Panasonic's point-and-shoot bonanza

(Credit: Panasonic)

Call them refreshes, call them line extensions, or simply call them new, Panasonic announced six snapshot cameras Tuesday with a handful of unique features that'll hopefully have you running with your wallet out to buy one come April.

Joining the two, Lumix FS-series and LS-series cameras announced earlier in January are the FX48 (12 megapixel; 5x 25mm wide-angle lens); the FX580 (12 megapixel; 5x 25mm wide-angle lens; touch-screen); the FS25 (12 megapixel; ultracompact; 5x 29mm wide-angle lens); the ZS3 (10 megapixel; 12x 25mm wide-angle lens; AVCHD Lite 720p HD movie mode); the ZS1 (10 megapixel; 12x 25mm wide-angle lens); and the TS1 (12 megapixel; 4.6x 28mm wide-angle lens; AVCHD Lite 720p HD movie mode; shockproof/waterproof/dustproof).

Features scattered about on the models include a new Face Recognition mode, which instead of just detecting faces can actually be programmed to remember individual faces and will adjust focus and exposure accordingly, 720p HD movie capture branded AVCHD Lite, dual-CPU image processing, and wider, longer lenses.

Hit the links below to get more details on which camera does what and slideshows for each model.

Panasonic touch-screen camera gets megapixel bump

Play rough in HD with Panasonic's TS1 camera

Panasonic FX48 camera both wide and slim

Thin body, wide lens, big screen: the Panasonic Lumix FS25

Panasonic megazoom gets 'new' HD video format

Play rough in HD with Panasonic's TS1 camera

(Credit: Panasonic)

Panasonic's no stranger to shockproof and waterproof devices, but the new Lumix DMC-TS1 is the first of its rugged cameras to feature AVCHD Lite, which is branding for 720p video. Aside from being a 12.1-megapixel pocket camera with a 28mm wide-angle lens with a 4.6x optical zoom, the TS1 is waterproof to a depth of 10 feet, shockproof from falls up to 5 feet, and dustproof.

The $399.95 camera available in April in silver, green, or orange models will also feature many of Panasonic's Intelligent Auto (iA) operations that automatically adjust things like ISO, contrast, focus, and exposure. Plus, it'll have the company's latest iA feature, face recognition, which "remembers" faces from previous shots so it can prioritize focus and exposure for them when in frame. The iA features are now available in both still and movie modes.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1

Panasonic FX48 camera both wide and slim

(Credit: Panasonic)

Coming to a store near you (or possibly far if you shop online) in April is the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48, an ultracompact camera with a wide-angle 5x f2.8-5.9 25-125mm-equivalent lens. The 12.1-megapixel camera also has the company's Mega O.I.S. optical image stabilization and new face recognition technology.

Yes, that's right, face recognition--not detection. As part of Panasonic's suite of Intelligent Auto features, the system allows you to register a face once it's been shot several times. It'll then pop up the name of registered faces when they appear in the frame, and then prioritize those people for focus and exposure. If it's a child less than three-years-old is the subject, it'll automatically switch to Baby scene mode.

Available in silver and black, it'll sell for $349.95.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48

Panasonic touch-screen camera goes wide-angle

(Credit: Panasonic)

The new Lumix DMC-FX580 is a lot like the FX48 (that Panasonic also announced Tuesday). Both are 12.1-megapixel cameras with a wide-angle 5x f2.8-5.9 25-125mm-equivalent lens with optical image stabilization. Many other features are the same, too. Well, except for one big one: the FX580 has a 3.0-inch touch screen.

A refresh of the FX500, the FX580 has what Panasonic calls a "hybrid operating system" letting you use a standard cursor key system for some settings, while leaving shooting options for touch control. Things such as adjusting white balance or selecting subjects to focus on are done by touching the screen.

You'll also find all of Panasonic's Intelligent Auto features including the new facial recognition system, which allows you to register frequently snapped faces with names so that the camera will properly expose and focus on who's important.

Look for it in April in black and silver for $399.99.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX580

Thin body, wide lens, big screen: the Panasonic Lumix FS25

(Credit: Panasonic)

For the reasonably low price of $249.95 this April, Panasonic will be offering up a 12.1-megapixel ultracompact camera with a 5x f3.3-5.9 29-145mm-equivalent lens, a large, 3.0-inch LCD that automatically adjusts to lighting conditions, and optical image stabilization.

Dubbed the Lumix DMC-FS25, it's the top-of-the-line camera in the company's slim-and-stylish FS series. The camera, which will be available in gold, silver, and black, is loaded up with Panasonic's Intelligent Auto (iA) features including autofocus tracking, exposure, ISO, and scene selection control, and face detection (but sadly not the new face recognition system).

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS25

Panasonic megazoom gets new HD video format

(Credit: Panasonic)

At only 1.3-inches thick, it's pretty great that Panasonic was able to pack in a 12x optical zoom to its new 10.1-megapixel Lumix DMC-ZS3 and DMC-ZS1 cameras. The lens is wide angle to boot at 25mm. But the bigger draw for some will be the fact that it's the world's first camera to feature 720p video recorded in AVCHD Lite. (Since Panasonic jointly developed the format with Sony, I'm willing to take its word for it being a first.)

The new cameras replace the TZ-series megazoom camera that featured a 28mm lens with 10x optical zoom. The ZS1 has a lot in common with its line mate, but the ZS3 gets more of Panasonic's new technologies, such as its facial recognition system, which allows you to register frequently snapped faces with names so that the camera will properly expose and focus on who's important. It has 26 scene modes for photos and 17 scene modes for video.

Also, the camera is driven by dual image processors to manage the load of HD recording and its HDMI output. There was no mention if the 12x zoom works while shooting video (my money is on "yes" though), but it does support the use of Panasonic's Mega O.I.S. optical image stabilization.

The ZS3 will sell for $399.95 and comes in red, blue, black, and silver. The ZS1 (available in black and silver) is $100 cheaper at $299.95, but loses the AVCHD Lite, drops down to a 230,000-dot, 2.7-inch LCD (from a 3.0-inch LCD with 460,000 dots on the ZS3), and doesn't have the face recognition system. Look for them in April.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 and DMC-ZS1

Safari Leica M8 goes for a mere $10,000

he Safari Leica M8 with matching case and 28mm F2.8 Summicron.

(Credit: foto-konijnenberg.nl)

Leica has a reputation for making some of the world's finest cameras and lenses, as well as some of the most expensive shooters. Even now, its film-based rangefinder snapper, the M6, still costs approximately $1,500.

The German company's only digital rangefinder, the M8, has been given a makeover and a new price tag. The normal black or silver version of the M8 costs $6,500, but the luxury green iteration is going to set you back $10,000. With the ongoing recession, it's hard to see just who would splurge on such a premium camera.

However, collectors should rejoice at the package: It comes with a matching canvas/leather carrying case and 28mm F2.8 Summicron lens. But for most of us commoners, this shooter is way out of our league.

(Source: Crave Asia)