Kodak PIXPRO AZ401-BK Kodak - Review 🏆

The Kodak PIXPRO AZ401-BK is a bridge camera designed for those looking for an affordable superzoom with a long focal length range. It features a 16MP BSI CMOS sensor and a 40x optical zoom lens with a 35mm focal length equivalent of 22-880mm. This gives you tremendous reach to capture distant subjects.

Other key features include:

• 16MP 1/2.3" BSI CMOS sensor
• 40x optical zoom lens, f/3.4-6.5, 22-880mm equivalent
• Optical image stabilization
• 3" 920k-dot LCD screen
• Full HD 1080p video recording at 30fps
• ISO 100-3200
• Built-in pop-up flash
• Electronic viewfinder with 200k dots
• Manual exposure control
• RAW support
• SD/SDHC/SDXC memory card slot

The AZ401-BK delivers a long zoom range in a compact body at an affordable price point. In this review, we'll take a closer look at its design, image quality, features and performance.

Design and Build Quality

The Kodak PIXPRO AZ401-BK features a sturdy and lightweight plastic body that is comfortable to hold. Despite being made of plastic, the camera has a nice heft to it and feels well-built. It measures 4.7 x 3.3 x 4.1 inches and weighs just over 1 pound, making it easy to carry around for all-day shooting.

The plastic exterior features a textured grip that allows you to hold the camera securely, even with one hand. The grip wraps around the right side, providing a natural and ergonomic feel. Buttons and dials are within easy reach of the thumb and index finger too. The camera is small and light enough even for those with smaller hands to handle comfortably.

Overall, the design and build quality is quite good for a camera in this price range. The plastic body doesn't feel cheap or flimsy and it can withstand normal wear-and-tear during everyday use. While not weather sealed, the AZ401 should hold up fine if used with reasonable care.

In addition to the AZ401, the Kodak PIXPRO AZ255-BK model offers similar features with a slightly more compact design. It's perfect for casual photographers seeking a lightweight option without sacrificing functionality. The AZ255-BK also provides a comfortable grip and responsive controls, making it easy to capture spontaneous moments. For those interested, you can learn more about the Kodak PIXPRO AZ255-BK.

Image Quality

The Kodak PIXPRO AZ401 has a 16MP 1/2.3-inch BSI CMOS sensor, which is fairly standard for bridge superzoom cameras in this price range. 16MP strikes a good balance between resolution and image quality.

Photos are decent at low ISOs, showing good color reproduction and detail. However, noise becomes more apparent starting around ISO 800 and images get quite noisy at the higher end of the ISO range. This is expected for a small sensor camera. Overall, image quality is suitable for casual shooting and sharing online or making small prints. But pixel peepers may be disappointed by the level of fine detail and noise at high ISOs.

The AZ401 has an ISO range of 100-3200, which can be expanded to 6400. Images are very usable through ISO 800. At ISO 1600 and 3200, heavy noise reduction leads to loss of fine details. ISO 6400 is there if you need it, but image quality suffers quite a bit. For the best results, try to shoot at base ISO 100 whenever possible.

The Kodak AZ422 is a notable upgrade in the Kodak lineup, featuring a 20MP sensor that improves upon its predecessor with better detail retention and color accuracy. It also maintains a similar ISO range while performing better at higher settings. This makes the Kodak AZ422 an excellent choice for those looking for enhanced imaging capabilities in a bridge camera format.

Zoom Capabilities

The Kodak PIXPRO AZ401-BK has impressive zoom capabilities thanks to its 40x optical zoom lens. This allows you to get very close to distant subjects without any loss of image quality.

The optical zoom range is 22mm to 880mm in 35mm format, giving you great versatility for wide angle shots as well as telephoto reach. With the additional 4x digital zoom, you can extend the total zoom range to 176x. This lets you zoom in even further on details, though image quality will start to degrade at high digital zoom levels.

The powerful 40x optical zoom paired with optical image stabilization provides the flexibility to capture both expansive landscapes and faraway details. The zoom lever on the camera body makes it easy to quickly adjust the focal length. Overall, the excellent zoom range is one of the biggest highlights of this Kodak camera.

Video Recording

The Kodak PIXPRO AZ401 has decent video capabilities for a bridge camera in this price range. It can shoot full HD 1080p video at 30 fps. While it doesn't offer 4K video, the 1080p resolution will be sufficient for most users' needs.

Some of the highlights of the video features include:

• 1080p Full HD video recording at 30fps
• 720p HD video at 60fps
• Optical zoom available while recording
• Stereo microphone for audio recording
• Dedicated video record button

The maximum video clip length is 29 minutes, which should be more than enough for typical home videos. Overall, while more advanced users may want higher video resolutions and frame rates, the AZ401 hits a nice sweet spot for casual home videos and vacations.

Autofocus and Shooting Speed

The Kodak PIXPRO AZ401-BK has decent autofocus capabilities for a budget superzoom camera. It offers multi-zone, center-weighted and spot autofocus modes to suit different shooting situations.

In good lighting conditions, autofocus is relatively quick and accurate. The camera can lock focus in around 0.5 seconds. However, in low light the autofocus slows down and struggles more.

The AZ401-BK has minimal shutter lag, which is the delay between pressing the shutter button and the camera capturing the image. Shutter lag is approximately 0.2-0.3 seconds under good lighting, which is very responsive. In low light, shutter lag increases slightly but is still quite fast for this class of camera.

Shooting performance is decent but not spectacular. The camera can capture around 1-2 frames per second in burst mode. This allows you to shoot some action sequences, but the frame rate is not fast enough for highly dynamic sports.

Overall, the autofocus system and shooting speed are good for casual photography and should satisfy most beginner-level users. But enthusiasts may desire snappier performance.

Display

The Kodak PIXPRO AZ401 has a 3-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 920k dots. The screen is fixed and does not tilt or swivel, which can make composing shots from high or low angles a bit tricky. However, the screen is decently bright and provides a good amount of detail when reviewing images.

The AZ401 does not have an electronic viewfinder. You must compose all shots using the rear LCD screen. This isn't uncommon for bridge superzoom cameras in this price range. The lack of a viewfinder may bother some users who prefer composing shots this way, especially in very bright sunlight where LCD screens can be harder to see. But the sizeable 3-inch screen makes composing and reviewing shots manageable without a viewfinder.

Overall, the fixed 3-inch LCD performs well for a camera in this class. The resolution is sufficient for previewing and reviewing photos. And the screen is bright enough for use outdoors in most conditions. The lack of a viewfinder may disappoint some users but isn't unexpected given the price point.

Connectivity

The Kodak PIXPRO AZ401 has decent connectivity options for a budget superzoom camera. It has a micro HDMI port to connect to HD TVs and play back your photos and videos on a big screen. There's also a micro USB 2.0 port for charging and transferring files to a computer.

For wireless connectivity, the AZ401 has built-in WiFi which allows you to connect to smartphones and tablets via the free Kodak PIXPRO app. This lets you remotely control the camera, as well as instantly transfer photos for sharing on social media. The camera does not have NFC or Bluetooth capabilities.

Overall the connectivity options are fairly standard for this class of camera. The WiFi works well for wireless photo transfers and remote control. The AZ401 lacks more advanced connectivity features like Bluetooth or GPS, but those are not expected at this price point. The micro HDMI and USB ports provide essential wired connectivity for TVs, computers and charging.

Battery Life

The Kodak PIXPRO AZ401 has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that provides enough power for around 400 shots per charge, according to Kodak. This is fairly typical battery life for a bridge superzoom camera.

The AZ401 has some features to help extend battery life. There is an eco mode that reduces power consumption by dimming the screen brightness and disabling features like image review. The camera will also automatically switch to sleep mode after a short period of inactivity.

Overall, battery performance is decent but not outstanding. Carrying a spare battery is recommended for all-day shooting or travel, as the battery is not interchangeable while charging in the camera. The battery takes around 3 hours for a full charge.

Conclusion

The Kodak PIXPRO AZ401 is a feature-packed superzoom camera that offers excellent value for money. Here's a quick summary of its pros and cons:

Pros

• Impressive 40x optical zoom range in a compact body
• Effective optical image stabilization
• Good image quality in decent lighting
• Full HD 1080p video recording
• Large 3-inch LCD screen
• Lots of shooting modes and effects
• Good value for money

Cons

• Image quality suffers in low light
• Slow autofocus and shooting speeds
• No RAW shooting or manual controls
• No electronic viewfinder
• Mediocre battery life

Overall, the Kodak PIXPRO AZ401 is an excellent choice for those looking for tremendous zoom range without breaking the bank. It's easy to use and can capture decent photos and videos in good lighting conditions. Just don't expect DSLR-like performance, especially in low light. For its price, the AZ401 packs an unmatched zoom lens and effective stabilization, making it great for travel and outdoor photography. I would recommend it to casual photographers looking for a flexible and affordable superzoom camera.