2011 Panasonic Lumix Lineup

The Panasonic Lumix 2011 lineup is a series of cameras which provide high-end photography capabilities at an affordable price. Some are for newcomers to the digital age, others are for people who want advanced features without the accompanying complexity. Still others are for travelers. There is definitely a camera for you, the question is which type of camera fits your personality.

Features and Functionality

Below is a list of features which all of the Panasonic Lumix cameras will have.

Intelligent Auto Mode (iA mode): The camera uses several advanced functions and technologies to take the best shot. Basically a mode in which you tell the camera to do what it thinks will yield the best results.

Intelligent Exposure: Corrects the lighting on the fly to make the best image before the shot is taken. This lessens the need for photo editing in post-production.

Intelligent Resolution: Boosts image quality by identifying outlines, texture areas, and soft gradation and optimizing each.

Intelligent ISO Control: Detects movement and adjusts the ISO and shutter speed to prevent motion blurring. Great when taking action shots such as your kid's soccer game, or your rambunctious pet.

Intelligent Scene Selector: Not sure which of the preset scenes will work best in your situation? Let the Intelligent Scene Selector make the choice and you won't have to worry about it. This mode examines the scene and determines which preset will create the clearest picture.

Power OIS and Mega OIS: These features are lumped together because they both involve image stabilization. This is when the camera detects the shaking of your hand and counters it so the image is still and no blurring occurs.

AF Tracking: AF (Auto-Focus) Tracking targets the subject of a photo and makes sure it stays in focus. This is appropriate when trying to take a shot of a moving object. This mode will key in on the subject you're trying to shoot and will make sure it stays in focus instead of some random object in the background or foreground.

Face Recognition: Focuses in on up to six faces to make sure they all remain in focus. This is great because many cameras will only focus on a single face, usually the one closest to the camera. Great for group shots.

Digital Red-Eye Correction: This mode is something that has been common in digital cameras for a while, but it takes a different approach. Instead of removing red-eye after the shot, this mode does so before it is transferred to the memory card. Yet another feature which removes another task generally left to post-production.

Motion Deblur Mode: Reduces motion blur by raising shutter speed. This is basically a feature which can be used when Intelligent ISO Control is not enough. Sometimes adjusting the ISO of a camera is not enough, so adjusting shutter speed is just another step which can be taken to eliminate image blurring.

Intelligent Burst Mode: Adjusts how quickly shots can be taken. Excellent when trying to take a series of shots quickly in order to determine later on which one came out the best. Or maybe you want a sequence of shots for a specific purpose, such as documenting a golf swing or dance move.

Leica Lens: The Leica lens is a wide angle lens fitted with multiple aspherical lenses. It is high resolution and prevents light distortion and reduction. It should be repeated that all cameras in the Panasonic Lumix line will have this lens because it is a high-end lens and is an excellent feature.

MOS Image Sensor: Provides fast processing and high sensitivity. Fast processing is needed if you're going to use the Intelligent Burst Mode, and is in general a nice piece of technology to have so you don't have to wait forever to see how your shot came out.

Venus Engine: This is a multi-task image processing engine which works in tandem with the MOS Image Sensor to provide heightened image quality and shutter speed.

AVCHD: An HD video recorder which provides recording in HD with the ability to zoom.

The Models

S, FP, and FH Series: Casual and Easy. Good for everyday use. Simple interfaces and basic features give you high performance without having to read the entire manual twice.

FX Series: Stylish Touch. Extra slim to fit in your pocket or purse.

LX5: Advanced Creative. An advanced lens provides even more flexibility when trying to capture the perfect shot.

ZS Series: Travel. Very portable, and contains a GPS so you can tag each photo with a latitude and longitude. This is a great feature if you want to create a map where you can chart where each photo was taken. It also has full HD movie capabilities.

FZ Series: Ultra High Zoom. Just what the previous sentence says. It has even more zoom for when you want to bring something far away closer to home.

3D: These cameras can shoot 3D photos. By using 3D mode, high speed consecutive shots taken from slightly different angles provide the same sense of 3D as 3D HDTVs. Put in your SD card into an HDTV and view them in 3D with 3D viewing glasses.

Sources:

http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-electronics/shop/Lumix-Digital-Cameras.list.75047_11002_7000000000000005702

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicfz50/