Panasonic has just announced four new Lumix digicams that will be introduced in the second half of 2009.

 

July 28, 2009: Panasonic has just announced four new Lumix digicams that will be introduced in the second half of 2009.
Leading the line-up is the DMC-FZ38, which features a Leica DC Vario-Elmarit 7mm wide-angle 18x optical zoom lens and AVCHD Lite high-definition movie recording capability. It also boasts an upgraded Power O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabiliser) and ultra high-speed AF, plus other enhanced features that boost user’s fun and convenience, such as P, A, S and M shooting modes and a Creative Movie mode that lets the user set the shutter speed and aperture manually. The 6.13 x 4.6 mm CCD sensor has an effective resolution of 12.1 megapixels and works with the Venus Engine HD to provide energy-efficient image processing, extending the battery life to approximately 470 shots/charge.
A new addition to the medium zoom range is the DMC-ZX1, which features a 25mm (equivalent) ultra wide-angle 8x optical zoom lens and an effective resolution of 12.1 megapixels. Zoom power can be increased to 15.6x at 2.3MP resolution with the Extra Optical Zoom function. This model combines Panasonic’s evolving Intelligent Auto mode with 29 Scene pre-sets and supports HD video capture at 1280 x 720 pixels.
The new 12.1-megapixel DMC-FP8 features a high-quality, Leica DC lens with folding optics and a wide-angle coverage equivalent to 28mm. It supports 4.6x optical zoom and includes the new Power O.I.S. stabilisation system. Panasonic claims the AF system in the FP8 is the industry’s fastest and it combines with a start-up time of less than one second to make this camera highly responsive. The FP8 also provides a battery life of approximately 380 pictures/charge.
Offering 5x optical zoom and a wide angle equivalent to 25mm, the new DMC-FX60 features a 12.1-megapixel CCD sensor and Panasonic’s Power O.I.S. stabilisation system. It has a 2.7-inch Intelligent LCD and Venus Engine V image processing LSI. Fast start-up times (averaging 1.1 seconds) combine with Face Recognition technology that allows users to register up to three faces for preferential recognition. Other features include Panasonic’s Intelligent Auto mode and the ability to capture HD stills and video clips.
We haven’t yet been notified about when these cameras will be released in Australia but full details can be found at http://panasonic.net/avc/lumix/popup/pressrelease/second_half_new_production2009.html#2.