Panasonic's new Lumix features ultra-wide-angle lens

One of the cameras that caught our attention at the recent Panasonic product launch in Las Vegas is the FX36 (also known as the FX35 in the US). Not only does it feature 720p High-Definition (HD) video recording and optional component video output, it also comes equipped with a 25mm ultra-wide-angle lens.

As its name suggests, wide-angle lenses generally allow a camera to capture a wider angle of view. However, most compact cameras in the market today feature up to only 28mm wide-angle lenses. The FX36 is possibly one of the first ultracompact cameras fitted with a 25mm ultra-wide-angle lens, allowing it to shoot almost twice as much as a standard 35mm camera. According to a Panasonic spokesperson, the installation of the 25mm lens in a slim body is possible due to a new Panasonic lens technology.

The 10.1-megapixel FX36 also comes with Panasonic's Intelligent Auto mode, Digital Red Eye Correction (corrects red-eye problems), Intelligent Exposure (automatically brightens dark areas in an image) and Intelligent LCD function (automatically adjusts the screen brightness according to light conditions). It is powered by the new Venus Engine IV image processor which boasts an improvement in noise reduction. Asian availability date or price was set for the FX36 at press time.

Arms race heats up with 81-card reader

OK, this is the last time we post an item on a multi-card reader. Not because we don't appreciate them, mind you, but because they're just too hard to keep up with. Just last week we pointed to model that can handle 62 formats, and already it's been eclipsed by one that can read 80 of them, with what appears to be a much smaller device. And as if to add insult to injury, Gizmodo says Brando's iMono has a smaller price tag as well--just $17, less than half that of its recent rival.

Via Crave CNET

Canon's smart move to SD memory cards

Canon faced some modest compatibility risks when it chose to design its new EOS 450D camera with SD flash memory cards rather than the CompactFlash cards it's used for all its SLR cameras until this point, but I think the move is smart overall.

It's a drag for consumers that there's such a profusion of flash card formats. Customers often must pay extra when moving from one camera maker to another just to replace flash cards. And indeed, owners of Canon's existing EOS, EOS 350D, or 400D cameras will find their CompactFlash cards useless if they upgraded to an 450D.

But the reality is that EOS 450D (also called the Rebel XSi and Kiss X2 in various parts of the world) customers are more likely to be upgrading from a compact camera, a market where SD dominates. And from a technical perspective, SD performs fine, takes up less critical room in the camera, and in the newer SDHC incarnation can match CompactFlash's 32GB capacity.

CompactFlash memory has been a mainstay in the SLR (single-lens reflex) camera market, but SD has gained a foothold. Nikon's entry-level SLRs use SD cards, as do all from Pentax, Panasonic, and Samsung. And Canon's top-end 1Ds Mark III accepts both SD and CompactFlash.

Now if we could just get rid of xD-Picture Card from Olympus and Fujifilm and Memory Stick from Sony, we'd all be better off. Fujifilm wisely has started selling compact cameras with a dual-use adapter that can accept SD as well as xD, and I'm hoping that's a harbinger of things to come.

Update: The EOS 450D is expected to be available in Singapore in early Q2.

Via Crave CNET

Panasonic's new Lumix sets a new entry-level pricing

Panasonic's first announcement in its buildup to PMA this year is the launch of its latest entry-level model, the DMC-LS80. Now before you dismiss the LS80 as yet another run-of-the-mill point-and-shoot with 8-megapixel CCD, 3x optical zoom and 2.5-inch LCD display, just take a look at its price tag.

According to Panasonic Singapore, the LS80 is expected to retail in Asia for just S$299 (US$219.85), which if this holds true, is a bloody good price for a compact shooter with optical image stabilizer (in Panasonic's case, its proprietary Mega O.I.S.).

The LS80 also offers several interesting features which Panasonic claims will make it really easy to capture good images. We've picked out four of these:

Intelligent ISO control: Said to minimize motion blur by automatically adjusting the ISO and shutter speed settings in reponse to the motion and light conditions.

Quick AF system: Which starts focusing on the subject before you half-press the shutter button, speeding up the autofocusing process.

Auto Macro mode: Aims to automatically switch to the macro mode when shooting closeups.

Other key features: These include high ISO settings (up to ISO 6400), SDHC card support and WVGA video recording at 30fps.

The Lumix hits US retail shelves in February. We're waiting for more word on availability for Asia.

Olympus zooms ahead with 20x optical lens in a compact camera

Have cameras gone the way of the telescope? Seems like. Just when you got tired of the megapixels rivalry, camera vendors now seem to be shooting for higher zoom numbers. First out with its announcement is Olympus which claims boasting rights to the world's first 20x optical zoom (26-520mm) digital compact camera.

Successor to the SP-560UZ, the SP-570UZ--under the company's Ultra Zoom series--comes one week before PMA kicks off in Las Vegas. Could this pre-empt a possible trend at this year's digital imaging tradeshow? After all, Panasonic and Fujifilm already put out 18x zoom lens as of last year (Lumix DMC-FZ18 and FinePix S8000fd, respectively).

To accommodate the super telephoto lens in the SP-570UZ, the Japanese company has provided several support features. There's a manual zoom ring for better zoom control, plus CCD-shift and high ISO (up to ISO 6400) to reduce the inevitable handshake blur from handling such a long zoom.

The 10-megapixel SP-570UZ is due out in Singapore as early as February, with Asia availability details still in the pipeline.

Here's some trivia. Olympus' first Ultra Zoom shooter, the C-700UZ, was unveiled in 2001, impressively squeezing a 10x optical zoom lens into a relatively compact camera.

Check out the other new models that Olympus has lined up for 2008 Q1.

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