The Kodak WPZ2 is less than half the price of Tough TG-7 even still, should you buy it? I tested the cheap waterproof camera on vacation, and heres my verdict

Date:
Wed, 17 Jun 2026 10:30:00 +0000

Description:
One of the most affordable rugged cameras around, the Kodak PixPro WPZ2 is a 16MP point-and-shoot that's waterproof to 15m.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Kodak PixPro WPZ2: One-minute review The Kodak PixPro WPZ2 is a budget waterproof camera aimed squarely at adventurers who want to take their photography somewhere a smartphone or regular point-and-shoot cant follow.

It costs a fraction of what youd pay for a premium rugged compact like the OM System Tough TG-7, and the trade-offs are exactly what youd expect at this price: a fairly basic feature set, modest image quality and 1080p/30fps video recording that feels pretty old-school in 2026. But after spending some time with it at my local beach, I found plenty to like.

For one, it certainly looks the part. The WPZ2s yellow-and-black color
scheme, chunky G-Shock-esque lens barrel and prominent rivet-like screws on the front give it an appropriately ruggedized aesthetic. Its also smaller
than it looks, and I managed to squeeze it into my jeans pocket, protruding lens barrel and all. Latest Videos From Watch full video here: (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen) Build quality feels solid, and the double-locking battery and card compartment is a reassuring design choice that should
prevent any accidental pop-opens while youre underwater. I tested it in saltwater rock pools and have no reason to doubt Kodaks 15m waterproofing claim. There was no lens fogging when transitioning between underwater and above-water shooting, either. One note of caution: the front element doesnt appear to be noticeably hydrophobic, so water droplets will cling on after submersion. My advice? Pack a microfiber cloth or two.

There are some usability niggles, though. The rear screen is small and dim even at maximum brightness I found it difficult to gauge exposure or compose shots with any confidence. The zoom rocker requires a very firm press to register, which is understandable given the waterproofing demands, but isnt much fun with wet hands. And getting a microSD card in and out of its deeply-recessed slot in the battery chamber is really fiddly, to the extent anyone with larger fingers is going to struggle. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen) Kodak PixPro WPZ2 (Red) at Amazon for 144.51 Image quality is in line with what the specs would lead you to expect: JPEGs that lack
saturation, contrast and dynamic range, with some over-sharpening and noticeable corner softness. That said, the macro mode produced some impressively sharp results in my testing, with good central detail and pleasing colors. The 4x optical zoom is a useful range to have, but engage
the digital zoom beyond the optical and quality falls straight off a cliff. Low-light shooting is another weak point, though the built-in flash does keep the camera functional after dark. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Video maxes out at 1080p/30fps, which feels like a big limitation in this day and age. My underwater rock pool footage looked fine for casual use, but above-water clips suffered from the same flatness and over-processing that characterizes the still shots.

Battery life is one of the more pleasant surprises. The CIPA-rated 200 shots held up well in real-world use, and USB-C recharging felt reassuringly quick. For a days casual shooting, youre unlikely to run dry.

Oh, and a small bonus if youre a music fan: the five-note power-on chime is
an uncanny dead ringer for the opening of Princes Diamonds and Pearls. Not a reason to buy, obviously, but I enjoyed it every single time.

The WPZ2 certainly wont trouble the OM System TG-7 or Ricoh WG-8 in a
straight image quality fight. But as an affordable way to get a camera into the water without worrying too much about the consequences, it fits the brief well. 144.51 at Amazon (Red) 149 at Wex Photo Video (Red) 155 at Boots.com (White) 159.99 at very.co.uk (Red) Kodak PixPro WPZ2: Price and availability Priced at around $189 / 149 / AU$279 Available in three color finishes The Kodak PixPro WPZ2 is available now, priced at $189 / 149 / AU$279, though you may find it slightly cheaper (or pricier) depending on where and when you look. It comes in three colorways (yellow, red and blue) and is widely available through major retailers including Amazon , Best Buy and B&H Photo
in the US, and their international equivalents.

As well as the camera and a single battery, the box includes a wrist strap
and USB-A to USB-C charging cable. Note that a microSD card is not included, and with only 8MB of space on the camera's internal memory, you'll need one.

At this price it sits well below the premium rugged compact options on the market. The OM System Tough TG-7 commands around $400, so the WPZ2 undercuts it by a significant margin. The more relevant question is whether youd be better served by choosing a similarly-priced action camera instead and that probably depends on whether you're primarily shooting photos or video. Kodak PixPro WPZ2: specs Swipe to scroll horizontally Leica SL3-P specs

Type:

Compact camera

Sensor:

16.35MP 1/2.3-inch BSI CMOS

Lens:

4x optical zoom, 27108mm, f/2f/6.6

Video:

Up to 1080p/30fps

Screen:

2.7-inch LCD

Waterproofing:

IP67 rating (up to 15m/49ft)

Shockproofing

Up to 2m/6ft drop distance

Storage

8MB internal + microSD card slot (up to 32GB)

Dimensions:

103.2 x 66.7 x 52.4mm / 4.06 x 2.62 x 2.06in

Weight:

176g / 6.21oz Kodak PixPro WPZ2: design IP67-rated rugged build 176g weight and pocketable size Pick up the WPZ2 and the first thing that strikes you is how proudly it wears its ruggedness on its sleeve. Where most compact cameras at least try to look sleek, this one leans into the industrial; the visible screws on the faceplate, the thick black grip and the chunky lens housing all read less camera and more piece of heavy equipment.

The Caterpillar digger-style yellow-and-black colorway I tested reinforces that impression, but red and blue options are available if youd prefer something that looks a little less like it came straight off the construction site.

Despite its bulk-suggesting aesthetics, the WPZ2 is actually very small and manageable in the hand. It slipped into my jeans pocket without much protest, which is more than youd expect from something that looks so burly. At 176g / 6.2oz its light enough that youll almost forget its there between shots, too. Image 1 of 5 (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen) (Image credit: Future |
Sam Kieldsen) (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen) (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen) (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen) The double-locking mechanism on the battery and card compartment is one of the smarter design decisions here. It takes a deliberate two-step action to open, which inspires confidence that its not going anywhere mid-dunk. Less impressive is the microSD slot itself, which sits so deep within that compartment that swapping cards becomes a two-handed exercise in patience. Larger fingers will find it particularly trying.

On the back, the controls are straightforward enough. This is very much a point-and-shoot in its operational philosophy, with no pretensions toward manual control complexity.

The main frustration is the rear LCD, which is both small and insufficiently bright; even cranked to maximum, it struggles in daylight conditions, making exposure assessment and framing more of an educated guess than a precise exercise. The zoom rocker, necessarily stiff to maintain its watertight seal, demands a firmer press than feels natural, which is something I noticed most acutely when my hands were wet. Kodak PixPro WPZ2: Performance Camera
performs best in good lighting No raw shooting option and video limited to 1080p 4x optical zoom The WPZ2s natural habitat is somewhere sunny, shallow and wet, and thats precisely where it performs best. My rock pool testing on
a bright day returned some pleasing results, particularly in macro mode,
where the camera locked on with decent accuracy (if not much speed) and rendered the finer details of shells, barnacles and seaweed with more sharpness and color fidelity than I was expecting at this price point. Keep the light on your side and youll come away with shots youre happy to share.

Step outside those ideal conditions, though, and the limitations become
harder to overlook. The JPEGs have a processed, over-sharpened quality to them, and what the camera gains in apparent edge definition it loses in natural color rendition; images tend toward the flat and undersaturated
rather than the vivid. Dynamic range is modest, so high-contrast scenes (bright sky against dark water, for instance) will test it. Corner sharpness drops off noticeably, too, which is worth bearing in mind if youre framing wide shots. Image 1 of 9 An underwater shot taken with the WPZ2. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen) An underwater shot taken with the WPZ2. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen) A macro shot taken with the WPZ2. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen) (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen) (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen) (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen) (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen) (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen) An example of the image quality fall-off when using the camera's digital zoom. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen) The 4x optical zoom covers a useful range for a camera of this type, but treat the digital zoom as decorative image quality deteriorates the moment you engage it, and by the time you
reach the maximum combined 24x, youre looking at something closer to an impressionist painting than a photograph.

Low-light shooting is perhaps the WPZ2s most significant imaging weakness. Without a flash, the results are soft and noisy, and the camera gives you no shutter speed readout when shooting manually, which makes managing camera shake largely a matter of luck. The flash rescues things for indoor and after-dark shots, but dont expect miracles. In good lighting, the camera can produce some quite impressive results. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen) Video maxes out at 1080p/30fps, a spec that would have felt reasonable a few years ago but stands out as a limitation today, when even mid-range smartphones routinely shoot 4K at 60fps. My underwater footage of the rock pools was perfectly watchable for casual use, but the above-water clips exhibited the same flatness and over-processing that characterises the
stills. Theres no optical stabilization either, only digital, so handheld video isn't particularly smooth.

Battery life is one of the more pleasant surprises. The CIPA-rated 200 shots held up well in real-world use, and USB-C charging felt reassuringly quick. For a days casual shooting, youre unlikely to run dry. Should you buy the Kodak PixPro WPZ2? Buy it if... You want an affordable camera that can get
wet The WPZ2 is a fraction of the price of premium waterproof compacts. For rock pooling, snorkeling or kayaking on a budget, it fits the bill. You need
a dedicated camera for water adventures Most smartphones arent waterproof to any meaningful depth. The WPZ2 fills that gap without requiring a bulky housing. Don't buy it if... You're precious about image quality Flat, over-sharpened JPEGs and no raw support mean the WPZ2 struggles to flatter
its subjects. Spend more on an OM System Tough TG-7 if image quality is a priority. You shoot a lot of video A 1080p/30fps ceiling is unusual. An entry-level GoPro or Insta360 will serve you considerably better for similar money. Also consider OM System Tough TG-7 376 at Amazon 449 at Clifton
Cameras 449 at Wex Photo Video 449 at Park Cameras



The TG-7 is the go-to waterproof compact for most people, and for good
reason. It matches the WPZ2s 15m waterproofing while adding dust, crush and freeze resistance, plus a 4K video capability and a wide range of shooting modes that make it a considerably more versatile tool. Image quality from its 12MP sensor cant compete with a modern smartphone, but it outclasses the
Kodak in virtually every other respect. Youll pay roughly twice the price,
but the step up in capability is commensurate.

Read our in-depth OM System Tough TG-7 DJI Osmo Action 6 329 at Jessops 352 at Amazon 379 at very.co.uk 379 at Clifton Cameras



If video is your priority, the Osmo Action 6 is the smarter buy over the
WPZ2. Its 1/1.1-inch sensor delivers superb footage in both bright conditions and the kind of low-light environments where the WPZ2 struggles, and it goes deeper thanks to 20m waterproofing. Factor in 4K/120p video, dual OLED screens, strong battery life and an expanding modular accessory system, and youre looking at a truly pro-capable action camera. Its a step up in price, but a significant step up in performance.

Read our in-depth DJI Osmo Action 6 review How I tested the Kodak PixPro
WPZ2 (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen) Test sample purchased from Amazon UK Tested in and outdoors on English coast All images and videos shot at highest quality settings TechRadar purchased the Kodak PixPro WPZ2 from
Amazon UK for my testing purposes.

I tested the camera over several days, using it primarily at a local beach where I shot stills and video in and around saltwater rock pools. This gave
me a real-world sense of its waterproofing credentials, image quality in both macro and wider shooting scenarios, and general handling in wet conditions. I also tested it indoors and in lower-light situations to assess flash performance and the limits of its low-light capability.

All sample images and video were shot using the cameras highest quality settings. First reviewed June 2026 Kodak PixPro WPZ2: Price Comparison 144.51 View 159.99 149 View 155 View 159.99 View deal 159.99 View Show more We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices powered by



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/cameras/compact-cameras/kodak-pixpro-wpz2-review


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