Panasonic's touchscreen budget compact — 14MP CCD, 8x 28-224mm zoom, 720p; US name FH22.
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS33 was introduced in January 2010 as one of the more ambitious models in the budget FS compact line, adding a touchscreen and a longer zoom than its stablemates. FS33 was the European name; the identical camera sold in North America as the Lumix DMC-FH22.
It paired a 14-megapixel 1/2.3-inch CCD delivering 4320x3240 images with an 8x optical zoom covering 28-224mm equivalent, stabilised optically. A 3.0-inch touchscreen with anti-reflective coating allowed tap-to-focus and tap-metering, video recorded at 720p in Motion JPEG, and Intelligent Auto combined quick AF, face detection and scene selection. The body measured about 100x57x27mm, weighed 170g, and used SD-family cards with a proprietary battery.
With its 28mm wide end and 8x reach, the FS33 works as a lightweight travel all-rounder for point-and-shoot users. The resistive-era touchscreen is less slick than modern panels, and packing 14 megapixels onto a small CCD limits high-ISO quality, so it performs best in good light.
Test the touchscreen across its whole surface, since unresponsive zones are common on aged panels and the camera leans on touch control. Confirm the proprietary battery and charger are included, run the 8x zoom through its range checking for errors, and inspect the screen coating for delamination. UK buyers comparing prices should also search the US FH22 name, as grey imports appear under it.