Panasonic Lumix FH7

Panasonic’s slim and stylish 16.1-megapixel Lumix DMC-FH7 features intuitive touch-controls and easy-to-use features. It has a retractable high-quality 28 mm wide-angle Leica DC lens with a 4x optical zoom, and High Definition (HD) video capabilities that record in 1280 x 720p at a smooth 24 fps, producing clear and vivid images.

The FH7 features a 3-inch Smart Touch Screen allowing users to enable Touch Auto Focus (AF), Touch Zoom, Touch Shutter and Intelligent Scene Selector and all menu options simply by touching the screen. In playback mode users can drag the image across the screen with their finger to browse the collection of photos, as if it were a page in a book. Additionally, the FH7 features the Lumix Image Uploader, which instantly shares images via Facebook and video via YouTube when the camera is connected to a computer or the SD Memory Card is inserted and the easy on-screen instructions are followed.

The FH7 also features three modes that let users get creative and have some fun with their photos of family and friends. With the touch of a finger images can be edited to remove blemishes, enhance skin colour and tone, and even add some make-up. They are: Beauty Retouch – allows users to retouch faces; Esthetic – creates effects on faces such as clearing skin texture and whitening teeth; and Makeup – gives colour options such as foundation, eye-shadow, lipstick or blush.

Panasonic’s iA mode, a suite of technologies, engage automatically – with no setting changes needed by the user. With a dedicated iA button, the following features can be quickly engaged: MEGA OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) – reduces blurry photos due to unsteady hands; Intelligent ISO Control – reduces blur when the subject is moving; Face Detection – ensures registered faces are captured in focus with appropriate exposure and digitally corrects unwanted red eyes; Intelligent Scene Selector – selects the best option from Macro, Portrait, Scenery, Night Portrait, Night Scenery and Sunset; Intelligent Exposure – optimizes the exposure for each part of an image, preventing blocked shadows and blown highlights and helps ensure that gradation and details are reproduced beautifully, says Panasonic.

The FH7 uses the Venus Engine VI image processor, which helps power Intelligent Resolution technology. With Intelligent Resolution technology, three areas – outlines, detailed texture areas and soft gradation – are automatically detected and the FH7 performs optimum processing to each, resulting in naturally clear images.

Intelligent Zoom extends the FH7’s zoom to a 5x equivalent. The Venus Engine VI also supports a super-fast response time.

Other features: Intelligent LCD detects the lighting conditions and controls the brightness level in 11 finely graduated steps, to display the most appropriate setting; 84MB of built-in memory; Newly-added Image Stamp mode enables users to decorate photos with 32 different stamps, for those wanting to personalize their images.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH7 will be available in black, with pricing and availability to be announced.