There’s not much I wouldn’t do to get my hands on Panasonic’s behemoth advanced high definition tv. At 150″ diagonally (or 12.5 feet!), Panasonic’s definition is 2160 x 4096 (4x normal high definition). It sucks in 220 volts (twice what average household sockets provide), costs $115,000, and requires a viewing distance of at least ten meters. So, while extremely impractical, Panasonic’s newest TV is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Panasonic’s newest HD Camcorder is now the world’s smallest 3CCD Full HD camcorder at 2.6×2.6×5.3 inches, and 0.75 lbs. With 1,920×1080 30fps recording, revamped image stabilization, and a Leica Dicomar lens, the HDC-SD5 is a perfect camcorder for the on-the-go prosumer. The HDC-SD5 will cost $999.99, and will be available September 15, 2007. You can order it now from Amazon.com.

Camcorder Info notes that the “The Panasonic HDC-SD5 seems to be a solid step in the right direction for Panasonic. An increased LCD resolution, reduced weight, and thoughtful design are all tempting reasons to consider the camcorder. If they could just return the mic jack and add an accessory shoe, we’d be in business.”

NTT DoCoMo will launch the Panasonic P704i Slider Phone in August or September of 2007, available in Ice White, Urban Black, and Rose Gold! This phone’s features include FOMA, a 2.4 inch 260K Colour LCD display, a 2 megapixel camera, support for SD-audio, WMA playback, and a microSD slot. The Panasonic P704i is a tiny 105×51x13.5mm and weighs only 11 grams.

The new Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS2 has a 7.2 megapixel CCD, a 2.5 inch LCD screen, a 3x Leica DC Vario-Elmarit zoom lens, ISO 3200 “high sensitivity” mode, and can record 848 x 480 video at 30fps. The Lumix FS2 will be initially released in Japan during June 2007. The price of the camera is currently unknown.

A new, slim camera from Panasonic is the FX-100 12.2 megapixel camera that takes HD wide screen photos. The FX-100 has 16:9 widescreen still and video capabilities (VGA, WVGA, and wide aspect HD), a 2.5 inch LCD screen, 3.6x digital zoom, a 28 mm wide angle Leica lens, Mega Optical Image Stabilizer (Mega O.I.S.), a SDHC/SD Memory Card Slot, 20 scene modes, and 27 mb of internal memory. It also has anti-shake technology, and might have ISO up to 6400 in burst mode (with the ability to take photos within a lapse of 0.009 seconds). The launch date for the Panasonic FX-100 will be in July, and the camera will be available in black or silver.

Panasonic’s Lumix TZ3 is a 7.2 megapixel digital camera with 10x image stablized optical zoom, a 3.0 inch LCD display, a SD slot, and Optical Image Stabilization (OIS). Cameralabs reviewed the Panasonic Lumix TZ3 digital camera and concluded that, “It’s hard to find cameras to compare the Lumix TZ3 against because it simply represents a unique proposition on the market. After all, while there’s plenty of super-zooms with stabilisation, none can squeeze into a trouser or coat pocket like the TZ3.

The lack of manual control can be annoying for enthusiasts, and the performance at 400 ISO is, like other Panasonic compacts, nothing to be proud of. But these are about the only downsides to the TZ3. Leave your creative options to various scene presets and limit the sensitivity to 100 or 200 ISO and you’ll enjoy some great-looking photos…it’s a highly compelling proposition for anyone who wants the flexibility and power of a long zoom with the carry-everywhere convenience of a compact. And by improving on its predecessor, the TZ3 earns itself our Highly Recommended rating. It may not be perfect, but it sure is good.”

Press Release:

The perfect choice for any photographer with varied photographic needs and high ambitions – Panasonic is pleased to introduce the new DMC-FZ8 7.2-megapixel Lumix camera, featuring a powerful 12x optical zoom, LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT lens and the ever popular and indispensable Optical Image Stabiliser (O.I.S). With a joystick control for manual adjustment of focusing and exposure setting, the DMC-FZ8 offers high end specification and portability.

Bridging the gap between high-end compacts and digital SLRs, Panasonic’s DMC-FZ8 offers a level of control close to that of an SLR, but without the need for interchangeable lenses. Perfect for photographers on the move and families who want to shoot pictures outdoors for example, the FZ8 offers an easy way to enjoy the fun of capturing beautiful digital pictures.

Optical excellence from aperture to zoom

The Lumix DMC-FZ8 is equipped with a 7.2 megapixel CCD and a LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT lens offering a powerful 12x optical zoom (equivalent to 36mm to 432mm on a 35mm film camera) with an aperture of F2.8 to F3.3. If this wasn’t enough, in 3-megapixel resolution mode, the Extra Optical Zoom function uses the centre part of the CCD to provide additional magnification, extending the zoom power to an impressive 18x. Using this feature in combination with the 4x digital zoom brings the total zooming power to a remarkable 72x.

The combination of 11 elements in eight groups, including 3 aspherical lenses generates superior optical performance while maintaining the compactness of the unit.

Shaken not blurred

Panasonic is the first manufacturer to have successfully incorporated Optical Image Stabiliser (OIS) into its compact cameras – a feature strongly appreciated worldwide and now considered to be a standard requirement of photography. O.I.S minimizes the jitter from shaky hands that causes many photos to look blurred. By shifting the O.I.S lens unit to keep the optical axis aligned straight against the CCD, the camera ensures images are captured with supreme clarity and sharpness.

While hand-shake is the single biggest cause of blurry images, it is not the only one. Another problem is the motion blur that can occur when a subject moves as the shot is being taken – particularly common when taking pictures of sports, or young children for example. Building on the success of its predecessor the FZ8 incorporates a new feature designed to resolve motion blur. Intelligent ISO Control detects whether the subject is moving and, as necessary raises the ISO setting and shutter speed according to how fast the subject is moving and the light conditions. This happens automatically, so you can effortlessly shoot without the need to adjust the settings every time the conditions change.

Panasonic Lumix offers solutions for both major causes of blurred images – O.I.S when you are moving, and Intelligent ISO Control when the subject is moving. Thanks to Panasonic, you can now take clear and beautiful images in even the most demanding situations.

The best just keeps getting better!

Heir to the award winning DMC-FZ7, this new addition to the Lumix range has enhanced the excellence of its predecessor not only with the total number of pixels but also with several other innovative technical improvements. A key improvement is the inclusion of Panasonic’s advanced image-processing LSI, Venus Engine III that can record at a sensitivity setting as high as ISO 1250 with full resolution. Noise reduction is also greatly improved, with picture noise removed in stages during image processing. Critical noise is analysed, and chromatic and luminance noise are reduced separately. The chromatic noise, which has greater effect on picture quality, is then selectively suppressed, resulting in clearer images.

Spontaneous moments can easily be captured thanks to a 1.8 second start up time and a 0.005 second shutter release time lag (the time between pressing the button on the camera and the photo being taken). Additionally, the burst shooting mode boasts the capability of sequential shots at a rate of 3 frames per second at full resolution. The unlimited consecutive shooting function allows you to take photos in succession up to the capacity of the memory card or built in memory. Thanks to the energy-efficient Venus Engine III, the FZ8 offers a long battery life, allowing around 380 shots on a single battery charge.

In addition to these technical improvements, the FZ8 also includes a number of user friendly features. For example, the FZ8 is provided with approximately 27MB of built-in memory – perfect for those moments when your SD card is full for that vital shot. The new addition also offers an element of future-proofing by accepting SDHC memory cards – the new SD memory cards with capacity over 2GB – allowing even more digital images to be captured on one card.

So fast, so easy – Auto Focus

The DMC-FZ8 really will work hard to ensure you capture every moment important to you. The various AF methods can be selected according to the shooting environment and the position of the subject: multi, 3 point high-speed, 1-point high speed, 1-point normal-speed and spot. With the 1-point AF method, the auto-focusing area can be chosen from as many as 11 points with the joystick or cursor button. Various group area patterns can also be selected in the new Multi method. As with all high-powered zoom models in the Lumix family, the DMC-FZ8 leads the industry with its short shutter time lag for quick, smooth operation.

Motion pictures at your fingertips

In addition to standard VGA (640×480) motion image recording, the DMC-FZ8 also records stunning full-size movies in wide-aspect VGA (848×480) at 30fps, enabling you to view your recordings on a widescreen television.

Ultimate Control!

Designed with creativity in mind, the FZ8 employs the same intuitive joystick control as appreciated in the FZ7 for manual adjustment of focusing and exposure setting.

To further add to its appeal, the FZ8 can save image data in the RAW file format, which can be edited and developed with the SILKYPIX Developer Studio 2.0SE included software. Using this software, you can freely adjust RAW data settings such as exposure bias and white balance even after shooting – ensuring greater control and greater enjoyment of digital photography.

The DMC-FZ8 packs a wealth of advanced technology and easy-to-use features in a sleek, compact package making it a highly attractive proposition. The DMC-FZ8 will be available from March 2007. For further information, please visit www.panasonic.co.uk/lumix

Panasonic recently introduced their newest camera in thte FZ series: the Lumix DMC-FZ50. This camera is very impressive: 12x optical zoom, 10 megapixel, up to ISO 1600, high resolution CCD for its image sensor, Intelligent ISO Control and advanced image processing LSI Venus Engine III to prevent blurred photographs, and a 2 inch LCD that can flip out 180 degrees.