Kodak’s Z99Q Max bridge camera’s imposing lens is emblazoned with a 30x zoom with image stabilization. The lens is motor-operated, and protrudes from the camera’s impressively solid housing. Don’t expect to fire up the camera, zoom in and shoot in short order. Distant focusing is slow, and we were disappointed by blurry results. The focus is hard to discern from the 3in LCD screen. Half-decent results can be had in auto mode, but a fistful of manual adjustments are available too. We were pleased to find a histogram.
Using burst mode, or recording HD video, there’s a lengthy wait (20 seconds for a minute-long clip) for the camera to process and save the file – even with performance SD cards. In the meantime, you can’t take any shots. Most cameras have circular navipads; Kodak has chosen a square navipad, and its options aren’t so easy to select. Thumbnail previews let you review all shots or only those containing people.
