Fifteen years ago every manufacturer worth their salt offered a handful of cameras very similar in looks, appearance, and specification to the Kodak Pixpro AZ528. Known at the time either as ‘superzooms’, all-in-ones, or bridge cameras – so called because they formed a ‘bridge’ between the ease of use of a pocket compact and a more fully featured DSLR – these chunky devices boasted just about every feature a photo enthusiast would need, including a generous focus range, all within the one camera body.
OK, so the sensor size was smaller than that of a DSLR, while, for those looking to achieve pin-sharp results, their single jack-of-all-trades lenses proved no match for a prime telephoto lens. But for photographers wanting to shoot a broad range of subject matters without having to change either lens or camera to best suit the job, these bridge models were certainly good enough… at the time.
