LUMIX 2010: TZ Travel Zoom Series

Panasonic’s award-winning LUMIX ‘Travel Zoom’ series – even smaller and more versatile in 2010 – is the ultimate travel companion

Panasonic has further improved its award-winning ‘Travel Zoom’ (TZ) series with the release of the 12.1-megapixel LUMIX DMC-TZ10 and LUMIX DMC-TZ8.

Capabilities such as the newly-added Built-in GPS and AVCHD Lite HD video recording make the flagship DMC-TZ10 the ultimate all-in-one imaging solution, equipping travellers for virtually any shooting situation. The DMC-TZ8 also benefits from enhancements made to the series, with POWER O.I.S, manual mode for greater creative control and Motion JPEG movie recording.

DMC-TZ10
Featuring a 25mm ultra-wide-angle lens and 12x optical zoom (35mm camera equivalent: 25-300mm), the DMC-TZ10 is a worthy addition to a series of cameras that have won worldwide acclaim for packing powerful zoom lenses into compact bodies. The powerful 12x optical zoom is available in video recording.

With top quality LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR optics, the model produces stunning images with crisp detail and brilliant colour.

The DMC-TZ10 records in AVCHD Lite for brilliant HD videos. For easy operation there is a dedicated movie recording button on the camera’s back panel. This is a true hybrid camera, with excellent performance in both still and video recording modes.

The DMC -TZ10 adopts a newly-developed, high-speed, high-performance Venus Engine HD II, offering ultra-responsiveness and fast operation in either still and movie settings.

For globe-trotting travel photographers, the DMC-TZ10 now offers a Built-in GPS (Global Positioning System) so accurate geographic locations can be displayed in real-time and recorded for easy file management and post-holiday sorting. The GPS and corresponding location information can also be embedded in the video clips.

The DMC-TZ10 offers a 3.0-inch, super-high-resolution 460,000-dot screen, with Anti-Reflection (AR) Coating.

The LUMIX DMC-TZ10 comes in Black and will be available in April March 2010 at $699 RRP.

DMC-TZ8
Like the TZ10 the DMC-TZ8 features a 25mm ultra-wide-angle lens and a powerful 12x optical zoom. The compact produces stunning quality images captured through its LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR optics.

The DMC-TZ8 records dynamic HD video in 1280 x 720p at a smooth 30 fps, in addition to WVGA (848 x 480) and normal VGA (640 x 480) . Watch these videos on a PC, or upload them to YouTube* with the included software PHOTOfunSTUDIO 5.0.

Both models are equipped with an entirely new image processing technology – Intelligent Resolution – that offers higher quality signal processing for superb results. With Intelligent Resolution, three areas – outlines, detailed texture and soft gradation areas – are automatically detected. Each area is enhanced effectively for greater definition, fine detail, and superior noise reduction.

Both cameras feature an Intelligent LCD with a wide viewing angle. The screen brightness automatically adjusts in 11 steps as the surrounding brightness level changes, ensuring easy visibility at all times. The DMC-TZ8 features a 2.7-inch, 230,000-dot LCD.

The LUMIX DMC-TZ8 comes in Silver and will be available in April 2010 at a cost of $599 RRP.

Playback
Playback with the DMC-TZ10 and DMC-TZ8 is also easy. To view still images or video recorded in AVCHD Lite, simply insert the camera’s SD Memory Card into the SD Card slot of a compatible VIERA TV or Blu-ray Disc Player .