In overall image quality, the Z980 scored a bit below average when measured up against 50 other point-and-shoots in the PC World Test Center's jury evaluations. Its overall image score was Good, and it received above-average marks in sharpness, but it took its knocks in the color and overall exposure categories. The fact that the Z980 shoots in RAW, however, allows the camera to one-up nearly all of its competitors, giving users greater post-production control over the image.

To nitpick, I disliked the feel of the spring-return on-off switch. It's placed too close to the mode dial, and I often found myself having to slide the switch twice before the camera would turn on. Another issue that annoyed me was my inability to turn the flash back on in shutter priority and manual modes once I'd turned it off; I had to switch to aperture priority or P mode, turn on the flash, and then switch back into shutter or manual mode. Finally, considering that this is a heavy, $400 (as of 7/24/09) camera, I felt slightly cheated by the flimsy shoulder strap.

If you don't mind the additional weight and size, and you can overlook the slight shortcomings in imaging, the EasyShare Z980 is a solid buy. Its speed makes it a winner of a camera, even if Kodak isn't as sexy as other brands.