Kodak Pixpro AZ405 + KODAK Ultra High Speed U1 32GB SDHC Card Kodak - Review 🏆

Kodak is a well-known American photography company that has been producing cameras for over 100 years. They were pioneers in popularizing consumer photography and making cameras accessible to the masses. While Kodak has gone through various ups and downs over the decades, they continue to produce a range of digital cameras today.

The Kodak Pixpro AZ405 is one of Kodak's newer bridge camera models aimed at hobbyist photographers looking for an affordable all-in-one camera with a huge zoom range. Bridge cameras sit in between point-and-shoot compacts and DSLRs, offering more manual controls and a longer zoom than a compact but without interchangeable lenses like a DSLR. Let's take a closer look at the key features and performance of the Kodak Pixpro AZ405.

Camera Specs

The Kodak Pixpro AZ405 packs some impressive features into its compact bridge camera body. It has a 20 megapixel BSI CMOS sensor capable of producing detailed images. The 40x optical zoom lens provides an extremely versatile 24-960mm equivalent focal range, letting you shoot wide landscapes and get up close to distant subjects. Video recording is possible at 1920 x 1080 Full HD resolution at 30fps. The 5-axis hybrid optical image stabilization helps reduce blur from camera shake when shooting photos or videos. Overall, the core specs allow the AZ405 to be versatile for travel, events, and day-to-day photography needs.

Design

The Kodak Pixpro AZ405 has a bridge style camera design with a sturdy build quality that feels solid in hand. The handgrip is deep and textured, allowing for a secure one-handed hold when shooting. The body has a matte black finish that looks sleek while also providing a good grip.

Some key design elements include:

• Bridge style body - The AZ405 has the slim, elongated shape of a bridge camera. This provides the versatile zoom range of a superzoom model while maintaining a compact overall size.

• Sturdy build - The body is made of high-quality plastics that feel solid and durable. There is no flex or creaking when holding the camera.

• Deep handgrip - The handgrip is deep enough to allow wrapping your fingers around it securely. It has a textured rubberized coating for comfort and preventing slippage. This allows confident one-handed operation.

• Matte black finish - The matte black surface looks stylish while also providing a good grip on the camera body. It resists fingerprints well.

• Good ergonomics - Buttons are sensibly located for easy access. The grip, dials, and lens barrel are all comfortably positioned.

Overall, the AZ405 has a well-designed body that feels like it could withstand regular use. The bridge shape provides a versatile zoom range in a compact package.

Image Quality

The Kodak Pixpro AZ405 produces sharp, detailed images with accurate colors in ideal lighting conditions. The 20MP 1/2.3" CMOS sensor and 40x optical zoom lens work together to capture a good amount of detail when there's plenty of light. Landscape shots show good sharpness throughout the frame with vivid colors that pop. Close-up macro shots also impress with crisp details and accurate colors.

In low light situations, the camera does struggle more. Images become noticeably softer and more prone to noise at higher ISO levels. However, the camera does have optical image stabilization to help reduce blur from camera shake. This allows you to shoot at slower shutter speeds and lower ISOs in dim conditions. Overall, image quality is quite good for a bridge camera in this price range, as long as you shoot in bright light.

Features

The Kodak Pixpro AZ405 has a robust set of features that make it a versatile bridge camera.

Zoom Range

One of the standout features is the impressive 40x optical zoom lens, which provides a 35mm focal length equivalence of 22.5-900mm. This extensive zoom range lets you capture wide-angle landscapes and tightly frame distant subjects. The 40x optical zoom enables great flexibility for nature, wildlife, sports, and travel photography.

Image Stabilization

To complement the long zoom lens, the AZ405 has optical image stabilization (OIS) to minimize the effects of camera shake. This optical stabilization provides up to 4 stops of correction to enable sharper handheld shots, especially when zoomed in. OIS helps produce blur-free images when shooting in low light or at the telephoto end of the zoom range.

Shooting Modes

For easy point-and-shoot operation, the camera offers a range of automatic and scene modes. Intelligent Auto mode analyzes the scene and automatically selects the optimal camera settings. Scene modes optimize settings for common situations like portraits, landscapes, night shots, and more. The AZ405 also provides full manual controls and semi-automatic modes like aperture/shutter priority for more advanced photographers. Overall, it delivers a great balance of automation and manual control.

Video Quality

The Kodak Pixpro AZ405 can record full HD 1080p video at 30 frames per second. This allows for smooth and detailed video capture.

The camera incorporates optical image stabilization during video recording to help minimize shakiness and blurriness when handholding the camera. This is useful for capturing steady footage when zoomed in or panning.

Overall, the video capabilities of the AZ405 are quite good for a bridge camera in this price range. The full HD resolution provides ample detail, and the optical stabilization helps maintain sharpness when filming handheld. While the frame rate is limited to 30fps, this is standard for most cameras in this class. Serious videographers may want a higher frame rate, but for casual home movies and vacations, the video quality of the AZ405 will be more than sufficient.

Connectivity

The Kodak Pixpro AZ405 offers a decent set of connectivity options to make sharing photos and videos simple.

• Wi-Fi - The camera has built-in Wi-Fi which allows you to wirelessly transfer images to smartphones and tablets using the Pixpro app. Setup is straightforward.

• NFC - Near Field Communication technology lets you instantly connect and transfer images to NFC compatible devices like smartphones by simply tapping them together. Very convenient for quick sharing.

• HDMI - An HDMI port allows you to connect the AZ405 directly to an HDTV to playback images and videos on the big screen. Great for slideshows and presentations.

• USB - A micro USB 2.0 port lets you plug the camera into your computer to offload images and videos. You can also charge the camera via USB.

The wireless connectivity options make sharing on social media a breeze. The wired connections provide versatility for viewing, transferring and charging. Overall the AZ405 has a good set of connectivity features for its class.

Battery Life

The Kodak Pixpro AZ405 uses 4 AA batteries to power the camera. This gives it decent battery life, but not exceptional. Kodak claims you can take around 200 shots per charge. However, reviews indicate real-world battery life is closer to 150-180 shots per charge when using alkaline batteries.

One downside is that the AZ405 does not support rechargeable NiMH batteries. So you'll need to rely on disposable AA batteries. The advantage is that AA batteries are inexpensive and easy to find. But it does add to the ongoing cost of operating the camera.

Overall, the battery life is fairly average for a bridge camera. It's enough for a day of casual shooting. But you'll want to bring spare batteries for extended outings or trips. The AA battery requirement makes packing spares simple. But it would be nicer if the camera had a rechargeable Li-ion battery pack for better battery life.

Pros and Cons

The Kodak Pixpro AZ405 digital camera has a number of pros and cons that are worth considering.

Pros

• Powerful 40x optical zoom lens provides excellent versatility for landscapes, wildlife, and other subjects.

• 20MP sensor captures detailed images.

• Dual image stabilization (optical and digital) helps reduce blur.

• Articulating 3" LCD makes it easy to compose shots at creative angles.

• Full HD 1080p video recording.

• Wide angle 24mm lens allows you to fit more into each shot.

• Uses widely available AA batteries.

• Affordable price point.

Cons

• Image quality is just average, especially in low light. Pictures can look soft or noisy.

• Slow autofocus speed means you may miss some shots.

• No RAW shooting mode limits editing flexibility.

• No wireless connectivity for sharing photos instantly.

• All plastic body doesn't feel very durable.

• No viewfinder only has an LCD screen.

• Short battery life requires carrying spare batteries.

Overall, the Kodak Pixpro AZ405 offers some very versatile zoom capabilities in an affordable package. But image quality and performance are lacking compared to pricier models. It can serve casual users well, but more advanced photographers may want to look at spending a little more.

Conclusion

Overall, the Kodak Pixpro AZ405 is a decent bridge camera for beginner photographers looking for an affordable all-in-one option. Its key strengths are the impressive 40x optical zoom, image stabilization, and full HD video recording capabilities. The camera produces decent image quality in good lighting conditions. However, low light performance is just average.

The AZ405 has a simple and intuitive interface that makes it easy to use, even for first-time users. It lacks more advanced controls and customizability though, so more experienced photographers may find it limiting. The addition of manual exposure modes provides a bit more control.

This camera is best suited for casual photographers that want an easy to use superzoom camera for travel, family events, and basic photography. It can capture everything from wide landscapes to distant subjects. The AZ405 is also a good choice for beginners looking for an entry-level bridge camera. However, its image quality and performance are not on par with higher-end bridge cameras.

Overall, the Kodak Pixpro AZ405 is recommended for beginner photographers looking for an affordable and versatile superzoom camera. It provides excellent zoom range and good features for the price. More advanced users may want to consider other options.