Panasonic's last FS compact — 16MP CCD, bright 24-120mm f/2.5 Leica lens, USB charging; US name FH8.
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS45 was announced in January 2012 with the cheaper FS40 as the final generation of the FS budget compact line. Its selling point was a bright f/2.5 Leica lens previously reserved for higher-end Lumix models. FS45 was the European name; in North America the same camera sold as the Lumix DMC-FH8.
It combined a 16.1-megapixel 1/2.33-inch CCD with a Leica DC Vario-Summarit 5x zoom covering 24-120mm equivalent and opening to f/2.5 at the wide end, backed by Mega OIS stabilisation. A 3.0-inch LCD handled framing, video recorded at 720p (without optical zoom during filming), and the metal-skinned body charged its battery over AC or USB. Intelligent Zoom stretched reach to an effective 10x at reduced quality, and storage used SD-family cards.
The FS45 suits snapshot users who want a genuinely wide 24mm lens and a brighter-than-average aperture in a pocket camera, which helps indoors relative to f/3-and-slower rivals. It remains a fully automatic camera with no manual modes, and the small dense CCD still limits results once ISO climbs.
USB charging makes battery logistics easier than most compacts of the era, but still confirm a working battery and lead are included. Check the lens extends cleanly to all zoom positions, the screen is free of pressure marks, and video records with sound. Listings under the US FH8 name are the same camera, which widens the used search for UK buyers.