Overview
The Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ45 is a super zoom digital camera. It offers 24x optical zoom. There are plenty of megapixels on offer too as the Lumix DMC FZ45 is a 14 megapixel model.
With a range of manual controls available too this type of camera is likely to appeal to someone who has a keen interest in photography rather than someone who takes the occasional snapshot.
If you are a more creative photographer then the wide range of controls and features on offer give you plenty of scope for developing your own style.
Why Buy The Panasonic DMC FZ45
There are plenty of reasons for buying the Lumix DMC FZ45. For me the prime reason is picture quality. Most of the super zoom digital cameras can take a decent snapshot and this camera compares well with the best in this category. I also feel that it offers very good value for money. It is a bit cheaper than some of its super zoom rivals. Looking at the features available I don't think you lose too much by comparison, so unless you are looking for every single box to be ticked this is a good all round super zoom digital camera at a reasonable price.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
14
24x
3 inches
120.3 x 79.8 x 91.9 mm
498g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
1cm
Yes
Yes
Lithium-ion Rechargeable
SD/SDHC/SDHC
Features
The key feature is obviously the zoom lens. As well as being great for zooming in on distant scenes and subjects with a focal length equivalent to 24 - 600m in 35mm format you are also able to capture landscapes and other wide scenes too. You also have access to even more zoom if you shoot at lower resolutions. When you decrease the number of megapixels to 3 a maximum 50.6x zoom becomes available.
With a camera this heavy and with a lens of this length image stabilisation becomes a key feature especially when lighting levels start to dip. Panasonic have built in image stabilisation and give you a couple of different options as to how you use it.
For those of you that like to use a viewfinder for composing photos an electronic viewfinder is available. Although purists do not feel this gives you quite the same quality as an optical viewfinder it is still a worthwhile option to have.
Close up photography is more than adequately covered by a macro mode that can focus from 1cm away from a subject. In addition you have the option of zooming in on a subject when using macro mode. This is very useful with subjects that you just cannot get close up to.
Most super digital cameras now offer a High Definition movie mode. The Lumix DMC FZ45 is one of the few models to also offer the ability to record sound in stereo.
Further controls give you access to colour options and there is also a neat white balance option that lets you fine tune colour temperature.
Handling
The Lumix DMC FZ45 is a big, meaty digital camera. It feels good in the hand. On the right hand side of the camera is a good sized grip to help you get a firm hold so that you can hold the camera steady.
On the top of the camera sits the main control dial. This is used for selecting the shooting mode. Next to this sits a button giving you access to focusing options. As is now becoming standard you no longer need to change the shooting mode if you wish to shoot a movie. There is a dedicated movie button available. Also on the top of the camera is a ring for zooming in and out.
The flash unit pops up on top of the camera when it is needed. This is controlled by a button on the back of the camera. I found the zoom quite smooth. It is easy to control just how much zoom you wish to use.
On the back of the camera towards in the top left hand corner is a selection wheel or jog dial. These really speed up the rate at which you can change key settings and help to make the Lumix DMC FZ45 more responsive. You can also select whether to use the LCD screen to compose your photos or switch to the electronic viewfinder. A further button gives you more focusing options. This button gives you access to options such as macro and manual focusing. You can also set auto focus / auto exposure lock.
There is also a function button. You can set this to an option of your choice. For example the default setting gives you easy access to change the aspect ratio you are shooting at.
Image Quality - See Sample Images Below
Outdoor Scenic Shot 1
The Lumix DMC FZ45 was one of a group of five digital cameras I tested at the same time. The first test shot contains a wide range of light and dark areas. In terms of the amount of detail the cameras were able to pick out in the lightest and darkest areas this camera did very well indeed. This was especially true in shady areas where most of the other cameras struggle to show detail. This camera also did well to tone down some of the brightness of the sky so that it did not overpower the rest of the shot.
Outdoor Scenic Shot 2
When you consider the extremes of focal length offered by this camera the overall sharpness of the shot is very good. There are one or two areas that are a touch dark, but on the whole the Lumix DMC FZ45 comes up trumps.
Outdoor Scenic Shot 3
Cameras with this length of lens have a tendency to suffer from chromatic aberration. This is often referred to as purple fringing. This is usually most noticeable when the lens is fully extended as in this shot. The Lumix DMC FZ45 does very well in this area and any fringing is kept to an absolute minimum. It is likely that this will only show in very large prints. It is also quite simple to eradicate with Photoshop.
Outdoor Building
This test is handled well. The focusing system is able to lock onto the brickwork and produce a sharp shot from edge to edge. Even if you increase print sizes focusing remains impressive.
Outdoor Portrait
I like the colours produced here. Panasonic include a white balance option of shady with their cameras and I find it gives them an edge over most of their competitors when it comes to portrait shots taken in the shade. Skin tones have a natural look to them and there is enough warmth to the shot to make it appealing.
Indoor Portrait With Flash
Larger cameras like this one tend to have more powerful flash units then smaller pocket cameras. Therefore it comes as no surprise to find that there is plenty of light available here. The amount of lighting produced is well balanced and does not overpower. This allows the Lumix DMC FZ45 to retain plenty of colour in the shot.
Indoor Portrait Without Flash
Out of my two indoor portraits I prefer the one taken with flash. Without flash the camera manages to keep noise levels controlled and show plenty of detail, so there are no technical issues with the photo. My reason for preferring the shot with flash is that to my eye it has a warmer, more flattering look.
Macro
Macro shots are another area where this larger type of camera usually has an advantage over cameras with physically smaller lenses. This test shot shows good levels of clarity. The only minus point is that there is a very slight colour caste where the automatic white balance system has not quite managed to find the right colour temperature. This should not be a problem with shots taken using natural lighting. It is also easy to adjust white balance with the Lumix DMC FZ45.
Colours
Personally I like the colours this camera has produced. They are vivid without suffering from overkill. They will help to add a bit of light to your photos.
Noise
This is another area where the camera performs well. In fact there are areas such as light shade where this camera outperforms many of its rivals.
Picture Quality Summary
The Lumix DMC FZ45 competes well against rival cameras in this category. It performed well in all my tests and the results suggest it will deliver high quality results for most photo opportunities.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
Turn on Time
0.27 seconds
6.84 seconds
0.45 seconds
10.32 seconds
2.61 seconds
Ease of Use
With all the features the Lumix DMC FZ45 has to offer it will take a while to get fully up to speed. If you feel daunted by extra controls or if you are just on the look out for something simple with a lot of zoom then you can always switch to Automatic mode.
Points I Like
Features - Handling - LCD Screen Quality - Picture Quality
Where it Could Improve
Not sure!
Add Ons
Conversion Lens
Verdict
If you are looking for a super zoom digital camera that offers very good value for money then you can't go far wrong with the Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ45. It has a great mix of features and picture quality.
Where to Buy - Panasonic DMC FZ45
Test Shots
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
The camera used in this review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ45
was kindly provided by UK Digital Cameras
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Review Date
October 2010
