Kodak EasyShare Z950

Review Index – (updated 17 June’10)

DPReview has posted their travel camera review of the Kodak Easyshare Z950 where they write – ‘Our biggest problems with the Z950 are its relatively restrictive zoom range, of 35-350mm (equivalent) and its sub-par LCD screen. The lack of a meaningful wideangle setting is one of the few reasons not to buy the camera, and the poor LCD is one of the things that makes it a little more awkward to use than it ought to be.’

HardwareSecrets
“Don’t buy this camera if you are the impatient type. While it takes very good pictures, you will often wind up waiting for the camera. So it is not suitable for action shots and the video is lacking. But if you want a camera that will give you great pictures with little effort, this may be the one for you.”

PhotographyBay
“While the overall performance is very average, the controls and image quality is somewhat redeeming, which makes the Z950 an attractive camera for anyone shopping for a capable point and shoot camera on a budget.”

TechTree
“The Kodak Z950 is priced at Rs. 14,999. At this price you get a camera with good picture quality with a nice high zoom lens and HD video recording capability. The design of the camera is quite decent too and so is the overall build quality. The features are also decent and overall the Z950 is a well rounded product. The startup time could have been better though and the video recording quality indoors is quite poor. but for the price the Z950 is definitely worth a look.”
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CNET
“The Kodak EasyShare Z950 is overall a solid compact megazoom. It has a narrower lens than newer models, but does give you manual and semimanual controls lacking on much of the current competition. Outside of its Smart Capture system, the camera lacks gimmicks, which is refreshing. And as long as you’re OK with the performance issues and photo-quality limitations, then by all means, pick one up.”
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DigitalCameraInfo
“It’s not that we don’t like the Z950; it does a good job of what it does. But there are just other cameras that cost about the same and do a better job. And the other cameras (such as our comparison cameras shown below) also include an A/V out cable, which Kodak charges you $25 for.”

ComputerActive
“Verdict: Includes more features and has a better build quality than most cameras at this price Good points: Good build quality; small dimensions; large zoom range Bad points: Disappointing in low light; slow to respond on some settings; slightly bulkier than competitors”
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Trusted Reviews
“The Z950 could have been a really good camera. It has decent build quality, looks good and handles well, with accessible controls. It has optional manual exposure features that others in its class lack, and the HD video with optical zoom is a nice extra. It’s a real shame that it’s let down so badly by extremely slow performance.”
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Video Review @ Computer.tv

PCW
“Good points Good build quality; small dimensions; large zoom range Bad points Disappointing in low light; slow to respond on some settings; slightly bulkier than competitors”
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About.com
“My Kodak EasyShare Z950 review shows an easy-to-use digital camera that provides an interesting mix of automatic and manual control features that work surprisingly well together … and all for a a price tag that’s easy to justify.”
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PhotographyBlog
“It’s been a long time since we’ve come across a Kodak camera that, for the price, seems to pretty much have it all: 12 megapixel stills, 10x optical zoom range, relatively compact dimensions, sophisticated styling, ruggedly substantial build, a full complement of manual controls alongside the fully automatic, plus high definition movies that make the most of the extent of the camera’s broad (for its class) focal range. Therefore we’re happy to flag up the Kodak EasyShare Z950 as a best buy.”
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Steve’s Digicams
“This is an incredibly versatile and easy-to-use digicam. With its 12-Megapixel imaging sensor, 10x optical zoom lens with OIS, auto scene recognition and 720 HD video recording, you’ll be hard pressed to find a camera with more high-end features in this price range. Although it was a little slow in our performance tests, the image quality and versatility of the 10x zoom lens make it an excellent camera for shooting in all scenarios.”

DigitalCameraReview
“Overall, I was pleased with the Kodak EasyShare Z950. It has many automatic features that make it easy for beginners along with manual exposure controls for more ambitious users. Its ergonomics are very good, with a couple of minor exceptions. While it’s not the fastest camera on the block in starting up and shutting down, it is relatively quick in performing other functions.”