In terms of getting an affordable digital camera with promising and diverse features, the Kodak PixPro AZ255 Review can be considered as one of the best. With many features aimed at beginning photographers and consumers who do not consider themselves professional photogs but need a fairly good camera to capture their events, this camera is fair in the performance, versatility and cost. As a result, in this review, the characteristics of Kodak PixPro AZ255, the audience to whom it is intended, and the benefits of its acquisition will be considered.
Overview of the Kodak PixPro AZ255 Review
This model is a part of Kodak PixPro AZ255 series which is characterized by a significant combining power and compactness. AZ255 has an impressive 25x optical zoom, and 16-megapixel CCD sensor, as well as many settings for user friendly for all possible users. Whether you are a landscape, portrait or wildlife photographer, the AZ255 has been designed with a aim to offer quality images to the photographers with a lot of ease.
Key Features at a Glance
Kodak PixPro AZ255 has promised beginner and those who may be transitioning from smartphone camera many features that are interesting to use. Here are some of the key features that stand out:Here are some of the key features that stand out:
25x Optical Zoom: Enables you to record objects in the farther part with high light and minute details.
16. 35MP CCD Sensor: Delivers the high-resolution images with satisfactory colors.
3-Inch LCD Screen: Housing to light up the subject while shooting and for retouching one’s photos.
Optical Image Stabilization: Helps to minimize the blurriness that may be brought about by hand-held shake more so when zooming.
Panorama Mode: Effectively joins distant and panoramic capture shots for beautiful scenery shooting.
Full HD 1080p Video Recording: Records good video with minimal interference when targeted at moving objects or people.
Manual Controls: Affords the ability to manage the exposure settings such as the aperture and the speed of the shutter.
Wi-Fi Connectivity: Enables you to send shots immediately or act like a slave and manage the camera with a smartphone application.
Who Should Buy the Kodak PixPro AZ255 Review?
The Kodak PixPro AZ255 is designed for the hobby user and amateur photographers who want a camera with many features at an affordable price. Due to the simple, intuitive layout combined with the possibility to take manual control, it is an excellent device for everyone who wants to familiarize with the basics of photography.
It also serves well for those who do not want to carry a heavy Lens and at the same time would like to cover all possible scenes whether it is a wide view of the plains or the beauty of the wildlife at close quarters. It will come as a plus to families because they are flexible and easy to use for taking normal day-to-day activities.
Pricing and Availability
Kodak PixPro AZ255 falls within the mid-range of the price category hence is cost affordable to most users. Depending on the store and the current discounts offers, it is sold between $150 and $200 on average. This allows for a larger market base for the manufactures ranging from students to amateur photographers.
The camera is sold in much of the internet stores and the brick-and-mortar stores of the well-known electronics chains, so whichever kind of a shopper you are – online or offline – you should be able to get your hands on the camera easily. One should wait for a particular time of the year when there is a sale or the company provides offers that come with free accessories such as the memory cards or a camera case.
Design and Build Quality
Ergonomics and Handling
There is a satisfaction among customers that the Kodak PixPro AZ255 is specifically designed to guarantee the user comfort while holding the camera during multiple shoots. The camera has a slimmer handle and pack comfortable grip that is essential more so when zooming in towards 25x Optical.
The buttons and dials are properly positioned and their usage is quite easy, thus people of all categories of photography can use the camera with a lot of ease. The grip has been raised, the location of the shutter button is comfortable so one would not experience hand fatigue while taking those shots.
Weight and Portability
With dimensions are of 113mmx61mm and a thickness of 35mm and a weight of about 335g inclusive of battery and memory card, the Kodak PixPro AZ255 boasts of being portable yet fully functional. It’s not heavy and can be carried all day long without a feeling of straining but also has a feel of some degree of solidity.
The portability of the camera is amazing and it easily fits in a small backpack or even in the large pocket; it is good for traveling. Nonetheless, it does not come with a diminished quality where it has compromised on some of the necessities; the housing is strong, which enables the screen to confront regular use.
Material Durability
The construction of the Kodak PixPro AZ255 entirely comprises of High-polish plastic material and can be easily handled. It should also be noted that despite the rather low cost, the camera does not look fragile and is made with a certain level of quality. The build quality is good; there is no twist or squeak when pressed on different parts of the device. The lens barrel is also very well-made and there are no signs of play when zooming with the lens; the response is silky smooth.
The strong construction also increases the chances of the camera to last long without signs of the usual tear and wear that automatically comes with over usage hence suitable for users who may not be willing to spend a lot of money in professional quality equipment.
Weather Resistance
As with any of the AZ series cameras, the Kodak PixPro AZ255 is not branded as a rugged, or weatherproof camera but it is able to shoot in normal daily-use environments. Well, it is robust enough for casual outdoor use, for example, filming in somewhat dusty or moist conditions, but surely not for what is considered ‘ harsh ‘ environment. Contrary to the earlier cameras which were specially sealed against strong rains, dust or unfavorable weather conditions,
This camera has no special safeguard therefore the users are advised to use it carefully in such conditions. Most regular consumers should not experience any issue with build quality; however, for a fully weatherproof camera the RX10 IV leaves a bit to be desired.
Color Options
The specific model of the Kodak PixPro AZ255 comes with a traditional black design, which looks rather professional. The black colour is popular among various users, who are involved in photography starting from amateurs to those people who like minimalistic design. This color also makes it possible for the camera to blend in with the surrounding environment hence does not attract attention when Used for photo-journalism or any occasion events. Of course, extra color variations are not implemented, but the eternal black design will suit most users who prefer both functionality and style in their camera.
Lens and Zoom Capabilities
Zoom Range Analysis Kodak PixPro AZ255
The KO-DIGITAL Kodak PixPro AZ255 has a seemingly fantastic and competing 25 x optical zoom, pivoting to a focal length of 24 to 600 mm in 35-mm equivalent. This wide range allows photographers to shoot a large field of view ranging from large landscapes at the models’ wide-end, and the detailed shots of faraway objects at the models’ full-zoom end.
The wide angle of 24mm comes handy when taking members of a group, buildings, and large scenes from the natural world or large scenes in general; the telephoto end of 600mm is useful when a shot of a specific object or performer in a game is needed as the lens would seem to magnify or get closer to the object or performer than it would for a normal eye.
Impact on Image Quality
It is common to those point-and-shoot digital cameras with large optical zoom that the sharpness of the image tends to be at its best at the wide-angle extremity of the range. Thus, at maximum zoom, certain level of image softening and low level of clarity may be observed, especially in the peripheral areas. However, due to OIS or Optical Image Stabilization,
This shakes are somehow managed and especially at longer focal length. In summary, the level of sharpness and distortion control is good throughout the lens’s focal length range, which keeps it as a satisfactory zoom lens for those who do not want to sacrifice versatility for absolute sharpness.
Table of Contents
Lens Aperture and Performance
Low-Light Capabilities
The camera has an impressive lens attached to it that has a focal ratio that ranges from f/3 to f/5.8. 7 at the wide end to f/6. 2 at full zoom. While the maximum aperture of f/3 is quite fast, which is longing for more light, it’s relatively slow for a camera with its capabilities. 7 is rather good for low light when the lens is at its widest, the quality drops slightly when you start to use the optical zoom, where the lens diaphragm is f/6. 2.
This means that in dark environments users have to set the ISO level higher or use longer exposure time at the cost of obtaining noisy or blurred images. Still, acceptable image quality can be obtained in normal lighting conditions and although in the dark the camera takes comparatively low-quality images, there is a possibility to use the integrated flash or make settings.
Aperture Range
The f/3 aperture, which the camera lens has, makes a variable range in the equation. 7 to f/6. 2 offers relatively good versatility for almost every shooting situation described. At f/3. 7 As for the sensitivity to light, the lens lets a fair amount of light on the sensor, which is good for low-light photos and creating a shallow DOF, although to a lesser extent.
However, as you zoom in, the aperture selected reduces the capacity to f/6. 2 which is the weakness often seen in cameras that have long zoom capacity but at a same time reduces the capability of the lens to collect light. For the users who primarily shoot in well-lit environment, or during the day, this is really more than enough. Still, a user who performs the photographing activity often in such conditions as at a thick fog will find the aperture to be narrow at the full zoom extent to be a disadvantage.
Imaging and Video Quality Kodak PixPro AZ255
Image Resolution and Clarity
Kodak PixPro AZ255 also comes packed with a 16-Megapixel CCD sensor that is more than enough to afford crisp prints and to share images online. The resolution of the sensor enables one to crop and resize most of the images, without a lot of compromise, which will come in handy in most Photographic situations. The image details generated with the help of the AZ255 are favorable and clear especially when it is brightly illuminated depending on the coloring and contrast it produces.
However, like most of the other CCD sensors, it is likely to perform poorly when used in low light conditions and the details of the image may not be well defined and noise may be much more visible.
Pixel Performance
It is worth to note that the pixel performance of the Kodak PixPro AZ255 is quite impressive for this class, responsive to the commands of the CCD sensor, the image is bright and clear. The sensor is quite good in the aspect of color reproduction and what you see in the image is what you get. Nevertheless, CCD sensors are slower in terms of their readout speed than CMOS sensors, and this typically results to problems such as rolling shutter in scenes with motion.
At the same time, for still photo as well as everyday applications, the AZ255’s pixel performance is enough and the tonal quality as well as artifacts are to a satisfactory level.
Color Accuracy
For the Kodak PixPro AZ255, color accuracy is quite well done because of the image processing engine that works to make colors as accurate and as vibrant as possible. The lens is good at managing color accurately from the typical Caucasian flesh tones to bold scenery, with little to no color fringing. That is why such built-in processing algorithms, as saturation and contrast, option is useful because they provide a proper balance between such parameters and, therefore,
provide visual quality that is not only good-looking but also as close as possible to the real world. However, the individual parameters of color, brightness, and contrast can be changed through the different picture modes that the camera offers while the default picture modes offer a natural looking video which is quite adequate for most shooting conditions.
Video Recording Capabilities
Unfortunately, the Kodak PixPro AZ255 does not have a built in optical viewfinder With its capability to record Full HD 1080p video at 30 fps, video enthusiasts can enjoy capturing smooth and clear movies on this camera. The optical zoom of 25x is active during the video capturing process to enable zoom-in /zoom-out videography. It also has digital image stabilization to counteract the movement of the camera during the shooting of videos though it is not as efficient as optical stabilization found on advanced cameras.
Sound recording is performed by the integrated microphone and is sufficient for average purposes, however, in loud spaces or with complicated sound, the audio is likely to be subpar. The AZ255’s built-in video functions are sufficient for those who occasionally take videos or who shoot videos just to record an event without any professional objective. Comparing to other video cameras it does not give the same level of control and quality, but for the money and the convenience it gives rather satisfactory result.
Kodak PixPro AZ255 Performance
Speed and Accuracy
Sound recording is performed by the integrated microphone and is sufficient for average purposes, however, in loud spaces or with complicated sound, the audio is likely to be subpar. The Kodak PixPro AZ255 built-in video functions are sufficient for those who occasionally take videos or who shoot videos just to record an event without any professional objective. Comparing to other video cameras it does not give the same level of control and quality, but for the money and the convenience it gives rather satisfactory result.
Focus Modes
It has several focus modes that one can use depending on the situation that he/she is in when shooting. These are as follows; Single AF, Continuous AF, and Manual Focus. Single AF is appropriate for still subjects in that with the shutter button half pressed, the camera focuses just once. The Continuous AF is important for photographing the moving subject since the camera maintains focus on the subject in case it changes a position within the frame.
Manual Focus provides the user with complete control over focusing which is an advantage in specific conditions, when the autofocus can operate unsatisfactorily like in low contrast environment. Such modes included in the cameras offer the user ability to choose the most suitable shooting environment thus improving the entire photography experience.
Display and Viewfinder
Resolution and Brightness
This model comes with an optimized 3.0-inch TFT LCD display, which assists the photographers in framing their subjects, reviewing images or changing settings of the Kodak PixPro AZ255. While the resolution of the screen is not very high standing at 460,000 dots it is fairly average for a low-end camera.
Even though it may not be as high definition as video cameras with more pixelation the degree of resolution is sufficient for moderate use, thus people can easily see the details. Contrast of LCD is also good and can be adjusted, allowing the users to set it according to their total convenience or the environment.
Visibility in Different Lighting Conditions
The LCD screen of Kodak PixPro AZ255 is rather satisfactory in most of the lighting conditions needed for photography. However, of course, as many flat widescreens, it is rather difficult to read contents in very bright light. The screen’s surface is just slightly reflective to the point where using the camera outdoors in sunlight is a problem because shots or reviewed images are complicated by glare.
To address this, users may require to put hand over the screen or using the option of tilting the screen to decrease the reflectivity. During night-time the lights on the screen do not go off hence the ability to adjust the settings and review images at night is more convenient.
Pros and Cons of Kodak PixPro AZ255
Pros
Another major aspect that can easily be appreciated on the Kodak PixPro AZ255 is that it is quite cheap. One of the significant selling points of this camera is that it comes equipped with a series of features that is normally attached to high-end cameras hence another selling point for buyers a looking forward to buying a camera on a tight budget.
The camera is budget friendly and comes with most of the basic photography features, encompassed in a very simple interface. For someone who just starting or someone who needs a camera for occasional use and still wants something that can deliver great results, the AZ255 offers a good package.
Powerful Zoom
The Kodak PixPro AZ255 has the snap of a 25x optical zoom lens through which people are able to focus on subjects from a far with ease. This zoom power is yet a strength for those who cherish shooting such objects like wildlife, sports or other remote objects. The zoom gives the user an all round lens from wide angle to a telephoto lens depending on the situation at hand. For a camera that is given at a very low price, the AZ255 has rather impressive zooming capabilities that put it ahead of other cameras of the same class.
Cons
Kodak PixPro AZ255 is capable of Full 1080p HD Video however, it has less features related to video as compared to the advanced cameras. It does not support higher frame rates, and also it does not support 4K resolution now common in many modern cameras. While for ordinary users or those who need just videos of the ordinary vlogs, the quality of video may be quite sufficient,
However for those, who need repudiative full-motion video, the AZ255 can be rather disappointing. This means that for users who consider video quality as a priority, then they may have to compromise because this smartphone does not offer any extra video features.
No RAW Support
Still, the Kodak PixPro AZ255 has some critical disadvantages – the absence of RAW file support. The images can only be recorded in JPEG format and this reduces the freedom one has in editing the images later. RAW files store more information and enable modifications to be made to a larger extent than when working with the JPEG format; for example.
Recovering the shadow area or changing white balance does not affect the picture’s quality. RAW support is not supported and having less control over the final output of the photograph may be a major letdown for the photographers who can spend much time in retouching the images.
Customer Reviews and Feedback
Highlighted Strengths
Kodak PixPro AZ255 is also popular due to its low price and fast zooming in on an object. The highly useful feature here is the 25x optical zoom, which enables clear shots with subjects out of the range. Moreover, working with the camera, the users have understood that the interface is very simple, which can be a plus for those people who do not want to sit behind the settings.
The scene modes as well as the automatic settings have also been described as strengths with an ability to take good pictures without much endeavour. All in all, customers have considered the AZ255 to be a device that represents good value for the money and there was a good mix of features and performance at a relatively low cost.
User Testimonials
There are customer reviews on various sites who have used Kodak PixPro AZ255 and they have many good things to say about it. For example, one user said, “I bought the camera it is great for my requirement especially the zoom feature is incredible I am not a professional but with AZ255 it makes me feel like one.” Another user said, “I like the compact size of the camera and the powerful zoom it has good for traveling and your daily photography the picture quality is good easy to understand how to operate the camera.” These two responses indicate that most users are satisfied with.
Kodak PixPro AZ255 Price
Amazon.com: $149 – $179 USD
But generally, in this price category, you can find the Kodak PixPro AZ255 in Amazon store with temporary sales that decrease the price at its minimum. Prices may also slightly differ according to the seller in question and the availability of the goods in the market.
Best Buy: >$149-$169 USD
Amazon is likely to offer the Kodak PixPro AZ255 at the best prices, but Best Buy may also offer it near or at the price level of Amazon. Some may also include promotions that include accessories like the memory card or a camera case for example.
Walmart
Hgh Upper end of mid-price range to cheaper high-end product: $159 – $179 USD
There are certain discrepancies that can be noted as follows: Walmart mostly offer the Kodak PixPro AZ255 at similar prices as other online merchants; however there are options for physical stores which are also be likely to differ in price and availability.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the resolution got by the Kodak PixPro AZ255?
The picture quality is fairly good for the given price, colours are rich, and it produces very sharp images in good light. But there is a compromise as far as the low light is concerned because of the much smaller sensors and absence of sophisticated options.
Can it record videos: Yes the Kodak PixPro AZ255 has the capability to record videos.
The Kodak PixPro AZ255 has this feature in which you can record a video in Full 720p HD at a frame rate of 30 fps. Not Full HD, but it is more than enough for occasional videos and movies shooting.
Kodak PixPro AZ255 has no optical/digital image stabilization.
The one being referred to as the camera comprises of the Optical Image Stabilization system ( OIS), this being used to minimize blur resulting from movement of the camera while shooting through the zoom lens.
What is the zoom performance of the Kodak PixPro AZ255?
The 25x optical zoom enables the user to go from getting the big picture to concentrating on distant objects. On the same note the zoom range is expansive that is until one reaches the extreme end of the zoom range where the quality of the image might have been compromised by the sensor or lens.
How many hours does the Kodak PixPro AZ255 have the battery life?
Owing to a rechargeable lithium-ion battery the camera is capable of a approximate 200 shoots between charges based on usage and settings. This is quite reasonable for cameras belonging to this class.
Can I connect the Kodak PixPro AZ255 Review to Wi-Fi?
The Kodak PixPro AZ255 has Wi-Fi built-in with the ability to share your photos and videos directly to your smartphone or tablet.
Is the Kodak PixPro AZ255 compatible for initial level of photography?
Absolutely! The Kodak PixPro AZ255 has most of the features set at an operator’s disposal, and this model is most suitable for a beginner in astral photography. It is cheap, and this with its features makes it suitable for photographers who are just beginning.
conclusion
One of the best easy-to-use cameras that are affordable and packed with a good number of features that one needs is the Kodak PixPro AZ255 .The benefits of this camera are, it has 25x optical zoom, small size, and user-friendly controls on this camera given the current price point. Though, there are cons too: For instance, low light capabilities are mediocre at best, it lacks raw support, and the video output is quite basic. All in all, for the customers seeking for a cheap camera with gigantic zoom and simple interface, Kodak PixPro AZ255 will be appropriate.
