INTERNATIONAL CONTACT - August/September 2010
introducing further innovative features. With the
new Lumix models, for example, sophisticated
lenses, new image processors and particularly
light-sensitive image sensors aim to improve
image quality even further – especially when
shooting under difficult light conditions. Operation will also become easier compared with the
previous generation.
Universal and fast: the Lumix FZ100
Panasonic‘s new Lumix DMC-FZ100 is a superzoom camera equipped with the newly developed
24x wide-angle super-zoom lens Leica DV Vario
Elmarit with a focal length range of 25–600 mm in
35 mm terms and a maximum aperture of f/2.8–
5.2. As the successor to the FZ50, it can, with its
new 14.1-megapixel MOS sensor, take Full HD
movies with a resolution of 1,920 x 1,280 pixels in
the AVCHD Lite format (50i). Another striking
feature of this model is its burst shooting speed:
The FZ100 can shoot continuously at 11 fps at full
resolution with mechanical shutter (max. 15 shots
in sequence) and, with reduced resolution of 3.5
megapixels, achieves a monumental 60 fps. A
high-speed movie mode with 220 fps in QVGA
format allows interesting slow-motion studies.
Battery life has been increased to 410 images per
charge. This is due in part to the low energy consumption of the new MOS sensor and the equally
new Venus Engine FHD image processor. The tilting LCD monitor (diagonal: 7.6 cm/3“) with
460,000 pixels resolution provides comfortable
vision even in bright sunlight. The electronic find-
er (201,600 pixels) offers 100 percent field of
view.
Comprising 14 elements in ten groups, the structure of the Leica DC Vario Elmarit is particularly
complex. 3 ED lenses and 2 aspherical lenses with
3 aspherical surfaces ensure extremely low distortion in the wide-angle range and effectively suppress color fringes at long focal lengths.
The Lumix FZ100 is equipped with all the latest
camera technologies from the Lumix compact
class. These include optical image stabilizer, face,
subject, contrast and motion detection, AF tracking and intelligent zoom mode. The
new “twist and press“ jog dial
makes manual operation even easier (also with focusing). A new feature is the “Motion Deblur” mode,
in which the camera combines motion detection with the intelligent
exposure control and thus ensures
sharp images of moving subjects
in iA mode.
The Lumix FZ100 will be available
in black from the beginning of
August.
Universal and
inexpensive: Lumix FZ45
With the same Leica DC Vario Elmarit as the
FZ100, the new Lumix FZ45 also offers a focal
With its particularly fast Leica lens,
the Lumix LX5 was developed for
demanding photographers.
length range from 25 mm wideangle to 600 mm super-tele. The
successor to the FZ38 takes movies in HD format
of 1,280 x 720 pixels (AVCHD Lite). The image
sensor is a 14.1-megapixel CCD, the signals from
which are processed by the Venus Engine HD II
image processor. Unlike the FZ100, the 7.5 cm
LCD monitor does not tilt and has 230,000 dot
resolution. The model should be in the stores from
the end of August.
Fine and fast: the Lumix LX5
The new Lumix FZ100
can shoot continuously
at a speed of 11 fps.
Panasonic has also launched the premium compact Lumix DMC-LX5 as the successor to the LX3.
At the heart of the camera is the completely newly designed Leica D Vario Summicron lens with an
extended zoom range of 24 mm super-wide angle
to 90 mm (3.8x). With ten elements in nine groups
(3 aspherical lenses with 5 aspherical surfaces),
it has been developed for connoisseurs and enthusiasts and offers high, even sharpness right
into the corners with particularly low distortion,
especially in the wide-angle range. Compared with
its predecessor, the maximum aperture has been
increased dramatically from f/2.8 to f/2.0. The size
of the CCD image sensor is unchanged at 1/1.63“,
with a resolution of 10 megapixels. This, too, has
been completely redesigned and has much higher
sensitivity and color saturation, as well as a wider
dynamic range. The new lens makes full use of
this image sensor not only through its speed. The
resolution of the lens elements has also been increased by 30 percent compared with its predecessor. When processing the image data, the new
Venus Engine FHD image processor (it differenti-
High-Speed: A spontaneous test on the new Lumix FZ100 showed that, in high-speed mode, the camera can capture not only interesting motion studies, but also spectacular snapshots that
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