3 New Panasonic Point-and-Shoots That I Like
digital photographer
Panasonic has announced a lot of new products at PMA, but besides the Lumix GH1, which I already gushed over here, these three compact cameras were what really caught my eye. I mentioned a few of them in January when they were first announced, but now I've had my hands on them.
The Lumix DMC-ZS3, which is a direct successor to the TS5 (although you wouldn't know it by the name), has a 12x optyical zoom Leica lens, 10MP, a sturdy metal body and shoots HD video (720p). As the TS5 was Panasonic's most popular model from that range of cameras, they are looking forward to the ZS3 being just as popular.
The 12MP Lumix DMC-FX580 is Panasonic's second touchscreen model, with a 3-inch LCD, the camera also has a 5x optical zoom Leica lens. It's also a good looking, compact camera, with the brushed metal affect and slim body.
I've seen a lot of so called "tough" cameras collectively announced by manufacturers this year at CES and PMA, and Panasonic is no exception. While the DMC-TS1 may not be as crush/water/shock/freeze proof as, say, the Olympus Stylus Tough 8000, it does have a leg up on the competition because it is mainly a waterproof camera (plunging to a depth of 10 feet) and it is the world's first waterproof digital camera that shoots HD video (AVCHD Lite). It also boasts 12MP and a 4.6x optical zoom Leica lens.
All three cameras will retail for $399 and be available to consumers in April.