Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ7 with MEGA O.I.S., Optical Image Stabilizer that compensates the hand-shake, incorporating a 12x optical zoom (equivalent to 36mm to 432mm on a 35mm film camera) LEICA DC lens. Differing from the FZ30 with manual focus ring and manual zoom ring, which was already released and highly evaluated by prosumers, the FZ7 is more compact and easy to carry while preserving the same powerful zoom capability and manual controllability.

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FEATURES

A Remarkable 12x Optical Zoom LEICA DC Lens in a Compact Body

The LUMIX DMC-FZ7 digital camera is equipped with 6.0 megapixel CCD and LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT lens offering 12x optical zoom (equivalent to 36mm to 432mm on a 35mm film camera) with aperture of F2.8 to F3.3. The combination of three aspherical lenses, the crystallization of Panasonic's optics technology, generates high optical performance while preserving the compactness of the unit. The zoom ratio can be extended up to 16.5x in the 3-Megapixel recording thanks to the Extra Optical Zoom function with minimal deterioration, by intentionally using the center part of the CCD. The zoom range can be totally extended to 66x when combined with 4x digital zoom.

MEGA O.I.S. – The Essential Feature for Digital Cameras and the High Sensitivity Mode to Freeze the Moving Subject

MEGA O.I.S.(Optical Image Stabilizer) , that Panasonic thinks it indispensable for all digital cameras, is subsumed under LUMIX all line-up. Now this hand-shake correction system, which accompanies no deterioration of image quality, is appreciated by the users of the world and positively getting to be the standard of digital camera photography. Every slight hand-shake movement is detected accurately with the sampling frequency at 4,000 times per second and will be compensated to render clear, sharp images.

It also features two corrective modes, Mode 1 and Mode 2. Mode 1 constantly detects and follows movements and continuously compensates for them. In contrast, in Mode 2, the O.I.S. lens suppresses hand-shake only at the moment the shutter button is pressed. In this mode, the lens can move in all directions at the moment to maximize its effect, and higher-resolution image can be taken by capturing the image as close as to the center of the lens. In consequence, since MEGA O.I.S. enables a beautiful picture shot without blurring at slower shutter speeds of more than 3 steps compared to the conventional models without O.I.S.

You can enjoy shooting subjects at a distance with powerful zoom as well as shooting under low-lit condition when shutter speeds tends to slow, without worrying about the blur. It is surprisingly easy for you to take clear, beautiful pictures of telephoto close-up, indoor portrait or illuminated scenery at night.

In addition, the FZ7 allows shooting with max. ISO 1600 setting in the newly incorporated High Sensitivity mode, which suppresses blur caused by the movement of subjects such as baby and pets especially indoors by shooting with fast shutter speeds. This High Sensitivity mode is made possible by the pixel-mixed readout method of the CCD. The picture quality is good enough for the development into ordinary 4”x6” (10cmx15cm) print size.

Quick Response and High Quality Image Processing LSI: The Venus Engine ll

The engine, the brain of digital camera, driving high picture quality and quick response of the camera is once again the leading-edge image processing LSI Venus Engine II. The Venus Engine II gains precise imaging process which adds the luminance signal extracted only from the G pixels upon detecting the horizontal / vertical lines in the image. This results in the improvement of the horizontal and vertical resolution by more than 10% compared with the former Venus Engine, while maintaining the 50% improvement in the diagonal resolution.

The multi-task image processing LSI realizes outstanding response of industry-leading release time lag of 0.008 sec minimum and a shutter interval of approx. 0.5 sec* for achieving more stress-free operation. It also boasts high consecutive shooting performance, providing shooting at Max. three frames per sec at full resolution**. The Unlimited*** Consecutive Shooting function allows limit-free consecutive shooting up to the capacity of the memory card.

* Not including the time for AF.
** Max. thirteen images in standard mode / seven images in fine mode.
***The speed of the consecutive shooting varies depending on the memory card. The number of recordable picture depends on the memory card size, battery life, picture size, and compression.

Joystick-operated Intuitive Manual Control

The FZ7 offers manual focus and manual exposure, and both are adjustable with an independent omni directional joystick. When you focus in the Manual Focus mode, not only the focus distance but also the DOF (depth of field) according to the zoom range and aperture is displayed. A MF assist function enlarges the center of the image to make focusing easier. Both features contribute to easy and comfortable manual focus.

A joystick was incorporated to facilitate operational ease and thereby get the best technical advantage of functions offered by the camera easily. You can quickly shortcut to frequently used variables containing white balance adjustment, ISO setting, image size setting and compression format just by pressing and holding down the joystick, even while monitoring a subject on the LCD.
Shutter speed extends up to 60 sec at slowest in Manual Exposure mode and adjustable from 1/2000 to 60 sec for wider ranging shooting opportunities.

Bright 2.5-Inch large LCD with High Angle LCD Function

Compared to the previous FZ5, the LCD for FZ7 becomes larger to be easy-to-see 2.5-inch.
Thanks to the pixel-mixed readout method performed at CCD, the sensitivity is greatly increased to offer brightness on the live image displayed on LCD, allowing you to enjoy comfortable shooting even in low-lit situations

.The 2.5-inch large LCD makes the display extremely easy to view from bottom angle with the High Angle LCD function, for example, when taking photos raising a hand upward to shoot the subject over the crowd. This option can be set instantly by the independent button*. The Power LCD function also supports clear view even in sunny outdoor by offering brightness of 40% up.

The newly incorporated large LCD allows the display of images even in tiny thumbnail size. Playback of 9 and 25 is possible on a multi-split screen in addition to the normal 1 frame playback.
In the playback mode, you can recall the images sorted by the date of recording as you look back the diary thanks to the newly installed Calendar Display mode.
In addition, the EVF is newly located in vertical line with the lens barrel to offer more comfortable monitoring when shooting through viewfinder.

*The button also performs as display setting.

The Industry-leading Short AF Time for a High Zoom Model and Wide VGA Motion Image Recording

An AF method can be selected according to the shooting situation and subjects' position: 9-point, 3-point high-speed, 1 point high-speed, 1-point normal-speed and Spot. Notably, 1 point high-speed AF boasts industry-leading short shutter time lag for a high zoom model promoting quick and smooth operation.

Although screen-freeze in high-speed AF is now minimized, if you take the picture of subject with fast movement, you can select 1 point normal-speed AF which does not have any screen-freeze while focusing.

The pixel-mixed readout method performed at the CCD makes it possible to record beautiful full-size movies in Wide VGA (848x480) size at 30 fps especially good for viewing on wide-screen TV in addition to the normal VGA (640x480), while the predecessor FZ5 records QVGA. Much higher luminous signals are provided by the pixel-mixed readout method, the picture quality is enhanced not only in size but also in the brightness level of the image.

Rich Options to Meet Wide-Ranging Users' Needs

The big and powerful battery fits in the FZ7 resulting in the extension of battery life enabling the shooting of 320 images per single charge.
The FZ7 contains total of sixteen scene modes* to assist your shooting according to the wide-ranging situations. Our unique mode “Baby”, allows easy growth recording in which the baby's time of age according to the preset birthday would be automatically recorded onto the image. This mode has already been incorporated in other recent LUMIX series and favored and now doubled for FZ7 so that you can set two birthdays to apply to two children's records of growth. “Starry sky” helps you capture the beautiful star-filled night sky by securing shutter speeds as slow as max. 60 sec. Plus, Tele-Macro function allows shooting the subject in the Macro mode as close as 100 cm at tele end giving a soft-focused background to make the subject stands out.

*Not including Macro mode.

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PICTURES

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SPECIFICATION

Sensor • 1/2.5 " Type CCD
• 6.37 million pixels total
• 6.0 million effective pixels

Image sizes • 2816 x 2112
• 2816 x 1880 (3:2)
• 2816 x 1584 (16:9)
• 2304 x 1728
• 2048 x 1536
• 2048 x 1360 (3:2)
• 1920 x 1080 (16:9)
• 1600 x 1200
• 1280 x 960
• 640 x 480

Movie clips • 640 x 480 (4:3) 30 / 10fps
• 320 x 240 (4:3) 30 / 10fps
• 848 x 480 (16:9) 30 / 10fps
• With audio
• Limited only by storage space

File formats • JPEG (EXIF 2.2)
• MOV (QuickTime Motion JPEG)
• TIFF

Lens • 36 - 432mm equiv.
• F2.8 - 3.3
• Leica DC Vario-Elmarit
• 12x optical zoom
• Extra optical zoom

Image stabilization MEGA OIS Mode1 / 2

Conversion lenses Yes

Digital zoom up to 4x

Focus • AF / MF switchable
• Manual focus (joystick)
• Normal / Macro (Dial)
• Continuous AF on/off

AF area modes • 1 point
• 1 point high speed
• 3 points high speed
• 9 points
• Spot

AF assist lamp Yes

Focus distance • Normal: Wide 30cm/ Tele 200cm – infinity
• Macro: Wide 5cm/Tele 200cm – infinity
• Tele Macro Mode: 100cm - infinity

Metering • Intelligent multiple
• Center weighted
• Spot

ISO sensitivity • Auto
• ISO 80
• ISO 100
• ISO 200
• ISO 400
• High sensitivity mode: ISO 800 / 1600 (max resolution tbc)

Exposure compensation • +/- 2 EV
• 1/3 EV steps

Exposure bracketing • +/- 1/3 EV
• -1EV steps
• 3 frames

Shuttter speed • 8 - 1/2000 sec
• 60 - 1/2000 sec (Manual)
• 15 / 30 / 60 sec (Starry sky mode)

Aperture • Wide: F2.8 - 8
• Tele: F3.3 - 8

Modes • Program AE
• Aperture Priority AE
• Shutter Priority AE
• Manual
• Program Shift (P mode)
• Simple
• Scene
• Macro

Scene modes • Portait
• Soft Skin
• Sports
• Scenery
• Night Scenery
• Panning
• Night Portrait
• Fireworks
• Party
• Food
• Candle
• Starry Sky
• Baby 1 & 2
• Snow

White balance • Auto
• Daylight
• Cloudy
• Halogen
• Flash
• White set

White balance fine tune • 150 K step
• +/- 1500 K

Self timer 10 / 2 secs

Continuous shooting • 3 or 2 fps
• Max 13 images (JPEG Standard) / 7 images (JPEG Fine)

Image parameters Cool, Warm, B&W, Sepia

Flash • Built-in pop up
• Auto
• Auto / Red eye reduction
• Slow sync / red eye reduction
• Forced on / off
• Range: Wide 0.3 - 6.0m, Tele 0.3 - 5.4m
• Compensation: +/- 2.0 EV in 1/3 EV steps

Viewfinder • Electronic viewfinder
• 0.33" color (114,000 pixels)
• Field of view approx 100%

LCD monitor • 2.5" Polycrystalline TFT
• 114,000 pixels

Connectivity • USB
• DC-IN
• AV Out

Print compliance PictBridge

Storage • SD / MMC card

Power • Li-Ion battery pack included
• Charger / AC adapter optional

Weight (no batt) 310 g

Dimensions 112.5 x 72.2 x 79 mm (4.43 x 2.84 x 3.11 in)