January 27th, 2009

Panasonic today introduced the Lumix DMC-ZS3 and DMC-ZS1, both members of the new ZS-Series, the successor to the acclaimed Lumix TZ-Series.

The Panasonic Lumix ZS3 (known as the DMC-TZ7 in some countries) features 10.1-megapixels, a 25mm ultra-wide-angle lens and 12x optical zoom, meaning it has added 2x optical zoom compared to its predecessor the Lumix DMC-TZ5, yet reduced its size. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 also features a new High Definition (HD) advanced video recording ability, known as AVCHD Lite.

The Lumix ZS3 / TZ7 is the world’s first digital camera to feature HD video recording in “AVCHD Lite”. Compared with the conventional Motion JPEG format, AVCHD Lite allows longer recordings with HD visual and audio quality. This combined with a dedicated movie recording button on the camera’s back panel, makes the ZS3 a hybrid model that should perform well for both still and motion image capture.

The Panasonic Lumix ZS1 / TZ6 also features a 25mm ultra-wide angle, 12x powerful optical zoom. Distinguishing it from the Lumix ZS3, the Panasonic ZS1 features a 10.1 megapixel CCD, a standard iA mode(no Face Recognition) for still image recording and a 2.7-inch, 230,000-dot Intelligent LCD compared to a larger and higher resolution 3.0-inch 460,000-dot Intelligent LCD on the ZS3.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 will be available in silver, black, blue and red in the US for a suggested retail price (SRP) of $399.95, while the DMC-ZS1 will be available in black and silver for an SRP of $299.95 US.

In Canada the manufacturer's recommended retail price (MSRP) for the Lumix DMC-ZS3 is $499 while the Panasonic Lumix ZS1 will retail for $399 Canadian. Both models will be available in April 2009.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 (TZ7) in black

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 / TZ7 Major Features

The Panasonic Lumix ZS3 / TZ7 features a high-quality Leica DC Vario Elmar 25mm ultra-wide-angle lens with a 12x optical zoom. A lens like this, with a range from 25mm to 300mm in 35mm film equivalence, is almost inconceivable in such a small, lightweight camera. The Extra Optical Zoom function that extends zoom power to 21.4x (at 3-megapixel resolution) by using the center part of the large CCD to bring subjects even closer without deteriorating the image quality.

The Lumix ZS3 has a 12-megapixel CCD and shoots with up to 10-megapixel resolution. This is because the CCD on the ZS3 is multi-aspect that can reproduce images shot with the lens set from 25mm to 300mm in any of three aspect ratios - 4:3, 3:2 or 16:9 - so you can always capture dynamic, richly expressive shots with a wide perspective. The Multi Aspect mode lets you to take an image in all three aspect ratios simultaneously then choose the one that best suits your scene after shooting.

Including features more commonly seen in camcorders, such as stereo microphone, a wind cut function to block out most of the noise from the back ground wind and audio sampling 48kHz – the Lumix ZS3 / TZ7 is a true hybrid – a single model that performs as both a camera and a camcorder. Not forgetting ease of use, Panasonic has paid particular attention to easy operation in both modes through features such as an independent movie recording button.

HD Motion Recording AVCD Lite for Long Recording of HD Motion Images

In addition to Motion JPEG images, the Panasonic Lumix ZS3 / TZ7 can record high-definition motion picture in AVCHD Lite. It features almost doubling the recording time in HD quality compared with the conventional Motion JPEG format. The ZS3 / TZ7 also features Dolby Digital Stereo Creator to record high quality audio, so you can match the beautiful motion images with outstanding stereo sound.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 / TZ7 also carries over 16 different scene modes in movie recording. In AVCHD Lite recording, you can select from three levels of motion image quality: SH (17 Mbps), H (13 Mbps) and L (9 Mbps).

Intelligent Auto Mode

Improved on the Lumix DMC-ZS3 / TZ7, the Panasonic exclusive iA (Intelligent Auto mode) is now also available in motion image recording. In this mode the following technologies apply; the Optical Image Stabilizer (O.I.S.) helps prevent handshake when using high-powered zoom. Face Detection automatically detects a face in the frame and adjusts focus, exposure, contrast, and skin complexion accordingly. Intelligent Exposure continually checks the ambient light level and adjusts the exposure setting as conditions change to prevent blown highlights and blocked shadows. And Intelligent Scene Selector automatically switches between Normal, Portrait, Macro, Scenery, and Low Light modes according to the situation to optimize visual quality.

Newly added Face Recognition

With the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 / TZ7, taking great photos is easy. Panasonic's Intelligent Auto mode is further advanced in the new ZS3 / TZ7 camera with the inclusion of AF tracking and Face Recognition feature – a function that ‘remembers faces’.

When a familiar face is recorded several times, the camera will prompt you to register the face. Once complete, if the familiar face appears into your frame again, the camera will display the name you specified for that person and prioritize focus and exposure so that the registered face is bright and in sharp focus. Perfect for group shots for example – this new feature will give auto focus and auto exposure priority to a single person, ensuring their loved ones face will be captured beautifully.

During registration, you can change the icon that indicates when the registered subject is in focus – for example you can attach a love heart to your partner. You can also manually register a persons details and the camera will remember them whenever you take a photo.

To further add to its appeal, you can also specify the age of the registered subject and have both the name and the age of the subject stamped onto your photos. When babies under 3 years-old are registered, the camera will automatically switch to Baby mode if the baby appears into the frame. In playback, you can choose to display only photos that contain a specific registered face using Category Playback – so you can search for all photos of your Cousin Jennie, for example - perfect for compiling a surprise birthday collage.

You can also view image slideshows of only a selected person. Face recognition makes sorting archiving incredibly easy. This advanced face detection system also digitally corrects unwanted red-eye during recording.

With AF Tracking, the DMC-ZS3 can lock onto any subject and keep it in focus even if it moves – making it easy to get beautiful, clear shots when a great photo opportunity suddenly arises. Simply aim, lock, and shoot.

The Quick AF system helps keep focus on the subject while the camera is in recording mode even before pressing the shutter button. The user can activate all of these useful, convenient shooting-assist functions by simply selecting iA mode.

Venus Engine HD

The high-speed, high-performance Venus Engine HD has been re-engineered in the DMC-ZS3 to support the recording of high-definition motion images in AVCHD Lite. With its twin CPUs, Venus Engine HD boasts approx. 2.4x processing capability, improving the speed of camera operations.

In image processing, luminance noise and chromatic noise are reduced separately before and after signal processing. This is further refined by separating noise two-dimensionally into high-frequency and low-frequency noise. The circuits then effectively reduce only the low-frequency noise to minimize the unwanted noise and help produce beautiful, sharp still and motion images when shooting at higher sensitivity ISO settings.

The shutter release time lag is as short as approx. 0.006 seconds, making it easy to capture sudden, spur-of-the-moment photo opportunities. In burst shooting mode, the DMC-ZS3 can snap approx. 2.3 shots per second at 10.1-megapixel full resolution. In High-Speed Burst shooting mode, it fires off an incredible approx. 10 shots per second . Unlimited consecutive shooting is also available to let you shoot until the memory card is full. Newly added Flash Burst mode makes it possible to take consecutive shots with continuous emissions of the flash.

In addition, the high performance engine is also more energy efficient compared with the conventional Venus Engine IV, extending the battery life up to 300 shots (CIPA) per a single charge.

Intelligent LCD Super High Resolution LCD for Easy Playback

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 / TZ7 is equipped with a 3.0-inch, 460,000-dot Intelligent LCD with high resolution and a wide viewing angle. The screen brightness automatically adjusts in 11 steps as the surrounding brightness level changes, ensuring easy visibility. The big screen reflects fine details, making it easy to check the focus before shooting. It also serves as a small photo and video viewer, allowing the user and friends to enjoy viewing the still and motion images together.

Menus are now cleaner and easier to navigate, even for seniors, thanks to the new "Display Size" option. Thanks to the Venus Engine HD, smooth image playback at very high speeds is now available, approx.17x faster for thumbnails and approx. 4x for single images even when the image resolution is as high as 12.1-megapixels.

The Lumix ZS3 / TZ7 offers a Mode Playback feature which allows you to choose playing back ‘only still images’, ‘only motion images’, or ‘both’. When choosing to playback ‘only motion images’, you can even select to playback AVCHD Lite and Motion JPEG videos separately. Images and videos can be played back together with a seamless effect and background music in the new Slideshow Mode. Using an optional mini HDMI cable, you share your slideshows in HD video and audio quality on your HDTV with your family and friends.

Lumix DMC-ZS3 / TZ7 Scenes Modes for Motion Images Too

Designed with users in mind, the scene modes, which are optimized for a variety of still-image shooting situations, are now available for motion images as well. Thanks to a rich variety of 27 scene modes for still image and 17 for motion image (Portrait, Soft Skin, Transform, Self portrait, Scenery, Low light, Food, Party, Candle light, Sunset, Beach, Snow, Aerial, High Sensitivity, Pin hole, Film grain and Underwater), capturing beautiful videos is effortless with the Lumix ZS3.

The new scene mode for shooting still images includes the Panorama Assist mode, which allows you to create powerful panoramic images - both vertically and horizontally. Simply align your shots according to a guide which overlaps the frame when you shoot, then use the included PanoramaMaker software to create your panorama images.

The mode dial comes with two My Scene settings. Users can assign a specific scene mode to each setting and switch instantly between modes when desired.

The minimum shooting distance has been shortened to 3 cm on the Panasonic Lumix ZS3. With the new Macro Zoom function, the user can pull subjects even closer with the wide-angle setting using 3x digital zoom, and capture dramatic close-ups.

With such superior lens specifications and functionality, you’d be forgiven for thinking the ZS3 / TZ7 was quite bulky. Not the case. In fact, the ZS3 / TZ7 is smaller and lighter than its predecessors, making it effortlessly easy to take on your travels. Enjoy stunning photos and HD videos from 25mm wide angle to 12x telephoto – the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 / TZ7 looks like an ideal travel partner delivering higher end performance in a pocket sized camera body.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 / TZ6 Major Features

Panasonic DMC-ZS1 (TZ6) back. No movie button versus DMC-ZS3

Ultra Wide Angle Lens with 12x Optical Zoom

The 10 megapixel Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 / TZ6 features a high-quality Leica DC Vario Elmar 25mm ultra-wide-angle lens with a 12x optical zoom. A lens like this, with a range from 25mm to 300mm in 35mm film equivalence, is almost inconceivable in such a small, lightweight camera. Comprising 10 elements in 8 groups, including 2 ED lenses and 2 aspherical lenses with 3 aspherical surfaces, and utilizing new lens material in its design, this advanced lens unit realizes the outstandingly slim and compact body while passing Leica's stringent standards to deliver exceptional optical performance. The Extra Optical Zoom function that extends zoom power to 21.4x (at 3-megapixel resolution) by using the center part of the large CCD to bring subjects even closer without deteriorating the image quality.

Intelligent Auto Mode

This mode is further advanced with the inclusion of the AF tracking and Intelligent Exposure feature for the DMC-ZS1 / TZ6. Furthermore, digital red-eye correction is also integrated in the Face Detection.

In iA mode the camera does all the work, activating AF tracking, Intelligent Exposure, Face Detection, Intelligent Scene Selector, Mega O.I.S. (optical image stabilizer), and Intelligent ISO Control. This leaves the user free to simply compose the shot and press the shutter button.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 (TZ6) in Silver

With the new AF Tracking function, the user can "lock" the focus onto a moving subject. The camera then automatically tracks the subject as it moves, keeping it in focus without the user having to hold the shutter button halfway down. This makes it easier to capture the perfect moment when shooting images of a child, pet, sports or any scene with moving subjects and spur-of-the-moment action.

Intelligent Exposure suppresses blocked shadows and blown highlights to capture images that look natural and true-to-life. It now features an automatic backlight compensation function that activates whenever the camera detects that the light source is behind the subject.

Face detection accuracy has been increased in the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 / TZ6 to now provide continuous adjustment of the focus and exposure even if the face is turned sideways to the camera. Combined with AF Tracking, Face Detection helps users capture special moments, including the fleeting expressions on the faces of active children. Plus, with the DMC-ZS1, the red-eye effect can be digitally corrected automatically when it occurs due to the use the flash.

Intelligent Scene Selector automatically selects whichever of 5 scene modes - Macro, Portrait, Scenery, Night Portrait, and Night Scenery - best suits the shooting situation. The Quick AF system allows the camera to keep focus on the subject while the camera is in recording mode even before pressing a shutter button.

In addition to the advanced functions mentioned above, the iA mode inherits fundamental functions users need in a good digital still camera. These include MEGA O.I.S., which prevents blurring from hand-shake, and Intelligent ISO Control, which prevents motion blur by adjusting the ISO sensitivity if the subject moves as the shot is taken. The MEGA O.I.S. conventionally has mode 1 and 2, and now it has AUTO mode to select the suitable one between the modes according to the zoom ratio being used.

The user can activate all of these useful functions by simply pressing an independent iA button on the top of the camera, which is newly equipped for direct activation.

High Performance Venus Engine IV

The image-processing LSI, Venus Engine IV, features advanced signal processing technology for rendering high quality images. Incorporated in the DMC-ZS1, the Venus Engine IV supports a fast response time making it easier to capture spur-of-the-moment photo opportunities. And in High-Speed Burst shooting mode, (1) it fires off an incredible 6.5 shots per second. You also get unlimited consecutive shooting, (2) which lets you keep shooting until the memory card is full. The Venus Engine IV also supports a High Sensitivity mode that lets the DMC-TZ6 record at a setting of up to ISO 6400, sensitive enough to capture subjects in near-total darkness without using a flash. (3)

(1) In 3-megapixel(4:3), 2.5-megapixel(3:2), 2-megapixel(16:9) recording
(2) The consecutive shooting speed varies with the memory card, image size, and image compression mode. The number of shots depends on the memory card size, battery life, image size and image compression mode.
(3) In 3-megapixel(4:3), 2.5-megapixel(3:2), 2-megapixel(16:9) recording

Bright and Beautiful Motion Pictures

Not only can you capture beautiful still images – the Panasonic Lumix ZS1 / TZ6 also records motion images – WVGA (848x480), VGA(640x480), QVGA(320x240) - at 30 frames per second. The WVGA (4) motion picture also fits a wide-screen (16:9) TV perfectly to offer impressive viewing.

Perfect for all occasions, the small Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 / TZ6 offers a host of features and easily slips into your pocket. Available from April 2009, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 / TZ6 will be available in a choice of black or silver.

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