Kodak is no doubt one of the brands that many people are familiar with.
From their years of being known as the Eastman Kodak Company founded in May 1892, they held a dominant position in the photographic film industry for many decades.
That is of course, with the emergence of digital cameras (the company did develop the first self-contained digital camera), it shifted its strategy to focus on digital photography and digital printing and then filing Chapter 11 back in 2012. Kodak then focused on pocket video cameras and digital picture frames and stopped making digital cameras.
The company sold many of its patents to major companies such as Apple, Google, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, Samsung, etc. and were able to emerge from bankruptcy and the company is back to working with cameras, especially its focus on Ektachrome and as of 2020, is now also involved in manufacturing ingredients used in pharmaceuticals.
But Kodak still remains involved in the camera business, still developing photographic film and services around the world.
Which leads me to reviewing their digital camera, the Kodak Pixpro FZ45 Digital Camera.
So, what is this camera? Well, for the under $100 pricepoint, this is for consumers who want a digital camera to take with you, wherever you go.
It has one touch video, red-eye removal, face detection and also is powered by two AA batteries.
But is the Kodak Pixpro FZ45 any good? Well, two years ago, we know that for Kodak’s PIXPRO family, their AZ421 (which is around $134-$200) is one of their popular cameras.
The FZ45 is a Kodak digital camera which can be used by people of all ages.
This is a standard point and shoot digital camera that you would want to give to someone interested in using a digital camera. For example, when my song was a toddler, he wanted to take pictures, but my DSLR’s used for work was a no no, and I gave him a standard digital camera and it was always interesting to see what kind of pictures he took.
My sister borrows my cameras when she wants to visit a sporting event. It’s easy to use and with its 27mm wide angle lens (27-108mm), it makes it convenient to shoot wide shots. So, it’s wide enough to take pictures with friends and family gathered around the dinner table.
It also captures 1080p HD video and has a 2.7 inch LCD (does not flip out) to check your photos and video.
It has a 16MP CMOS sensor and 4x optical zoom (don’t expect to take photos from a long distance away). Also, including the features: Face Detection, Live View, Smile Detection, Blink Detection, Cat Detection, Dog Detection, HDR, Continuous Shooting Mode, Manual White Balance.
And again, it’s priced under $100, actually under $90 on Amazon, depending on the color (you can get it in black, white and red).
But just remember, that you need to purchase an memory card in order to take photos. So, this digital camera supports SDXC, so that means you can use SDXC, SDHC and SD (not SDUC).
Cable is also included to hook up to your computer to transfer files.
Personally, I wouldn’t mind utilizing this more and more as its inexpensive and doesn’t draw attention (like my DSLR and huge lenses) or my vlogging cameras.
Especially for travel, because one of the hassles of using a point and shoot digital camera from other companies is its proprietary battery with a special charger. So, you literally have to buy extra proprietary batteries and extra charger which does add in costs. But for this digital camera, all you need is AA’s (it comes with two), and you can travel to another country and purchase AA batteries easily or bring a pack with you.
I tend to purchase rechargeable batteries (which I have used for my DSLR flash devices), so good to know I can use those rechargeable batteries or just use standard AA batteries.
And one thing to remind people is that lighting is everything. May it be this point and shoot digital camera to expensive DSLR’s, lighting is essential. So, don’t expect to get great shots during the night, in the dark, without flash use.
But for the most part, this is for a person who wants an inexpensive digital camera using today’s modern technology without spending over a $90.
The Kodak Pixpro FZ45 Digital Camera is an inexpensive, user-friendly digital camera worth considering!
