Panasonic today introduced a new addition to its award-winning TZ-family of digital cameras, the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-TZ50 - complete with Wi-Fi capabilities, standard 802.11b/g wireless LAN connectivity and access to T-Mobile® HotSpot service, users can upload digital photos taken with the TZ50 directly to Picasa Web Albums, a free online photo-sharing service from Google. The 9.1 megapixel TZ50 is packed with a 28mm wide-angle lens, 10x optical zoom and the ability to record HD video, making it the ideal digital camera for active users.
"This advanced digital camera makes it possible for users to share their photos with friends and family with unprecedented ease and without a computer," said Alex Fried, National Marketing Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. "Active users will appreciate the TZ50's Wi-Fi capabilities so they can share photos while on-the-go, but they will also benefit from HD video recording, a 10x optical zoom and a 28mm wide-angle lens, so capturing images, whether far or wide; moving or still - is all possible with this compact camera."
Panasonic uses the T-Mobile HotSpot service and Picasa Web Albums' APIs to create a new optimal online environment and community for sharing digital photos. After taking photos with the new Panasonic LUMIX TZ50, users will be able to wirelessly send one or multiple photos at a time, directly to Google's Picasa Web Albums. Users can connect to standard wireless home networks, but furthermore, the TZ50 can also connect to the T-Mobile HotSpot Service, which provides fast and reliable Wi-Fi Internet access at more than 8,800 public locations throughout the United States, including Borders® Books & Music stores, Hyatt Hotels and many major airports. The LUMIX TZ50 comes with an offer for 12-months of complimentary T-Mobile HotSpot Wi-Fi service**.
Users can register one email account with their TZ50, so after uploading their photos to Picasa Web Albums, they can have the URL to that album sent to the registered account. Since many cell phones and smartphones receive emails, users can register their own email address and then forward that Picasa Web Albums URL to friends and family, all while away from home and without using a computer. In addition, users can browse their albums to confirm that photos have been successfully uploaded, and choose to delete uploaded photos directly on the digital camera.
The TZ50 is the latest member of the LUMIX TZ-Series, renowned for packaging a 28mm wide-angle 10x optical zoom Leica DC lens (equivalent to 28-280mm on a 35mm film camera) into a compact body. The 28mm wide-angle lens captures subjects and scenes wider at the same standpoint than a normal 35mm camera. Notably, the new TZ50 integrates the capability of recording 720p HD (high-definition) motion pictures together with its direct output function allowing users to enjoy watching both still and motion pictures in impressive HD quality on a HDTV via an optional component cable or by inserting the SD Memory Card into the SD slot, which is available on all Panasonic VIERA HDTVs.
The Panasonic LUMIX TZ50 also incorporates Panasonic's advanced Intelligent Auto (iA) mode consisting of seven intuitive technologies, all which are specifically designed to help make photo-taking enjoyable and easy. When in Advanced Intelligent Auto mode, the following technologies all operate automatically; the consumer does not need to change any settings:
- Intelligent Exposure - Photos will no longer be under- or over-exposed. Instead, the TZ50 instantly analyze the framed image and adjusts the brightness in areas that are too dark because of dim lighting, backlighting or the use of the flash. The camera will automatically adjust the brightness accordingly.
- Digital Red-eye Correction - Helps eliminate the red-eye problem that sometimes results when taking flash shots at the night. Incorporated into the built-in flash, the camera emits a small preliminary flash before the main flash, detects red-eye and will digitally correct it.
- MEGA O.I.S. - Gyrosensors detect hand-shake and the lens system shifts to compensate, helping to prevent hand-shake from creating a blurry image.
- Intelligent ISO - Determines if the photo subject is moving and change the ISO setting and shutter speed accordingly.
- Intelligent Scene Selector - Senses the ambient conditions, recognizes the shooting environment and will automatically select the appropriate scene mode from: Scenery, Portrait, Macro, Night Portrait or Night Scenery mode. This intuitive technology, helps the consumer use the most common scene modes that are built into the camera, but often go unused, without making any manual adjustments.
- Face Detection - Detects faces anywhere in the frame and automatically chooses the optimal focus and exposure settings so portraits come out clear and crisp. Detecting up to 15 faces, Panasonic's Face Detection can even track a face if the subject is moving.
- Continuous AF - The Continuous AF (auto focus) system maintains focus on the subject even without pressing a shutter button halfway, thus minimizing the AF time.
Once a user is in iA mode, these multi-capable functions happen automatically no adjustments or settings changes need to be made. Furthermore, the DMC-TZ50 boasts Intelligent LCD function, which detects the lighting condition and controls the brightness level of the LCD in 11 fine steps, to offer a display with excellent clarity in any situation with the newly developed 460,000-dot high resolution in 3.0-inch LCD screen.
The TZ50 incorporates the Venus Engine IV, Panasonic's new high-performance image processing LSI. The Venus Engine IV produces higher-quality pictures than its predecessor, the Venus Engine III, by using a more advanced signal processing system. The new Venus Engine IV also improves noise reduction, elevates the detection accuracy and corrective effects in both MEGA O.I.S. and Intelligent ISO and reduces the shutter release time lag.
The Panasonic LUMIX DMC-TZ50 will be available in silver in May 2008 for a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $449.95.
* *35mm film camera equivalent: 28-280mm
** One year of complimentary, camera-specific T-Mobile HotSpot service begins from the first time you automatically connect your LUMIX digital camera to the T-Mobile network at a T-Mobile HotSpot location within the U.S., subject to certain limitations, terms and conditions. The complimentary T-Mobile HotSpot service does not include access to the Internet at other Wi-Fi roaming locations. This offer expires on August 31, 2009.
About Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company
Based in Secaucus, N.J., Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company is a Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. (NYSE: MC) and the hub of Panasonic's U.S. marketing, sales, service and R&D operations. In its commitment to provide consumers with extensive imaging resources, Panasonic LUMIX established the Digital Photo Academy, a series of nationwide workshops designed to instruct consumers how to optimize the features on their digital cameras and produce high-quality photos. Panasonic is honored to support OUR PLACE - The World's Heritage, a project that will create the world's largest photographic collection of UNESCO World Heritage sites, with acclaimed photographers exclusively using LUMIX digital cameras to capture all images. Information about Panasonic LUMIX digital still cameras and its affiliated programs is available at
www.panasonic.com/dsc.
Google, Picasa, and Picasa Web Albums are trademarks of Google Inc.
Specifications
DMC-TZ50: S-Silver
| |
DMC-TZ50 |
| Dimensions (W x H x D) |
103.3 x 59.3 x 36.5 mm (4.07 x 2.33 x 1.44 in) |
| Weight |
Approx. 214g (0.47 Ib)
Approx. 240g with Battery and SD Memory Card (0.53 lb) |
| Camera Effective Pixels |
9.1 Mega pixels |
| Image Sensor |
1/2.33", 10.7 Total Mega Pixels CCD
Primary Color Filter |
| Optical Zoom |
10x |
| Extra Optical Zoom |
4:3 Aspect Ratio: 11.3x for 7Mega, 13.5x for 5Mega, 16.9x for 3Mega, 2Mega, 0.3Mega
3:2 Aspect Ratio: 11.6x for 6Mega, 13.9x for 4.5Mega, 16.9x for 2.5Mega
16:9 Aspect Ratio: 12.1x for 5.5Mega, 14.5x for 3.5Mega, 16.9x for 2Mega |
| Digital Zoom |
4x
(Max. 40.0x combined with Optical Zoom without Extra Optical Zoom)
(Max. 67.5x combined with Extra Optical Zoom) |
| Focal Length |
f=4.7-47mm (35mm Equiv.: 28-280mm) |
| Lens |
LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR
11 elements in 9 groups
(3 Aspherical Lenses / 4 Aspherical surfaces, 1 ED lens) |
| Aperture |
Wide: F3.3 / F8.0 (2 steps) Tele: F4.9 / F11 (2 steps) |
| Optical Image Stabilizer |
MEGA O.I.S. (Mode1/ Mode2) |
| Focusing Area |
Normal: Wide 50cm/ Tele 200cm - infinity
Macro / Intelligent AUTO / Clipboard : Wide 5cm / Max. 200cm / Tele 100cm - infinity |
| AF Metering |
Face / 1-area / 1-area high speed / 3-area high speed / 9-area / Spot |
| Focus |
Normal / Macro, Continuous AF (in Intelligent Auto, On/Off) |
| AF Assist Lamp |
Yes |
ISO Sensitivity
(Standard Output Sensitivity) |
Auto /100 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600
(High Sensitivity Mode : Auto(1600 - 6400) ) |
| White Balance |
Auto / Daylight / Cloudy / Shade / Halogen / White Set
White Balance Adjustment (±10steps, except for auto set) |
| Exposure |
Program AE |
| Exposure Compensation |
1/3 EV step, +/-2 EV |
| Backlight Compensation |
Yes (at Intelligent AUTO mode) |
| Auto (AE) Bracketing |
+/- 1/3 EV ~1EV step, 3 frames |
| Light Metering |
Intelligent Multiple/ Center Weighted/ Spot |
| Rec Mode |
Intelligent AUTO, Normal Picture, Scene, Motion Picture, Clipboard, Wi-Fi Mode |
| Scene Mode |
Portrait, Soft Skin, Scenery, Sports, Night Portrait, Night Scenery, Self-Portrait,
Food, Party, Candle Light, Baby1, Baby2, Pet, Sunset, High sensitivity, Hi-Speed Burst, Starry Sky, Fireworks, Beach, Snow, Aerial photo, Underwater, Multi Aspect |
| Shutter Speed |
8-1/2000 sec., Starry Sky Mode : 15, 30, 60 sec. |
| Self Timer |
2sec / 10sec |
| Auto Review |
1sec, 2sec, Zoom, Hold |
| Color Mode |
Standard, Natural, Vivid, Black & White, Sepia, Cool, Warm |
| Recording Format |
Still Image: JPEG(Design rule for Camera File system, based on Exif 2.21 standard), DPOF corresponding
Image with audio: JPEG (Design rule for Camera File system, based on Exif 2.21 standard) + QuickTime
Motion picture: QuickTime Motion JPEG |
| Recording Image Size |
Still Image:
4:3 Aspect Ratio:
3456 x 2592 pixels, 3072 x 2304 pixels, 2560 x 1920 pixels, 2048 x 1536 pixels,
1600 x 1200 pixels, 640 x 480 pixels
3:2 Aspect Ratio:
3552 x 2368 pixels, 3072 x 2048 pixels, 2560 x 1712 pixels, 2048 x 1360 pixels
16:9 Aspect Ratio:
3712 x 2088 pixels, 3072 x 1728 pixels, 2560 x 1440 pixels,1920 x 1080 pixels |
| Image Quality |
Fine / Standard |
| Motion Picture |
4:3 Aspect Ratio: 640 x 480 pixels, 320 x 240 pixels 30 fps, 10 fps
16:9 Aspect Ratio: 848 x 480 pixels 30 fps, 10 fps
HD(16:9 Aspect Ratio): 1280x720 pixels 30fps, 15fps |
| Burst Shooting Mode |
Full-Resolution Image, 2.5 frames/sec
Max. 5 images (Standard mode), Max. 3 images (Fine Mode)
High-speed Burst Mode:
approx. 6 frames/sec (recorded in 2M for 4:3, 2.5M for 3:2, 2M for 16:9) |
| Unlimited consecutive shooting |
Yes |
| Intelligent Exposure |
Yes |
| Digital Red Eye Correction |
Yes |
| Easy Zoom / Zoom Resume / Zoom in motion picture |
Yes / Yes / Yes |
| Still Image Rec. with Audio |
5 sec |
| Audio Dubbing |
Max. 10sec |
| Real-time histogram |
Yes |
| Composition Guide line |
Yes (2 patterns) |
| Built-in-Memory |
approx. 50MB |
| Scene Mode Help Screen |
Yes |
| Auto Angle Detection |
Yes |
| Travel Date / World Time |
Yes / Yes |
| Title Edit |
Yes |
| Text Stamp |
Yes |
| Built-in-Flash |
Auto, Auto/Red-eye Reduction, Forced On, Slow Sync./Red-eye Reduction, Forced Off
0.6 - 5.3m (Wide/ISO Auto), 1.0 - 3.6m (Tele/ISO Auto) |
| LCD Monitor |
3.0" Polycrystalline TFT LCD Display (460K dots)
Field of View : approx. 100%
AUTO Power LCD mode, Power LCD mode, High angle mode |
| Playback mode |
[REC]/[Play] Selector switch
30-thumbnail display, 12-thumbnail display, calendar display, zoomed playback (16x max.), playback of favorite pictures, Image rotation, Resizing (selectable number of pixels), trimming, protection, aspect conv. DPOF print setting,
Creating still pictures from a motion picture, Dual image playback |
| Wi-Fi mode |
Communication Protocol:
Standard IEEE802.11b/g
Security Protocol:
128/64bit WEP, TKIP, AES
No. of Channels:
11 (2412~2462MHz)
Connectivity Speed:
IEEE802.11b - 11M/5.5M/2M/1M(bps)
IEEE802.11g - 54M/48M/36M/24M/18M/12M/9M/6M(bps)
Max. Distance:
50m (depends on surrounding environment & weather) |
| Slideshow Mode |
Yes (duration & effect with music adjustable) |
| Category Playback |
Yes (in slideshow mode and normal playback) |
| OSD language |
English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Japanese
*Check the website of the Panasonic sales company in your country or region for details on the OSD languages on the products that are available in your market. |
| Recording Media |
Built-in Memory, SD Memory Card, SDHC Memory Card, MultiMediaCard(Still image only) |
| Microphone |
Yes |
| Speaker |
Yes |
| Interface |
DC Input, AV Output (NTSC/PAL), HD AV Output (Component), USB2.0 High speed |
| Direct Print |
PictBridge |
| Power |
Li-ion Battery Pack (3.7V, 1000mAh) (Included)
AC Adaptor (Input: 110-240V AC) (Optional) |
| Battery life (approx.) |
300 pictures (CIPA Standard) *1 |
| Included Software |
PHOTOfunSTUDIO -viewer-, ArcSoft (MediaImpression / Panorama Maker), USB Driver |
| Standard Accessories |
Battery Charger, Battery Pack, Battery carrying case, AV Cable, USB Connection Cable, Strap, CD-ROM
*Check the website of the Panasonic sales company in your country or region for details on the standard accessories on the products that are available in your market. |
*1. Shooting conditions: 23°C with 50%RH humidity; LCD on; using SD Memory Card; starting to shoot 30 seconds after turning on the power; shooting once every 30 seconds with the flash in full operation for every other shot; changing the zoom setting from telephoto to wide, or wide to telephoto, for each shot; and temporarily turning the power off after each 10 shots (long enough to lower the battery temperature).
*The number of recordable pictures decreases in Auto Power LCD mode or Power LCD mode.
*Some accessories are not available in some countries.
*The use of recorded or printed materials that are protected by copyright for any purpose other than personal enjoyment is prohibited, as it would infringe upon the rights of the copyright holder.
*Leica is a registered trademark of Leica Microsystems IR GmbH.
*The LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR lenses are manufactured using measurement instruments and quality assurance systems that have been certified by Leica Camera AG based on the company's quality standards.
*All other company and product names are trademarks of their respective corporations.
*QuickTime and the QuickTime logo are used under license. QuickTime is a registered trademark in the U.S. and other countries.
*This unit is compatible with both SD Memory cards and SDHC Memory cards. You can only use SDHC Memory cards on devices that are compatible with them. You cannot use SDHC Memory cards on devices that are only compatible with SD Memory cards. (When using a SDHC Memory card on another device, be sure to read the operating instructions for that device.)
*Design and specifications are subject to change without notice.