Kodak Z990 12.0 Megapixel Extended Zoom Reviews Roundup

Kodak Camera, Arizona Girl
Still trying to understand it. I don't like the fact I would have to print out over 80 pages of the manual that doesn't come with the camera like in the old days.

Good camera., M. Hahn
I like kodak cameras always had good luck with them. I bought this based on the 30X optical zoom. I was very disappointed with that aspect so returned it. This had no digital zoom at all. I am more please with my 15X optical and 50X digital takes better pictures even using the digital part of the zoom.

not Impressed..., tonia
Slow to take a pic but took decent pics until about 6 months after purchase it started telling me lens was blocked. and turning it off and back on made it work for a while. but now it wont even turn on and its going to cost at least $125 to fix it if not more that's not including the shipping and handling.. I had always been quite pleased with Kodak Easyshare cameras till now.. I will probably switch to a Nikon or Canon when I get the money to replace this camera..

Woa! Great Price and functionality, MJS
This camera is a great step up from the little pocket cameras we used to buy. Does everything you would expect. I would recommend purchasing a 2nd set of recharcheable batteries so that you are always ready to shoot.

GREAT CAMERA!, Jilly
awesome camera, went to the Pittsburgh zoo several days ago and got some phenomenal shots! with the 30x zoom, you could shoot pics of peoples boogers if you wanted to :) love the fact that you can take pics too AS you are videotaping! love this camera!

Nice price for the best of Kodak, Ernest
It was the lastest cam of Kodak, and they gave the best of them
The only difficult thing is the tap of the lens, wich is a bit difficult to close & open, because you've tho click on it, but at the same time, you're sure it won't open when it shouldn't
Easy to manage, and a for its price it's difficult to find something with its zoom and megapixels.

Great Camera (If You're Patient), Jay
I bought this camera a while ago to replace one I had previously returned (look up my other review if you're curious about which model that one was). Initially, I was very pleased with it. Right out of the box, it performed admirably, taking great pics. That said:
***DISCLAIMER** I don't consider myself an avid/experienced/knowledgeable photographer. What constitutes a "good" picture in my opinion may look like crap to a pro or seasoned amateur. YMMV
The Good:
The feature set was highly attractive (HDR, panorama, viewfinder- great for sunny days, etc). I found the menu interface functional, if not exactly intuitive. The flash is good, and the LCD screen doesn't leave much to be desired. Overall, due to its faux SLR body, it feels pretty good in the hands as well. In my limited experience, it has produced quality photos in a myriad of lighting conditions. I also enjoy the freedom of its use of AA batteries, as you don't have to sit around waiting for a battery pack to charge if it gets depleted.
The Not-So-Good:
The chief complaint I have against this camera is its speed (or lack thereof). I'm not referring to shutter speed, but the speed at which it captures photos. It's slow to react to the shutter button, it's slow to write the image to the memory card, and it's slow to return for the next shot.
With regard to the initial shutter press, I've tried fooling with AF settings, face detection, flash, and a few others to see if I could get a better response. Nothing seemed to help much. When it comes to writing the photos to the memory card, I diligently ensured that I had nothing slower than a Class 10 SD card (name-brand, at that) on deck. After looking around some camera sites and forums, I discovered that this is a normal aspect of this camera (perhaps one of the concessions made to keep the price point low). Concerning setting the camera up for the next pic, I learned that half-pressing the shutter button would interrupt the standard after-shot-preview and ready the camera for another shot. However, this can be hit-or-miss. I've found that when the camera's busy, it caches your actions and fulfills them later (shutter presses, zooming, menu button presses, etc).
The Point:
In all reality, were it not for the soul-crushing slowness of this camera, I'd be completely and utterly satisfied with it. However, that not-so-insignificant drawback is what has me looking for something else. The final straw came in when, on several occasions, I sought to capture a moment (planned or otherwise), and I simply could not because of how long it would take this thing to either fire off a picture. Imagine trying to get a few pictures of kids (whom you know won't sit still for long), and it takes upwards of 10-15 seconds to capture subsequent pictures of a pose or scene. I would often end up having to whip out my phone, which defeats the purpose of having a dedicated camera device. Phone cameras are nice and all, but they can't hold a candle to the real thing.
If you're considering purchasing this camera, be very aware of its speed issues. But don't just take my word for it, read plenty of reviews (and not just here on Amazon). I *thought* I had done my homework, but it's apparent that I missed a page or two.

The perfect camera for low lighting and macro shot situations!, Sara
My house has the worst lighting for taking pictures and I like to take a lot of close-up shots. This camera while not the best in every category, it excels at the two areas I care about.
I would definitely recommend it especially if you're just a camera noob like me!

Great Camera for Infrared, Karen Jean Armstrong "corvidae2"
I bought this as a gift for my husband who wanted a camera with which he could take infrared photos. It takes fantastic infrared photos and I have used it myself to take regular photos-it does a really good job at that as well. The four instead of five stars is because there is a wait between shots before it is ready to shoot again.

great camera, Jill
I love this camera...this my second Kodak camera. Love filming in the black/white mode. Small enough to throw in my purse...enough zoom to catch the surfers.

Well designed with many features, Fred Bostrom
This is my second Easy Share Kodak camera. It was very convenient to recharge the battery in my first Kodak camera on the Printer Dock so having to take out the batteries to recharge them in the Z990 is going backwards for me. There are more features on the Z990 which thankfully a class in the use of digital cameras at my community junior college has been most helpful. For years I owned and used a Pentax camera with a built in light meter so depth of field, shutter speed etc. were part of the picture taking experience and equation.....and very time consuming. The Z990 does all the calculations for you if you match up the choices given with your photo situation. All the buttons, levers, are much easier to use than my 1st Kodak camera. There was definitely thought behind the design of the Z990. I have had to purchase a card reader to transfer pictures to my IMac computer. The 1st Kodak camera could use the cable and transfer all pictures without taking out the card. VIEWFINDER----on sunny days I couldn't live without this necessary feature. I do not crop and edit pictures in the camera. I edit the pictures on the computer and then either send them via email or print them on my Kodak printer. I use the zoom frequently but have yet to use the "video" feature. Overall---glad I purchased this camera.

Amazon Kodak Z990, Judy
I am very pleased with my new Kodak EasyShare Max Camera. No one can believe the
good price I got it for from Amazon. I know very little about cameras but bought this to take on my Paris trip. (Oct 15 to 22nd) The pictures are wonderful. Great quality but my composition needs work. Last night I took my first photo class through National Camera's. I can say I was taught alot and I'm looking forward to using my camera with my new knowledge.
Thank you. I love my Camera
sincerely,
Judy Haley

I Love This Camera! Glad I beat The Price Hike!, Dale Hammond
So far I love this camera. Actually I bought it mostly for it's quality video and telephoto lens (in that order). I was not disappointed.
Pros: Too numerous to mention (read the positive posts, I see no need to repeat everything that has already been posted).
CON: I'm sorry I didn't buy 2 camera deals because my NEW camera was $179 but a couple days after I bought mine the price jumped over $100 !!!
Buy this awesome camera!

Kodak Z990, J. Rhyner "Swisair"
Fairly easy to use but takes some time to learn all it can do. My daughter-in-law was in the Mrs Washington contest last weekend (4th place) and I was disappointed that I couldn't use the camera's capabilities very well. The battery indicator showed almost full when the pageant started but after only 8 shots it was dead. Be sure to have fully charged batteries or an extra set with for any important events.

Love it, Mady
Have only had the camera a few days. I own small compact point & shoots but they are useless at school graduations/school plays/dance recitals. One of my daughters performs in concerts, plays, Carnegie Hall, etc. and needed something with a great zoom. I have had Olympus, Nikon, Canon small compacts and an older Kodak 10X zoom and the kodak has always taken pictures on par with the Canon, with more menu choices. This is the best compromise between a compact & a SLR. The zoom is fantastic and a huge improvement over my 10X kodak zoom, no blurring in optical zoom whatsover. I videotaped a show and there was very minimal movement, my 10x kodak zoom was so hard to keep steady during videotaping. I was in Santa Fe earlier this year on vacation and my canon compact just did not do justice to the scenery. I would like to go back there with this camera. It is bulkier, but the pictures it takes are worth it. I will still keep the small compact point & shoot in my pocketbook but I have a feeling this camera will accompany me more often. And this camera bundle was under $200. Can't beat that for a great zoom camera.

Kodak Easyshare z990 obsolete now out of service, Chaplain Tom "agape4ever"
This is a great camera crisp pictures but unfortunately they quit servicing the camera and offering software or any help on it since 09-05-2012. since the software is no longer available for down loading to your computer I would caution your need? . Software is built in the camera, but if you need to get the software forget it.
I have some real great pictures with this camera but the camera company went broke when their requirements for actual film stopped and they no longer sold it.
It took a big end of game for Kodak. But The Camera is Great

Kodak Z990 Camera is a Best Buy, Fred G Andrews
Before I bought this camera I had only used the little point and shoot cameras with the display screen on back and had a terrible time getting my shot right. The Z990 with its electronic view finder allows me to steady the camera with my arms against my body like when I shot with the old fashion 35 mm SLRs in days of yore. There are a lot of features I have not tried yet, but so far it has given me the pics I wanted. There have been some missed shots due to human error, but I hope to get past that learning curve soon.

better than expected, sharon s.
Loved it! Easy to use. Worth every cent. I am so not a photographer but I needed a camera with a lot of zoom for a concert I was going too. And I picked this one out of quite a lot of others. The zoom is amazing; from 150 feet I got close enough to get their tattoos with detail. I can't wait to figure out the other cool stuff that you can do with it.

Love this camera., Joanne Kulis
This is by far the best camera ever. I always had a problem taking pictures and then to go upload and copy now I just click and select the ones I like and plug in the cord and they are on facebook or yahoo or where ever I send them. It is so easy and the quality of the pictures are perfect. I am so happy I have told everyone it is by far the best camera ever.

Great Product and offer!, lowenkis
This product combo has a better price than the camera alone. A really great offer. It arrived in perfect condition.