- Kodak’s latest ‘bridge’ camera features 65x zoom and 1-inch macro focus
- Adds USB-C charging to its 7-year-old predecessor
- Expected to go on sale in April for $450 / £350 (around AU$675)
Today’s Kodak, like the third party that licensed the legendary name, specializes in technology reclaimed from the past. For example, the ‘new’ PixPro AZ653 bridge camera, which follows the PixPro AZ652 from 2019.
(Most of) its specs seem too good to be true: a 65x stabilized optical zoom that covers everything from wide-angle landscapes to distant wildlife, 1cm macro focus, 20MP stills, DSLR-style handling and an articulating screen, all for just $450 / £350.
This is an affordable camera that does it all, except for one important part: quality. Like most bridge cameras (with a few exceptions like the Sony Cyber-Shot RX10 IV), it includes a small 1/2.3-inch sensor, the kind found in cheap smartphones, which means image quality is lacking.
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In bright light, highlights fade and shadows lack depth. In low light, details will be hazy. It’s the price you pay for so much versatility and, personally, it’s not a compromise I’d be willing to make on a special holiday like a safari, where I’d want the best possible quality.
That said, the overall package, especially considering the price, could be worth it for general use. And now Kodak has released this newer version that adds USB-C charging to update the series, even if the other features are now considered outdated.
I’m a little disappointed that there aren’t any other updates; For example, the PixPro AZ653’s video recording maxes out at Full HD (so no 4K), while burst recording is only up to 5fps.
It is certainly the 65x zoom lens, covering focal lengths from 24 to 1560mm, that is the best seller and coupled with the price I expect it to be a popular camera.
Is it still worth it?
So-called bridge cameras get their name because they “bridge” the gap between compact cameras and DSLRs. They are bulky “compact” cameras that can do everything possible, with one major drawback: compromising image quality.
They had their heyday in the 2000s, but 20 years later the market is a shadow of its former self: my guide to the best bridge cameras now has just three entries, one of which was recently discontinued.
That said, when Nikon re-released its own version last year, the Coolpix P1100 with its 125x zoom, it sparked a lot of interest, despite its much higher price.
Panasonic got in on the action in 2024 by updating its own affordable bridge camera, the Lumix FZ80D/FZ82D, which also modernized the series with USB-C charging but otherwise features dated technology.
The surprise for me is how close the Lumix model is in price to Kodak’s, and given that it shoots 4K video (albeit at a smaller 60x zoom), it seems like the better choice of the two. To put it in context, we gave that disappointing Lumix camera a 2.5 star rating.
Kodak says its PixPro AZ653 will hit stores in April.
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