DT‐filled 115‐&mgr;m‐diam. glass microballoons have been irradiated with the six‐beam ZETA laser (Nd: phosphate glass) at 2 TW. The absorption uniformity and implosion symmetry have been studied with x‐ray imaging for variations in the laser focal conditions. Symmetry, as indicated by the x‐ray spatial emission of both the absorption region and the imploded core, has been found to be a strong function of illumination uniformity.