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PANASONIC’S RUGGED DIGITAL CAMERA GETS TOUGHER – WATERPROOF TO 33 FEET, FREEZEPROOF, SHOCKPROOF – WITH THE ABILITY TO RECORD HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO
New Panasonic LUMIX TS2 Features a Rugged Design, Allowing for Extreme
Outdoor Use, Yet Still Easy to Use to Capture High Quality Photos
MISSISSAUGA, ON (January 28, 2010) – Panasonic Canada Inc. today introduced the new LUMIX DMC-TS2, a successor to the company’s first rugged digital camera designed for active outdoor use, the LUMIX DMC-TS1. Featuring High Definition video recording capability in the AVCHD Lite format1, the new 14.1-megapixel LUMIX TS2 is tougher than its predecessor and features innovative upgrades for the adventurous consumer – it’s waterproof to 33 feet (10m), shockproof2 to 10 feet (2m), freezeproof to -10ºC (14ºF) and is dustproof2.
“Consumers appreciated the Panasonic LUMIX TS1, our first rugged digital camera, for its ability to withstand active daily use and produce high-quality video or photos,” said Doug Borbath, Senior Product Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Canada Inc. “The new LUMIX TS2 will be a key product in 2010 with even tougher features, including this year’s new freezeproof capabilities. Families and outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy this digital camera for its ability to take great photos and hold up against the demands of daily life – from hiking up a mountain to teaching a child to use the optical zoom.”
Now even tougher, the LUMIX TS2 features an airtight body protected against water immersion, dust and sand. The new model is waterproof to a depth of 33 feet, and dustproof because of its rubber padding and reinforced glass, and the carbon inside the camera. Furthermore, the LUMIX TS2’s LCD cover panel is thickened by 1.3x compared to the predecessor LUMIX TS1 to withstand increased pressure underwater. The LUMIX TS2 is shockproof, encased with shockresistant material, and its folded optics design protects its lens when dropped during operation. In addition, the lens unit is protected by a supplementary damper to absorb the force from shock impact. Also, all components including the lens unit have been tested to endure temperatures as low as -10ºC (14ºF). For increased durability, the Panasonic LUMIX TS2 will come with an optional silicon jacket that helps protect its exterior from scratches.
The Panasonic LUMIX TS2 features Sonic Speed AF (Auto Focus)3, which enables a super-fast response time and a shutter release time lag as short as approximately 0.005 second. The camera’s quick response makes it easier to capture sudden, spur-of-the-moment photo opportunities – allowing users to lock on the subject in approximately 0.24 second (wide-end) / 0.28 second (tele-end)2 The TS2 also has a short startup time of approximately 1.1 seconds.
The Panasonic LUMIX TS2 features Intelligent Resolution, a new image processing technology which is incorporated in its Venus Engine HD II. With the Intelligent Resolution technology, three areas – outlines, detailed texture areas and soft gradation – are examined pixel-by-pixel and automatically detected to enhance any degradation created during the digital zoom process or in high-sensitivity shooting. The outline areas are enhanced to give the edges more clarity, while simultaneously giving a moderate accent to the textured areas so it looks accurately detailed. To the soft gradation area, such as a face, the increased noise reduction system of the Venus Engine HD II is applied to make it smoother. As a result of Intelligent Resolution, images are naturally clear and crisp in both photo and video recording. The Intelligent Resolution technology powers Panasonic’s new Intelligent Zoom feature, which extends the camera’s zoom ratio by approximately 1.3x while maintaining the picture quality – and enhancing the digital zoom and making it comparable to the quality of an optical zoom. With Intelligent Zoom, the Panasonic TS2 features a total zoom up to 6x.
The LUMIX TS2 features a 28mm wide-angle LEICA DC VARIO ELMAR4 lens that extends to a 4.6x optical zoom, giving consumers great shooting range. The wide-angle lens provides flexibility for all shooting scenarios, especially useful underwater where movement is often restricted and the shooting angle becomes important for composing shots. The LUMIX TS2 also features a 2.7-inch, 230,000-dot Intelligent LCD with a wide-viewing angle that ensures high visibility during recording and playback thanks to its automatic brightness control depending on the lighting conditions. Also, the LUMIX TS2 features a built-in LED light, which is extremely convenient when shooting in dark situations, such as underwater.
The LUMIX TS2 can record HD video in Motion JPEG and AVCHD Lite – with the latter format almost doubling the recording time in HD quality compared with the Motion JPEG format. To complement the HD video capabilities, the Panasonic LUMIX TS2 features Dolby Digital Stereo Creator, which enables high quality audio.
The Panasonic LUMIX TS2 features iA (Intelligent Auto) mode, a popular feature on LUMIX digital cameras, making them intuitive to use without changing any settings as the technologies engage automatically. For instance, iA incorporates Panasonic’s POWER O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer), which doubles the stabilization power compared to the conventional image stabilization system, MEGA O.I.S.
Other technologies incorporated into the LUMIX TS2’s iA mode include:
- Face Recognition – With new enhancements, Face Recognition allows users to register up to three different images for a person, helping to improve detection accuracy. Face detection is also included for up to 15 faces.
- Intelligent Scene Selector – Automatically selects whichever of 6 Scene Modes – Macro, Portrait, Scenery, Night Portrait, Night Scenery and newly added Sunset – best suits the shooting situation.
- Other iA Technologies: Intelligent Resolution and Intelligent Zoom, AF Tracking,
Intelligent ISO Control and Intelligent Exposure.
Panasonic’s iA is also available in video mode, and it automatically selects the most suitable Scene mode and helps to reduce blur due to handshake and improves focus, brightness and exposure. In addition, iA in video mode features Intelligent Scene Selector, which automatically switches between Normal, Portrait, Macro, Scenery, and Low Light modes according to the shooting environment.
Other features of the Panasonic LUMIX ZS7 include:
- Happy Mode – New Scene mode that optimizes colour, saturation and brightness to make both photo and video more vivid and true to the colour the users remember when they took it.
- High Dynamic – Newly added to the existing Scene modes. This mode helps to capture a scene with moderate exposure, even though the scene contains both bright and dark areas together. The user can select one of three options, Standard, Art, or B/W, depending on the desired effect and personal taste to make the photo look natural to artistic.
- Compatibility – Compatible with SDXC Memory Cards, including Panasonic’s newly announced 64 GB5 and 48 GB SDXC Memory Cards – to enable high capacity content storage and fast data transfer speeds. Also compatible with Windows 76
- Video Divide – Users can divide video into two sections to shorten or delete the unwanted clips directly on the camera. Users can also grab a still image from a video – all within the menus on the camera.
- Battery Life – Can take up to 340 images on a single battery charge7.
Pricing and availability for the Panasonic LUMIX TS2 will be available at a later date. The Panasonic LUMIX TS2 will be available in blue and orange.
1 AVCHD Lite motion images recorded onto an SD Memory Card or a DVD disc cannot be played from a device that does not support the AVCHD standard.
2 When used according to Panasonic’s operating guidelines, waterproof to a depth of 10m and dustproof in accordance with IEC60529 standard. Shockproof from a height up to 2.0m in accordance with the “MIL-STD 810F Method 516.5-Shock” test standard. All components including the lens unit are evaluated to endure the temperature as low as -10 degrees C to make the TS2 freezeproof.
3 Using 1-area AF.
4 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
5 1GB = 1,073,741,824 bytes. Usable capacity will be less. SDXC Memory Cards can only be used in SDXC host devices, which support the SDXC Memory Card.
6 Windows and the Windows logo are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.
7 Based on the CIPA standard.
Design and specifications are subject to change without notice.
Leica is a registered trademark of Leica Microsystems IR GmbH.
The “AVCHD Lite” and the “AVCHD Lite” logo are trademarks of Panasonic Corporation and Sony Corporation.
Dolby and the double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories.
Panasonic products are marketed in Canada by Panasonic Canada Inc. (PCI). PCI is an affiliate of Panasonic Corporation (PC) of Japan, one of the world’s largest producers of electronic and electric products for consumer, business, and industrial use. Consumers seeking more information on the company’s products can call Panasonic’s Customer Care Centre at 1-800-561-5505 or access Panasonic’s home page at www.panasonic.ca.
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