The main rallying cry for Kodak's EasyShare Z series is “Get closer to perfection with more zoom and ease” and that was certainly true of the 12-megapixel Z980 which we reviewed recently; the 24x optical zoom in particular was an outstanding feature. We've now got our hands on the Z980's little brother, the Z915, which keeps the emphasis on user friendliness but makes do with a much more modest 10x optical zoom.

You can tell this is designed as a more ‘recreational' camera when you learn it comes in four different colours (red, blue, black and grey) and has a sturdy plastic casing that can handle a fair degree of travel battering. At almost half the cost of the Z980, you wouldn't expect nearly as many features and yet the layout on the back of the camera is very similar, with Kodak's standard four rectangular buttons (Delete, Menu, Info and Playback) edging the LCD, across from a circular control dial and Share button.




However, the differences are also significant. The LCD size has shrunk from 3-inch to 2.5-inch (although there are five brightness levels), there's no optical viewfinder and the lens is 35-350mm (35mm equivalent), f/3.5-4.8 with a maximum of just 10 megapixels.

The zoom controls have moved from the back of the machine to a ring around the shutter, with three separate buttons for flash, focus and self-timer. Above the inevitable mode dial is the power button which is tiny, virtually flush with the surface and in about the most awkward position to access, so you'll have major annoyances turning the camera on and off.

It's certainly a lot bulkier than many digital cameras (measuring 107 x 72.4 x 35.7mm and weighing 220g without the two AA batteries and SD card) and is not the kind you can just slip into a trouser pocket comfortably.