Kodak PixPro FZ53 Kodak - Review 🏆

Kodak has a long history as one of the biggest names in photography. Founded in 1888, the company pioneered many key innovations in cameras and film photography over the decades. In recent years, Kodak has expanded into the digital photography market with their PixPro line of point-and-shoot cameras.

The PixPro FZ53 is one of Kodak's newer compact digital cameras. It offers a 16MP sensor, 5X optical zoom lens, and full HD 1080p video recording. As an entry-level point-and-shoot, it's designed to be simple to use while still providing decent image quality and features for the price.

The FZ53 comes in a slim, stylish body that fits easily in your pocket. It's available in black or red colors. This camera aims to deliver good snapshots and full HD videos without too many complex controls. Read on for a full review of the Kodak PixPro FZ53's design, image quality, features and more.

Overview

The Kodak PixPro FZ53 is a compact digital camera featuring a 16 megapixel 1/2.3" CMOS sensor and 5x optical zoom lens. Some of the key features include:

• 16MP 1/2.3" CMOS sensor
• 24-120mm equivalent 5x optical zoom lens
• 1080p full HD video recording
• 3” 460k dot LCD screen
• ISO up to 3200
• Optical image stabilization
• Face detection and smile capture
• Built-in WiFi and NFC
• Smart auto mode
• 10fps continuous shooting
• Runs on AA batteries

The FZ53 is an easy to use point and shoot camera that produces decent image quality for its class. The 5x zoom gives you a nice range for general photography and the WiFi allows easy photo sharing. Overall it's a good option for those wanting an affordable and portable camera.

In addition to the FZ53, another option to consider is the Kodak AZ422. This model features a 20MP sensor and a 42x optical zoom, making it suitable for a wider range of photography situations, from wide landscapes to distant subjects. It also offers 720p HD video recording and has a 3-inch LCD screen. The AZ422 is user-friendly and perfect for those looking to get more zoom power in a compact body.

Design

The Kodak PixPro FZ53 has a sleek and stylish design that is comfortable to hold. It measures 4.17 x 2.28 x 0.98 inches and weighs 5.29 ounces, making it highly portable to take with you anywhere. The camera body is constructed of high-quality plastic with a matte black finish. The front of the camera features the Kodak logo and a leather-like texture for enhanced grip.

The FZ53 comes in three color options - black, red, and blue. It has a pop-up flash unit on the top along with the power button, shutter release, and zoom controls. There is a large 3-inch LCD screen on the back which can tilt up to 180 degrees for easy selfies and overhead shots. Overall, the FZ53 has a compact and lightweight design that looks great while still feeling sturdy in your hands.

In addition to the FZ53, the Kodak PIXPRO AZ255-BK offers even more features for photography enthusiasts. This model boasts a powerful 16 megapixel sensor and a 25x optical zoom lens, allowing you to capture stunning images from a distance. It also includes advanced settings for creative shooting, making it ideal for both beginners and more experienced users. Weighing just a bit more than the FZ53, it's still lightweight and user-friendly, ensuring that you can take excellent photos effortlessly.

Image Quality

The Kodak PixPro FZ53 has a 16 megapixel 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor, which is standard for cameras in this price range. The lens has a focal length range of 25-700mm, which gives you a very versatile zoom range going from wide angle to telephoto. The maximum aperture ranges from f/3.2 at wide angle to f/5.9 at full telephoto.

Image stabilization helps reduce blur from camera shake when shooting handheld. The FZ53 uses sensor-shift type image stabilization, which physically moves the image sensor to counteract shake. This is beneficial when shooting at slower shutter speeds or zoomed in.

In good lighting conditions, the FZ53 can capture decent images with pleasing colors and sharpness in the center of the frame. However, the small sensor size means you will see more noise in low light. The image quality won't match larger sensor cameras, but overall the FZ53 delivers good photos for a budget compact camera.

Video Quality

The Kodak PixPro FZ53 can record full HD 1080p video at 30 fps. It also offers 720p HD video at 60 fps. Lower resolution options are available too, like 480p at 120 fps. This gives you flexibility when shooting video.

The maximum clip length for a single video is 29 minutes. File formats available include MOV and MPEG4. Overall, the video capabilities are decent but not outstanding. 1080p resolution is good, but the lack of 4K video puts it behind some other compact cameras in its class. The frame rates are standard. 30 fps at 1080p is fine for casual videos. 60 fps at 720p allows you to create smooth slow motion when edited. But more advanced users may want higher frame rates for capturing very fast action.

The optical zoom can be used while recording video, which is convenient. Autofocus and image stabilization also work, helping keep footage steady when handheld. In terms of quality, video is sharp and colors look natural. Dynamic range could be better, as shadows and highlights can get clipped at times. But for casual home movies, the video you can capture with the FZ53 will generally look pleasing. Just don't expect cinema-level production.

Performance

The Kodak PixPro FZ53 offers decent performance for a budget point-and-shoot camera. The autofocus system is contrast-detect AF, which is slower than phase-detect AF but common in this price range.

The FZ53 focuses fairly quickly in bright lighting conditions, taking about 0.5 seconds to lock focus. However, in low light focus speeds slow down considerably to around 1-2 seconds. While not the fastest, the autofocus is generally accurate.

Shot-to-shot times are reasonable at around 1 second between shots when using the flash, and 2-3 seconds without. Burst shooting allows up to 1 fps continuous shooting, which isn't terribly fast but on par for a cheap compact camera. The camera also has a panorama mode that stitches images together in-camera.

Overall the FZ53 has decent performance for everyday shooting of stationary subjects. For fast action like sports you'll want to look at spending more for a higher-end camera, but the FZ53 holds its own for casual use.

Features

The Kodak PixPro FZ53 comes with a variety of useful features for creative photography and videography. Some of the notable features include:

• WiFi Connectivity: The camera has built-in WiFi which allows you to connect to your smartphone or tablet via the PixPro app. This allows you to transfer photos, remotely control the camera, add GPS data to images etc.

• Time Lapse: You can capture creative timelapse videos with intervals ranging from 1 second to 1 hour. This allows you to condense longer events into short videos.

• Filters: The camera has 11 artistic filter effects like Partial Color, Toy Camera, Posterization etc that you can apply to images. This allows you to get creative and add interesting styles to your photos.

• Face Detection: The camera automatically detects faces and adjusts focus and exposure accordingly to get sharp portraits.

• Smile Detection: The smile detection feature automatically clicks a photo when it detects a smile. Useful for capturing natural expressions in portraits.

• Panorama Mode: Allows you to stitch together multiple photos into a wide panoramic image. Useful for capturing landscapes.

• ISO 3200: The camera has a max ISO of 3200 which allows you to shoot sharper images in low light conditions by increasing the ISO.

• Video Stabilization: Reduces shakiness and blur in videos for smoother, steadier footage.

The PixPro FZ53 packs an impressive array of features considering its budget price point. The connectivity, creative filters and detection modes make it fun and intuitive to use.

Battery

The Kodak PixPro FZ53 comes with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that provides enough power for around 200 shots per charge. This is fairly standard for a compact digital camera in this price range.

The 200 shots per charge is based on the CIPA standard testing conditions. In real world usage, you may get more or less shots depending on your usage patterns. Using flash, video recording, and other power-hungry features will drain the battery faster.

To maximize battery life, it's best to turn off WiFi, GPS, and other connectivity features when not in use. You can also turn on battery saving modes if you need the camera to last longer between charges.

Overall, the battery life is decent but not exceptional. Carrying a spare battery is recommended for all-day shooting or travel. The battery is removable and recharges via the included USB cable.

Pros & Cons

The Kodak PixPro FZ53 has some notable pros and cons worth considering.

Pros

• Compact and lightweight design makes it very portable
• Large zoom range from 24mm wide angle to 480mm telephoto
• Image stabilization helps reduce blur from camera shake
• Decent image quality and color reproduction in good lighting
• Easy to use with simple button layout and menu system
• Good value for the price point

Cons

• Image quality suffers in low light conditions
• Slow autofocus speed can result in missed shots
• No RAW shooting mode limits editing flexibility
• Maximum video resolution is only 720p
• LCD is fixed and lacks touch capabilities
• No microphone input or headphone jack

Overall, the FZ53 offers a versatile zoom lens in a compact body at an affordable price point. Just don't expect top-tier image quality or performance. It's a good casual camera for travel and day trips but shows its limitations in low light and for action shots.

Conclusion

The Kodak PixPro FZ53 is a budget-friendly point-and-shoot digital camera that delivers decent image quality for its price point. It has a 16MP CCD sensor and a 25-650mm equivalent lens, making it versatile for wide angle to telephoto shots. The camera produces good color and detail in bright lighting conditions, though low light performance is just average.

Video quality maxes out at 720p resolution, which is lower than most cameras today but sufficient for casual home videos. Autofocus and shot-to-shot speeds are relatively slow, so this isn't the best choice for action shots. The FZ53 has a good selection of scene modes and filters but lacks more advanced controls like manual exposure.

At the end of the day, the Kodak PZ53 is a simple, affordable camera for those who want an easy-to-use zoom lens without breaking the bank. It produces pleasing snapshots in favorable conditions but can't compete with more expensive cameras in challenging situations. For casual users not demanding professional-level output, the FZ53 gets the job done. Those wanting higher image quality, faster performance, and more controls should look at pricier models.