now the pros: 1) The photo quality is first rate. 2) The zoom is smooth but, keep in mind that in high power, you really need to steady the camera (I use a monopod). 3) The video automatically includes sound (not so with all cameras). 4) The video is very high quality (1280x720) and the optical zoom works in video mode. When playing this video, it fills my entire computer monitor - not just a little window in the middle of the monitor. 5) It uses SD cards. This doesn't sound like much but these are much cheaper than the proprietary cards that some cameras use. 6) It uses AA batteries. Since I travel a lot in the Amazon, built-in (or proprietary) rechargeable batteries are not an option for me. 7) I love having a separate button for all of the different functions. Most cameras have a Function button that you push and then get totally lost in the maze of options, sub-options and sub-sub-options. 8) The price is great. I have never paid less that $600 for a digital camera.
Bottom line: Great pictures, great high resolution video, 14mp and 26x zoom. It has some quirks but is a great camera at a great price.
LOVE This Camera!!... by .. Mercedes L. Johnmeyer (Kingsland, GA)
I have only owned Kodak cameras, and the Z981 is an upgrade for me from the Z1485 and the Z712, both of which I loved. What sold me on the Z981 however, was the 26x zoom. My Z712 had a 12x zoom, which was great, and the Z1485 was only a 5x, but it's small and pocket sized...great for throwing in my purse. Now, be advised...I am NOT a professional photographer (or anywhere near one). I am a stay-at-home-mom who has a slight obsession with cameras, but just cannot bring herself to take the SLR plunge. I take daily photos of my son, and of course, family trips/vacations. That said, this camera may be a bit much for your everyday Joe just wanting to take pictures of the family, since this IS pretty large and quite bulky to to carry around once it's in a case...though I certainly don't mind.
In my trials with this camera, I have found only a couple things that I'm not completely happy with. That main one is the battery compartment. While easy to open (just slide the tab and it pops open), it's darn near IMPOSSIBLE to close. I have to use a small screwdriver to slide the tab over once the batteries are in place. Also, when taking video, if you zoom in, it takes a few seconds for the focus to right itself, which may not seem like a big deal, but 5 seconds can be a long time on a short video clip.
As for everything else...I'm thrilled. While the on/off switch may be in an awkward place for some people, it's located in the same spot on the Z712, so I was already used to that. All the dial settings are very easy to use, and when you switch to each one, there's a brief explanation on what conditions you would use that particular setting for. Of course, my favorite is the 'Children playing in sunlight' setting. I can take crisp, clear pics of my boy while he's running around, and not have to worry about them being blurry, or dark. Also, (and one of the most important things, at least for me), the click-to-capture speed is VERY fast. When I push that button, it takes the picture...and I can take multiple pictures, one right after the other, with no delay.
The Share feature is also very neat. I'll admit, I'm still getting comfortable with using the App, but it's coming a little easier to me now. You'll have to download the Share App to your computer if you wish to use this feature. It'll take about 10 minutes to set it up. I think the main reason I love Kodak so much is their user friendly approach to picture taking...it's why they're the only brand of camera I've ever used. The Kodak EasyShare program is SIMPLE to use, and a great place to store or alter your pictures. Their cameras (even one as advanced as this particular model) are very easy to get the hang of after a bit of practice. If you're at all interested in this camera, I say go for it. I'm VERY pleased with mine, however, as I said, it may be a little much for the casual picture taker.
The upgrade I wanted! by .. Sara-s (New York)
I have used the Kodak Z740 for several years. It is a great camera and it was going to take a lot for me to upgrade. The Z981 has exactly the added features I wanted. It has anti-shake technology, a higher zoom than the Z 740 and still runs on AA batteries. It also takes panoramic pictures, which I really like.
It is a little bigger and heaver than my old camera, but ONLY a little. So, even with the zoom lens fully extended, I have no trouble holding it steadily. It is comfortable in my hands and I like the ergonomics. The buttons are easy to press, while I am looking through the viewfinder. Through its entire range, from wide angle, to 26x zoom, its pictures are crisp.
Some reviewers have said that the battery door is hard to close. It is a bit difficult, but I am a middle-aged woman and can close it with just my hands. So I do not consider this a problem.
It is not hard to start taking good pictures with this camera. But it does quite a lot, so I do recommend reading the extended user manual on line. I took some shots of water drops coming from a garden hose, to test the burst mode. They came out crystal clear.
I am very happy with this purchase. I can't wait to get out and do some nature photography.
Takes incredible pictures. by .. R. Encarnacion (Orlando, FL)
My wife and I finally decided to upgrade from our point and shoot camera. We wanted to get a camera that would take great pictures of our 10 month old son. We consulted my wife's sister who owns a Nikon D700. Of course she suggested that we purchase a Nikon D5000, or at least the the D3000. I am so glad that we purchased this camera which is far less complicated and in my opinion took just as incredible pictures as the more expensive DSLR cameras.
We've had the camera for about a week now and have had a chance to load the pictures we took from our trip to Vegas onto our computer. Boy are the pics STUNNING. We were able to take over 900 pictures on a 8 GB HC memory card(which also includes more than a few videos). The pics on the computer come out in 420 dpi and the clarity is jut amazing. Portrait pics of my son (especially the ones taken in black & white) come out looking like they were taken by a professional photographer (something we could not get from our point and shoot). The batteries lasted us the whole weekend, and when they finally did need to be recharged, it only took about an hour to get a full charge.
We absolutely love the high-speed burst feature. We used the feature while taken pics of the Fountains at the Bellagio. It's fun to hold down the left or right button while viewing taken pics on the 3 inch lcd, it almost looked like we were watching a slow motion video of the fountains. Even though it was night time, the pictures still came out incredible (again something you can't get on a point and shoot)
There are a lot more options I have to play with to familiarize myself more with the camera. Like any guy, I have not read the manual at all yet. This speaks volumes for this camera. Its easy to take amazing pictures without having to take classes or read an outrages manual. I recommend this camera to anyone who is wanting to take better pictures without having to spend an entire paycheck to do so.
It doesn't get much better than this.. AMAZING by .. Joseph Hummrich (Chicago)
I've been shopping around trying to decide between the Nikon P100 and another Olympus. I was even considering going DSLR but frankly I don't need another expensive hobby. Let me just say that the Z981 is AWESOME and performs better than I expected. I like to think that I'm very hard on electronics and I won't keep something if I have any issues with it. In fact I'm on my 3rd 2010 TV right now because of various issues I've had with them. Anyway, we're talking about the camera here: The pictures have beautiful color. The zoom is unbelievable and the image stabilization is outstanding. I have an extremely shaky hand and it corrects this for me without a problem. Video quality is fabulous as well but this would be my only complaint... The auto focus motor and zoom motor can be heard fairly well if you're in a normal setting. I'm not docking the camera any points for this because it's not a video camera. It's a mega zoom camera and it does that part quite well. I've heard complaints about the battery compartment but I really don't have any issues with it at all. It's definitely a tight fit but it's not a frustrating fit at all. The camera can be a tad slow at processing between shots but if you get a faster SDHC card the time is greatly reduced and a joy to work with. The price can't be touched for what you're getting here and I would have gladly paid the full $329 after using this camera for a week. Kodak uses .KDC file format for raw and unfortunately I can't find a good windows plugin so I'm forced to use the Easyshare software for RAW images. That's not a big deal for me because the JPG in full detail is simply amazing. 14mp pictures come in around 7.5mb compared to 25mb for the raw. I just don't see how anyone can argue with the quality of the pictures this camera takes and the incredible Zoom functionality. Even at full zoom you can crop a picture without losing (visible) detail. I can't say it enough, this camera is incredibly perfect for someone who wants to take amazing pictures without going with a $800 DSLR. I'd be very curious to see side by side comparison shots with any entry to mid level DSLR vs. this camera because I just can't see it getting much better. I will be posting user pics later. One of a golf ball up close, a falcon on the light post outside and some flowers. I almost forgot... The macro and super macro modes are phenomenal. If you're on the fence, go for it! You won't be disappointed.