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... Read more

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... Read more

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... Read more