felix123 wrote:I believe this is a reflex camera so has a "through the lens viewfinder."
Great buy but I don't need another camera.

The camera looks as if it should have a viewfinder, but, if you look for it, you can't find it. You can look at the LCD display or just hope for the best.

"Reflex" just means there is a mirror involved with the viewfinder. Single Lens Reflex (SLR) means that the view from the viewfinder is through the lens the sensor or film uses. The image gets to the viewfinder by bouncing off a mirror, which sends it up, and through a pentaprism, where it is bounced and flipped and comes out the eye hole looking right.

When you open the shutter of an SLR the mirror is first quickly flipped out of the way. The viewfinder goes black during the fraction of a second the shutter is open.

The down side is that you can't use the viewfinder when shooting video. The mirror has to be up to get the image to the sensor, so it is no longer reflected to the viewfinder.

(Sony makes some cameras with semi-transparent mirrors, so it doesn't have to flip out of the way, but that's another story.)

There are also twin lens reflex cameras that use a separate lens. Sometimes these have a pentaprism, but more often they just reflect the view off a mirror and up against a piece of ground glass. This gives a waist-level viewfinder that is flipped (lenses do that).

Either way, "reflex" means the image is reflected ninety degrees off the plane of the film or sensor.

The advantage of having a viewfinder is that you get a much larger preview image with your eye right up against the cup, and it doesn't matter how bright ambient light is, or whether the sun is on your display or not. You can tell what's in focus and what isn't And it's just more comfortable for a lot of us.

Not everyone is that picky, though, and people who are used to taking pictures with their phones and with other similar cameras probably won't be missing anything.

My camera is an SLR, and it's got things I can see through the viewfinder and some control wheels and buttons, so I don't have to take the camera off my face to change settings.

redspecial wrote:That's what she said.

Really? You are one of those 63 old men who recycles old jokes at parties, aren't you?

uninvitedsaint wrote:WHY NO VIEWFINDER?! I would do it in a second if it did.

It saves them $50 and dumb people buy it.

craigthom wrote:There's no way you can sell yourself as a professional photographer to prospective "models" if you are holding a camera out to look at the display. You need a viewfinder!

Truth is here! The ergonomics of holding a camera out so you can see the screen is the opposite of how you should hold a camera to keep it steady, especially for the long shots. The 2nd viewfinder was left out to save money and they are not doing you any favors.

And before somebody asks, this class of camera has a sharp lens, but NOT one with a large enough aperture to allow stunning indoor photos of little Johnny or Janey scoring the winning shot indoors at the gym. Buy a modest DSLR body and a MUCH more expensive lens with a MUCH larger aperture. There ain't no free lunch.

In regards to the front page picture of this product:

"Is that a Kodak Easyshare Z5120 16MP camera in your pocket or are you just really happy to see me?


Had to be done.

uninvitedsaint wrote:WHY NO VIEWFINDER?! I would do it in a second if it did.

View finder on e 14mp version. Same camera from AGFA and GE.

It's just plain silly to compare this camera with a DSLR. You can't get a DSLR for this price. This camera is a GREAT buy for what it is, one step up from a point-n-shoot. I bought one like it (previous Kodak model) for my wife and she loves it.

Kodak isn't going away. They will honor the warranty. But dont expect to be able to buy accessories for this camera from them in 10 years. If you want something from Kodak for this camera, get it now.

This is a better camera Z990 max for the same price (has viewfinder), but it is refurbed:

http://bensoutlet.com/products/kodak-easyshare-max-12mp-digital-camera-w-slash-30x



http://snapsort.com/compare/Kodak-Z5120-vs-Kodak-Z990-MAX

I have been looking all week for a superzoom camera like this one for an upcoming trip. After reading the comments here and a few reviews I think I will stick with my original decision and get the Fuji S4500.

gak0090 wrote:This is a better camera Z990 max for the same price (has viewfinder), but it is refurbed:

http://bensoutlet.com/products/kodak-easyshare-max-12mp-digital-camera-w-slash-30x



http://snapsort.com/compare/Kodak-Z5120-vs-Kodak-Z990-MAX

I had this camera ^ for 2 weeks and I love it! I haven't even used the viewfinder yet, although every jerk wants to judge others that don't use/buy one that has it. Guess what, I'm not a professional photographer... and guess what, if I was I would BUY A BETTER CAMERA! I am getting so tired of the cynical jerks who want to blast stuff on here.

Read the specs, it is what it is. If its not for you then shut up and move on.

The reason I was looking at this woot! is because I was thinking of getting something with more than 12mpx -- do you guys think the 16 makes a difference? Also, my zoom is 30 and the one for this is 26 -- how do the 2 cameras compare to one and other?

radi0j0hn wrote:Truth is here! The ergonomics of holding a camera out so you can see the screen is the opposite of how you should hold a camera to keep it steady, especially for the long shots. The 2nd viewfinder was left out to save money and they are not doing you any favors.

Very good point!
Another annoying aspect of cameras without an optical viewfinder is sitting behind someone taking a picture. I went to my grandson's school concert and sat behind several people who would raise their camera at arms length a foot in the air so they could see the screen. I have a view finder so holding my camera to my face I got 6-8 nice photos of other people's cameras and hands!

mambo143 wrote:The greatest strength of Woot is/was transparency and diversity of opinion on both product and (less often) management. It's our choice to agree or disagree, and for me, a good source of entertainment. In short, It's the soul of Woot and what set it apart and above the competition. It's what has made me come back and buy (often) and spread the word about Woot by word of mouth, often emphatically over the years. I just sayin.

That was for me a main reason I shopped Woot. It was why I made over 50 purchases here. Even after a refurb TV I bought bit the dust after 6 months of very light use, I came back. But now it feels like it is becoming just another big company clearing house and I find it harder and harder to want to buy here. When an entity loses its soul can it ever get it back?
(I suppose this will be deleted). It looks just about like what I have been looking for for a camera. But, it seems like it has been offered so many times that It concerns me why.

Have had this camera for a month now and LOVE IT! Also have an Olympus Tough camera for when we're roughing it (waterproof, shakeproof, etc) but wanted something that takes quality photos and videos. This fits the bill - very intuitive, easy to use - lightweight for its size. Haven't needed to change out the batteries yet (amazing!) - bought 2 sets of rechargeables for when the originals finally die. At this price, the quality and the capabilities are amazing!

I believe it's being offered so many times because Kodak is out of the camera business.

ashli143 wrote:I had this camera ^ for 2 weeks and I love it! I haven't even used the viewfinder yet, although every jerk wants to judge others that don't use/buy one that has it. Guess what, I'm not a professional photographer... and guess what, if I was I would BUY A BETTER CAMERA! I am getting so tired of the cynical jerks who want to blast stuff on here.

Read the specs, it is what it is. If its not for you then shut up and move on.

The reason I was looking at this woot! is because I was thinking of getting something with more than 12mpx -- do you guys think the 16 makes a difference? Also, my zoom is 30 and the one for this is 26 -- how do the 2 cameras compare to one and other?

I think a 12MP with a better sensor is superior to a 16MP with an average sensor. In addition you get 1080P recording vs 720P. Good lenses, good sensor and 1080p will give you video quality rival some video cameras- which makes it convenient not having to keep two different devices. I think the Z990 is better all around.

A trend the past few years that, as a semi-serious photographer, I absolutely HATE. I've given my kids cameras SEVERAL times over the past few years, replacing them frequently. Why? Well, for starters, they're teens. But in each case the LCD died, rendering the camera useless. Finally relented and got one for my wife, but only because it was priced close to what I would consider disposable. (She doesn't always want to take the SLR with us for day trips). With the size and shape of this unit, there's no reason not to have a viewfinder, other than cost.

uninvitedsaint wrote:WHY NO VIEWFINDER?! I would do it in a second if it did.

twstrchk wrote:I believe it's being offered so many times because Kodak is out of the camera business.

Or Woot offered some and they sold well so they got some more and each time they have them they sell a lot of them. Seems most of the reviews from people who bought one like the camera.

So I don't know anything about cameras but we currently have a lower model Kodak easy share that my husband loves. The only thing bad about it and every other digital camera is that it is so slow. It is really hard to get a picture of someone even just walking. Never had that problem before until digital cameras came along. Will this camera take pictures faster so you get faces instead of the backs of heads or hands thrown up in protest of the picture? We have a teenage daughter and I swear all pictures of her at this age will feature her hand.

berrybuzz wrote:Anyone know if you can turn off the autofocus? I have horrible luck with them!

Like most point and shoot cameras (non-SLR), there is no auto focus. Also, like on many higher priced non-SLR cameras, you can access settings to limit the focus range, such as macro. I've looked high and low for an affordable (under $300) that had a manual focus. No such luck. For that, you're looking at Nikon and Canon SLR cameras. If I'm wrong, someone please show me the path to awesomeness in manual focusville.

I also use a Canon Rebel T2i and a Nikon D90. I bought this Kodak for the long range Zoom but I was blown away with the images it produced. Grab this camera now because when they are gone there will not be any more. I am sooooo tempted to buy another one myself.

http://api.ning.com/files/fbYMHZ1MzQRuHUNMtxEohBSPX0fwbT-aWRXrnKejCQgFnU*onq*DDbQOHdoHtNYukptnU6Qolkodj1JQOqMw7EWrqie-abz2/100_0658soa.jpg

I have this camera's little brother and I'm fairly pleased with it. You can't beat the price right now. I paid more for the 5020 with an employee "let's clear out these cameras already" discount. I'm still getting a feel for the camera and how to use the fancified settings. Get some rechargeable batteries. Two sets. Have and extra set charged and ready to go when you're out there doing your photography thang. Oh, and get fast memory, unless you like waiting 10 seconds to get your next shot.

Rhonwyn22 wrote:So I don't know anything about cameras but we currently have a lower model Kodak easy share that my husband loves. The only thing bad about it and every other digital camera is that it is so slow. It is really hard to get a picture of someone even just walking. Never had that problem before until digital cameras came along. Will this camera take pictures faster so you get faces instead of the backs of heads or hands thrown up in protest of the picture? We have a teenage daughter and I swear all pictures of her at this age will feature her hand.

The key with these is to pre-set the shot on the camera. Hold the button half-way down to get the focus and other settings ready. When your subject is cooperating, push the button the rest of the way down. Yes, this can be a frustrating part of using an automatic-everything camera. Also, get fast memory for this camera. The faster the memory, the quicker the camera writes to it and gets ready for the next shot.

Rhonwyn22 wrote:The only thing bad about it and every other digital camera is that it is so slow.

Maybe the ones you've used are slow, but not "every other digital camera".

Mine will take eight pictures a second, which is twice as fast as my film camera does.

tvissoc wrote:Like most point and shoot cameras (non-SLR), there is no auto focus.

That's not true. Fixed focus digital cameras are rare except and the very lowest end, and I don't see how you can have both zoom and fixed focus.

I also don't see how anyone can go a decent job manually focusing a camera looking at a small LCD screen.

Maybe you think "autofocus" means something else?

ashli143 wrote:I had this camera ^ for 2 weeks and I love it! I haven't even used the viewfinder yet, although every jerk wants to judge others that don't use/buy one that has it. Guess what, I'm not a professional photographer... and guess what, if I was I would BUY A BETTER CAMERA! I am getting so tired of the cynical jerks who want to blast stuff on here.

Read the specs, it is what it is. If its not for you then shut up and move on.

The reason I was looking at this woot! is because I was thinking of getting something with more than 12mpx -- do you guys think the 16 makes a difference? Also, my zoom is 30 and the one for this is 26 -- how do the 2 cameras compare to one and other?

Reply: I have both cameras and like them both but so far I think the Z5120 takes better images but I am not 100% sure about that. Have not had them long enough. Can't go wrong with either camera.

It looks as if you are the only person judging others. You call people jerks, but everyone else is just stating his or her personal preference.

Who's the jerk?

The only reference to a "professional photographer" I can find is my joke based on the Woot.com product copy. Go read it again. The copy is about picking up girls by pretending to be a professional photographer. I commented that you'll need a viewfinder to sell that. Joke. See?

ashli143 wrote:I had this camera ^ for 2 weeks and I love it! I haven't even used the viewfinder yet, although every jerk wants to judge others that don't use/buy one that has it. Guess what, I'm not a professional photographer... and guess what, if I was I would BUY A BETTER CAMERA! I am getting so tired of the cynical jerks who want to blast stuff on here.

Read the specs, it is what it is. If its not for you then shut up and move on.

The reason I was looking at this woot! is because I was thinking of getting something with more than 12mpx -- do you guys think the 16 makes a difference? Also, my zoom is 30 and the one for this is 26 -- how do the 2 cameras compare to one and other?

jmbunkin wrote:Same here. Looks like a lot of camera for the money but I won't buy another one unless it has a viewfinder.

Yeah I didn't realize it didn't have a viewfinder until I placed my order. I put in a cancel request within 5 minutes, so I hope that goes through. No viewfinder is a dealbreaker for me. I had a lower model Kodak easyshare and had figured out the Manual setting pretty well...unlike some of the other products out there, these cameras are pretty good at letting you takeover...but no viewfinder is just bad.

Purchased last go around, love the zoom, have not had issues with the battery life but started with heavy duty rechargeable. The lens looks a little cheap and the kit does NOT include a neck strap which is almost essential for butterfingers like me! In the past, I have always taken the card out of cameras and inserted into computer to save batteries but issue with this one, almost have to use cord, battery door is flimsy!

megev wrote:That thread *might* be where staff know to go look and "every bit of" feedback submitted through the feedback button *might* be read, but staff will show no sign of it to the users. Sure, there are a few things that have been tweaked a bit, but (as of the last time I looked) there hadn't been A SINGLE written response in any thread or sent out to any user in response to all the "feedback."

So from the point of view of another somewhat frustrated user, I can understand the desire to post a "feedback" comment anywhere one might think it could possibly be seen. Also, feedback and/or criticisms might be *about* the site, but not directed at the staff to read. Someone might feel the urge to express their thoughts or point of view for other users to see and where they know other users are CURRENTLY reading comment.

BTW- it's actions and responses like the one pointed out here that are making your loyal users become less loyal.

I AGREE

Great camera, i brought it last time it was on woot, but for 150, so for the price you cant go wrong. Its good for starters even professional, very easy to use, takes great pictures, and the smart-capture feature is a good addon. deff worth the buy, but wish there was a viewfinder, and try to buy rechargeable batteries

t1turner wrote:I also use a Canon Rebel T2i and a Nikon D90. I bought this Kodak for the long range Zoom but I was blown away with the images it produced. Grab this camera now because when they are gone there will not be any more. I am sooooo tempted to buy another one myself.

I deff agree with you i grabed one myself the last time arnd, i also have the T2, but for the price the quality of the pictures are amazing, even by just using the smart-capture feature, one of the best point to shoot !

http://api.ning.com/files/fbYMHZ1MzQRuHUNMtxEohBSPX0fwbT-aWRXrnKejCQgFnU*onq*DDbQOHdoHtNYukptnU6Qolkodj1JQOqMw7EWrqie-abz2/100_0658soa.jpg

I also use a Canon Rebel T2i and a Nikon D90. I bought this Kodak for the long range Zoom but I was blown away with the images it produced. Grab this camera now because when they are gone there will not be any more. I am sooooo tempted to buy another one myself.

I deff agree with you i grabed one myself the last time arnd, i also have the T2, but for the price the quality of the pictures are amazing, even by just using the smart-capture feature, one of the best point to shoot !

I thank ThunderThighs for the courage to leave my post and that of others on the site. The argument is made that these posts are more effective when posted on the "beta" site because it is there that they are read by staff. I would argue (emphatically) that owners and investors does not sink these posts here for reasons other than utility and convenience.

The analogy is this..."All you guys out there on Tiananmen Square, for your convenience, we are moving you to a nice big stadium we just built on a piece of land we rented in (internet)Siberia where all of your grievences wil be heard" I'm just sayin.

mambo143 wrote:The greatest strength of Woot is/was transparency and diversity of opinion on both product and (less often) management. It's our choice to agree or disagree, and for me, a good source of entertainment. In short, It's the soul of Woot and what set it apart and above the competition. It's what has made me come back and buy (often) and spread the word about Woot by word of mouth, often emphatically over the years. I just sayin.

This camera offers the very best bang for the buck in picture quality and features. It's no pocket camera but if image quality is important this will satisfy. Just be aware that when you max out the zoom you'll need a lot of light. As well, the flash won't cover even half the range of the zoom.
I have this and recommend it. Go for the $20 extra for the 3 year Square Trade offer. It's a good deal too.

biohazardtwo wrote:I recommend tenergy batteries I use them in my flash lights and camping gear..

Wow. Thanks for that info! Saved it in a text file. Woop!

I am TRYING to buy...but it is constant server errors just like during the woot offs

t1turner wrote:I also use a Canon Rebel T2i and a Nikon D90. I bought this Kodak for the long range Zoom but I was blown away with the images it produced. Grab this camera now because when they are gone there will not be any more. I am sooooo tempted to buy another one myself.

http://api.ning.com/files/fbYMHZ1MzQRuHUNMtxEohBSPX0fwbT-aWRXrnKejCQgFnU*onq*DDbQOHdoHtNYukptnU6Qolkodj1JQOqMw7EWrqie-abz2/100_0658soa.jpg

You know, you just convinced me to buy another one, and this is $100 less thanks I paid before. It will be my spare, that's how much I like it.

craigthom wrote:
I also don't see how anyone can go a decent job manually focusing a camera looking at a small LCD screen.

Maybe you think "autofocus" means something else?

Here's what I mean at least:

Let's say there are two objects, one in the foreground, one in the background. I'm trying to take a picture of the background object and want the camera to focus there.

Every single freaking time across 10+ digital cameras (mine or borrowed from family members & friends), after I've gotten the focus on the background object, when I take the picture, the camera refocuses on the foreground image.

Also, I'll have what looks like a good shot, in focus. Once again that auto focus kicks on when I push the shutter button and unfocuses my picture, leaving it blurry.

This frustrated me so much, I went back to film cameras. Though I am looking for a camera I can manually focus. I was pretty sure I just needed to shell out for a SLR, but if a more affordable option arose, I'd take it.

craigthom wrote:
I also don't see how anyone can go a decent job manually focusing a camera looking at a small LCD screen.

Maybe you think "autofocus" means something else?

Here's what I mean at least:

Let's say there are two objects, one in the foreground, one in the background. I'm trying to take a picture of the background object and want the camera to focus there.

Every single freaking time across 10+ digital cameras (mine or borrowed from family members & friends), after I've gotten the focus on the background object, when I take the picture, the camera refocuses on the foreground image.

Also, I'll have what looks like a good shot, in focus. Once again that auto focus kicks on when I push the shutter button and unfocuses my picture, leaving it blurry.

This frustrated me so much, I went back to film cameras. Though I am looking for a camera I can manually focus. I was pretty sure I just needed to shell out for a SLR, but if a more affordable option arose I'd take it.

craigthom wrote:
I also don't see how anyone can go a decent job manually focusing a camera looking at a small LCD screen.

Maybe you think "autofocus" means something else?

Here's what I mean at least:

Let's say there are two objects, one in the foreground, one in the background. I'm trying to take a picture of the background object and want the camera to focus there.

Every single freaking time across 10+ digital cameras (mine or borrowed from family members & friends), after I've gotten the focus on the background object, when I take the picture, the camera refocuses on the foreground image.

Also, I'll have what looks like a good shot, in focus. Once again that auto focus kicks on when I push the shutter button and unfocuses my picture, leaving it blurry.

This frustrated me so much, I went back to film cameras. Though I am looking for a camera I can manually focus. I was pretty sure I just needed to shell out for a SLR, but if a more affordable option arose I'd take it.