Panasonic Lumix
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Panasonic Lumix FZ150 builds on FZ47 superzoom, adds CMOS sensor, 1080p video
Last month, Panasonic's Lumix FZ47 made some (rather subtle) waves with its full manual video mode, lettering you control aperture and shutter speed while capturing in 1080i. Now, the company just announced its higher-end FZ150, which replaces last year's FZ100, adding 1080p AVCHD capture, a stereo mic with noise cancellation, and a 12 fps burst mode. Image-related improvements include a 12.1 megapixel CMOS sensor, 25-600mm (24x) f/2.8-5.2 Leica lens with nano surface coating, faster autofocus, a new Venus Engine FHD Pro processor, and sensitivity up to ISO 3200. The FZ150 retains its predecessor's 3-inch LCD and 0.2-inch EVF -- both also present on the FZ47. There's also a new side-lever control, letting you adjust zoom and focus with secondary levers positioned just to the left of the lens. Panasonic's latest superzoom cam will ship in late September with a $500 sticker price. PR after the break.%Gallery-131061%
Panasonic Lumix FX90 point-and-shoot packs built-in WiFi, Android / iPhone app compatibility
For many photographers, in-camera WiFi may be an attractive feature before you leave the store, but confusing setup and limited functionality reduce its appeal once you actually go and try to use it. Panasonic sets out to better take advantage of wireless connectivity with its Lumix FX90, adding Android and iPhone app support for transferring pictures and video directly to a mobile device, then uploading them to Lumix Club -- a cloud-based photo-sharing service -- and on to Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc. You can also share photos directly from the camera -- a dedicated WiFi button launches a menu prompting you to select a sharing service -- but app support brings the added benefit of your phone's data connection. Beyond those new wireless features, the FX90 includes a 12 megapixel CCD sensor, 5x, 24-120mm optical zoom lens, 3-inch touchscreen, and 1080i AVCHD video capture. The FX90 will ship this fall with pricing yet to be announced, but jump past the break for the full rundown from Panasonic in the meantime.%Gallery-131062%
Panasonic shrinks its Micro Four Thirds lenses, launches X-series with wide-angle, telephoto zooms
Anyone who's used Panasonic's 14-42mm Micro Four Thirds zoom lens has probably noticed its relatively bulky design, especially when compared to Olympus's counterpart. Today, the company announced a new lens that offers the same zoom and f/3.5-5.6 aperture range in a housing less than half the size when closed, and still noticeably smaller when extended. The first of two optics in Panasonic's premium X-series -- the second is a 45-170mm f/4-5.6 zoom -- it's been billed as the world's smallest digital interchangeable power zoom lens, thanks to its internal zoom motor which lets you adjust the focal length using a side-mounted rocker -- the design is similar to the zoom toggle included with the company's new FX150 superzoom. Priced at $399, it also includes a metal lens mount, instead of the plastic mount used with the existing $199 14-42mm lens. That second 45-170mm zoom ($449) can replace Panasonic's 45-200mm lens ($349), and while the size difference isn't as dramatic is its smaller X-series sibling, it's still noticeably smaller and lighter. Both lenses include optical image stabilization and feature nano surface coatings, designed to reduce ghosting and lens flare. The 14-42mm lens will ship in October in black and white (for use with silver bodies), and the 45-170mm zoom will ship in September. They'll only be compatible with the GF-2, GF-3, and G3 at launch after downloading a firmware update -- Panasonic is leaving it up to Olympus to release supporting firmware for its own cameras be compatible with all G-series cameras at launch, without the need for a firmware update. Jump past the break for more details from Panasonic, and check out the gallery below -- complete with side-by-side shots for both lens classes.%Gallery-131060% Update: Panasonic issued a correction saying that both lens will be compatible with all G-series cameras without the need for a firmware update.
Panasonic GF3 reviewed: aging 12 MP sensor, good upgrade for current compact users
When the Lumix GF1 was released less than a year after Micro Four Thirds first made its debut, it made a huge splash for its size, image quality, and versatility. Problem is, Panasonic set the bar very high for future GF-series models, and has sadly come up short with its latest update, positioning the GF3 ($600 with 14-42mm kit lens) as an upgrade for compact camera owners while leaving enthusiasts longing for much more. DPReview took the GF3 to task, publishing a very comprehensive review while finding that while Panasonic's latest ILC is a good fit for some photographers, more advanced users will likely be disappointed -- especially if they're expecting a rangefinder-like successor to the GF1. We spent a few hours with a pre-production GF3 earlier this summer, and weren't blown away by its performance. When testing against the class-leading Sony NEX-C3, we found the Sony camera to offer faster focusing, better high-ISO performance, more accurate white balance, and better image quality overall. So unless you're really gunning to save 50 bucks on an ILC with a kit zoom (or you already have a collection of Micro Four Thirds lenses), the $650 C3 is definitely the better bet.
Panasonic reveals Lumix FZ47 superzoom, lets you shoot 1080i video with full manual control
Sure, these days nearly all digital cameras can shoot video, but only a small handful give you the power to manually select aperture and shutter speed while doing so. The Lumix FZ47 is Panasonic's latest high-end point-and-shoot to sport this functionality, providing full control over both video and still photo capture with its Creative Control mode. The 12.1-megapixel superzoom can shoot 1080i HD at 30 fps, though it's notably lacking in the 1080p department. There's also a 3-inch LCD, 24x Leica zoom lens with a 25mm wide-angle focal length, and an option to shoot 3.5-megapixel stills while recording video. For photographers wiling to settle for a good deal less power, Panasonic also just announced its entry-level Lumix LS5, which includes a 14.1-megapixel sensor, optical image stabilization, and 720p video, all powered by a pair of AA batteries. The $400 FZ47 will ship next month, while the LS5 hits stores in November, with pricing yet to be announced. Jump past the break for the complete rundown from Panasonic.%Gallery-128677%
Panasonic GF3 spied by Micro Four Thirds enthusiasts in YouTube vid?
The folks at 4/3 Rumors believe they've spotted Panasonic's successor to the compact Micro Four Thirds GF2 -- the aptly named GF3. The site's eagle-eyed camera fiends noticed an unfamiliar digicam in a promo video (since removed from YouTube) that sports an interchangeable lens and is smaller than a DSLR. The design of the camera is somewhat similar to the GF2, though it sports a more pronounced hump and a more modern look. Rumors have suggested that the GF3 would lose the hot shoe, which this glossy-white mystery device clearly lacks, and borrow the 16-megapixel image sensor from the G3. While you wait for Panasonic to announce its tiny new hobbyist shooter, which is expected to happen on June 13th, enjoy another pair of pics after the break.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 ups the interchangeable lens ante with fancy new touchscreen
Right on schedule, Panasonic's gone and made its thinly-veiled Lumix DMC-G3 Micro Four Thirds shooter official. The camera succeeds the G2 with a 16 megapixel sensor, support for 1080p AVCHD video recording with stereo audio, 4fps burst shooting at full resolution, and an articulating, 3-inch touchscreen that supplants some of the dials adorning the last-gen model. In addition to poking around menus, you can touch that display to focus on your subject, and slide your finger to tweak exposure, white balance, and depth of field -- all in all, not unlike how you might interact with a smartphone camera. And, at 11.8 ounces, the aluminum-clad body weighs about ten percent less than its predecessor. Look for it in June for $700 in brown, red, and white -- in addition to your garden-variety black. In the market for something more compact? Panny also trotted out the Lumix-FH7, a 16 megapixel point-and-shoot with 4x optical zoom and 720p movie recording. Oodles of photos below with a press release after the break. %Gallery-123430% %Gallery-123421%
Panasonic Lumix Phone eyes-on (video)
Right on schedule, Panasonic's 13.2 megapixel Lumix Phone made its physical debut buried within NTT DoCoMo's CEATEC booth. And by buried, we mean locked behind plexiglass and out of reach of our own hands. That didn't stop the light-capturing mechanics of our cameras, however. We're not sure where the "folding mechanism" mentioned in the press release comes from, but it looks to be a slider phone that keeps a numpad / text entry box out of view. Color options include black, pink, blue, and gold (though frankly, it looked more silver to us). Alas, that also means no chance to provide sample shots from the devices itself, but we do have a smattering of product photos from which you might derive glee -- and that aforementioned video after the break. %Gallery-104245%
Panasonic teases a 13.2MP 'Lumix phone' for October 5 unveiling
Looks like we'll soon have another heavyweight to throw into the renewed cameraphone wars, as Panasonic has put up a teaser site for its first Lumix-branded phone. Lumix is of course Panasonic's camera label, which counts among its luminary membership the likes of the GF1 and the newly refreshed LX5. The new phone shooter promises to beat both in terms of pure resolution with its 13.2 megapixel CMOS sensor, which is accompanied by a 3.3-inch LCD atop a 146-gram body. Much like Nokia's N8 and its protruding sensor compartment, this Lumix handset will have to make room for its expanded imaging equipment, which is why it'll offer a comparatively chubby 17.7mm thickness, to go along with a 116mm height and 52mm width. We'll know more next week when CEATEC 2010 gets rolling over in Tokyo. [Thanks, Anton] P.S. -- It's also noteworthy that Panasonic's press release indicates a folding mechanism for this handset, which, given current trends in Japan, makes it most likely to be a clamshell device. It's also got some DLNA voodoo inside and is coming out by the end of this fiscal year (April 2011).
Panasonic will offer interchangeable 3D lens for Micro Four Thirds by year's end
Like Panasonic's new 3D-capable HDC-SDT750 camcorder but don't want to shell out $1,400 for a brand-new kit? Get a load of this Micro Four Thirds lens. That's right, Panny's just announced an interchangeable 3D lens that affixes to the standard Lumix G-series mount, meaning any of the company's new sub-DSLR shooters could see in stereo with a firmware hack update. Sadly, compatible models are still "to be announced" and even the lens pictured above is just a prototype, but we won't have too long to wait for the real deal -- the Japanese manufacturer says it'll be on sale by the end of the year. Press release after the break.
Panasonic's new Lumix lineup: LX5, FZ40, FZ100, FX700, and TS10 all official
You ready to get Lumix'd to the max? Panasonic has five new point-and-shooters prepped for this fall, headlined by the well-leaked LX5. That camera aims to keep what was good about the stylish, high-end LX3 while pushing image quality up a notch, with better image processing and a better lens in front of the same 10.1 megapixel CCD resulting in better low light performance. There's also HD recording in AVCHD Lite at 720p. The FZ40 and FZ100 super zoomers are very similar in their 24x zoom lenses and 14.1 megapixels, but the latter can record 1080p and pull off some high speed burst shooting, while the former is constrained to 720p. The FX700 fulfills the stereotypical role of a "safe" 5x zoom point and shoot, though it scores 1080p recording in addition to the needlessly high-res, looks-good-on-a-Costco-placard 14.1 megapixel stills. Finally, the TS10 brings up the low-end, with a rugged design and that good old 14.1 megapixel resolution. Its 4x zoom and 720p motion JPEG recording make it the oddball of the bunch, but it's waterproof down to 10 feet, shock and dust proof, and a good bit cheaper to boot. The TS10 will be out in September for $249, while the LX5, FZ40, FZ100, and FX700 will be out in August for $499, $399, $499, and $399, respectively. Press releases are after the break. %Gallery-97886% %Gallery-97888%
Panasonic Lumix LX5 outed by tech support page, improvements are black and white
Panasonic may be pushing Micro Four Thirds tech these days, but that doesn't mean it's forgotten about the pocketable high-end -- in fact, full spec sheets and pictures have just leaked from the company's technical support website, detailing the unannounced latest in the Lumix LX lineup. The 10.1 megapixel DMC-LX5 doesn't have any revolutionary new features, sadly, but it certainly brings the 2008 LX3 predecessor up to spec in nearly every way, with a longer 3.8x optical zoom lens by Leica, 12,800 ISO mixed-pixel sensitivity and a familiar-sounding AVCHD Lite 720p video recording mode. Slightly heavier due to a larger 1250mAh battery, the camera supports SDXC memory cards this time round, has an anti-glare coating on the 3-inch LCD and thankfully replaces those bulky breakout component cables with a mini-HDMI out. There's also an optional electronic viewfinder and a jog dial on the back, but we don't want to ruin all your fun unearthing these gems; peruse the specs yourself at our source link.
Panasonic GF1 gets 1080p video recording via firmware hack
By utilizing the same groundwork of this DMC-GH1 hack, a group of crafty coders have devised a way to allow for all sorts of funky tweaks to the beloved Lumix GF1 -- most notably, 1080p video recording. Besides the full HD recording, using a reworked version of the camera's firmware, the micro four thirds shooter has had its video recording bit rates upped, added 4.2.2 color sampling, and looks like it could be getting full manual control and 24p/25p shooting options down the road. Some users are already maximizing their camera's abilities with the hacks, though based on reading we've done in the DVXuser forums, the firmware changes don't seem completely ready for primetime. Regardless, it's pretty encouraging news for those us who are already having a torrid love affair with the GF1. Check out some 1080p examples after the break, and hit the source links for a lot more info.
Panasonic clamps down prices, release window for latest F-series line of compact cameras
Panasonic is nothing like shy about pushing out a plethora of compacts, but while it was talking up specs for the new Lumix F-series of compact cameras back at CES, we've just now got some prices and a release date to chew on. The FH1 (12 megapixel, 720p video) goes for $160, FH3 (14.1 megapixel, 720p) is $180, and the FH20 (14.1 megapixel, 720p) is $200. In slim land, the FP1 (12 megapixel) hits at $150 and the FP3 (14.1 megapixel, 720p) is $230. Finally, some killer value can be found in the bulkier F3, which does 12.1 megapixels and 720p video for a mere $130, and the barebones 10.1 megapixel F2. All of the cameras should be out in mid-February.
Panasonic churns out DMC-FX66, DMC-TS2, DMC-ZS5, DMC-ZS7 and DMC-ZR3 Lumix compacts
Panasonic's just announced quite a handful of Lumix compact cameras, featuring both the new Venus Engine VI and Venus Engine HD II that claim to perform quicker with better noise reduction. What's more exciting is that these are all compatible with the forthcoming SDXC cards too, but check out their "Happy Mode" -- it makes photos "more vivid and true to the color of the scene you memorized." Yeah, as if we'd want photos that are more, um, real. Anyway, let's break it down here (clockwise from top left; non-US model numbers in brackets): DMC-FX66: This one's a 14.1 megapixel slim camera with an F2.8-5.9 25-125mm (5x zoom) ultra-wide-angle lens (with Power O.I.S lens-shift stabilization). The 720p video capture and 1.06 second start-up time are sweet too, but no AVCHD Lite here. On the back there's a 2.7-inch 230k-dot screen with wide viewing angle. All this is just 5.11 ounces including battery. DMC-TS2 (FT2): This camera has a lot in common with the FX66 above -- same sensor, same image stabilization, same scene modes (but with three extra), same focus modes and same screen. The main differences are its AVCHD Lite 720p video format, F3.3-5.9 28-128mm (4.6x) lens and added ruggedness -- waterproof to 10m, shockproof to 2m, freezeproof to 14 degrees Fahrenheit and dustproof. It's of course slightly heavier too -- 6.63 ounces including battery. DMC-ZS5 (TZ8) and DMC-ZS7 (TZ10): These two appear to be twins, except the former has a smaller screen (2.7-inch with 230k dots instead of 3-inch with 460k dots) and lacks GPS, AVCHD Lite and mini-HDMI port. Both do 12.1 megapixel pictures and 720p videos, have F3.3-4.9 25-300mm (12x) lens with lens-shift stabilization, and have identical scene and focus modes. With battery these weigh 7.55 ounces and 7.69 ounces respectively. DMC-ZR3 (ZX3): Whoa! Another 14.1 megapixel camera which does AVCHD Lite. The specs are almost identical to the TS2 except for the lens (F3.3-5.9 25-200mm 8x ultra-wide-angle) and lack of ruggedness. It weighs 5.61 ounces with battery. Phew! No prices or availability announced yet, so take your time with picking out your favorite.%Gallery-83904%
Panasonic SDXC cards roadmap and Lumix camera lineup at CES 2010
You see those SDXC cards on the far right? Yeah, that's 1TB and 2TB, dear friends, and word has it that Panasonic will let out the 1TB card by the end of this year. When you've calmed down, we've also got photos of the newly announced Lumix camera galleria to get the party going, notably the new FP and FH series in their various colors. Enjoy the gallery! %Gallery-82131%
Panasonic's CES Lumix sextet leaked: FP and FH models galore
Looks like some Asian website, as Photo Rumors puts it, made a boo-boo and published its Panasonic point-and-shoot a tad early. Specs for six (and press photos for four) Lumix cameras have come to light. Here's what's the gang reportedly found, in a nutshell: the very compact, 14.1-megapixel FP3 has a 3-inch touchscreen LCD, 4x zoom, shoots 720p 30 frames per second video, and comes in a variety of colors; the FP1 similar in stature but with 12.1 megapixels and a 2.7-inch non-touchscreen LCD instead. The Lumix F3 drops the "very compact" look of the FP1 but is also 12.1 megapixels / 3x zoom, 720p 30fps video, and 2.7-inch LCD. The FH20 has a 14.1 megapixel sensor, 8x zoom, 720p video, and a Venus Engine IV image processor, which is also reportedly claimed by the FH1 (12 megapixels, 5x zoom) and FH3 (14.1 megapixels, 5x zoom). It's just that time of the season, eh?
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP8 reviewed: as good as 'a loaf of plain white bread'
It's hard to imagine complaining about a stylish compact camera that packs a stabilized 28-128mm zoom range and does 720p video capture at 30fps, but Panasonic's Lumix DMC-FP8 didn't garner any raves from the crew at PhotographyBLOG either. Image quality was found to be decent in well-lit conditions and no more than ISO 800 -- typical limitations on cameras with such tiny lens and body. Little is said about the video quality but we were adequately pleased with the sample videos linked from YouTube. The only major flaw indicated was the "permanently exposed" lens, but we can't imagine it being a deal breaker for most of you nice folks out there, right?
DraganFlyer X4 UAV puts the camera where it needs to be, even when the floor is lava
It's been a while since we've heard from Draganfly, a name familiar to connoisseurs of unmanned aerial photography. The company's latest outing, the DraganFlyer X4, is a four-rotor UAV that measures only 30.5-inches across and since it ships with your choice of either a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX580, Watec WAT-902H2 Ultimate (for shooting in low light), FLIR Photon TAU (infrared), or the Highg Res 480 Board Camera (analog motion video with an 8GB DVR), we imagine that this thing ain't going to be cheap. That said, if you are a well-heeled creepy stalker, southern border vigilante, or even someone with legitimate military / industrial business, there are plenty of features to make it worth a second look, including: computerized stabilization, altitude hold (maintains its position in the air without user input), and an automatic landing feature that kicks in if the control link is lost. But most importantly for the airborne auteur, this guy sports a wireless video downlink that sends the viewfinder signal that can be displayed either on the device's handheld controller or a pair of video goggles, allowing real-time manipulation of zoom, tilt, and shutter settings. Get a closer look at the thing after the break.
Panasonic's waterproof LUMIX DMC-TS1 unboxing
Looking for a digi cam that can stand up to your adventure vacations (you know, like, the beach) while also capturing HD-quality video? Panasonic's LUMIX DMC-TS1 may be your salvation, and we're happy to have one in the house for a bit of testing. It's only just arrived and we're still getting a feel for it, but so far we're impressed with the build quality of this semi-rugged 12 megapixel compact shooter, which is taking some solid pictures and videos through its 4.6x stabilized zoom. Full impressions will come soon, but for now enjoy a few unboxing shots.
