LAS VEGAS—Panasonic is announcing a few products at CES, including a pair of premium digital cameras, a new lens for its Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera system, and a handful of camcorders.
The Lumix DMC-ZS100 is an all-new design. It's a pocket camera built around the 20-megapixel 1-inch image sensor used by the FZ1000 and a slew of cameras offered by Sony and Canon.
The Canon G3 X still has the longest zoom of 1-inch models—a 24x (25-600mm) range—but it won't slide into a pocket. The ZS100 features a 10x (25-250mm) lens with an f/2.8-5.9 variable aperture range, and is eminently pocketable. It boasts an integrated electronic viewfinder with a 0.2-inch diagonal size and a 1,166k-dot resolution, as well as a 3-inch 1,040k-dot touch-sensitive rear display.
Raw and JPG image capture are available, with the JPG processing engine tuned to use what Panasonic is calling Random Filter Noise Reduction, which it promises will better preserve details and mimic film grain when shooting JPGs at higher ISO settings. The image sensor has a base ISO 125 sensitivity, but can be pushed all the way to 12800 in its native range, or to ISO 25600 in extended mode.
Video capture is available at 4K resolution. A hybrid 5-axis stabilization system, which combines lens-based and sensor-based stabilization, is there to steady handheld footage. There's also a 1080p video crop mode, which can be used to extend the ZS100's telephoto reach when shooting video, as well as to perform automated zooms and pans that are smoother than what most armchair cinematographers can accomplish on their own.
Support for Panasonic's 4K Photo mode is included. The ZS100 also supports Post Focus, which captures a quick series of 4K images, each with a different focus point. It also adds a new feature, Light Composition, which is similar to the Live Composite mode you'll find in Olympus cameras. It allows you to capture long exposure images at night without blowing out highlights or washing out shadows—useful for light painting, capturing star trail images, and shooting fireworks.
Astrophotographers will appreciate the Starlight AF function, which is designed to bring stars into sharp focus. And when shooting terrestrial objects, the DFD AF system promises to lock and fire in 0.1 seconds. The ZS100 can shoot at 5fps with continuous focus enabled, or at 10fps with locked focus.
The standard bells and whistles—Wi-Fi file transfer and remote control—are built-in. As for battery life, the camera is rated for 300 shots using the rear LCD or 240 with the EVF based on CIPA standards.
The ZS100 is priced at $700. It will go on sale at the end of March. Panasonic is offering the camera in silver or black.
It is joined by the Lumix DMC-ZS60. It's an update to our current favorite pocket superzoom, the ZS50. The camera keeps the same 30x zoom lens, but ups the image-sensor resolution to 18-megapixels and adds 4K video. It's priced at $500 and will go on sale in mid-March.
Owners of Micro Four Thirds mirrorless cameras will have a new lens to lust after in 2016. The Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 ASPH. Power O.I.S. has both a long name and telephoto reach. It covers the same field of view as a 200-800mm would on a full-frame camera.
The lens is sealed against dust and splashes, features optical stabilization, and a linear drive focus motor, which is quick enough to keep up with the demanding task of maintaining focus while recording 4K video. It doubles as a macro, offering 1:4 magnification at its widest angle and 1:2 magnification when zoomed all the way in. Despite its extreme telephoto design, it's fairly light (2.1 pounds) and compact (6.8 by 3.3 inches). Pricing and availability have not yet been announced.
Finally, Panasonic is refreshing a number of its camcorder models. There are two new 4K models, the WXF991 ($999) and the VX981 ($899). New 1080p models include the W580 ($399), V380 (price to be determined), and the V180 ($230).