Panasonic Lumix DMC FH20 14.1MP Digital Camera

Description

Panasonic today introduced the new DMC-FH20 to its 2010 line of LUMIX digital cameras, which which is a 14.1-megapixel camera. The LUMIX DMC-FH20 is a slim, pocketable models that pack a 28mm wide-angle lens with a 8x optical zoom. The camera can record High Definition video and thanks to iA (Intelligent Auto) - is extremely easy to use. " With the new Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FH20, consumers will be thrilled to see small, easy-to-use digital cameras that do not compromise quality or advanced features.

The LUMIX DMC-FH20 will be attractive for sophisticated digital camera users who want a longer zoom, perhaps to take photos of their kids playing sports," said David Briganti, Senior Product Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. The LUMIX DMC-FH20 features High Definition (HD) 720p motion jpeg video recording capabilities. By recording 1280 x 720p at a smooth 30 fps, in addition to WVGA (848 x 480) and normal VGA (640 x 480), the camera makes it easy to view videos on a PC or upload it seamlessly to YouTube with the bundled PHOTOfunSTUDIO version 5.0 software.

The camera is compatible with Windows 7 and can take HD-quality still photos that fill a 16:9 HDTV. Users with a Panasonic VIERA HDTV can enjoy a slideshow of photos simply by inserting an SD Memory Card into the HDTV's SD Memory Card Image Viewer slot. Panasonic's popular iA mode, a suite of technologies that engage automatically - with no setting changes needed by the user - makes it easy for anyone to take beautiful photos.

Panasonic iA includes the following: MEGA O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilization) to help reduce blurry photos due to hand-shake; Intelligent ISO Control to help reduce blur when the subject is moving; Face Detection to ensure registered faces are captured in focus with appropriate exposure and unwanted red eyes are digitally corrected; and Intelligent Scene Selector which selects the best option from: Macro, Portrait, Scenery, Night Portrait, Night Scenery and newly-added Sunset. There is even a dedicated iA button, letting users engage easily with one click.

The camera has a 2.7" 230,000-dot Intelligent LCD, meaning the LCD detects the lighting conditions and controls the brightness level in 11 fine steps, to display with the most appropriate setting. The Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FH20 includes the Venus Engine IV image processor, which features advanced signal processing technology to produce a fast response time. The shutter release time lag on the FH20 is approximately 0.006 second.

Features

14.1-Megapixel High-Resolution CCD

The DMC-FH20 features a 1/2.33" CCD with effective 14.1-megapixel high-resolution.

2.7" 230,000-Dot High-Resolution LCD

The DMC- FH20 features a 2.7" 230,000-dot high-resolution Intelligent LCD and High-angle Mode.

28mm Wide-Angle 8x Optical Zoom Lens in a Compact Body

The DMC-FH20 features a newly developed 28mm wide-angle high-quality LUMIX DC VARIO lens with powerful 8x optical zoom (35mm camera equivalent: 28-224mm) in a slim, compact body. Comprising 9 elements in 7 groups, including 3 aspherical lenses with 6 aspherical surfaces, this advanced lens unit realizes an outstandingly slim and compact profile, yet achieves exceptional optical performance.

Up to 16.9x Extra Optical Zoom

The Extra Optical Zoom uses the center of the CCD to further extend the powerful 8x optical zoom when a resolution of less than 14.1 megapixel is used. This extends the zoom ratio up to 16.9x (35mm camera equivalent: 473mm) for images with 3-megapixel resolution or less. Adding the Extra Optical Zoom to the 4x digital zoom extends the total zooming power to a maximum of 67.5x.

Sonic Speed AF

The Sonic Speed AF system in the DMC-FH20 has a maximum speed of approx. 0.35 second for auto focusing. It includes numerous re-engineering enhancements, including a higher-speed actuator, optimized algorithms and parallel software processing. The result is fast and accurate AF performance. You can quickly get moving subjects in focus, such as when you're shooting sports scenes.

Quick AF

The DMC-FH20 features Quick AF. Ordinary AF is activated when the shutter button is pressed half-way, while Quick AF starts operating as soon as the camera is pointed toward a subject. This dramatically reduces the shutter delay time and lets you take images quickly. Its super-fast focus is ideal for capturing quick images of active children and pets. By setting the camera to Quick AF, images of sudden shooting opportunities won't be out of focus or blurry.

Fast Start-Up Time

The previous linear processing program has been replaced with parallel processing to save 0.23 second off the start-up time. This has resulted in ultra high-speed start-ups of approx. 0.97 second.

Release Time Lag

The shutter release time lag is as short as approx. 0.006 second, making it easy to capture sudden, spur-of-the-moment photo opportunities.

Venus Engine IV

The image-processing engine, Venus Engine IV, uses advanced signal processing to give you beautiful images even when the sensitivity is high. Multi-task signal processing is employed for all images to enable high-speed, high-performance shooting. Venus Engine IV also effectively raises the precision of various functions, such as MEGA O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) and Intelligent ISO Control. Along with its extremely high performance, Venus Engine IV reduces power consumption thanks to a number of energy efficiency improvements.

Extended Battery Life

The energy-saving Venus Engine IV image-processing engine and the efficient, rechargeable lithium-ion battery - which has been slimmed down to fit into thinner camera bodies - work together to extend the shooting time of the DMC-FH20. This lets users take approximately 300 shots on a single battery charge.

Unlimited Consecutive Shooting

The Unlimited Consecutive Shooting function lets you snap off consecutive shots at approx. 1.5 frames per second until the memory card is full. You can take a series of shots, then choose the one you like the best and delete the rest. You can also select High-speed Burst Mode or Flash Burst Mode from Scene Mode.

iA (Intelligent Auto) Mode

When you don't know which mode will give you the best shooting results, or when a sudden photo opportunity pops up and you don't have time to make any settings, simply choose iA (Intelligent Auto) Mode by simply pressing the dedicated button and let the camera do it all for you. You just choose iA Mode, aim at your subject, and shoot. 4 detection and correction functions are simultaneously activated to optimize the settings, so you get stunning photos every time.

Intelligent Scene Selector - Scene Detection

When the camera's in iA Mode, the Intelligent Scene Selector automatically sets the Scene Mode to one of Scenery, Portrait, Macro, Night Portrait, or Night Scenery. Sunset has also been added to the DMC-FH20. The camera judges the scene from the various detection results, such as the focusing and brightness levels of the circumstance. You are free from annoying settings every time the scene changes when taking images with these most frequently used Scene Modes. The scene modes will help you get beautiful results even before you know it.

MEGA O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) - Shake Detection

The MEGA O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) in the DMC-FH20 compensates for the blurring caused by hand-shake. Even slight hand-shake movement is accurately detected by a sampling frequency of 4,000 times per second, and compensated to produce sharp, clear images. The Venus Engine IV controls the shifting of the blur-stopping lens with even greater precision to further increase the detection accuracy and correction effect of MEGA O.I.S. It works for zoom shots and macro shots, which are especially susceptible to hand-shake, and lets you shoot in dimly lit rooms or evening illumination to preserve the mood. In short, it lets anybody take beautiful, blur-free shots with ease.

Intelligent ISO Control - Motion Detection

The Intelligent ISO Control function in the DMC-FH20 made possible by the Venus Engine IV, detects subject movement and automatically adjusts the ISO setting and shutter speed to best suit the movement and light conditions. When it detects subject motion, it automatically raises the ISO setting and increases the shutter speed to prevent motion blur. On the other hand, when the subject is still and no movement is detected, it takes beautifully natural photos with a low ISO setting. Intelligent ISO Control gives you stunning images with ease because there is no need for complicated settings.

Face Detection AF/AE - Face Detection

The Face Detection AF/AE function detects faces and automatically optimizes the focus and exposure settings. It prevents the blurry faces that happen when the camera focuses on something in front of or behind the subject, and keeps faces from appearing dark when shooting indoors or against the light source. It detects up to 15 faces at a time, making it extremely convenient for group photos. Once the camera detects a face, Face Tracking follows it even when the subject moves around. Plus, the system keeps on detection if a face turns sideways to the camera. The DMC-FH20 is also equipped with Digital Red-eye Correction (Red-eye Removal). The camera takes care of the red-eye effect that often happens when shooting with a flash, to ensure attractive facial expression.

Auto Backlight Compensation

When there is strong backlighting, the background appears nice and bright, but the subject is dark. This function detects backlight condition and compensates it automatically.

HD Movie Recording

The FH20 can record motion images in high-definition (1,280 x 720 pixels at 30 fps in Motion JPEG format). The pixel mixed readout method enables bright motion-image recording even in low-light settings. The FH20 can also record full-size motion images in WVGA (848 x 480 pixels at 30 fps) or standard motion images in VGA (640 x 480 pixels at 30 fps) and QVGA (320 x 240 pixels at 30 fps).

Scene Mode

The Scene Mode lets the camera make the optimal settings for you automatically, so anybody can take superb photos with ease. The versatile Scene Mode range, which handles just about any situation and subject type, is a major LUMIX feature. And to make it even simpler to use, the icons and display are designed for easy visibility. The DMC-FH20 lets you store a frequently used Scene Mode setting in the My Scene Mode.

Macro Zoom

You can pull subjects even closer than the closest point possible with the wide-angle setting by using 3x digital zoom, and capture dramatic close-ups.

Selectable Focus Icon

When using 9-area AF, the camera automatically determines the most appropriate AF area from the nine points. This ensures accurate focusing even for difficult compositions. You can also select the AF setting from Face AF or 1-area AF. With the DMC-FH20, you can select the icon from among 6 types that appears when the shutter button is pressed half-way.

Slideshows

The DMC-FH20 can play a slideshow with music. Choose from 4 types of music: Natural, Slow, Swing and Urban. Then, select the transition effect to match your music. For musical slideshows created with the included PHOTOfunSTUDIO 5.0, you can choose your favorite iTunes music file as background music.

Text Stamp

The Baby Mode and Pet Mode let you enter the date of birth and name of your subject in advance. You can also enter your destination and the date of travel in advance in the Travel Date setting. The name, age based on the birth date, date of travel information, and date of shooting are displayed during playback, and can be printed on photos.

Quick Menu

Frequently used functions can be quickly retrieved and easily switched by using the Q.MENU button. The function names are displayed in text form, making them easy for anyone to understand and use.

View Photos on a Large-Screen HDTV

The DMC-FH20 can take 16:9 HD (high-definition) quality photos that perfectly fit a wide-screen HDTV for full-screen viewing. You can enjoy slideshow of photos taken with the LUMIX in stunning HD quality by inserting an SD/SDHC/SDXC Memory Card in to the SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot with the VIERA HDTV (VIERA Image Viewer).

PHOTOfunSTUDIO 5.0 Software

The latest version of exciting PHOTOfunSTUDIO 5.0 software  comes bundled with DMC-FH20. With quick start-up and fast read-in of images, the PHOTOfunSTUDIO 5.0 makes it possible to sort and organize photos not only of those newly taken, but also of those stored in your computer. The Face Recognition function recognizes the faces in the image, to automatically sort the photos by the registered faces without picking out each photo one by one when you only want images of a specific person. You can also enjoy slideshows with a variety of effects and use your iTunes music library as background music. Motion pictures can be uploaded directly to YouTube using the built-in YouTube uploader, even in HD (High Definition) quality. The new PHOTOfunSTUDIO 5.0 also lets you create a 360° rotation panorama file in MOV. The software is, of course, compatible with the Windows 7. Experience and feel the outstanding benefits of the PHOTOfunSTUDIO 5.0; it will  allow you to view, edit and archive your captured photo and motion images with greater ease and fun.

Specifications

Camera Type

Point-and-shoot Digital Camera

Imaging

Resolution

Effective: 14.5MP, Recorded: 14.1MP

Sensor

1/2.33" CCD

Bit Depth

Not Specified By Manufacturer

File Formats

JPEG, QuickTime Motion JPEG

File Size

Not Specified By Manufacturer

Color Spaces

sRGB

Image Stabilization

Optical

Crop Factor

N/A

Optics

Lens

5-40mm f/3.3-5.9 (35mm film equivalent: 28-224mm)

Zoom

Optical: 8x, Digital: 4x, Extra Optical: 9.5x (4:3/ 10M), 13.5x (5M), 16.9x (under 3M)

Lens Mount

N/A

Focus Type

Face, 9-area, 1-area

Focus Range

Normal: 1.6' (50cm) - infinity (Wide)
6.56' (200cm) - infinity (Tele)
Macro/ Intelligent Auto: 0.16' (5cm) - infinity (Wide)
3.27' (100cm) - infinity (Tele)

Accessory Lens/Filter Mount

N/A

Shooting Controls

Sensitivity

Auto, ISO: 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600
High Sensitivity Mode: 1600 - 6400

Shutter Speeds

Still: Approx. 8 - 1/1600 sec
Starry Sky Mode: 15, 30, 60 sec

Metering

Intelligent Multiple

Exposure Modes

Intelligent Auto, Normal Picture, Scene Mode, My Scene Mode, Motion Picture, Exposure Compensation: 1/3 EV step, -2 to +2 EV

White Balance

Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Shade, Halogen, White Set (Selectable at Portrait, Soft Skin, Transform, Self Portrait, Sports, Baby, Pet, High Sensitivity, Hi-speed Burst, Photo Frame Mode)

Mirror Lock-Up

N/A

Burst Capability

Hi-speed Burst Mode: Approx. 4.6 frames/ sec (recorded in 3M for 4:3, 2.5M for 3:2, 2M for 16:9)

Self Timer

2 seconds or 10 seconds

Interval Recording

No

Remote Control

No

Flash

Built-in Flash

Auto, Auto/ Red-eye Reduction, Forced On, Slow Sync./ Red-eye Reduction, Forced Off

Effective Flash Range

1.96 - 19.03' (0.6 - 5.8m) Wide/ISO Auto
3.28 - 10.49' (1.0 - 3.2m) Tele/ISO Auto

External Flash Connection

None

Dedicated Flash System

N/A

Max Sync Speed

Not Specified By Manufacturer

Memory

Built-in Memory

40MB Internal Memory

Memory Card Type

Built-in Memory, SD Memory Card, SDHC Memory Card

Still Images per GB

JPEG: High Res:350

A/V Recording

Video Recording

Video with Audio, NTSC & PAL Output

Video Resolution

16:9 Aspect Ratio: HD Movie: 1,280 x 720 pixels, 30 fps (Motion JPEG)
WVGA: 848 x 480 pixels, 30 fps (Motion JPEG)

4:3 Aspect Ratio: VGA: 640 x 480 pixels, 30 fps (Motion JPEG)
QVGA: 320 x 240 pixels, 30 fps (Motion JPEG)

Video Clip Length

Maximum recording time depends on memory card capacity, maximum 2GB for a motion picture

Audio Recording

Audio with Video Only

Viewfinder/Display

Viewfinder Type

None

Viewfinder Coverage

N/A

Display

2.7" LCD

Connectivity/System Requirements

Connectivity

USB 2.0, DC Input (requires optional DC Coupler)

System & Software Requirements

Windows XP, Vista
Mac OS X (10.2 or later)

Environmental

Operating/Storage Temperature

Not Specified By Manufacturer

Weatherproofing

Not Specified By Manufacturer

Durability

Not Specified By Manufacturer

Power

Battery Type

ID-Security Li-ion Battery Pack (3.6V, Minimum: 740 mAh) (Included)

Power Adapter

AC Adapter (Input: 110 - 240V AC) (Optional)

Physical

Dimensions

3.94 x 2.22 x 1.09" (100 x 56.5 x 27.8mm)

Weight

4.87 oz (138g)

Item Includes

• Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FH20 Digital Camera
• Battery Charger
• Battery Pack
• Battery Case
• AV Cable
• USB Connection Cable
• Hand Strap
• CD-ROM
• 1-Year Panasonic USA Warranty

Accessories

Memory Cards & Card Readers Batteries & Power Bags & Cases Flash & Flash Accessories Compact Camera Lens Kits

Remote Control & Cords Tripod & Support Books & Tutorials Sensor Cleaning LCD Screen Protector

Viewfinder Accessories Filters Teleconverters Software Photograhy Field Guides

Reviews

Exactly what I wanted - and expected, April 15, 2010

By Don in ATL "Don in ATL" (Atlanta, Georgia)

This review is from: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20 14.1 MP Digital Camera with 8x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Black) (Electronics)

I purchased this camera specifically for a vacation to Rio de Janeiro. I also have a Nikon DSLR that I adore, but didn't want to risk carrying it around Rio. I wanted something I can easily put in my pocket and pull out to quickly take pics.

I investigated several different point-and-shoot cameras, and they all suffer that is pretty much standard issues with Point and Shoots - not dealing well with low light, blurry when compensating for low light, lag time, etc. These things are pretty much a fact with point and shoots.

After playing with a few different camera's, I opted for the Lumix DMC-FH20. The main reasons where the zoom - 8x optical, and then up to 32X digital with the right settings.

On my trip, this camera did not disappoint. Sure I had to play with the settings a little bit to get the desired effect, but I pretty much only used the Auto, Landscape, Nighttime landscape and Macro settings. All of these worked perfectly.

In low light, I had to stabilize the camera on a bench or fence, but that's expected, and not a downfall of the camera.

Overall, I love this camera and considered it well worth the price I paid (about $180us). I feel it far exceeds any other camera I have played with (around the same price point).

I would buy this same camera again - without question.

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