KUALA LUMPUR: Panasonic has launched its annual line of new camcorders and Lumix digital still cameras, introducing a whopping 20 models.

Some of the more interesting features of the new Lumix models include the ruggedised DMC-FT1 and DMC-TZ7 which incorporate high-definition video recording.

On the camcorder side, the big new features of some models include a 70x optical zoom lens and a YouTube upload mode as well as SDHC slots on all models.

According to Tony Endoh, managing director of Panasonic Malaysia Sdn Bhd, despite the economic slowdown, the company is nevertheless investing about RM7mil in advertising Panasonic camcorders and digicams this year.

Lumix DMC-FT1

The Lumix DMC-FT1 is Panasonic’s entry into the ruggedised camera market, is waterproof up to 3m, withstands falls up to 1.5m and is dustproof as well.

While the camera is similar to other ruggedised cameras on the market (most notably Olympus’ Tough series), the main advantage of the FT1 is that it comes with 720p video recording

The camera can shoot videos using the AVCHD Lite codec at up to 1,280 x 720pixels.

The still camera features are solid as well — featuring a 12.1-megapixel sensor, a 2.7in LCD screen and a 4.6x zoom lens equivalent to 28-128mm with the company’s Mega OIS (optical image stabiliser).

DMC-FT1

Exposure mode is Program Autoexposure only, but with the usual complement of Scene modes, including Panasonic’s Intelligent Auto mode which will automatically choose the correct settings and focus depending on what the user is shooting.

The recommended retail price of the Lumix DMC-FT1 is RM1,499.

Lumix DMC-TZ7 The big feature of the DMC-TZ7 is that it comes with an extremely compact 12x zoom lens equivalent to a 25-300mm.

The other notable features are a large 3in LCD screen which makes it easy to frame and view shots, Program Autoexposure with Scene modes and Intelligent Auto, and of course, Mega OIS.

This 10.1-megapixel digicam also incorporates high-definition video recording via the AVCHD Lite codec, which Panasonic claims gives you better quality than Motion JPEG and yet takes up half the storage space.

DMC-TZ7

The company says that with AVCHD Lite, a 4GB SDHC card can store up to 40 minutes of HD-quality video compared with just 20 minutes using the Motion JPEG codec.

The recommended retail price of the Lumix DMC-TZ7 is RM1,599.

HDC-HS300/HS200

Leading the range of HD camcorders are the HS300 and HS200 which features Full HD (1,920 x 1,080pixels) recording and the company’s 3MOS sensor which offers shooting in low light down to 1.6 Lux.

Both camcorders come with a 12x optical zoom lens with Advanced OIS (optical image stabiliser) and the ability to record still images at up to 10.6-megapixels in size.

The main difference between the HS300 and the HS200 is that the former comes with a 120GB hard disk drive built in (for recording up to 50 hours of video) while the HS200 only comes with an 80GB hard disk (which can hold about 33 hours of video).

The HS300 and HS200 also come with 2.7in touch-sensitive LCD screens as well as 5.1-channel surround sound recording via five built-in microphones.

Both camcorders additionally come with SDHC card slots which can be used to store video and still images.

The recommended retail price of the HDC-HS300 is RM4,999 while the HDC-HS200 costs RM3,799.

SDR-H90/H80 There’s life in standard definition yet, and the SDR-H90 and H80 both have a trump card — they come with a very powerful 70x zoom lens which, at maximum zoom, can get you up close and personal with the moon!

The usual complement of features are present of course, including Advanced OIS and Advanced Intelligent Auto for easy, shake-free recording.

The HS90 and HS80 also additionally come with an Easy YouTube feature which preformats video recordings for easier uploading to social networking sites.

The H90 and H80 are virtually identical, except that the H90 comes with an 80GB hard disk drive, while the H80 comes with a 60GB hard disk.

Both camcorders come with SDHC card slots as well for additional storage.

The SDR-H90 has a recommended retail price of RM2,199 while the SDR-H80 costs RM1,799.

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www.panasonic.com.my