Panasonic DMC FH5 Lumix Digital Camera

The new Panasonic DMC-FH5 digital camera has a super-thin body profile that makes it around 20 per cent slimmer than its predecessor.

This new generation of the FH Series sees Intelligent Auto (iA) now include AF Tracking and Intelligent Exposure, making it even easier to capture clear beautiful images. AF Tracking locks onto any subject and keeps it in focus, while Intelligent Exposure optimises the exposure for each part of an image, preventing blocked shadows and blown highlights, while helping to ensure that gradation and details are reproduced flawlessly.

It features 1280 x 720p High Definition movie recording, so users can capture dynamic high quality footage that can be easily uploaded together with photos using the new built in LUMIX Image Uploader.  This allows for instant image sharing via Facebook or YouTube with any PC. Users can checkmark the photos or movies they want to share, connect the camera to a PC and uploading starts by simply following the on-screen guide.

Panasonic has also introduced its latest Venus Engine VI image processing engine for crisp resolution and a super-fast response time.

Product Features

28mm wide-angle LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR lens with 4x optical zoom

The 16.1-megapixel DMC-FH5 features a newly developed  28mm wide-angle high quality LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR lens with 4x optical zoom (35mm camera equivalent: 28-112mm) in a body around 20% slimmer than their predecessors.

The lens unit comprises six elements in five groups, including three aspherical lenses with six aspherical surfaces, and has been downsized while maintaining excellent optical performance, achieved by Panasonic’s concurrent development of the lens, mechanism and design.  Taking advantage of the powerful Intelligent Resolution, the 4x optical zoom can be increased to 5x equivalent with Intelligent Zoom, while still preserving photo quality.

High performance Venus Engine VI

Newly-incorporated in the FH Series, the high-speed, high-performance Venus Engine VI supports the recording of beautiful still images and high-definition movies.  With Intelligent Resolution Technology, three areas – outlines, detailed texture and soft gradation areas – are automatically detected.  Each area is enhanced effectively for greater definition, fine detail and superior noise reduction. As a result, images are naturally clear and crisp.

The multi-task engine supports a super-fast response time.  The shutter release time lag is as quick as 0.007 second (DMC-FH5), and combined with Sonic Speed AF that lets you quickly lock in on the subject, means you won’t miss a shooting opportunity.

The Venus Engine VI also supports a High Sensitivity mode that lets both models record at a setting of up to ISO 6400, sensitive enough to capture subjects in almost total darkness without using a flash.

iA (Intelligent Auto) Mode for easy operation

Panasonic’s Intelligent Auto (iA) mode, which debuted in 2007, makes photography easy and produces beautiful photos, regardless of the shooting situation, without fuss or the need to select complex settings. AF Tracking and Intelligent Exposure have been added to iA for additional shooting convenience. Other iA functions include Intelligent Scene Selector, MEGA O.I.S. and Face Detection.

Intelligent Scene Selector automatically selects which one of six Scene Modes - Macro, Portrait, Scenery, Night Portrait, Night Scenery and Sunset - best suits the shooting situation. The MEGA O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabiliser) suppresses hand-shake and Intelligent ISO Control prevents moving subjects from being blurred by optimising the shutter speed and ISO sensitivity setting, to render sharp, clear images whatever the shooting situation. With Face Detection human faces are captured in focus with appropriate exposure and unwanted red-eye can be digitally corrected. 

Other Features

The DMC-FH5 records dynamic HD movies in 1280 x 720p at a smooth 24 fps, in addition to normal VGA (640 x 480) in Motion JPEG. All LUMIX cameras can take 16:9 Full HD-quality photos that perfectly fit a wide-screen HDTV for full-screen viewing.

The cameras feature a 2.7-inch Intelligent LCD display which automatically adjusts the screen brightness in 11 steps as the surrounding brightness level changes, ensuring easy visibility at all times.

There are 26 Scene modes – such as Baby, Pet, Fireworks, Party, Beach and Sunset - making it easy to ensure the camera has the best setting for the shooting situation.

The included PHOTOfunSTUDIO 6.0 software makes it possible to sort and organise thousands of photos and movies making it easy to access the image or footage you want.

For portraits, the Face Recognition function recognises faces in the picture automatically and sorts the photos by the registered faces. Panorama Stitch lets you make a panoramic composite in MOV by combining photos taken in Panorama Assist mode on the camera. Users can also make a slideshow with selected photos and background music.

In addition to the LUMIX Image Uploader, a direct uploading function of the cameras, users can upload photos to Facebook© and movies to YouTube™ via this software.