Kodak EasyShare Z700

Model Design / Appearance
The design of the Kodak Z700 is bulky, and a bit awkward-looking. There is a large right-hand grip and a protruding lens on the front. While the camera’s color and front are attractive, its poor rear design is disappointing. The camera’s small viewfinder does not -protrude at all (unlike the Z740), so when I squished my eye against the viewfinder to see through the tiny hole, I left an unflattering nose print both on the LCD screen and on half of the camera. With all of the protrusions on the bulky front face, I expected the rear to have similar dimensions. However, it is quite flat.

Size / Portability
Without batteries, the EasyShare Z700 weighs 7.7 ounces. The two AA batteries it takes to power the camera add less than an ounce. The camera measures 3.8 x 2.85 x 2.2 inches (23.83-inch³) at its widest points. Its large right-hand grip and protruding lens and flash make it bulky and a bit clumsy to carry. The Z700 won’t be able to fit into a pocket; It will probably need its own camera bag. While it is not big enough to be uncomfortable hanging around the neck (bear in mind it only comes with a wrist strap and doesn’t have the needed loops for a neck strap), it is bulky enough to become annoying at a party or amusement park.

Handling Ability
The camera approaches an SLR shape with its larger right-hand grip and bulky flash atop the body, but the Z700 is much smaller than most digital SLRs. It is still a little bulky and requires two hands to shoot. This camera is designed for quick shooting changes, but not for long shooting sessions. The awkward bulk will cause some stress on weak wrists during extended shooting.

Control Button / Dial Positioning / Size
The EasyShare Z700 has good-sized control buttons on the back and top of the camera. All of the buttons stick out from the body slightly and are appropriately spaced from one another. All of the controls are practically positioned. The shutter release button is on the corner of the right-hand grip, where it should be. The mode dial is on the top, so the thumb can easily change settings without moving the camera from shooting position.

Ease of Use
The EasyShare Z700 is fairly easy to use. My only complaints are the physical characteristics that make the camera difficult to look through: the tiny viewfinder and meager 1.6-inch LCD screen. However, as far as the layout and control buttons go, the Z700 is a breeze to use. Kodak works hard to successfully dominate the Ease of Use category. The company is especially known for its Share button, which enables one-touch printing and e-mailing. Navigating through the menus is intuitive and easy to use with the buttons provided. The Playback mode has an automatic picture rotation feature and fast scroll capabilities to further enhance usability.