Firmware version 1.1 for the Panasonic Lumix ZS7 (also known as the Panasonic TZ10 in some markets) includes two changes. Stability of the camera on start-up is said to have been improved, although no details are provided as to what precisely this entails. The Panasonic ZS7 v1.1 firmware also improves performance when using the camera in its optional DMW-MCTZ10 underwater housing with several third-party underwater flash strobes. The ZS7 should now provide a more accurate exposure with the Inon D-2000, S-2000 and Z-240 strobes.

Announced last January, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 has a twelve megapixel image sensor, and a Leica-branded 12x optical zoom lens. For framing and reviewing images, the ZS7 opts for a 3.0" LCD display with 460,000 dot resolution. The Lumix ZS7's standout feature is its built-in GPS receiver, a first for a Panasonic Lumix digital camera. Courtesy of its GPS functionality, the DMC-ZS7 can geotag its images with the location at which they were shot. A couple of other features differentiate the ZS7 from its sibling, the ZS5. The Panasonic ZS7 offers its user the choice of either AVCHD Lite or QuickTime Motion JPEG video compression, and also adds a mini HDMI connector. The DMC-ZS7 includes 15MB of built-in memory, and also accepts SD, SDHC and SDXC cards. Available since mid-March 2010, the Panasonic DMC-ZS7 is available in red and blue variants, priced at around $400. For more details, read our Panasonic ZS7 review.