Kodak SL10 and SL25 Smart Lenses to challenge Sony’s QX series

Kodak has become the first company in the world to compete against the Sony QX10 and QX100 lens-style cameras by launching its own SL10 and SL25 “Smart Lenses”.

A lot of people still do not know that Kodak is back from the dead. However, under the “protection” of JK Imaging, the brand is once again alive in the digital imaging business, continuing the legacy of one of the most important companies in the history of photography.

After launching some unimpressive compact and bridge cameras, it seems like Kodak has been working on more important projects. As of now, the company is the first to have announced a competitor for the Sony QX10 and QX100, two revolutionary lens-style cameras that can be attached to smartphones or use a mobile device’s display as a viewfinder.

Kodak has joined the CES 2014 event with not one, but two such products. They are being labeled as  “Smart Lenses” and they are called SL10 and SL25, respectively.

Kodak SL10 becomes the company’s first Smart Lens that will compete against the Sony QX lens-style cameras

Kodak SL10 is the first competitor for the Sony QX10 and QX100 lens-style cameras. This Smart Lens can be attached to smartphones, too, and it sports a 10x optical zoom.

The Kodak SL10 Smart Lens is the lower-end of the pair. It features a 10x optical zoom lens that provides a 35mm equivalent of 28-280mm.

It sports WiFi so that users can connect to smartphones and tablets. Since you have to hold it in your hand, the resulting images may become blurry, but the built-in Optical Image Stabilization will surely help with that.

Anyway, the SL10 can be attached to an Android or iOS smartphone. As expected, users have to install an application to control the Smart Lens, which will be released at the Google Play Store and iOS App Store.

The new Kodak SL10 also records full HD videos, which can be stored on a microSD card, just like the photos. However, the aforementioned application will allow photographers to transfer the content to a mobile device wirelessly.

One final and important feature mentioned by Kodak is the “sleep” mode. After a few moments of inactivity, the Smart Lens will put itself to sleep in order to preserve battery. The company says that its release date is this spring and its price is $199.

Kodak SL25 sports a 25x optical zoom lens and can also be attached to Android and iOS smartphones

The Kodak SL25 Smart Lens is the higher-end model. The design is rather similar to the SL10 version, just like the specs list. However, there are some notable differences. For one, it sports a 25x optical zoom lens which covers a 35mm focal length equivalent from 24mm to 600mm.

It comes packed with an Optical Image Stabilization system, 1920 x 1080p video recording, and a microSD card slot to store photos and movies. Additionally, it saves power using its sleep mode.

Kodak will release the SL25 this spring, too, for a price of $299. Although both are cheaper than their Sony QX counterparts, it is unknown whether they feature NFC or not and which sensors are at the base of these devices.

For the time being, the QX10 costs $248 at Amazon, while the QX100 is available for $498. Potential buyers should expect more details before drawing any conclusions, so we invite them to stay tuned for more.