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Kodak PixPro C1: Two-minute review

Compact cameras are suddenly trending, including simple pocket-sized point and shoot cameras, and Kodak is riding the wave with the PixPro C1. It’s pretty, it’s cheap and it looks like the perfect antidote to complex mirrorless cameras or expensive smartphones. But can a camera this cheap be any good?

Sadly, it doesn’t take long to answer that question. The PixPro C1 is pretty plasticky, as you would expect at this price, but it looks the part and it has a flip-up selfie screen and a basic but effective set of controls that makes it easy to use. It’s what’s inside that’s the problem.

The C1 uses a very small 13MP 1/1.3-inch sensor of unknown vintage that exhibits all the characteristics of old point and shoot cameras that we’ve conveniently forgotten, with image quality that’s OK in good light but rapidly disintegrates if you need to use a higher ISO in low light or if you use the digital zoom.

The PixPro C1 looks smart, but inside is a tiny 13MP sensor and a digital, not optical zoom. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

Yes, it’s a digital zoom not an optical one. The tiny sensor’s image quality is already stretched to the limit in perfect conditions, so the digital zoom just magnifies its limitations. At the maximum 4x zoom setting you get photos that might look OK on a phone screen, but not so much on a tablet and definitely not in a print. You really are better off sticking to the native focal length, and at 26mm equivalent, this is pretty wide, much like the main camera on a phone.

This camera’s other major issue is its slow response. The single (center) point autofocus can take half a second or a second to lock on, and when you press the shutter release there’s a further delay of a second while the screen goes black… and then you get the shutter sound. It’s very difficult to time your exposures with moving subjects, and the Kodak’s slim, slippery shape makes it difficult to keep it steady – there’s no image stabilization.

So from the outside the Kodak PixPro C1 is quite smart, but inside it uses tech that could have come straight from an old phone or a very cheap point and shoot compact from ten years ago. It’s very disappointing.

Kodak PixPro C1: price

• Priced at $99 / £79 / AU$154
• USB cable and wrist strap included
• Available now

The Kodak PixPro C1 sells for around $99 / £79 (about AU$154). That doesn’t sound much for a fully-functioning pocket-sized digital camera, but it’s quite a lot to spend on something that you end up not using because your smartphone is so much better. That price doesn’t include a memory card, though our sample included a microSD card and card reader, so bundles may vary.

Kodak PixPro C1: specsKodak PixPro C1 specs

Type:

Pocket sized compact camera

Sensor:

13MP 1/1.3-in CMOS

Lens:

3.57mm (26mm equivalent) f/2, up to 4x digital zoom

Focus range:

0.6m-infinity, 0.08m macro

ISO:

100-1600

Video

1920x1080 up to 60fps

Storage:

microSD, up to 32GB

EVF:

No

Stabilization:

No

Flash/light:

Built in

Screen:

180-degree tilting, 2.8-in, 230k-dot

Battery:

Built in, non-removable, 200 shots approx.

Size:

103 x 60 x 20.3mm, 115g

Kodak PixPro C1: design

• Slim, light, smart styling
• Plasticky feel but solid enough at the price
• Memory card slot exposed in the base – no door
• Phone-style LED ‘flash’

The Kodak's rear screen flips upwards to face the front, so it's ideal for selfies. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

The menu system has only a few basic options, but that's ideal for a beginner audience. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

The battery is good for around 200 shots. It's non-removable, so you charge it via the USB-C port on the side. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

The PixPro C1 takes micro SD cards up to 32GB. Unusually, they just slot into the base, with no door or cover. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

We forget how small point and shoot cameras used to be! The Kodak PixPro C1 will easily slip into a shirt pocket or a trouser pocket, and because it weighs just 115g, you’ll hardly know it’s there. It’s available in a black or tan or brown finish – mine came in brown, and it does look pretty classy.

It does feel plasticky when you pick it up, however, especially round the back where the screen and the controls are. The top edge of the screen has a hinge so that you can flip it up to face forward for selfies, and to the right you’ve got a four-way controller, menu, playback, mode and record buttons, plus a rocker for the zoom.

You can shoot in full auto mode, switch to program mode for a little more control, or use a small selection of ‘scene’ modes. The menu button displays options for picture styles, metering pattern, resolution (just in case you want less than 13 megapixels!), white balance and continuous versus single shot mode. The menus are basic but clear.

There is a built in flash – well, sort of, as it’s actually a phone-style LED, but that’s fine. Underneath, in the base of the camera, you’ll find the memory card slot, which takes microSD cards. There’s no door or cover of any sort – the card just pushes into the slot, where it’s flush with the base so you can still stand the camera on a flat surface.

It’s all very basic but effective, and exactly what you would expect from a cheap camera. It’s not too daunting for beginners, either.

Kodak PixPro C1: performance

• Sluggish shutter action
• Poor image quality at higher ISOs
• Digital zoom not worth using
• Autofocus struggles/fails in low light

The Kodak PixPro C1 delivers decent enough image quality in good light, but not really on a par with a modern smartphone. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

The metering system did a good job with the tricky lighting in this shot. The brightest parts of the sky might be a little blown out, but you can see all the detail in the foreground. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

The sensor can go up to ISO 1600, but by this point any fine detail in the image has been swallowed up by heavy noise reduction. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

Physically, the PixPro C1 is pretty decent at this price. It’s the performance that’s disappointing. You could argue that you shouldn’t expect much for this money, but there comes a point where a product just isn’t good enough to use, regardless of how cheap it is, and the PixPro C1 sails pretty close to the wind here.

Before you even get to look at its images, its operation feels very vague and sluggish. The AF is not particularly quick, but the worst part is the shutter action, which takes about a second to complete and only makes a shutter sound at the end. This is not a camera for fast action or grabbed shots. Not only that, the rear screen gets quite hard to see in bright light.

It's best to use the PixPro at its native 26mm equivalent zoom setting, which is pretty wide and a bit like the main camera on a smartphone. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

With smaller subjects like this, you can switch to the macro mode to get a whole lot closer. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

As for the pictures… well, it depends on what you are expecting. The resolution, dynamic range and noise are just what you would expect from a small sensor of the old days, and not a patch on what a modern smartphone camera array would produce. In good outdoor light where you don’t need a higher ISO and there’s little risk of camera shake, the images are OK. But in poor light at higher ISOs the detail smudges and object edges become hyper-processed and things aren’t good at all.

Just so that you can get an idea of what the digital zoom does, here is a shot taken without the zoom. Sorry about the weather, by the way. I live in the seaside tow Weston-super-Mare in the UK. This is what it looks like between October and March... (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

Here is the same subject captured with the 4x digital zoom. Click the gadget, bottom left of the photo, to see the full size version if you dare. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

If you do use the zoom, you quickly realize that the 13MP sensor really can’t stand a lot of cropping. Or any cropping, to be honest.

I did try the ‘flash’ indoors. There’s nothing wrong with the illumination it provides, but it only comes on when the camera has focused, and in my tests the autofocus struggled if it was too dark, and without sharp focus the flash wasn’t much help.

The inbuilt lamp does a good job of illuminating indoor scenes. Unfortunately, it was too dark for the AF system to focus, so the shot isn't sharp. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)Should you buy the Kodak PixPro C1?

(Image credit: Rod Lawton)Buy it if...

You just need a cheap camera

The PixPro C1 makes a certain amount of sense as a basic camera you don’t need to worry about for school trips, as a gift, or as a ‘just in case’ camera to keep in your vehicle’s glovebox or your coat pocket

You want a lightweight pocket camera

The Kodak is lighter than a smartphone, probably won’t fall out of your pocket as easily and has a simple clarity of purpose that a lot of people like in their gadgets

You want to relive those retro point-and-shoot years

This is a big thing at the moment, as modern photographers yearn for the simplicity of the old days and the flawed but characterful look of old digital cameras. If character is the word

Don't buy it if...

You’re expecting modern digital quality

The PixPro C1 uses very old, very basic sensor technology that would have earned it a bit of a roasting even ten years ago

You want a cheap and effective ‘street snapper’

The Kodak’s responses are way too slow for any kind of ‘snap reaction’ photography. It’s actually quite difficult to time your shots, and you have to hope your subjects will wait

You need the versatility of a zoom

I’ve seen the PixPro C1 advertised (mistakenly) in some places as having a 4x ‘optical’ zoom. It doesn’t. It’s digital, and the sensor really doesn’t have the resolution or quality to make the digital zoom feature useful.

Also consider

Akaso Brave Lite

Yes, the Akaso Brave Lite is an action, camera, but hear me out. It’s small, it’s rugged, it takes 20MP stills and shoots 4K video. An action camera is like a point and shoot but with added versatility. The Brave Lite doesn’t even cost a whole lot more than the PixPro C1.

Read our Akaso Brave Lite review

CampSnap camera

Think the Kodak PixPro C1 is cheap? How about the cheaper-still CampSnap camera? It's essentially a digital reimagining of the single-use disposable film cameras, with a memory card already inside that can hold up to 2,000 pictures.

Read our CampSnap camera review

Fujifilm X Half

The Fujifilm X Half is perfect if you’re serious about re-living those retro shooting vibes and you don’t want to take a big drop in image quality and responsiveness. Yes, it costs a LOT more than the PixPro C1, but it will take far better pictures and probably give you a lot more pleasure.

Read our Fujifilm X Half review

How I tested the Kodak PixPro C1

(Image credit: Rod Lawton)

• I tested it over a period of two weeks
• I tried it with a variety of subjects and lighting conditions
• I also assessed its responsiveness and ease of use

I’ve had the Kodak PixPro C1 for a couple of weeks, which has given me the chance to try it out in all kinds of situations where a camera like this might be used, including outdoor shots, close-ups, indoor scenes and pet pictures. I wanted to give it every chance to show what it could do and how it would react to typical point and shoot situations.

Obviously I wasn’t expecting top image quality, just pictures that were good enough for the purpose. I did feel the Kodak needed to prove it was better than a smartphone or at least as good. Most poeple already have a smartphone with a decent camera, so the Kodak did need to bring something else to the table.

It’s not just the image quality that’s important, but overall handling, usability and responsiveness, and that’s how I approached the PixPro C1.

• First reviewed November 2025

Kodak's PixPro C1 looks great and costs just $99 / £79 – but I'm still not sure I'd buy one

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It’s almost hard to believe that the original release of Virtua Fighter 5 is 20 years old. Sega’s 3D fighter has had almost as much staying power as Street Fighter 2, with a dedicated fan base that’s continued to keep the torch lit for two decades now.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PS5, PC
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC (Nintendo Switch 2 coming soon)
Release date: October 30, 2025

It’s a title that has received not one, but two revisions in 2025 alone, as part of a series revival that will culminate in a brand new entry expected to arrive sometime over the next couple of years. Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage is the latest rendition, bringing the Steam release of R.E.V.O. earlier this year to modern platforms, including PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and soon on Nintendo Switch 2.

While mostly a straight port of said PC version (which has also received a free update adding in the new content), World Stage does bring new elements worth checking out. The titular World Stage mode is a substantial piece of single-player content, and it’s joined by a new playable character (who is unfortunately paid downloadable content), full crossplay between consoles and PC, and the reintroduction of customization items from earlier versions of Virtua Fighter 5.

(Image credit: Sega)

It’s an impressive package for the low price of $19.99 / £15.99 / AU$27.95, and an easy sell for folks looking for a new 3D fighter to get into; perhaps even those who’re burned out on Tekken 8’s controversial Season 2 changes.

Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage isn’t brimming with content necessarily, but I have been enjoying World Stage mode in short bursts. And ultimately, in terms of play, VF5 simply remains one of the best fighting games out there, with bogglingly complex and technical gameplay that stretches far beyond what its three-button system might initially imply.

Virtua insanity

(Image credit: Sega)

So first, a quick introduction for those who might be largely unfamiliar with Virtua Fighter 5. It - along with the series in general - is a 3D fighter with just three main buttons: punch, kick, and guard. It sounds simple, but the game’s overt complexity comes from its characters’ incredibly diverse move sets, and what it does with various combinations of those buttons.

Each of the game’s 20 playable characters are masters of a specific martial art and largely plays wholly differently from one another. Jeffry, for example, hits like a truck with his Pankration style, while Pai’s Ensei-Ken is faster and more elegant.

Then you have more specialist characters. Vanessa is essentially two characters in one, able to switch between stances for two completely different move sets. Aoi’s Aiki Ju-Jutsu is more of a defensive style, prioritizing parries and reversals for big damage cashouts. And if you’re looking for something flashier, Wolf and El Blaze fill out the pro wrestling and Lucha Libre styles, respectively. Then there’s Taka Arashi, a sumo wrestler whose large size makes him entirely unique in both offense and defense.

Virtua Fighter 5 is much more grounded than other 3D fighters like Tekken or Dead or Alive, with relatively few fantastical aspects. A decidedly more ‘realistic’ fighting game experience, matches can be over in a matter of seconds thanks to small health bars, quick round times, and blisteringly fast-paced gameplay. Button mashing and input mistakes are heavily punished, as is forgetting to guard, given that’s an action assigned to its own button here.

Around the world (stage)

(Image credit: Sega)

Let’s talk about the new, then. Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage’s biggest addition is the titular World Stage mode. This is an entirely single-player piece of content that aims to emulate Virtua Fighter 4’s excellent Quest mode. In World Stage, you travel to various venues from a menu where you’re pitted against random AI opponents. Each new venue scales upwards in difficulty, with some opponents even being based on real-world players’ signature playstyles.

Best bit

(Image credit: Sega)

Virtua Fighter 5 is a three-button fighting game that does a lot with a little. The complexity can be utterly mind-boggling for newcomers, but within lies one of the most satisfying learning experiences you can have with any fighter on the market.

It starts off simple enough for beginners to enjoy, and keeps the training wheels on while encouraging them to try out a bunch of characters. You’re even incentivized to do so, as there are hundreds of challenges that each unlock a piece of clothing or an accessory for you to customize characters with. It’s a snappy, fast-paced mode that queues up fights one after another in rapid succession, and it’s really enjoyable in short bursts.

Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage also adds ‘Costume E’ - a fifth outfit for each playable character, and the bulk of World Stage mode’s unlocks are related to these outfits. Sadly, customization still feels lacking overall, with most options being simple recolors, and there aren’t all that many different styles per character. You can’t mix and match pieces of clothing between characters (you can only do so with certain accessories) either, and there are no custom color options for clothing or hairstyles.

That’s a real shame, especially because older versions of VF5 had even more customization options that are still absent in World Stage. It’s a step in the right direction with the addition of Costume E, for sure, but I’d like to see future patches potentially adding more. Of course, it’s not the end of the world; VF5 remains an unbelievably fun and rewarding fighting game to just play, and nowhere is that more apparent than in its online suite.

Hop on VF

(Image credit: Sega)

Online play in Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage is stronger than it’s ever been, thanks to its release on modern platforms with full crossplay support. That means PlayStation and Xbox players (and soon to be Switch 2) can play against each other as well as with those on Steam.

Rollback netcode is also great here, allowing for smoother connections between players online. Though I’d still recommend investing in an Ethernet cable if you haven’t already, Wi-Fi and fighting games just don’t mix well, no matter how good the netcode here is, due to the inherent instability of wireless connections, and especially when fighting players who live overseas.

The suite of online options is pretty standard, but not really missing anything major except for unranked quickplay. You have ranked matches, as well as room matches, for when you want to set up a lobby with multiple players. There are also tournaments that happen periodically that you can sign up for.

I’ve been playing on PC on and off since the release of Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. back in January. Now that I’ve tested the game on PS5 via the World Stage revision, I’m happy to say that online connectivity holds up just as well on that console as it does on PC.

The only real issue I’ve run into is occasionally slow matchmaking times. The playerbase here isn’t as lively as it is for, say, Street Fighter 6 or Tekken 8, so it’s not uncommon to be waiting upwards of a minute to get into a match. But now that the game is available across all platforms, I hope this issue diminishes as more people discover the game.

Should you play Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage?

(Image credit: Sega)Play it if...

You’re burned out on Tekken 8
As 3D fighters go, VF5 is refreshing in its grounded design. It could not be further from Tekken’s fantastical elements or its agonizingly long combo strings. Overall, it’s a brilliant palette cleanser and significantly less stressful right now than the state Bandai Namco’s fighter finds itself in.

You want to be a part of a close-knit fighting game community
I can say with confidence that the Virtua Fighter community is an incredibly nice and welcoming one. The official Discord server is full of folks willing to help out beginners, offer tips, and generally make the intimidating task of learning VF5 that much more manageable.

You like single-player content in fighting games
World Stage does have a standard arcade mode, but the addition of the titular World Stage mode adds tens of hours of play time for casual players who like ticking off challenges and collecting customization goodies in an offline environment.

Don't play it if...

You were hoping for the next big 3D fighter
As I’ve already said, World Stage is not a blockbuster, full-priced premium release. While a brand new Virtua Fighter is in development at Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios, World Stage is more of an affordable appetizer to tide folks over until the next big game.

Accessibility

There aren’t any dedicated accessibility settings in Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage; nothing in the way of things like colorblind modes or visual or audio cues like we see in other modern fighting games like Tekken 8 and Street Fighter 6.

How I reviewed Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage

I’ve played Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage for a combined 25 hours across PC and PS5. Some of that playtime also came from R.E.V.O.’s initial release back in January. For World Stage specifically, I played a whole bunch of the new World Stage mode and tried out the new crossplay features, which open the game up to console players.

My controllers of choice were primarily the Razer Raiju V3 Pro on PlayStation 5, as well as the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 and Corsair Novablade Pro on PC.

First reviewed November 2025

Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage comes to modern consoles with crossplay, new modes, and updated customization.