The company announced several interesting new models in the runup to PMA, all with either a four or five megapixel imager, and all featuring the company's image stabilisation technology. The long-zoom DMC-FZ4 and DMC-FZ5 offer a 12x optical zoom, while the DMC-LZ1 and DMC-LZ2 include a 6x optical zoom, and the DMC-LS1 includes a 3x type. Of the five cameras, the FZ models are the only ones to offer viewfinders of any kind (in both cases, a 1/3" LCD electronic viewfinder), while the remaining cameras all offer only a two-inch LCD display for image preview / review.

Panasonic has new competition in the long-zoom stabilised lens digicam market from Sony's DSC-H1 model, also announced at the show. It will be interesting to see which company's long-zoom cameras can win customers' hearts - and hard-earned money...

Panasonic Booth
Copyright 2005 by The Imaging Resource. All Rights Reserved.

Panasonic Products
Lumix DMC-FZ4
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ4 4.0 Megapixels 12.0x Zoom 35 - 420mm (35mm equivalent) Specs
Lumix DMC-FZ5
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5 5.0 Megapixels 12.0x Zoom 35 - 420mm (35mm equivalent) Specs
Lumix DMC-LS1
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS1 4.0 Megapixels 3.0x Zoom 35 - 105mm (35mm equivalent) Specs
Lumix DMC-LZ1
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ1 4.0 Megapixels 6.0x Zoom 37 - 222mm (35mm equivalent) Specs
Lumix DMC-LZ2
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ2 5.0 Megapixels 6.0x Zoom 37 - 222mm (35mm equivalent) Specs
Copyright 2005 by The Imaging Resource. All Rights Reserved.

Related Coverage

PMA:

• Lumix DMC-FZ4 / DMC-FZ5 announcements
• Lumix DMC-LZ1 / DMC-LZ2 announcements
• Lumix DMC-LS1 announcement