Panasonic has posted the first firmware update for its DMC-G1 Micro Four-Thirds camera. The update is said to improve the AE Lock and MF Assist features, along with the overall performance. It also lets the user make color adjustments to the camera's LCD and EVF.
This follows on from the firmware update for Panasonic DMC-LX3 that was made available for download yesterday. We will update our LX3 review with the latest version as soon as we get a moment.
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Review by Mike Pasini and Stephanie BoozerThe Panasonic FX500 breaks new ground for the company, being the first Lumix-series digital camera to include a touch-screen LCD display. This not only helps keep the number of external control buttons on the Panasonic FX500 to a minimum, but also helps to free up space for a larger-than-most 3-inch LCD panel with 230,000 pixels of resolution.
The Panasonic FX500 touch-screen has some pretty nifty tricks up its sleeve, too. For example, in Record mode you can tap the picture anywhere (a stylus is included for accuracy) and the autofocus and autoexposure systems will focus on the specific portion of the image you selected. You can also adjust the aperture and shutter speeds in the relevant modes by dragging the Panasonic FX500's on-screen sliders. In Playback mode, you can even add titles to your images with an on-screen keyboard!
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The Lumix DMC-LX3 is Panasonic's newest high-end point-and-shoot camera. Marked by an eye-catching retro aesthetic, the LX3 is designed with photo enthusiasts and professionals firmly in mind. Priced at $500, the camera is armed with the new 1/1.63” CCD sensor, and is meant to deliver lower noise and better low light results. Did it manage to live up to this goal? How did it perform on the rest of our rigorous testing?Read more >>
A little over a month ago, Panasonic made big waves in the digital camera world with their announcement (along with Olympus) of the Micro FourThirds standard. Today, the first camera to use the m4/3 standard has arrived: the Lumix DMC-G1. Since it doesn't have a mirror, it can't be called a digital SLR. Instead, Panasonic is calling it a digital interchangeable lens camera. I had a chance to use the G1 a few weeks ago, and I'll share my impressions with you, right after I go over the specs:
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The Panasonic FS3 is based around an 8.1 megapixel image sensor and a Leica DC Vario-Elmarit branded F2.8 - F5.1 3x zoom with optical stabilization. Images are framed and reviewed on a 2.5" LCD display with 230,000 pixel resolution, and stored on SD / SDHC / MMC cards or the camera's own 50MB built-in memory. Power comes from a proprietary Lithium Ion battery pack, rated for some 330 shots on a charge (CIPA standard testing with 50% flash usage at room temperature). Additional Panasonic FS3 features and details (adapted from the press release):
The DMC-FS3 features a new image-processing LSI, the Venus Engine IV, which contains a more advanced signal processing technology for rendering higher-quality images and produces a faster response time. In addition, the camera boasts the new Intelligent LCD, meaning the 2.5-inc LCD screen detects the lighting condition and controls the brightness level to offer optimal clarity in any situation, whether dark or light; indoors or outdoors.
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Panasonic introduced four new Lumix cameras today, and the most interesting one (to me, at least) is the DMC-LX3. Those of you who remember the "good old days" of cameras with fast lenses will be pleased to see these specs: Read more >>
