Home > Consumer Reviews > Kodak EasyShare Z1485 14MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 inch LCD (Black)

I've been using the Kodak Z712 for the past couple years and LOVE it. However for vacations, it was a bit bulkier then I liked. I didn't want to downsize from a 12X zoom to a 3X, so I just continued using it till something else caught my attention. Enter the Z1485. An AWESOME little camera.

I received the camera in mid-December. I used the battery that came with it, a non-rechargeable KLIC-8000 Li-Ion. It lasted about a month, all through Christmas (during which I took MANY pictures) and regular daily pics (I have an 11 month old, so I take a lot!). I just changed the battery a few days ago to a rechargeable KLIC-8000 Li-Ion. If you purchase this camera, MAKE SURE you buy the correct battery for it. Of course it's going to suck up regular AA batteries, it's a powerful little point and shoot.

The picture clarity is fantastic (keep in mind, I'm just a casual picture taker. Day-to-day pics of my son, and family trips). All the pics I've downloaded to my Kodak program and printed out have come out beautifully. I normally use the smart-scene, but sometimes (like during Christmas) I use other settings, like the candle light setting for pics of the Christmas tree. They came out perfect, all nice and soft. The size of the camera itself is perfect...I actually bought an ipod jogging case for it so I can wear it around my wrist or arm during vacations (nice to always have the camera handy), and it fit just fine.

I've always used Kodak for their simple no-brainer approach to picture taking, and this camera fits that to a tee. I'm so glad I upgraded. I'll always love my Z712, but this little guy has everything I need. PLEASE do not be dissuaded by the mediocre reviews here. Most people know NOT to put regular AA batteries in a digital camera. It sucks the life out of them in no time. With the proper batteries, this camera is light, clear, and does an all around GREAT job!

Kodak calls this camera 14 mega pixels but it is actually 14.2+ mega pixels. Some less scrupulous manufacturers would call it 14.75 mega pixels because of the CCD used, not the actual image area. I bought this camera to replace my Kodak Z1285 12 mega pixel camera, mainly because Kodak eliminated just about every complaint that I had about the Z1285 with the Z1485. These two cameras look similar and seem to use the same 5x optical "zoom" lens, although the lens has different names on the two cameras. 5x "zoom" is about as far as you want to go on a camera that doesn't have a true zoom lens and still have a lens of acceptable overall quality (a true zoom lens maintains the same aperature throughout the zoom range instead of increasing the aperature number as the lens "zooms" {in general, the higher the maximum [smallest number] aperature is the less desireable the lens is}). I have bought wide angle/"macro" and teleconverter magnetic mount lens through Amazon.com for the Z1485 but they do not work well. I don't at all understand why the Kodak Z1485 is selling for so much less than Nikon, Pentax, Canon, Olympus, Sony Camera Division (formerly Minolta) and other cameras that seem to be either no better than it or inferior to it. The Z1485 does need a much better tripod socket, though. Advanced users will want to download the Z1485 Extended Users Manual from Kodak.com - other users don't need it. Kodak EasyShare Z1485 14MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 inch LCD (Black) Kodak EasyShare Z1485 14MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 inch LCD (Blue)

The past year, I have been searching for the perfect camera and I can finally say that I am done buying and returning cameras. I have purchased so many digital cameras and gave them to my daughter if I wasn't able to return or sell them. I love all the features on this high tech camera and it meets all my needs. I don't have to be an expert on taking pictures, because the camera does everything for you with the smart capture features and it automatically detects the right lighting mode for you. I also love all the extra features that come on this camera. I won't be buying another camera for a long time. The pictures are very nice. The only complaint that I have about this camera is that it is very bulky and I wish that it was one of the slimmer models, because I like to carry my camera every where I go and it's always in my purse, but other than that, I am very satisfied.

I found this camera for a price that made it worthwhile to try. And I tried it. I wouldn't say it was disappointing, but definitely not what I wanted. I am very much a point & shoot type of photographer--as you'll see in my limited lingo below.
My findings:
Pros:
Smart capture is a nice feature that automatically determines the best settings for whatever you're trying to take a picture of. (Great for point & shoot types).
Button placement is pretty intuitive.

Cons:
There is no viewfinder. This is of course a preference thing, but I found it hard for taking pictures in direct sunlight and in night shots (high amount of pixelation and streaking on screen).
The USB cord was very flimsy and easily damaged.
In many reviews I've read, there are a lot of complaints about the battery life. My only issue about the batteries is that after about 40 shots, the start-up and lag time between shots increased significantly--many missed opportunities.
Most of my night shots came out blurry, even though the camera was on a steady surface. Close-up night shots came out highly pixelated.
Face capture never worked (although this might be user error).

I bought this camera to replace a Kodak 6 MP camera that bit the dust on a recent vacation (user error, no fault of the camera!). I spent several weeks researching cameras, going to every store to hold them in my hands, and ended up buying this gem from Amazon.

I have been very pleased with the picture quality both indoors and out. I am especially impressed with the photo quality in low light (considerably less noise than I have ever experienced in a digital camera). The focus is great, and moves right along with my subjects.

The video is nice, though definitely not why I bought the camera. It is very smooth and works well even in low light. I have had no problems with the battery holding a charge.

My biggest complaint (which I knew when I was buying the camera) is the lack of optical viewfinder. It was nearly impossible for me to find a camera with one, and I would have had to give up other features to get it.

All in all, I am very pleased with this Kodak camera. It is my third Kodak digital camera (a 4 MP, a 6 MP, and now this one) and definitely the best. The price was also fabulous, especially compared with what features rival camera manufacturers offer at this price point.