Kodak PIXPRO FZ45 Kodak - Review 🏆

The Kodak PIXPRO FZ45 is a compact point-and-shoot digital camera that offers straightforward operation and decent performance for beginners. With a 16MP sensor and 4x optical zoom lens, it can capture sharp, detailed images and has enough reach for basic telephoto needs.

The FZ45 features a sleek, stylish body design that easily fits into a pocket or purse. It has a 2.7-inch LCD screen and simple button controls for changing settings. This is an easy-to-use camera aimed at casual photographers who want better quality than their smartphone but don't need advanced features.

Some of the key specs and capabilities of the Kodak PIXPRO FZ45 include:

• 16MP 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor
• 4x optical zoom lens (25-100mm equivalent)
• ISO 80-3200
• 720p HD video recording
• Built-in pop-up flash
• 2.7-inch 230k dot LCD screen
• Smart auto mode
• Digital image stabilization
• Face detection
• SD/SDHC/SDXC memory card slot

Overall, the FZ45 is a budget-friendly option for those seeking a compact, no-frills camera for travel, family events, and everyday photography. While image quality and performance are just average, its simple operation, zoom range, and small size make it a good choice for casual users.

Design

The Kodak PIXPRO FZ45 has a sleek and stylish design that is compact and lightweight. It measures 4.37 x 2.24 x 1.10 inches and weighs 5.29 ounces, so it can easily fit into a pocket or bag. The FZ45 comes in two color options - black or red. Both colors have a matte finish. The black version has a black body with silver accents, while the red version is mostly red with some black accents.

Despite its small size, the camera has an ergonomic grip that makes it comfortable to hold. The buttons are well-placed for easy access. There is a sizable right hand grip that helps keep the camera stable when shooting. Overall, the FZ45 has a solid and durable build quality.

Another impressive model in the Kodak lineup is the Kodak Pixpro AZ528. This camera is equipped with a powerful 52x optical zoom lens, making it ideal for capturing distant subjects with clarity. The AZ528 features a 16.1 megapixel backside illuminated CMOS sensor, which ensures high-quality images even in low light conditions. Additionally, it boasts built-in Wi-Fi for easy sharing and remote control from your smart device. With its advanced features and user-friendly interface, the AZ528 is perfect for both amateur and experienced photographers.

Image Quality

The Kodak PIXPRO FZ45 features a 16MP 1/2.3-inch BSI CMOS sensor that is able to capture detailed images with vibrant colors. The camera includes a 4-axis optical image stabilization system to help minimize blur caused by camera shake when shooting handheld. This is especially useful when shooting at slower shutter speeds or at the full 4x optical zoom range, where camera shake is more likely to occur.

The 16MP resolution provides enough detail for printing high quality large prints or cropping aggressively if needed. Images show good sharpness when viewing at 100% scale with minimal noise reduction applied at low ISO settings. The camera performs well in daylight conditions, producing images with accurate colors straight from the camera. At higher ISO settings, noise starts becoming more apparent but images remain very usable.

Overall, the image quality from the 16MP sensor is good for a compact point and shoot camera in this price range. The optical image stabilization helps enable sharper handheld shots by compensating for small amounts of camera shake.

The Kodak PIXPRO WPZ2 is another remarkable camera offering from Kodak. It combines a rugged design with a 16MP BSI CMOS sensor, making it perfect for outdoor and underwater adventures. With its waterproof, shockproof, dustproof, and freezeproof capabilities, the WPZ2 is highly durable. It also offers a 4x optical zoom lens and optical image stabilization for clear images, even in challenging conditions. Perfect for capturing life’s adventures, the WPZ2 delivers vivid, high-quality photos in a variety of environments.

Zoom

The Kodak PIXPRO FZ45 has a 4x optical zoom lens, which provides a 35mm focal length equivalence of 25-100mm. This gives you a nice wide angle at 25mm for landscapes and indoor shots, and the 100mm telephoto end lets you get reasonably close to distant subjects. The 4x zoom range is quite modest, but suitable for general photography needs like travel and family events.

For extending the zoom reach even further, the FZ45 has a 4x digital zoom on top of the optical zoom. This gives you up to 16x total zoom when combined. The digital zoom won't give you the same image quality as optical zoom, since it's just cropping and enlarging the center of the image. But it can come in handy when you need some extra magnification. Overall the zoom capabilities make this a versatile point-and-shoot camera for both wide angle and telephoto needs.

Video Recording

The Kodak PIXPRO FZ45 is capable of recording full HD 1080p video at 30 fps. This allows you to capture high-quality videos with smooth motion.

Some of the key video features include:

• 1080p at 30fps
• 720p at 30fps
• VGA resolution at 30fps
• H.264 video compression for efficient file sizes
• Dedicated video record button
• Zoom capability while recording
• Built-in stereo microphone
• Wind noise reduction

The FZ45 has a few limitations when it comes to video. It does not have any high-frame rate or slow motion video modes. The zoom motor can also be audible when zooming during video recording. Overall, the video quality is decent but not exceptional. For casual home videos it will suffice, but it lacks more advanced video controls and features.

The FZ45 strikes a good balance between photo and video features for an affordable compact camera. While not a videography-focused camera, it provides solid HD video recording capabilities in addition to its strengths as a point-and-shoot for still photos.

ISO Range

The Kodak PIXPRO FZ45 has a standard ISO range of 100 to 3200, which is typical for a budget point-and-shoot camera. At the base ISO of 100, images are clean with minimal noise. As you increase the ISO, noise starts becoming more apparent, but photos remain very usable through ISO 800. At ISO 1600 and higher, noise is quite noticeable, with loss of detail and color accuracy. However, the camera does a decent job at high ISOs for its class.

While you wouldn't want to shoot at ISO 3200 for critical photos, having this upper limit provides the flexibility to capture images in very low light that would otherwise be impossible without a flash. The FZ45 can produce perfectly usable photos for web sharing and small prints all the way up to ISO 1600. For optimal image quality, try to keep it at ISO 800 or below. But the high ISO capability makes this camera surprisingly capable for available light photography.

Autofocus

The Kodak PIXPRO FZ45 comes with a contrast detection autofocus system. It offers multi-point autofocus, center weighted autofocus, tracking autofocus and face detection autofocus modes.

The autofocus speed is relatively fast and accurate in good lighting conditions. It can lock focus and capture shots quickly without much hunting. However, in low light conditions, the autofocus slows down and struggles to lock focus at times.

For still subjects, the autofocus is quite accurate. But for moving subjects, the tracking autofocus struggles and is not very reliable. Overall, the autofocus system is decent for a budget compact camera if used primarily in good lighting conditions. But it lacks the speed and accuracy needed for action shots or low light photography.

Connectivity

The Kodak PIXPRO FZ45 offers decent connectivity options. It has built-in WiFi which allows you to transfer photos wirelessly to your smartphone or tablet using the PIXPRO Remote Viewer app. This makes sharing photos online quick and easy.

Bluetooth is missing, so you can't pair the camera with Bluetooth accessories or use Bluetooth for image transfer.

For wired connections, the FZ45 has a micro USB port and a microHDMI port. The micro USB is used for charging and transferring photos to your computer. The microHDMI allows you to playback photos and videos on an HDTV by connecting the camera directly.

Overall the connectivity is fairly standard for an entry level point and shoot camera. The addition of WiFi is nice for seamless sharing. Lack of Bluetooth is not a major omission. The micro USB and HDMI ports provide options for wired transfer and playback on bigger screens.

Battery

The Kodak PIXPRO FZ45 is equipped with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that provides enough power for around 220 shots per charge based on CIPA standards. This is decent battery life for a compact point-and-shoot camera.

Charging the battery is simple - the camera comes with a micro USB cable that you can plug into either a computer or a wall charger. A full charge from empty takes around 3 hours. There is no separate battery charger included, so charging must be done in-camera.

The battery itself is rated for 1100 mAh capacity. One downside is that it's an integrated battery so it cannot be removed and swapped out with a spare. Overall the battery performance is passable but not outstanding. More casual users who only take occasional photos should get adequate battery life from the FZ45. But photographers who plan to shoot all day may want to pack an extra USB power bank as backup.

Pros and Cons

The Kodak PIXPRO FZ45 offers some nice features for a budget point-and-shoot camera, but also has some limitations to be aware of.

Pros

• 16MP sensor provides decent resolution for prints and cropping
• 4x optical zoom lens gives you some versatility when framing shots
• Large 3" LCD makes it easy to compose images and review photos
• Records 720p HD video which is fine for casual home videos
• Good value and affordable price point

Cons

• Image quality is just average, especially in low light
• Lens is slow with a maximum aperture of f/3.4
• No manual exposure controls
• No RAW shooting, only JPEG
• Mediocre battery life
• Lacks wireless connectivity features
• All plastic construction feels a bit cheap

Overall, the FZ45 is a very basic point-and-shoot camera that delivers decent snapshots but lacks any advanced features. For the low price it can be a good choice for casual users who want an inexpensive pocket camera. Just don't expect stellar image quality or performance.