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Panasonic's geotagging DMC-ZS7 compact superzoom gets handled
It's been just a few days since Panasonic took the wraps off its update to the DMC-ZS3 that we liked so very much, the new DMC-ZS7, and Zumo Blog has been already given the opportunity to take a few pictures of one in the wild. The changes here are mostly evolutionary, with the same impressive 25 - 300mm 12x zoom lens on the front and the same AVCHD Lite 720p recording mode. New, though, is a GPS module nestled on top, capable of automatically tagging your photos, the SD slot can now accept SDXC cards, and it looks like the mode dial has been moved to a more natural position left of the shutter release. Still no word on price, but expect this one not to fall far from its predecessor's $399 MSRP.
Panasonic HDC-HS350 allows you to record over 30 hours of HD
If you liked the HDC-TM350, then we can pretty much guarantee you'll be a fan of the HS350, unveiled by Panasonic today. Essentially identical to its elder brother -- but for the hard disk bump on its right side -- the new AVCHD camcorder ups internal storage from 64GB to 240GB and retains all other salient features: 10.6 megapixel 3MOS sensor, 12x optical zoom and SDHC expansion up to 32GB per card. The increase in storage allows for over 30 hours of continuous full HD recording, meaning that your battery will give out long before you need to fiddle with your storage options. No word on the when, where and how much questions, but if we had to guess we'd say soon, everywhere and plenty.
Panasonic DMC-ZS3 hands-on and review
We've seen a lot of innovation in the consumer point-and-shoot market over the past year or so, from capturing homemade action sequences at 1000fps to shooting 720p video underwater. Many of these innovations are borderline overkill, like 12 megapixel sensors wedged in behind cheap lenses, so we're happy to report that, despite its impressive specs, the latest superzoom shooter from Panasonic is respectable all the way through. The DMC-ZS3 doesn't offer any crazy features that are completely unheard of elsewhere, nor does it suffer from any rock and roll-style excesses for the sake of arbitrary "world's greatest" claims. It's just a solid camera, but at $400 is it the sort of thing you want in your pocket, capturing your family's precious moments this summer?
Panasonic's AG-HMC40 does 1080p24 on something of a budget
Panasonic's latest camcorders have been well-liked by the masses, but haven't quite had enough features to appease those consumers with higher expectations -- or professionals on limited budgets. To captivate the eyes and ears of that prosumer market the company has announced the AG-HMC40, a 2.2 pound semi-pro cam that will do 1080i or 720p at 60 frames-per-second, but more important for many can manage a cinematic 1080p at 24 frames-per-second, all written to SDHC cards. With 10.6 megapixel stills and a 12x optical zoom on tap it sounds like a very well-rounded offering, and, while $3,195 may not fit into every budget, it should do well for modestly funded aspiring filmmakers when it ships in August -- just in time for capturing some back-to-school teen angst drama.
Panasonic's Lumix DMC-FZ50 10 megapixel shooter
We're not done with Panasonic's new additions to the Lumix lineup just yet; in addition to the four compact shooters we just saw, the company also unveiled a prosumer model called the DMC-FZ50, which packs a 10.3 megapixel CCD and 12x optical zoom into a DSLR-like body. Besides improving upon the resolution of its 8 megapixel predecessor, the FZ30, the FZ50 also throws down a new feature called Intelligent ISO Control, which adjusts the ISO setting (max. 1600) and shutter speed based on subject movement -- promising to minimize image blur without forcing the user to adjust the manual controls. Further enhancing ease-of-use are a new Function button that delivers quick access to frequently-used settings and a longer-life battery that claims to deliver around 360 shots before recharging becomes an issue. Other differences between the FZ30 and FZ50 include the addition of SDHC card support, a TTL Flash hot-shoe, 16:9 shooting mode, and the so-called Venus Engine III image processor, but the elimination of TIFF file support and several thousand pixels from the 2.0-inch LCD. Luckily the higher resolution and new features don't mean that you'll pay too much more for this updated model than you did for the old one, as it's expected to cost just $650 when it hits stores in September.
