14 DAY TRIAL // Quite a few superzoom bridge cameras have been announced at this year's CES show in Las Vegas, and among them, we can mention Samsung's dual-grip WB2200F (60x), Fujifilm's weather resistant FinePix S1 (50x), Polaroid iE5036W (50x), Panasonic Lumix LZ40 (42x) or Nikon L830 (34x).
To top them all on the telephoto end, Kodak unveiled its new AZ651 flagship bridge camera model as part of the firm's Astro Zoom line that packs a 65x optical zoom lens. The AZ651 comes equipped with an incredible 24mm to 1560mm (35mm equivalent) lens that will provide you the extra reach needed to capture subjects from a very long distance.
In addition to that, the camera is capable of recording 1080p Full HD video footage and features a 3-inch articulated LCD display, optical image stabilization and rechargeable Li-ion battery. Kodak AZ651 will also be very cheap in comparison with other superzoom bridge cameras, reaching store shelves this spring with a $349 / €257 price tag.
Besides the AZ651, Kodak also announced two more superzoom cameras, the AZ525 featuring a 52x optical zoom lens and built-in Wi-Fi and the AZ421 bridge camera that packs a 42x optical zoom lens. The new models will join the AZ251 and AZ362 (25x & 36x optical zoom) extending the company's Astro Zoom camera lineup.
Both cameras will be launched this year, with the AZ421 model scheduled for Q2 2014, and will cost less than $249 / €183. This sounds great, but remains to be seen if the cameras live up to their expectations and deliver high quality images.
Kodak has also revealed the S-1 model, which is the company's first mirrorless digital camera and uses a MFT (Micro Four Thirds) system. The S-1 comes with a 16MP CMOS sensor, sensor shift OIS and 1080p video capturing capabilities. Kodak S-1 will be launched with a 12-45mm f3.5-6.3 (24-90mm equivalent) collapsible lens at a price of $499 / €367.