JK Imaging Ltd AZ255BK

The Kodak PIXPRO AZ255 is a budget bridge camera with a 25x optical zoom and a 24mm wide angle lens. It's cheap and simple to use, but image quality, autofocus, and video all fall well below average. Buy it only if you need long zoom reach on a tight budget and don't mind soft photos.

The AZ255's 16 megapixel CMOS sensor lands in the 28th percentile in our database, which means it's a weak spot. Photos come out fine in bright daylight, but low light performance is rough. The autofocus is also in the 34th percentile, so it's slow and hunts a lot, especially at the long end of the zoom. The 25x optical zoom is the headline feature, and it does work, but you'll need steady hands or a tripod because the optical image stabilization is mediocre at best, sitting in the 34th percentile.

Video tops out at 1080p Full HD, which puts it in the 23rd percentile for video quality. It's fine for casual clips, but this is not a vlogging camera despite the marketing. The fixed 3 inch LCD doesn't flip out, so you can't see yourself while recording. Burst shooting is also underwhelming at the 32nd percentile, so don't expect to catch fast action. The AA battery design is actually a plus for convenience, but battery life itself is only average, landing in the 46th percentile.

The Kodak PIXPRO AZ255 goes up against cameras like the Nikon Z50, Panasonic Lumix G85, Sony ZV-E10, and Canon EOS M50. Those are all mirrorless cameras with larger sensors, better autofocus, and far superior video. The Nikon Z50 and Sony ZV-E10 are in a completely different league for image quality, but they also cost several times more. The Panasonic Lumix G85 is older but still offers 4K video and in body stabilization that the AZ255 can't touch. The Canon EOS M50 is a popular beginner mirrorless option with a flip out screen and much better autofocus.

If you're comparing the AZ255 to those cameras, the only area where it wins is zoom range and price. The 25x optical zoom is something none of those mirrorless cameras offer without buying an additional telephoto lens. But every other metric, sensor quality, autofocus, video, build quality, connectivity, goes to the mirrorless competition. The AZ255 is a bridge camera, and it bridges the gap between a cheap point and shoot and a superzoom, but it doesn't compete with interchangeable lens cameras on image quality.

At USD 179 in the US, the AZ255 is cheap, but cheap doesn't always mean good value. In Europe, prices swing from EUR 203 to EUR 263 depending on the store, which is a pretty wide spread for a camera this basic. The best deal we found is at the lower end of that range, around EUR 203, and honestly even that feels like a stretch given the performance. For comparison, you can often find used mirrorless cameras or older smartphones that take better photos for similar money. The zoom range is the only real justification for the price, and if you don't need 25x reach, there are better ways to spend your cash.

The Kodak PIXPRO AZ255 is a budget bridge camera that tries to do a lot for very little money. You get a 25x optical zoom, a 24mm wide angle lens, a 16 megapixel CMOS sensor, and 1080p video in a body that weighs 454g and runs on AA batteries. It's aimed at beginners who want a simple point and shoot with a big zoom range, and at around USD 179 it's one of the cheapest ways to get that kind of reach. But our database shows this thing scores 21.1 out of 100 overall, which puts it near the bottom of the pack for cameras in this category.

People searching for a cheap bridge camera or a beginner camera with a long zoom will find the AZ255 everywhere online. It's sold under the Kodak PIXPRO brand, which is licensed by JK Imaging, and the marketing leans hard on the 25x zoom and the wide angle lens. The reality is more mixed. The zoom range is genuinely useful for getting close to distant subjects, but the sensor, autofocus, and video quality all sit well below average compared to other cameras we track.

Is the Kodak PIXPRO AZ255 good for beginners? Sort of. It's simple to use and the AA battery design means you'll never be stuck waiting for a proprietary battery to charge. But the image quality and autofocus performance will frustrate anyone who has used a modern smartphone. This is a camera for people who want a dedicated zoom lens on a tight budget, not for anyone expecting sharp, detailed photos in challenging light.

Skip the AZ255 if you care about image quality, autofocus speed, or video. Vloggers should look elsewhere because the screen doesn't flip out and the video quality is weak. Anyone shooting in low light will be disappointed by the small sensor and slow lens. If you want a dedicated camera for learning photography, a used mirrorless camera like the Canon EOS M50 or Panasonic Lumix G85 will serve you far better. And if you just want good photos without fuss, your smartphone is probably the better tool.

Should you buy the Kodak PIXPRO AZ255? Only if you need a long zoom on a very tight budget and you're willing to accept soft photos, slow autofocus, and mediocre video. It's a camera for casual snapshots at family events or vacations where you want to zoom in on distant subjects without spending real money. The AA battery design is genuinely convenient for travel, and the 24mm wide angle is nice for group shots and landscapes.

But for most people, a modern smartphone will take better photos in more situations. And if you want a dedicated camera for learning photography, save up for a used mirrorless body or even an older DSLR. The AZ255 scores 21.1 out of 100 in our database, and that number reflects a camera that does one thing well, zoom, and everything else below average.