We found accessing the compartment for the battery and memory card a pain, as it doesn't auto-lock when you close it, requiring an unnecessary bit of finger adroitness, and removing and replacing batteries can also be a fiddly affair.
To safeguard close-range installations, the W1080ST features an "Auto Blank" mode that blocks light output when objects are detected in front of the lens.
The few shots we took on auto looked quite vibrant in a variety of lighting conditions, though the close-ups showed a disturbingly shallow depth of field -- though that could obviously be tweaked.
In its plea for bail-out funds last month, the company promised to shed up to 31, 000 jobs, close nine plants and renegotiate a four-year labour contract which it signed with the United Auto Workers (UAW) in 2007.