Panasonic news and reviews

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Panasonic??™s 2007 line-up of Lumix cams ??” the other 9

January 31st 2007

Posted under Panasonic

Filed under: Digital Cameras

You already seen their best, now check the rest of Panasonic’s 2007 Lumix digital cameras: the TZ3/TZ2 (pictured), FX12/FX10, LZ7/LZ6, and LS75/LS70/LS60. All the new digicams deliver Panasonic’s Mega OIS optical image stabilization, Venus Engine III image processing capable of recording shots at ISO 1250 sensitivity, and the ability to record 848 x 480 videos to SDHC or SD cards at 30fps. The DMC-TZ2 and DMC-TZ3 are all purpose, wide-angle shooters which carry some bulk unlike the new DMC-FX30 we checked earlier. Both the TZ2 and $349 TZ3 ship in May and pack a 28mm wide-angle, 10x optical zoom LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR lens in a less appealing (and less expensive) chubtastic slab. The TZ3 sports a 8.5 megapixel CCD and 3-inch 230k color LCD while the TZ2 brings both a smaller 7.39 megapixel CCD and 2.5-inches LCD capable of 207k colors. The $229 DMC-FX12 and $199 DMC-FX10 should hit in March with a regular 3x LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT optical zoom lens and 7.2 and 6.0 megapixel CCDs, respectively. The $199 DMC-LZ7 and $179 DMC-LZ6 each boast a 7.2 megapixel CCD, 6x LUMIX DC VARIO optical zoom lens and convenient AA battery operation. The LZ7 offers a 2.5-inch LCD versus the LZ6’s 2.0-inch display. Bringing up the rear is the LS-series of Lumix cams. AA-batteries and a 3x LUMIX DC VARIO optical zoom lens can be found in each of these entry level models with the LS75 sporting a 2.5-inch LCD and 7.2 megapixel CCD. The LS70 shares the CCD but steps the LCD to 2-inches like the LS60 which further cuts the CCD down to 6.0 megapixels. We’ll punch in the holes on price and availability when the details roll in. All the pics after the break.

[Via LetsGoDigital, Thanks David]

Read — DMC-TZ3 / TZ2
Read — DMC-FX12 / FX10
Read — DMC-LZ7 / LZ6
Read — DMC-LS75 / LS70 / LS60

Continue reading Panasonic’s 2007 line-up of Lumix cams — the other 9

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Panasonic??™s DMC-FX30 wide-angle 7.2 megapixel shooter: not quite the world??™s slimmest

January 31st 2007

Posted under Panasonic

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Panasonic is also unveiling their Lumix DMC-FX30 this morning which Panny claims is the “world’s slimmest” to pack a 28mm wide-angle lens. Ok, but at 22-mm (0.87-inches) it’s a full 0.2-mm thicker than the listed specs for Samsung’s new 28mm wide-angle L74 which packs the same 7.2 megapixel CCD and 3.6x zoom but a bigger 3.0-inch touchscreen LCD around back. Thing is, the L74 has an irregular shape so who knows what to believe at this point — it wouldn’t be the first time Samsung fudged its numbers. So… hyperbole aside, the FX30 is thin and features a 3.6x LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT optical zoom lens, 7.2 megapixel CCD, Mega OIS optical image stabilization, Venus Engine III image-processing for shooting at ISO 1250, and a 2.5-inch 207k pixel LCD (the L74 throws down 230k pixels) with “Power LCD” to boost brightness by 40% (at the expense of battery life) when outdoors. It also records 848 x 480 video to SDHC cards at 30fps and shoots with a shutter release time lag of 0.005 seconds and a 2 frames per second burst mode at full resolution for a maximum of just 5 images. Rounding things out are a 280 picture battery and $349 price tag when these ship sometime in February.

[Via LetsGoDigital, Thanks David]

BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Panasonic??™s DMC-FZ8 shoots 7.2 megapixels with a 12x zoom

January 31st 2007

Posted under Panasonic

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Panasonic is kicking out their new 2007 Lumix camera lineup this morning. We’ll brings you all of ‘em later but let’s get busy with the biggest news of the bunch first, the DMC-FZ8 — heir apparent to the hotly reviewed DMC-FZ7. Positioned right in that gap between high-end compacts and DSLRs, the new FZ8 features Panny’s Venus Engine III image processor and delivers a 7.2 megapixel CCD sensor, 12x LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT optical zoom lens, optical image stabilization, RAW file format support, ISO 1250 sensitivity, an SDHC memory card slot, and the ability to shoot 848 x 480 video at 30fps. It’s at the ready with a 1.8 second startup time, 0.005 second shutter release lag, and a burst mode that shoots at a rate of 3 frames per second at full resolution until your memory card is full or the 380-shot battery gives up the ghost. Available in March for a righteous $349.

[Via LetsGoDigital, Thanks David]

BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Panasonic?s 15, 20, and 23-inch Viera LCDs pack HDMI and Ethernet

January 29th 2007

Posted under Panasonic

Filed under: Displays

Panasonic just loosed a trio of tiny new Vieras on Japan which we didn’t see at CES. The 20-inch (TH-20LX70) and 23-inch (TH-23LX70) each bring a 16:9 aspect ratio with a 1366 x 768 panel resolution while the wee 15-inch (TH-15LD70) LCD pictured above manages a 4:3 aspect at a 640 x 480 res. All pack SD card support for viewing your snapshots in addition to a hybrid terrestrial analog/digital TV tuner and HDMI (2x on the 20/23-inch models, 1x on the 15-inch) allowing them to work with your existing Viera Link remote and compatible gear. Each set also packs an Ethernet port for connecting to Japan’s acTVila TV portal service launching February 1st. Just in time since these sets will all pop on February 20th starting at ¥90,000 ($739), ¥120,000 ($985), and ¥150,000 ($1,232) for the 15, 20, and 23-inch LCDs, respectively. Pictures of the 20 and 23-inch models after the break.

Continue reading Panasonic’s 15, 20, and 23-inch Viera LCDs pack HDMI and Ethernet

BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Panasonic?s Conference Speakerphone packs a SIM card

January 28th 2007

Posted under Panasonic

Any of us blessed (or cursed) to spend the majority of our waking hours theoretically locked in a corporate boardroom know very well the form and function of a desktop speakerphone, but Panasonic and Willcom and teaming up to deliver a rendition that relies on cellular technology rather than landlines. Oddly enough, it appears the forthcoming Conference Speakerphone will actually pack a SIM card, speaker, several built-in microphones, a mobile microphone, and even an SD slot for users to easily record conversations. Actually, if someone utilized a third-party battery pack, this entire unit could be taken on the go and used as what would quite possibly be the world’s largest cellphone of the decade. The appeal is that Willcom will reportedly be offering a “flat-rate talk plan” that allows companies to equip their employees with these machines and then communicate gratis, similar to many mobile networks with free in-network calling. Although the Conference Speakerphone is slated to ship this Spring, the value here is definitely questionable, as picking up a numerous ¥100,000 ($828) devices can seriously squash that meager IT budget.

[Via DigitalWorldTokyo]