Panasonic, the leading global manufacturer of consumer electronics, has announced that it has recently launched its latest line-up of digital and video cameras in the Gulf in a move to enhance its position in a regional consumer electronics sector that is expected to achieve AED 18.35 billion in sales in 2008.
Leading Panasonic’s pioneering photo and video offerings is its upcoming Lumix G-series of digital cameras, which will capture images in HD format. Starting off the line is the 12.1 Megapixel Lumix DMC-G1, the world’s first camera to include digital interchangeable lends based on the new Micro 4/3 Systems Standard. Its configuration combines the simplicity of point-and-shoot compact cameras with the high image quality of digital single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras, and features a unique mirror-less structure that makes the Lumix G1 lighter and more compact compared to conventional digital SLRs.
The 10.1 megapixel DMC-LX3 is the long-awaited successor to the popular LX2 and the latest in Panasonic’s LX series of high-end, compact digital still cameras. Its bright F2.0 Summicron lens ensures superb rendering of colours and detail even in low light conditions. The DMC-LX3 is expected to extend the line’s global popularity among both professional and serious amateur photographers in terms of superior image rendering and functionality and its innovative triple-wide system comprising wide-angle lens to the Middle East’s growing number of photography enthusiasts.
“We are confident that these products will be warmly received by Arab consumers as well as consumers from the Indian sub-continent, who are renowned for their passion for the preservation of heritage, culture and identity. We have engineered our latest camera and video offerings to be both technologically superior and extremely-user friendly, so that amateur and professional photogs alike can concentrate more on the subject rather than their tools without fear of compromising quality and productivity,” says Hitesh Ojha, Product Manager, Panasonic Marketing Middle East FZE.
Two cameras extending the LUMIX FX range, the 14.7 megapixel FX180 and the 10.1 megapixel FX38, are likewise expected to attract the region’s photo enthusiasts. The FX180 includes a 28mm wide-angle lens and 3.6x optical zoom, while the FX38 is fitted with a 25mm ultra-wide-angle Leica DC lens and 5x optical zoom. Both products feature a trendy and stylish design and Panasonic’s new high-speed, high-performance image processing system, the revolutionary Venus Engine IV.
Panasonic’s recent expansion of its popular FZ series, the 10.1 megapixel DMC-FZ28 digital still camera, is built with a 27mm wide-angle Leica lens with a high-powered 18x optical zoom. The camera, specially designed to both easily pull in subjects from far away and take dramatic close-up pictures, is a preferred choice for nature photography and a must for capturing the Middle East’s unique flora and fauna and its majestic landscapes. Featuring a sensor that allows consumers to takes shots in its 13 frames-per-second high speed burst shooting mode, makes this camera ideal for sports photography.
All these camera offerings feature Panasonic’s industry-leading Intelligent Auto function, which activates Mega Optical Image Stabilizer, Intelligent ISO Control, Intelligent Scene Selector, Face Detection, and Intelligent Exposure. This advanced automated setting enables the consistent capturing of beautiful pictures with the precision of a professional.
Rounding off Panasonic’s image capturing equipment are the 60GB SDHC HS100 and the SDHC-only SD100 camcorders, which both include a new sensor technology called 3MOS which efficiently handles low lighting. Common features of the devices are full 1920 x 1080 recording, Leica-made Dicomar lens, 12x optical zoom, HD Advanced Pure Color Engine. The more advanced HS100 internally records in AVHCD (H.264) at a length of 7 hours and 40 minutes and an hour on an 8GB SDHC card. It is also bundled with the HDMI 1.3 HD Writer video editing software.
