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Panasonic's Lumix DMC-FX50 digital camera. Courtesy of Panasonic, with modifications by Michael R. Tomkins. Panasonic: Seven megapixel DMC-FX50
By
(Wednesday, July 19, 2006 - 05:36 EDT)

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. - better known by its Panasonic brandname - had today announced its new Lumix DMC-FX50 digital camera, the latest in the company's FX-series lineup.

The DMC-FX50 is based around a seven megapixel imager coupled to a Leica-branded 3.6x optical zoom lens with MEGA O.I.S. image stabilisation, which yields effective focal lengths from 28 - 102mm. ISO sensitivity ranges from 100 to 1250, with the option to extend this to ISO 3200 in high sensitivity mode. In addition, Panasonic has added a new feature dubbed "Intelligent ISO Control", which basically adjusts the ISO sensitivity automatically in order to gain a fast enough shutter speed with which to freeze subject motion and camera shake. Images can be previewed or reviewed on a 3.0" LCD display with a higher than average resolution of 230,000 pixels, but there's unfortunately no optical viewfinder - something which is sadly becoming rather rare on a lot of digicams these days.

The FX50's body has the minimalist styling common on Panasonic's cameras, being almost completely smooth with the exception of controls and a small rectangular trim piece on the front that also serves as a grip for your fingers. Focusing is catered for with a 1, 3, or 9-point autofocus function with AF assist lamp. Exposure modes include a generous eighteen scene modes, including Panasonic's unusual "Baby" modes that allow you to program a date of birth in each, and then have your images tagged with your children's current ages at the time a photo is taken. Exposure variables are determined using an intelligent multiple metering system, and users can tweak the exposure with +/-2.0EV of exposure compensation, in 1/3EV steps. Shutter speeds range from 1/2000 to 60 seconds - quite a bit longer than is common on many digicams - and the DMC-FX50 offers automatic or manual white balance control with four presets, and a custom white balance mode - letting you save white balance measurements for common situations for later recall. The FX50 also includes a built-in five mode flash, with a range of up to four meters at wide angle or two meters at telephoto.

The FX50 offers a higher than average movie resolution of 848 x 480 pixels as seen on some of Panasonic's other recent cameras, as well as lower-resolution 640 x 480 and 320 x 240 pixel options - all of which use the QuickTime MotionJPEG format common on most digicams. The Panasonic DMX-FX50 draws power from a proprietary Lithium Ion rechargeable battery pack, and records images on Secure Digital or MultiMedia cards (with a not-so-generous 16MB card in the product bundle - plan to buy a larger card straight away). In addition, the FX50 supports the new SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) standard, which extends the maximum capacity to a theoretical 32GB (4GB cards being the largest at the time of this writing), with sustained transfer rates of up to six megabytes per second. There's also both USB computer connectivity, and an NTSC / PAL switcheable video output to show your images on a TV, with the necessary cables included. An Arcsoft software collection rounds out the product bundle.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX50 will ship in September, priced at $400.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX50
Panasonic's Lumix DMC-FX50 digital camera. Courtesy of Panasonic, with modifications by Michael R. Tomkins. Click for a bigger picture!
General
Camera TypeCompact
ManufacturerPanasonic
Model NumberDMC-FX50
Dimensions3.8 x 2.2 x 1.0"
97.7 x 57.1 x 25.1mm
Weight179.0 g
6.3 oz
Planned Price$399.95
Planned AvailabilitySep 2006
Image Capture
Sensor Type1/2.5" CCD
7.38 megapixels (total)
7.20 megapixels (effective)
Filter TypeRGBG
Aspect Ratio4:3, 16:9
Image Dimensions3072 x 2304 (7.1 megapixels)
3072 x 2048 (6.3 megapixels)
3072 x 1728 (5.3 megapixels)
2560 x 1920 (4.9 megapixels)
2048 x 1536 (3.1 megapixels)
2048 x 1360 (2.8 megapixels)
1920 x 1080 (2.1 megapixels)
1280 x 960 (1.2 megapixels)
Capture SpeedContinuous: 3.0 frames per second for 6 frames
Image Quality2 levels
Image Preview / Review
ViewfinderNo
LCD3.0", 230,000 pixels
100% field of view
Playback Zoom8.0x max
Lens
Lens TypeLEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT
3.6x optical zoom
Image StabilizationYes
Focal Length4.6 - 16.8mm (actual)
28 - 102mm (35mm equivalent)
Aperture RangeWide: F2.8 / F8.0; Tele: F5.6 / F16
Focusing System1-point, 1-point high speed, 3-point high speed, 9-point, Spot with AF assist lamp
Focusing RangeNormal: 20" - infinity (50 cm - infinity)
Macro: 2.0" - infinity (5.0 cm - infinity)
Exposure
ISO SensitivityAuto, Intelligent ISO, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1250, 3200* (high sensitivity mode)
Shutter Speed60 - 1/2000 second
Exposure ModesProgram
Metering ModesIntelligent Multiple
Exposure Compensation+/- 2.0EV in 1/3EV increments
White BalanceImage Sensor - Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Shade, Halogen, White Set, Manual
Internal FlashModes: Auto, Auto/Red-eye Reduction, Slow Sync./Red-eye Reduction, Forced On, Forced Off
Range: Wide: 0.6 - 4.0m; Tele: 0.3 - 2.0m
Creative
Scene ModesPortrait, Soft Skin, Scenery, Sports, Night Portrait, Night Scenery, Self-portrait, Food, Party, Candle, Fireworks, Starry Sky, Baby1, Baby2, Snow, High Sensitivity, Aerial photo, Beach
Digital Zoom4x
Self TimerYes, 2 or 10 seconds
Movie FormatQuickTime Motion JPEG with audio
848x480 and 640x480
Max. frame-rate: 30 frames per second
Storage
Recording MediumSD/MMC, SDHC
File SystemComplies with Design Rule for Camera File System (DCF)
File FormatJPEG (EXIF 2.2)
Connectivity
VideoYes, NTSC / PAL switchable
ComputerUSB 1.1
OtherDC In
Power
Battery TypeLithium Ion rechargeable
Battery Form FactorProprietary
Product Bundle
SoftwareLUMIX Simple Viewer, ArcSoft PhotoBase, ArcSoft PhotoImpression, ArcSoft Panorama Maker, USB Driver
Battery / Charger1 x Proprietary Lithium Ion rechargeable battery and charger
Flash Memory16.0MB Secure Digital Card
Other
Digital Print Order Format (DPOF) compliantYes
PictBridge CompliantYes
Internal MicrophoneYes
Internal SpeakerYes
 

Original Source Press Release:

PANASONIC INTRODUCES THREE NEW FX SERIES LUMIX DIGITAL STILL CAMERAS FEATURING WORLD'S FIRST INTELLIGENT ISO CONTROL

Latest Additions To The Popular Sleek & Slim Line Offer Large LCD Screens and Revolutionary Intelligent Image Stabilization With MEGA O.I.S.

SECAUCUS, N.J. (July 19, 2006) – Panasonic today introduced the new LUMIX 7.2-megapixel DMC-FX50 and DMC-FX07 digital still cameras, and also the 6-megapixel DMC-FX3, the world’s first* to feature Intelligent ISO Control (IIC) to correct image blurriness caused by movement of the subject matter. The FX50 will have an MSRP of $399.95, the FX07 will have an MSRP of $349.95 and the FX3 will have an MSRP of $279.95.

All three models offer Panasonic’s exclusive MEGA Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) technology which reduces blurry photos caused by unsteady hands. The FX50 and FX07 give consumers superior lens quality in a compact camera with a 28mm wide angle f/2.8 LEICA DC lens with 3.6x optical zoom (equivalent to 28mm to 102mm on a 35mm film camera) which will allow users to enjoy the benefit of a wide angle lens when shooting indoor group portraits, expansive landscapes, or architectural scenes. The FX3 features an equivalent 35 mm lens with 3x optical zoom.

“Smart design, sleek form factor and powerful automatic features guided Panasonic’s engineers when they developed the FX series of LUMIX digital cameras,” said Rich Campbell, Director, Digital Imaging, Panasonic Corporation of North America. “And packed into the FX50 and FX07 is our new cutting edge Intelligent ISO Control technology, which focuses on the one thing the user can’t always control: subject movement.”

Panasonic’s MEGA O.I.S. is in the entire line of LUMIX cameras. And the FX50 and FX07 signal the debut of the next step in photographic technology with Panasonic’s revolutionary new Intelligent ISO Control (IIC) feature. IIC allows high sensitivity recording at full resolution (1250 ISO maximum) within the advanced image processing LSI Venus Engine III. When set to the IIC, the Venus Engine III detects the subject’s movement and adjusts the ISO setting and shutter speed to best suit the subject movement and the light condition automatically. Panasonic’s image stabilizing system allows users to take clear, crisp images in any situation, leaving everything to the camera. The FX3 features a maximum ISO 1600 high sensitivity mode for capturing images of fast-moving objects.

The FX50 features a new 3-inch LCD while the FX07 offers a more compact size with a 2.5-inch LCD. The FX50 allows dual image playback, enabling the user to see and compare any two images at a time. It also allows selection of up to nine sequential frames from a captured motion image file to be displayed as thumbnails and saved as still images. The FX3 also has a large, crisp 2.5-inch LCD.

All three cameras come with multiple scene modes that make it simple to capture great images in all kinds of shooting conditions, such as night portrait, party, food, sports, and the ever popular Baby Mode, which lets the user set a birth date for a child and automatically capture the age each time a picture is taken.

The FX50 will be available in silver or black. The FX07 will come in silver, black, blue, or red, each with a specially textured finish. The FX3 will come in black or silver. All three models will begin shipping this September.

About Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company
Based in Secaucus, N.J., Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company is a Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. (NYSE: MC) and the hub of Panasonic's U.S. marketing, sales, service and R&D operations. Information about Panasonic products is available at www.panasonic.com. Additional company information for journalists is available at www.panasonic.com/pressroom.

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