Design and Build Quality
The polycarbonate body appears quite robust but the overall shape is ‘boxy’. The hand-grip is quite wide and is rubberised.
The lens projects about 35mm when fully extended, but the equivalent focal lengths are not marked. The 3-inch LCD is fixed. The electronic viewfinder’s resolution is acceptable, but the EVF does exhibit a slight tunnel vision. The built-in flash has an auto-pop-up design but does not offer an accessory shoe for external flash. The Z990 operates on four AA rechargeable batteries.
Ergonomics
The hand-grip is quite comfortable but the user interface is somewhat confusing. The action of the tiny thumb wheel is very soft and the settings can be accidentally changed. The tripod socket is plastic and off-centered. The tripod socket is placed too close to the battery chamber and will hinder the door opening when placed on a tripod. The camera weighs approximately 445g with battery and card.
