Planet Gadgets Gadget Blog

Panasonic Introduces 12x Optical Zoom Lumix DMC-FZ8

by Darren

Panasonic has been busy making some incredible new cameras. The new 12X Optical Zoom Lunix DMC-FZ8 is bound to make some new fans.

The stylish Lumix DMC-FZ8 features a large, 2.5-inch LCD for easy viewing while monitoring and during image playback and it has been redesigned to include a multi-purpose joystick for improved usability and simplified exposure compensation. The joystick control allows a host of additional settings, such as manual focus and exposure, to make for quick and easy shooting.
Along with easy operation, the DMC-FZ8 also features the Panasonic LSI Venus Engine III, an advanced image-processing engine that can record at a sensitivity setting as high as ISO 1250 with full resolution — greatly improving noise reduction, with picture noise removed in stages during image processing. With its multi-task image-processing capability, the Venus Engine III also has outstanding response time with a shutter release time lag as short as 0.005 second, and the shutter interval as short as 0.6 second. This fast response makes it easy for users to capture sudden, spur-of-the-moment shots.

In addition, a host of other features make the DMC-FZ8 an ideal candidate to be a tool for creative photography:

* Date Stamp: Allows users to utilize the Lumix date stamp feature in
three ways: (1) Simply stamp the date on photos, (2) Stamp the day of a
trip or event on the photos, and (3) For those precious baby photos,
stamp the child’s age in months on the image itself.

* Added Scene Modes: Offers a total of 18 scene modes, including the new
Pet and Sunset modes, making it easy to get beautiful photos in a range
of photographic situations.

* The SILKYPIX Developer Studio 2.0SE Software Application: Gives users
the ability to edit and develop images in the RAW file format by freely
adjusting RAW data settings such as exposure bias and white balance even
after shooting.

* Long-lasting Battery Life: Allows approximately 380 shots to be taken on
a single charge (CIPA.)

* Increased Memory: Accommodates large-capacity SDHC Memory Cards and
boasts approximately 27 MB of built-in memory.

* The DMC-FZ8 will ship in February 2007 with a MSRP of $349.95.

The Panasonic onslaught continues with the large number of new phones.