Panasonic’s commitment to set a new photographic culture comes in the form of its latest Lumix digital camera range. Showcased recently in Hong Kong, the new models – the DMC-LX3, DMC-FX180, DMC-FX38 and DMC-FZ28 – offer improved ease of use, image rendering, wide-angle features and high-powered zoom and resolution to bring about new possibilities in image capture.

From top: The DMC-LX3, The DMC-FX38, The DMC-FX180 and The DMC-FZ28.

The cameras are easy to operate with the intelligent auto, or iA, mode that automatically activates the Mega optical image stabiliser, intelligent ISO control, intelligent scene selector, intelligent exposure, face detection and AF tracking. All the user needs to do is press the shutter button to capture clear images.

Panasonic also allows full manual control, making the cameras versatile for advanced photography.

The new AF tracking function allows the user to lock in the focus on a moving object, so the cameras are able to automatically track the subject as it moves, keeping it in focus to capture the right moment.

Also noteworthy is the face detection function, which can find up to 15 faces in a frame and adjusts the focus and exposure to capture them clearly.

The cameras can record dynamic high-definition (HD) motion pictures in 1,280 by 720 pixels at a smooth 24 frames per second (fps), wide video graphics array (848 by 480 pixels) and VGA (640 by 480 pixels). For image processing, the models feature the high-speed Panasonic Venus Engine IV.

Panasonic also introduced its latest HD camcorders, the HDC-SD100 and HDC-HS100, which feature the company’s newly developed 3MOS system that is based on 3CCD technology for impressive colour reproduction. With the 3MOS system, the models are now able to capture all the varied hues, tones and shades and render vibrant colours.

To match these camcorders, Panasonic introduced two new SD/SD High Capacity memory cards for video in six-gigabyte and 12GB capacities. The cards support full HD video.

For easy archiving and playback, Panasonic showed off the VW-BN1 DVD burner. This device can be hooked up to the camcorder through a universal serial bus cable and then by pressing the Disc Copy button on the camcorder, transfer all the images to a disc in the VW-BN1. It also enables playback through the camcorder on an HD television.

The DMC-LX3

Part of the LX series, the DMC-LX3 digital compact camera comes two years after its predecessor, the DMC-LX2, gained a huge following among photographers. It sees upgrading to every component that, according to the company, takes away the limitations of a digital camera. In fact, it offers performance that can match that of a digital single-lens reflex camera.

The DMC-LX3 features 10.1 megapixels with a large 1/1.63-inch charge coupled device (CCD) specially developed for this model to reduce picture noise, especially in the low-light parts of an image.

As with all Lumix cameras, the DMC-LX3 continues Panasonic’s partnership with Leica for its lenses. It features a 24-millimetre ultra-wide-angle Leica DC Vario-Summicron lens with maximum zoom of up to 60mm.

Also significant is the F2.0 aperture, which is brighter and can shoot at higher shutter speeds to capture blur-free images even under low lighting situations.

The CCD can reproduce images shot with the lens set from 24mm to 60mm in any of the three aspect ratios of 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. The newly added Multi-aspect Bracketing mode allows the camera to take a picture in all three aspect ratios simultaneously, allowing the photographer to choose the one that best takes advantage of the scene after shooting.

Full range of accessories such as wide conversion lens, ND filter, PL filter, GN22 CompactFlash and external optical viewfinder are supported.

Available in black or silver, the DMC-LX3 is priced at RM1,799.

The DMC-FX38

This stylish compact features 10.1 megapixels, 5X optical zoom and a 25mm Leica DC Vario-Elmarit lens with F2.8 brightness.

To expand photographic possibilities, the DMC-FX38 offers 25 modes, including the new scene mode Pin Hole and Film Grain to create film-camera-like effects, and Transform mode to add special effects on portraits.

The DMC-FX38 is priced at RM1,299.

The DMC-FX180

There is a lot going on in the small body of the DMC-FX180. With a 14.7-megapixel sensor, 28mm wide-angle Leica DC Vario-Elmarit lens featuring F2.8 brightness and 3.6X optical zoom, this Lumix FX Premium Series offering is capable of clear and sharp images.

It also comes with Easy Zoom, which takes the lens to full 3.6X zoom instantly, and Extra Optical Zoom, which provides additional magnification up to 7.7X.

The DMC-FX180 provides easy-to-use manual exposure, which allows the user to choose the shutter speed and capture moving objects with outstanding results.

Besides the regular exposure bracketing, it has a new colour bracketing function that can capture colour, monochromatic and sepia shots of an image at the same time.

Another new feature is the multi-exposure function, which allows the user to create artistic effects by superimposing up to three images.

Packaged with the Silkypix Developer Studio 3.OSE software for editing and developing images in RAW file format, the DMC-FX180 goes for RM1,399.

The DMC-FZ28

Part of Panasonic’s high power zoom series, the DMC-FZ28 features a 27mm wide-angle Leica DC Vario-Elmarit lens with 18X optical zoom. This successor to the DMC-FZ18 also comes with increased resolution of 10.1 megapixels and increased zoom power up to 32.1X with the Extra Optical Zoom function.

The DMC-FZ28 is capable of consecutive shots at a maximum 13fps for subjects in fast motion in High Speed Burst Shooting mode. The newly included Flash Burst mode makes it possible for continuous shooting with continuous emission of flash.

(In Burst Shooting modes, the camera is capable of about 2.5 shots per second at full resolution.)

Bundled with Silkypix Developer Studio 3.OSE and available in either black or silver, the DMC-FZ28 goes for RM1,499.