Walk into any electronics store and the camera shelf tells a story. Row after row of black and silver bodies, all trying to look serious, all designed to be forgotten inside a camera bag. The KODAK PIXPRO FZ45 in red makes the opposite argument. It wants to be seen, it wants to be picked up, and it wants the person holding it to enjoy taking pictures again. I spent a month shooting with the red version of this 16 megapixel point and shoot, through city walks, a wedding rehearsal, and countless evening dinners, and this review is the honest story of what a cheerful little digicam can and cannot do in 2026.
The usual disclosure before the details. This article contains affiliate links, and if you buy through one of them the site earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. That commission does not change what I test or recommend, and the camera reviewed here was bought and used like any customer camera.
The FZ45 is a compact digicam with a 4x optical zoom, a 27mm wide angle lens, a 2.7 inch LCD, and 1080p video, all powered by AA batteries. The rest of this review covers the red body's appeal, the image quality in real scenes, the zoom and battery behavior, and where this camera belongs in a market full of phones.
Design and Build
The red finish is the first thing you notice, and it is the point. The glossy red shell is unapologetically cheerful, the kind of color that makes strangers ask about the camera at a party, and it photographs beautifully on a table. The body is compact and light, easy to hold one handed, and the lens retracts into the body when powered off, so the camera travels safely in a bag or coat pocket.
As an electronics reviewer I looked past the color at the construction, and the build is honest for the price. The plastic body is solid enough, the buttons are small but responsive, and the zoom rocker and shutter fall naturally under the fingers. The 2.7 inch LCD is the only viewfinder, which is typical for this class, and it performs well indoors and in shade. The camera starts quickly enough for a digicam, and the overall feel is a toy that happens to take real photographs, which is exactly the charm this product sells.
Key Features
The 4x optical zoom and 27mm wide angle are the practical core. The wide end fits more of a room, a table, or a street scene into the frame than any phone camera can manage in a single shot, and the zoom steps out to a useful telephoto for subjects across a park. The lens extends smoothly when the camera powers on, and the wide angle becomes the default for the group shots and travel scenes that this camera exists to capture.
The AA battery system is the feature that keeps this camera relevant when others give up. Four AA batteries, available at any store on the planet, power the camera through a full day of shooting, and a spare set in a pocket turns it into a multi day travel companion. There is no proprietary battery to charge, no cable to lose, and no anxiety about a dead pack at an airport. For anyone who remembers the freedom of buying batteries at a corner store, this is a genuine advantage, not a compromise.
Real-World Performance
In daylight the red FZ45 delivers exactly what it promises. The 16 megapixel sensor produces bright, warm, natural looking images that need no editing, and the colors have the friendly, slightly nostalgic cast that the retro digicam trend celebrates. A city walk in the afternoon produced sharp, well exposed shots of storefronts and street corners, and the 27mm wide angle captured full scenes that a phone would have stitched together or cropped. The images carry a character that the algorithmic perfection of a phone simply does not.
The zoom proved useful at a wedding rehearsal, where a 4x reach pulled in the couple from across the room without walking into the aisle. The stabilization is basic, so holding steady at full zoom matters, but in the daylight scenes this camera lives in, the reach delivered clean results. Short 1080p video clips of the rehearsal captured the moments with smooth enough motion for family sharing, and the clips transferred to a computer without any software drama.
The battery behavior met expectations through a busy week. A fresh set of AA batteries survived a full day of shooting, including video clips, without a low battery warning, and the auto power off saved charge during quiet moments. The camera's honest limits showed up where digicams always show up, in the dark. Evening dinner shots came out grainy and dim, the built in flash produced that flat, washed look of the compact camera era, and moving subjects blurred because the autofocus needs a patient moment to lock. The red FZ45 is a camera of sunshine, and it should be treated as one.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Eye catching red body that people notice
- 27mm wide angle fits full scenes in one shot
- 4x optical zoom for subjects beyond phone range
- AA batteries are easy to find and cheap to replace
- Warm, natural daylight images with retro charm
- Light and compact enough for a coat pocket
Cons:
- Low light images are grainy and dim
- Flash produces a flat, washed look
- Autofocus is slow with moving subjects
- No viewfinder, LCD washes out in bright sun
How It Compares
The FZ45 faces the usual comparison against the other cameras in Kodak's budget line, and against the phone in your pocket. The table below lines up the FZ45 with the FZ55 and with a modern smartphone.
| Feature | FZ45 Red | FZ55 | Smartphone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoom | 4x optical | 5x optical | Digital only |
| Batteries | AA, universal | AA, universal | Built in, charger needed |
| Wide angle | 27mm | 28mm | Varies, often tighter |
| Low light | Weak | Weak | Strong |
| Image character | Retro charm | Retro charm | Perfected, neutral |
The phone wins on low light, speed, and convenience, but it loses on the wide angle, the optical zoom, the universal batteries, and the character of the images. The FZ55 trades a slightly wider lens for a little more zoom reach. The red FZ45 occupies the spot for buyers who want the digicam experience with the most wide angle possible at the lowest price.
Who Should Buy It
Buy the red FZ45 if the color brings you joy, because that is half the point of this camera, and if you want a genuinely easy camera for daylight travel and family photos. It is also perfect for giving a child their own camera, for the retro digicam collector, and for anyone who wants to leave the phone at home on a hike and come back with images that look like memories.
Skip it if most of your shooting happens after sunset, because the low light limits will disappoint you, or if you expect phone quality in a dedicated camera. For sunshine days, trips, and the kind of photography that is meant to be fun, the red FZ45 is a delightful little machine. You can check the current price of the KODAK PIXPRO FZ45 in red on Amazon when you are ready to order.
How We Test
I carried the red FZ45 for a month through city walks, a wedding rehearsal, evening dinners, and park visits, shooting a mix of wide angle scenes, zoomed subjects, and short 1080p video clips. I ran the camera on AA Batteries through a full day to test endurance, and I reviewed images on screen and in print to judge the quality a family would actually use.
I did not use a resolution test chart or shoot in a studio, and I did not test the camera underwater or in extreme weather. For a broader view of where compact cameras sit in 2026, Tom's Guide has a useful roundup of the best point and shoot cameras that covers the whole category. The KODAK PIXPRO FZ45 red listing on Amazon shows the current price and available colors.
KODAK PIXPRO FZ45 Red: Questions People Ask
What color options does the PIXPRO FZ45 come in?
The FZ45 is sold in several colors, and this listing is the red version, which stands out clearly against the usual black and silver compact cameras on the shelf. The red finish is glossy and eye catching, and the other colors are listed separately on Amazon.
Is the FZ45 a good camera for travel?
Yes, the lightweight body, 4x zoom, and AA battery support make it easy to pack and easy to keep powered, which suits long days out without a charging plan. A spare set of AAs in a pocket extends it into a multi day companion.
Does the red FZ45 have a viewfinder?
No, the camera uses its 2.7 inch LCD screen for framing, which is bright enough outdoors in most light, though direct sun can wash the display out. The lack of a viewfinder is standard for this budget class.
What is the megapixel count and sensor size?
The FZ45 has a 16 megapixel sensor and a 4x optical zoom, and the 27mm wide angle lens means you get more of the scene in frame at close range. The sensor delivers bright, warm daylight images with a nostalgic character.
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