Panasonic introduces the remanufactured 4.0-megapixel Lumix DMS-FZ4 digital camera, which features a Mega O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) that compensates for handshake, plus a newly developed 12x optical zoom lens (equivalent to a 35mm to 420mm lens on a 35mm film camera). The DMC-FZ4 is heir to the 3.1-megapixel DMC-FZ3, but enhances its excellence not only with the total number of pixels but also with other innovative technical improvements, such as faster AF and an improved grip design, along with a superior shutter button layout that encourages higher-level shooting with more comfortable operation.
The remarkable 12x optical zoom can capture large frames of photo subjects even from a long distance away. Furthermore, Panasonic's Mega O.I.S. ensures that the magnified image is stable and minimizes the troublesome blurring that often occurs when a photographer operates the camera by hand without the assistance of a tripod. The camera is equipped with a Leica DC Vario-Elmarit lens for high resolution imaging with very little distortion. Moreover, the combination of three aspherical lenses preserves an astonishingly compact body size even for a 12x optical zoom digital still camera.
The engine--or the brain--driving high picture quality and quick camera response is once again the leading-edge image processing LSI Venus Engine II, which boasts excellent resolution in the horizontal, the vertical, and the diagonal. An industry-leading release time lag of 0.006 seconds and a shutter interval of approximately 0.3 seconds (not including time for AF) allows you to precisely capture your target subject. What's more, the consecutive shooting function boosts the number of sequential shots to a rate of four frames per second at full resolution. Photographers can also take unlimited consecutive photos in succession until the memory card or built-in memory is full.
Photographers can select the AF method according to the shooting situation: nine-point, three-point high-speed, one-point high-speed, one-point normal-speed, and spot. In the newly incorporated one-point high-speed AF, the shutter time lag (including AF speed, i.e., the time from full shutter release to image capture) has dramatically been reduced to one-third the level of the previous DMC-FZ3 model, and has resulted in an industry-leading shutter time lag for a high zoom model.
Although screen-freeze in high-speed AF is now minimized, if you take the picture of a fast-moving subject, you have the option of selecting one-point normal-speed AF, which does not produce any screen-freeze while focusing. In addition, an AF assist lamp expands the AF ability even at night or under low-light conditions.
Users can also conveniently select from nine scene modes that meet most any shooting situation thanks to the newly installed Scene Mode Help screen. The screen describes each mode on the LCD monitor and makes it easier to select the mode that best fits the shooting conditions.
Manual functions range from aperture-priority AE, shutter-priority AE, and manual exposure, and are selectable through the mode dial, which sports a smooth, easy-to-manipulate control. The camera is also convenient for entry-level users thanks to the Simple mode in which most settings are determined automatically. You just aim at the subject, zoom in or out, and press the shutter button.
Additional features include a 1.5-inch LCD monitor that provides immediate visual image confirmation, an extended battery life of 300 images (CIPA), and auto-angle detection, which records whether an image was taken horizontally or vertically. The latter feature ensures that the camera will display the image on the LCD monitor and your TV in the proper orientation. The camera measures 4.25 by 2.69 by 3.34 inches (W x H x D) and is backed by a 90-day warranty.
What's in the Box
Camera, battery pack, battery charger, 8 MB SD memory card, lens cap, lens hood, lens hood adapter, video cable, USB cable, strap, software CD-ROM, user's manual.