Entries Tagged as 'Panasonic Lumix'

DMC-FS20 and DMC-FS5 Lumix Digital Cameras

panasonic_dmcfs20p.jpgPanasonic today announced the launch of the new LUMIX FS-Series of digital cameras, debuting a pair of 10.1-megapixel models, the DMC-FS20 and DMC-FS5, both which feature 30mm wide-angle Leica DC lens with 4x optical zoom. The FS models, a stylish sister-line of the highly-acclaimed LUMIX FX-Series, combines easy operation with a slim and sleek look, enabling both beginner and advanced users to take beautiful digital photos with a model they can slip in their pocket. Both cameras also have Intelligent Auto Mode, an advanced intuitive system of technologies that help users take better photos more easily.

“Panasonic added the FS-Series to our LUMIX line of digital cameras to address the needs of consumers who want a point-and-shoot camera that is not only affordable, intuitive and easy-to-use, but also stylish and small enough that they slip it in their pocket or into a small purse,” said Alex Fried, National Marketing Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. “The FS-line packages Leica lenses, Intelligent Auto Mode, powerful image processing and superior memory power in a small, sleek design. We want our LUMIX digital cameras to have features that enable great digital photos regardless of the level of the photographer.”

The FS20 and FS5 feature Intelligent Auto Mode, comprised of five functions: Mega O.I.S., Intelligent ISO Control, Intelligent Scene Selector, Face Detection and Quick AF (auto focus).
MEGA O.I.S. – Gyrosensors detect hand-shake and the lens system shifts to compensate, helping to prevent hand-shake from creating a blurry image.

Intelligent ISO – With Intelligent ISO, the FS20 and FS5 can determine if the photo subject is moving and change the ISO setting and shutter speed accordingly, thus giving a blur-free photo.

Intelligent Scene Selector – Intelligent Scene Selector senses the ambient conditions, recognizes the shooting environment and will automatically select the appropriate scene mode from: Scenery, Portrait, Macro, Night Portrait or Night Scenery mode. This intuitive technology, helps the consumer use the most common scene modes that are built into the camera, but often go unused, without making any manual adjustments.

Face Detection – Panasonic’s Face Detection detects faces anywhere in the frame and automatically chooses the optimal focus and exposure settings so portraits come out clear and crisp. Detecting up to 15 faces, Panasonic’s Face Detection can even track a face if the subject is moving.

Quick AF – The Quick AF (auto focus) system starts focus on the subject by just pointing the camera to the subject, thus minimizing the AF time.

In addition to powerful the Intelligent Auto Mode, the fourth generation high-performance image-processing Venus Engine IV LSI helps produce higher-quality pictures with an advanced signal processing system. It adds a new high-performance noise reduction system that helps reproduce even the most delicate parts of images naturally and without color bleeding. The Venus Engine IV reduces shutter release time lag while still enabling high-resolution picture taking, making it easier to capture spur-of-the-moment photo opportunities.

Other features of the DMC-FS20 and the DMC-FS5 include approximately 50 MB of internal memory and a 3.0-inch LCD for the FS20 and a 2.5-inch LCD for the FS5 – perfect for easy-to-see viewing of images. Furthermore, these models feature Intelligent LCD, which detects the lighting condition and controls the brightness level of the LCD to offer optimal clarity in any situation, whether dark or light; indoors or outdoors.

The LUMIX DMC-FS20, with a manufacturer’s retail price (MSRP) of: $299.95 will be available in pink, black and silver models, and the DMC-FS5 (MSRP: $249.95) will be available in red, black and silver models. Both will be available in February 2008.

About Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company

Based in Secaucus, N.J., Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company is a Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. (NYSE: MC) and the hub of Panasonic’s U.S. marketing, sales, service and R&D operations. In its commitment to provide consumers with extensive imaging resources, Panasonic LUMIX established the Digital Photo Academy, a series of nationwide workshops designed to instruct consumers how to optimize the features on their digital cameras and produce high-quality photos. Panasonic is honored to support OUR PLACE – The World’s Heritage, a project that will create the world’s largest photographic collection of UNESCO World Heritage sites, with acclaimed photographers exclusively using LUMIX digital cameras to capture all images. Information about Panasonic LUMIX digital still cameras and its affiliated programs is available at www.panasonic.com/dsc.

Super-Slim LUMIX FX35 Digital Camera Offers Line’s Frist 25mm Wide-Angle Lens

Super-Slim LUMIX FX35 Digital Camera Offers Line’s Frist 25mm Wide-Angle LensPanasonic today announced the newest addition to its popular line of super-slim LUMIX FX-Series digital cameras, with the introduction of the DMC-FX35, complete with Panasonic’s first-ever 25mm ultra-wide-lens. The FX35, with 10.1 megapixels, also features a 4x optical zoom, Panasonic’s Advanced Intelligent Auto mode, a LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT lens offering f2.8 brightness and the new fourth-generation new fourth-generation Venus Engine image processor.

“With the Panasonic LUMIX FX35’s 25mm ultra-wide-angle lens, we are providing consumers with a camera that captures remarkable and unprecedented width and depth – all available in a slim camera that is small enough to carry in a pocket or small purse,” said Alex Fried, National Marketing Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. “Consumers are gradually beginning to understand the value of wide-angle lenses. When they fully understand that the FX35 can help them capture almost double the frame, meaning they can squeeze twice as many friends into the group shot, we’re confident we’ll have some happy digital photographers.”

To achieve a 25mm ultra-wide-angle lens in the slim design of the FX35, Panasonic developed a new unevenly thick concave meniscus EA (Extra high refractive index Aspherical) lens. Working closely with Leica to meet their strict standards on lenses, the LUMIX FX35’s lens compromises of seven elements in six groups, including four aspherical lenses with six aspherical surfaces.

Panasonic’s Advanced Intelligent Auto mode expands Panasonic’s system of intuitive technologies with the addition of Intelligent Exposure and Digital Red-eye Correction. Consisting of seven advanced and intuitive technologies, with Advanced Intelligent Auto mode, the consumer is able to rely on the advanced technologies happening automatically, without them changing any settings, thus taking high-quality photos is easy and effortless. Advanced Intelligent Auto mode includes:
Intelligent Exposure – With this new feature, photos will no longer be under- or over-exposed. Instead, the FX35, instantly analyze the framed image and adjusts the brightness in areas that are too dark because of dim lighting, backlighting or the use of the flash. The camera will automatically adjust the brightness accordingly.

Digital Red-eye Correction– This feature helps to eliminate the red-eye problem that sometimes results when taking flash shots at the night. Incorporated into the camera, the built-in flash emits a small preliminary flash before the main flash, detects red-eye and will digitally correct it.

MEGA O.I.S. – Gyrosensors detect hand-shake and the lens system shifts to compensate, helping to prevent hand-shake from creating a blurry image.

Intelligent ISO – With Intelligent ISO, the FX35 can determine if the photo subject is moving and change the ISO setting and shutter speed accordingly, thus giving a blur-free photo.

Intelligent Scene Selector – Intelligent Scene Selector senses the ambient conditions, recognizes the shooting environment and will automatically select the appropriate scene mode from: Scenery, Portrait, Macro, Night Portrait or Night Scenery mode. This intuitive technology, helps the consumer use the most common scene modes that are built into the camera, but often go unused, without making any manual adjustments.

Face Detection – Face Detection detects faces anywhere in the frame, even if they are moving, and automatically chooses the optimal focus and exposure settings so portraits come out clear and crisp. Panasonic’s Face Detection detects up to 15 faces.

Quick AF – The Quick AF (auto focus) system starts focus on the subject by just pointing the camera to the subject, thus minimizing the AF time.
The FX35 features a fourth-generation high-performance image processing LSI, the Venus Engine IV. The Venus Engine IV produces higher-quality digital photos, as compared to the Venus Engine III predecessor, with an advanced signal processing system that produces a quick response time. The shutter release time lag is as short as 0.005 second, making it easier to capture sudden, spur-of-the-moment photo opportunities. In burst shooting mode, the DMC-FX35 can snap 2.5 shots per second at full resolution**. Also, in High-Speed Burst shooting mode***, it fires an incredible 6 shots-per-second, plus unlimited consecutive shooting****, which lets the consumer snap photos until the memory card is full.

Consumers can view slideshows on the FX35’s 2.5-inch LCD, and new this year, can also add mood-appropriate music, choosing from natural, slow, urban or swing tunes. The LUMIX FX35 incorporates an Intelligent LCD, which detects the lighting condition and controls the brightness level of the LCD in 11 fine steps, to offer a display with the most appropriate clarity in any situation. Users can also enjoy slideshows of captured images with music effects to match the mood of the images. Furthermore, the High Angle mode makes the LCD screen extremely easy to view when the camera is held high, such as when shooting over a crowd.

The LUMIX FX35 is capable of recording 720p High Definition motion pictures and 1920 x 1080 pixel High Definition-ready photos that perfectly fit a wide-screen (16:9) HDTV. Panasonic VIERA Plasma or LCD HDTVs that have an integrated SD Memory Card slot, so viewing still images is simple as inserting the SD card. In addition, with the newly added HD component output capability, consumers can enjoy watching still and motion images in stunning HD quality taken by simply taking the DMC-FX35 and connecting the camera via an optional component cable (DMW-HDC2).

The DMC-FX35 will be available in March 2008 in silver, black and blue, models with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $349.95.

*Comparison to 35mm film camera

** Maximum 5 images in standard mode/ 3 images in fine mode.

*** In 2-megapixel (4:3), 2.5-megapixel (3:2), 2-megapixel (16:9) recording.

**** The consecutive shooting speed varies with the memory card, image size, and image compression mode. The number of shots depends on the memory card size, battery life, image size and image compression mode.

PhotographyBLOG Review: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18PhotographyBLOG reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and writes:

This is an 8 megapixel bridge-style compact with a lens that covers a focal range of 28-504mm, perfect for everything from wide-angle landscapes to close-up sports photography. …

The defining feature of the new Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 digital camera is its massive 18x zoom lens, equivalent to a very versatile 28-504mm focal length, which should cover virtually every imaginable photographic situation. The FZ18 is a bridge-style compact camera, looking just like a true DSLR at first glance, but featuring a non-interchangeable lens instead.  …

As the debate rages on as to whether, with DSLR prices falling well within reach of the consumer, there is still a market for bridge cameras and so-called ’super zooms’, Panasonic releases its own big hitting 18x optical zoom offering in the 8 megapixel Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18. Olympus was the first to offer an zoom on its SP-550 UZ, now replaced by the 560, and Fujifilm counter attacked with the FinePix S8000fd, so it seems that at least someone is still after a big zoom on a small-ish body.  …

Though the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 requires some degree of familiarization and patience to fully get to grips with the range of features on offer – simply because you don’t find all of them located where you might expect, and, yes, that joystick is rather fiddly to operate – that won’t prevent you from taking photographs from the get go; largely because the Intelligent Auto Mode is so reliable.

Detail review about  Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18

Imaging Resource Review: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18Imaging Resource reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and writes:

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 has body styling reminiscent of a single-lens reflex digital camera, and offers a 1/2.5-inch CCD image sensor with an effective eight megapixels. …

The Panasonic DMC-FZ18 is one of the first three Panasonic digital cameras to introduce a couple of new technologies to the Lumix line, the other two cameras being the DMC-FX33 and DMC-FX55 models announced simultaneously. …

Other features of the Panasonic Lumix FZ18 include a 2.5-inch LCD display with 207,000 pixel resolution, ISO sensitivity to 1,600 (or 6,400 max. in high sensitivity mode), a range of creativity-friendly options including both aperture- and shutter-priority plus a full manual mode, and no less than fourteen scene modes to keep things approachable for the less experienced photographer. …

With Panasonic’s no-nonsense approach to long zoom digital camera design, the Panasonic Lumix FZ18 shines most for its excellent 18x zoom lens. If the sensor were better, the Panasonic FZ18 would be our top pick overall in long zoom digicams. As it is, the FZ18’s sensor is good, but not as good as we’ve seen from many competitors with smaller zooms. It brings to mind the performance we saw about two years ago from Panasonic and others.

Detail review for  Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18

Panasonic Lumix DMC-L10

Panasonic Lumix DMC-L10 Front PictureThis camera is the second DSLR camera from Panasonic Lumix Company. This DMC-L10 is the successor of DMC-L1 camera.

The partnership of Panasonic and Olympus hope this camera will make a great sales debut

With an advanced 2.5-inch free angle LCD monitor for full time live view that offers 270 degree rotation, you can shoot at any angle you want.

Image Sensor
With 10.1 Megapixel (camera effective pixel), Live MOS Sensor you can shot provides the beautiful images with high-resolution result.

The image sensor also supports “supersonic wave filter” dust reduction system. This dust reduction stystem can prevent your camera from dust degrading image. LEICA D VARIO-ELMAR 14-50mm/F3.8-5.6 ASPH./MEGA O.I.S. Lens

Lens
This basic camera bundled is come with LEICA D lens, LEICA D VARIO-ELMAR 14-50mm/F3.8-5.6 ASPH./MEGA O.I.S. This lens can render image in high resolution image, comfortable to use, and easy to operate.

This lens has 15 elements in 11 groups, with two aspherical lenses and two ED (Extra Low Dispersion), it can make a large diameter picture with high precision. You can shoot at wide angle image, or zoom image, this lens can handle that, because it has 14-50mm focal length is equivalent to 28-100mm on a 35mm film format

Features

Film Mode: Allows users to choose a setting which mimics the effects of analog film. Users select from nine modes including Standard, Dynamic, Nature, Smooth, Nostalgic, Vibrant, Standard B/W, Dynamic B/W and Smooth B/W, with the capability to finely adjust contrast, sharpness, saturation, and noise reduction. All these settings can be confirmed before you take the picture and the result is always as you intended.

The Venus Engine III: Image processing LSI developed by Panasonic to maximize the performance of the Leica D lens and Live MOS sensor. This advanced LSI helps reproduce images with outstanding resolution, superior color and detailed gradation. It also distinguishes chromatic noise from luminance noise and selectively reduces the chromatic noise, one of the chief sources of image quality problem. This helps the DMC-L10 deliver the superb image rendering one expects from a quality SLR camera.

Image Stabilization: Panasonic drew on its cutting-edge lens technology to invent Mega O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer), a system that prevents blurring from shaky hands and has been incorporated in the full 2007 line of Lumix digital cameras. This high-precision image stabilizing lens system is now available with the Leica D Vario-Elmar 14-50mm f3.8-5.6 with MEGA O.I.S.Panasonic Lumix DMC-L10 Picture

Advanced Scene Modes: As part of the L10’s intuitive usability, the photographer can make finer adjustments when using frequently used scenes such as Portrait, Sports, Landscape, and Night portrait. For instance, when selecting the Portrait or Sports mode, users can further define whether the scene is in outdoors or indoors. When using the Landscape mode, users can specify if it is a nature or an architectural shot.

Autofocusing Methods: To match the shooting situation and subject’s position, the user can select from six autofocusing methods: Face Detection, 9-point, Multi, 3-point, 1-point, and Spot. With the 1-point AF or spot AF method, the autofocusing area can be chosen from as many as 11 points. Various group area patterns can also be selected in the new Multi method.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-L10 Detail Specifications

Camera Type Interchangeable Lens Digital SLR Camera
Storage SD Memory Card, SDHC Memory Card, Multimedia Card
Image Sensor
  • Live MOS Sensor
  • 10.1 Megapixels (Effective Pixel)
  • 11.8 (Total Pixel)
  • 4:3 (Horizontal : Vertical) Aspect Ratio
  • Dust Reduction System Supersonic Wave Filter
Image Format JPEG, JPEG (EXIF 2.2), RAW, RAW+Fine, RAW+Standard
Aspect Ratio
(Image Size)
  • 4:3 Aspect Ratio (3648 x 2736 pixels, 2816 x 2112 pixels, 2048 x 1536 pixels)
  • 3:2 Aspect Ratio (3648 x 2432 pixels, 2816 x 1880 pixels, 2048 x 1360 pixels)
  • 16:9 Aspect Ratio (3648 x 2056 pixels, 2816 x 1584 pixels, 1920 x 1080 pixels)
Viewfinder
  • Eye level Penta Mirror type Optical View Finder
  • field of view: ± 95%
  • magnification: ± 0.92x
  • eye point: ± 14 mm (-1[m-1])
  • diopter adjustment: ± -3.0 - +1 [m-1]
  • focusing screen: fixed type
  • mirror: quick return mirror
  • eyepiece cap: detachable
Auto Focus
  • TTL Phase Difference Detection System, Contrast AF system (Live view mode)
  • AFS / AFC / MF focus mode
  • Auto focus detection range:
    • TTL Phase Difference Detection system, EV0-19 (ISO100)
    • Contrast AF system, EV0-20 (ISO100)
  • Focus area:
    • TTL Phase Difference Detection system : 3-point
    • Auto / 1fixed point, left / 1fixed point, center / 1fixed point, right
    • Contrast AF system: 9-point / Multi-point / 3-point / 1-point / Spot / Face
  • AFL / AEL button or Shutter button halfway pressed in AFS mode
Light Metering
  • TTL Full Aperture Light Metering:
    • 49 Zones Multi-pattern Sensing system
    • 256 Zones Multi-pattern Sensing system (Live view mode)
  • Intelligent Multiple / Center Weighted / Spot (light metering mode)
  • EV 0 - 20 (F2.0 lens, ISO 100) (metering range)
Exposure
  • Program AE / Aperture Priority AE / Shutter Priority AE / Manual (exposure mode)
  • 1/3 EV step ±2 EV (exposure compensation)
  • AFL / AEL Button or Shutter button halfway pressed (AE lock)
  • 3 frame, 1/3-2 EV step ± 2 EV (AE bracket)
ISO (Sensitivity) Auto / 100 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600 / Intelligent ISO (Live view mode)
White Balance
  • Auto / Daylight / Cloudy / Shade / Halogen / Flash / White Set 1,2 / Color temperature setting (white balance mode)
  • blue / amber bias, magenta / green bias (white balance adjustment)
  • 2,500 K to 10,000 K in 100 K (color temperature)
Shutter
  • Focal-plane shutter
  • 1/4,000 - 60 and Bulb (up to approx. 8 minutes) (shutter speed)
  • 2sec / 10sec / 10sec, 3images (self timer)
  • Remote control with bulb function by DMW-RSL1
Scene Mode
  • Portrait / Scenery / Macro / Sports / Night Portrait (advance)
  • Baby 1,2 / Pet / Sunset / Food
Burst Shooting
  • 3 frames / sec or 2 frames / sec (burst speed)
  • 3 pictures (when there are RAW file),
  • Unlimited consecutive shooting (when there are no RAW file)
Color Space
  • sRGB
  • Adobe RGB
Image Mode
  • Standard / Dynamic / Nature / Smooth / Vibrant / Nostalgic (color mode)
  • Standard / Dynamic / Smooth (black and white mode)

Zoom
  • Extra Optical zoom, max. 1.8x
  • Digital zoom, 2x and 4x
Flash
  • TTL Built-in-Flash, GN11 (ISO100,m), Built-in Pop-up
  • Auto, Auto / Red-eye Reduction, Forced On / Red-eye Reduction, Slow Sync., Slow Sync. / Red-eye Reduction, Forced On / Off (flash mode)
  • X-sync Speed: less than 1/160 second
  • Output adjustment: 1/3 EV step ± 2 EV
  • Sync: 1st. Curtain Sync. and 2nd Curtain Sync.
  • Hot shoe: TTL Auto with FL360 / FL500 (Optional)
LCD
  • Low temperature Polycrystalline TFT LCD
  • Free-angle 2.5 inch
  • 207 K pixels
  • Languages: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Russian, Chinese(Traditional), Chinese(Simplified), Netherlandic, Thai,Korean, Turkish, Portuguese, Arabic, Persian, Japanese
Playback
  • Single / 9, 25-thumbnail display,
  • Calendar display
  • Zoomed playback (16x max.), / image rotation (except for RAW)
  • Slide show (duration is adjustable, also manual controllable)
  • Playback of favorite pictures / Resizing (selectable number of pixels)
  • Trimming / Protection / Aspect conversion / DPOF print setting
Connectivity
  • USB 2.0 (High Speed)
  • Video Out (NTSC / PAL)
  • Wired remote control DMW-RSL1 (optional)
Direct Print
  • PictBridge (Print size, Layout, Date setting is selectable)
Battery
  • Li-ion Battery Pack (7.2 V, 1320 mAh) (Included)
  • Battery Charger / AC Adaptor (Input: 110-240 V AC) (Optional DC cable (DMW-DCC1) is required)
  • Approx. 450 images battery life (CIPA Standard with LEICA D VARIO-ELMAR 14-50mm/F3.8-5.6 ASPH.)
Dimension
  • 134.5 x 95.5 x 77.5 mm (weight x height x diameter)
  • Approx. 480 g (Body only)
Accessories Battery Charger/AC Adaptor, Battery Pack, Eyepiece Cap, Magnifier eyecup, Body Cap, Video Cable, USB Connection Cable, AC Cable, Strap, CD-ROM


LEICA D VARIO-ELMAR 14-50mm/F3.8-5.6 ASPH./MEGA O.I.S. Lens Specifications

Construction 15 elements in 11 groups (2 Aspherical lenses, 2ED lenses)
Mount Four Thirds mount
Image Stabilizer YES (DMC-L1, DMC-L10)
Focal Length f = 14 mm to 50 mm (35 mm film camera equivalent 28 mm to 100 mm)
Aperture Type 7 diaphragm blades / Circular Apepure diaphragm
Aperture Range F3.8 (wide) - F5.6 (Tele)
Minimum Aperture F22
Closest Focusing Distance 0.29m / 11.42 in at all focal lengths
Max Magnification approx. 0.42x (35 mm Equiv)
Diagonal Angle of View 75°(W)-24°(T)
Filter Size 67 mm
Max.Diameter φ75 mm / 2.95 inch
Overall Length 93.3 mm / 3.67 inch
Weight 434 g / 15.3 oz


Included Software

Software SILKYPIX® Developer Studio 2.1 SE
Quick Features
  • Upload images to a PC
  • Organize, edit, retouch, manipulate
  • Develop the RAW Image
  • Create an image with the effect
  • High-level basic image processing abilities
  • Control over such things as unnatural edges from saturated color borders
  • Control over false colors in structures with intricate detail
  • Control over chromatic noise in photos taken at high sensitivity settings
Adjustment Menu
  • Exposure bias
    Fine exposure adjustment, white point designation, false color control, noise reduction and more
  • White balance adjustment
    Fine adjustment with red, blue gain, color temperature, color deviation, gray point designation and more
  • Sharpness adjustment
    Edge and detail emphasis, black border control, noise canceller and more
  • Tone adjustment
    Contrast, gamma curve, black level and more
  • Color adjustment
    Color space, color mode, skin tone designation and more
  • Others
    Versatile development settings, tone curve adjustments, histogram display, highlight/shadow warning and more
Operating System
  • Microsoft® Windows® 98SE/Me/2000/XP/Vista (Recommending Windows2000/XP)
  • Apple® Mac OS® X v10.2 or newer (Japanese edition). (Version 10.3 or later is recommended)

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