For more than a century, the photographic market has been dominated by three big brands. First came Kodak, the granddaddy of them all, founded in Rochester, New York, in 1892. Its yellow, black and red branding is still one of the most recognizable in the world.
However, strong competition from Japan’s Fujifilm, a relative upstart founded in 1934, put pressure on Kodak in the late 1990s pushing it to the brink of bankruptcy in 2011. Today the brand goes on but the brand is often licensed to third parties producing photographic products for the digital age.
The third dominant force in photography was Agfa-Gevaert, a Belgian German company founded in 1867 as a dye manufacturer. The company endured a chequered history, especially during World War II. Like Kodak today, the name is often licensed to several businesses producing digital photography products that want to leverage such a well-known brand.
Kid’s Waterproof Camera
Now the Agfa name is back in the photography business with a trio of fun, new products that could keep the kids happy during the long summer holidays. The first is the new Realkids Cam Waterproof 2.
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While it’s hardly the snappiest name, there’s no doubt what it is and what it does. The little waterproof camera has a colorful and child-friendly design and takes HD photos and videos. It has two lenses and includes a 2.8-inch color display for lining up the shots.
The Agfa Realkids Cam Waterproof 2 can resist a plunge in the water down to 3 meters or 10 feet; we’re talking paddling pool duty here rather than scuba diving. The camera is powered by a 1,200mAh rechargeable lithium battery and provides resolutions up to 12 megapixels with videos topping out at 1080p/2.7k.
The camera has a slot for a 128GB microSD card and records images as JPEGs and movies as MOV. There is a selfie mode and a selection of built-in digital filters for adding a little personality to the shots. There are also some games onboard for long car journeys and a speaker for the sound effects.
Mini Video Camera And Gimbal
The next new product to bear the brand is the Agfa Realmove MC3X, a mini gimbal camera for making videos on the move. The MC3X shoots in 4K resolution and has 3-axis stabilization for smooth and handheld shooting.
This pocket-sized camera and gimbal delivers pro-quality footage and is suitable for shooting scenic landscapes or action. As well as shooting videos, the camera can also take still images with resolutions of up to 20 megapixels in JPEG format. The lens has a wide 120-degree view and includes Wi-Fi support.
All videos and images recorded by the MC3X are stored on a microSD card. The camera’s memory card slot can take cards up to 512GB. The 1,450mAh rechargeable lithium battery can last for 170 minutes of continuous shooting. Other features include a mini-HDMI output and a 3.5mm microphone input.
The final product of the trio is the Agfa Realipix Mini P.2 portable photo printer. The battery-powered gadget and print high-quality color photos without the need for ink. It has a Bluetooth connection and is compatible with iOS and Android devices.
Using Zink printing technology, the Realipix Mini P.2 portable photo printer produces 5 x 7.6cm or 2 x 3-inch color photos. Weighing just 189g, the lightweight printer includes digital filters and editing functions for embellishing images.
Pricing and Availability:
The Agfa Realkids Cam Waterproof 2 is available now and costs £58.37 / €69,99. The Agfa Realmove MC3X mini gimbal camera is also available now and priced at £291.86 / €349,99. Finally, the Agfa Realipix Mini P.2 portable photo printer is shipping now and costs £52.53 / €62,99.
