by
Jonathan Eastland

Photokina 2008 is almost upon us once more and there is much talk in the wings of how silly some manufacturers who have invested heavily in recent times into the production of special glass for the smaller APS-C type sensors are beginning to look now that Nikon is ramping up its full frame programme.

It hardly seems likely a company like Nikon is about to dump its DX line and focus all attention on FX. Enthusiasts and many pros are more than satisfied with the image quality the smaller sensor delivers and many also prefer the slightly less bulky hardware designs of the DX systems. With new models for this format being introduced now (D90), the speculative scenario seems way off track.

What I find more curious is the recent announcement from Olympus and Panasonic concerning their micro-four thirds system aimed, it seems, squarely at capturing a segment of the market that does not want to be encumbered by hardware that will not fit into a handbag. The companies involved are going down this road because they can and no doubt the tactic will, in the short to medium term, jack up additional and much needed sales.

In the past, I have been sorely tempted on occasion by the innovative design of Panasonic's L1 camera (aka Leica Digilux 3) and although in the several tests I made of both models the 25mm f/1.4 Leica designed lens used produced very good image results, I...

Press Release: February 2007

Panasonic Include a Complimentary 16GB, Pro High Speed, SD card with the DMC-L10 DSLR

Panasonic is pleased to announce that when purchasing a DMC-L10 before the end of April 2008 consumers will also receive a Panasonic16GB Pro High Speed SD card (RP-SDV16GE1K*). This promotion is offered via participating retailers only – the perfect partner for your DSLR.

Panasonic’s second SLR, the DMC-L10, has continued to push the boundaries with an advanced 2.5 inch free angle LCD to full time view offering 270 degree rotation and a versatile shooting style. For a limited period, Panasonic is pleased to include one of its high capacity 16GB SD cards with the L10** When purchased before the end of April 2008 for consumer’s ultimate convenience.

Enabling over 6000 still images to be captured*** The number of images may vary depending on file size the16GB high data storage capacity is ideal for making the most of the DMC-L10. Consumers can enjoy full performance of consecutive shooting on their L10 without worrying about overflow of buffer memory. Add to this a fast data transfer speed of up to 20MB/S and users can easily upload high quality images taken with the DMC-L10 onto their PC. A further benefit is that the Panasonic 16GB card is perfect for RAW shooting.

With the DMC-L10 and SD card in unison, consumers can not only capture beautiful images, but also view them at their leisure. Simply slot the 16GB SD card...

Press release, Panasonic, Jan 2008

Panasonic introduces the 9.1-Megapixel DMC-TZ5 and 8.1-Megapixel DMC-TZ4, two new Compact Digital Cameras, achieving 28mm Wide Angle and 10x Optical Zoom* and featuring advanced Intelligent Auto Mode
*35mm film camera equivalent: 28-280mm

Panasonic is pleased to introduce two new Lumix digital cameras, the 9.1-megapixel DMC-TZ5 and 8.1-megapixel DMC-TZ4, each featuring a 28mm wide-angle 10x optical zoom Leica DC lens (equivalent to 28-280mm on a 35mm film camera). The 28mm wide angle lens can capture the subject or scene wider at the same standpoint than a normal 35mm camera, zooming in or out with the 10x powerful optical zoom.

The DMC-TZ5 and DMC-TZ4 are the latest members of the Lumix TZ family, which is renowned for packaging a remarkable 28mm wide angle 10x optical zoom lens in a compact body. The new DMC-TZ5 newly integrates recording capabilities for 720p HD (high-definition) motion pictures, together with its direct output function as a stills camera, allowing users to enjoy watching both still and motion images in impressive HD quality on a large-screen HDTV via an optional component cable.*

The DMC-TZ5 and DMC-TZ4 boast Intelligent LCD function, which detects lighting conditions and controls brightness levels of the LCD in 11 steps, to offer a display with the clearest image in any situation with newly developed 460,000-dot high resolution in 3.0-inch (TZ5) and 230,000-dot in 2.5-inch (TZ4).

Panasonic’s Intelligent Auto mode, comprising various shooting-assist functions, has been developed further for the DMC-TZ5 and DMC-TZ4. New...

Press release, Panasonic, Jan 2008

Panasonic announces the Lumix DMC-FX35 Camera with 10.1 mega pixels, 25mm Ultra Wide-Angle Lens Featuring Advanced Intelligent Auto Mode
*35mm film camera equivalent: 25-100mm*

Panasonic is pleased to introduce the new Lumix DMC-FX35, its first 10.1-megapixel camera with astonishing 25mm ultra-wide-angle LEICA DC lens and 4x optical zoom (equivalent to 25mm to 100mm on a 35mm film camera). Capturing almost double the viewing space at the same shooting distance compared to ordinary 35mm cameras, the DMC-FX35 records remarkable images with unprecedented width and depth.

The new DMC-FX35 integrates 720p HD (high-definition) recording capabilities for capturing motion pictures alongside its primary function as a stills camera, allowing users to watch both still and motion images in impressive HD quality. The DMC-FX35 comprises a variety of additional shoot-assist functions on top of Panasonic’s Intelligent Auto Mode with conventional Mega O.I.S which suppresses hand-shaking, and its Intelligent ISO Control prevents motion blur. New Intelligent Scene Selector Function chooses the appropriate scene mode by automatically selecting the most frequently used setting from modes Portrait, Scenery, Macro, Night Portrait and Night Scenery. New Face Detection System automatically detects human faces to set the focus of potential shots and insure the best possible exposure. Unwanted red-eye effects caused by the flash can now be digitally corrected, and newly added Intelligent Exposure Function controls ISO sensitivity to partially increase the exposure of darkened areas in shot, allowing users to capture scenes suppressing extreme brightness or darkness in images.
Click to continue reading "New from Panasonic the Lumix DMC-FX35"

Written by Ajax on February 11th, 2008 with no comments.
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