Panasonic DMC-FX8 (Black) Lumix Ultra-Compact 5 Megapixel Digital Camera w/ 2.5" LCD

Panasonic has updated the impressive sleek and stylish FX series of Lumix digital still cameras with the 5 megapixel DMC-FX8. The FX8 has a 3x optical zoom, a 2.5 inch LCD display, various scene modes for fun picture taking in all kinds of settings and situations, and a Leica DC Vario-Elmarit Lens for high-quality image capture. Plus,  The FX8 boasts a new powerful and long lasting lithium-ion battery, and incorporates Panasonic's MEGA Optical Image Stabilization, a feature that counters shaky hands, the main culprit for blurry pictures.

The camera uses Panasonic's Venus Engine Plus to manage image processing, camera functions and features, and very efficient energy usage. The FX8 let's you record VGA movies at 30 frames per second with audio playback capability, so you can enjoy both the video and the sound of your movies, right from the camera. Of course, the FX8 utilize SD memory cards, which can be used with Panasonic Diga DVD recorders for easy playback and transfer to DVD-R discs or DVD-RAM discs.

5.0 Megapixel Resolution
With a resolution of 5.0 Megapixels, you'll be able to produce high resolution images that can yield photo quality 11x17" prints.

Leica DC Vario-Elmarit 3x Optical Zoom Lens
The Leica DC Vario-Elmarit lens on the DMC-FX8 follows in the Leica tradition of excellence. Although it is small in size, it has a large, bright aperture, meeting Leica's stringent quality standards. A Leica multi-coating process applied to the lens helps to prevent the flare that is caused by fogging, and ghosts that can result from internally reflected light. Even enlarged images captured by the DMC-FX8 are crisp and clear - right to the edges. Plus, you can use the 3x optical zoom and 4x digital zoom together to produce a maximum of 12x zooming power

MEGA Optical Image Stabilizer
The MEGA O.I.S (Optical Image Stabilizer) feature offsets unintentional hand movement while you're taking pictures to give you clear, sharp images even when taking handheld telephoto shots or shooting at night. This optical technology provides precise compensation for movement with no image quality degradation.

2.5" High-Resolution LCD Display
The DMC-FX8 features a 2.5" diagonal high-resolution LCD monitor which is surprisingly large for such a compact camera. This high-quality, display makes it easy to see your subject, and when shooting outdoors on a sunny day, press the Power LCD button to boost the backlighting by about 40% for easier visibility.

Stunning High-Speed AF in a Slim Body
Select the AF setting from Spot, 1-point (normal or high-speed), 3-point high-speed, and 5-point. The 1-point normal setting solves the "image-freezing" that used to happen while focusing on fast-moving subjects, and makes them easier to track. Furthermore, the 1-point high-speed mode slashes conventional AF time; plus, the AF Assist Lamp helps when focusing in low lighting.

Super-Fast Shutter Response and Consecutive Shooting
Thanks to the Venus Engine Plus's release time lag of only 0.008 second, the FX8 is super-fast. You can snap consecutive shots at 3 frames per second with full resolution. And with Unlimited Consecutive Shooting, you can keep shooting until the memory card is full.

Extended Battery Life
Incorporating the latest lithium-ion battery and the Venus Engine PLUS that consumes less power than previous processors, the FX8 realizes more than two times longer battery life when compared with the previous FX7 - so you can take approximately 300 pictures on a charge

Record High Quality Moving Images
Record beautiful full-size movie in VGA resolution at 30 fps with enhanced picture quality not only in the resolution but also in the overall brightness level of the image. A built-in speaker lets you enjoy playing back movies with audio on the 2.5" large LCD anytime, anywhere.

Easy-to-use Scene Modes for Wider-ranging Situations
The DMC-FX8 has 12 scene modes to provide the best overall image quality for common shooting situations, such as Portrait, Sports, Scenery, Night Scenery, and more. There are also three added scene modes not available in previous models. Soft Skin detects only skin tones and softens detail to produce smoother and more beautiful skin rendition. Food catches the natural color of food regardless of the light condition in macro closeup. Baby allows easy growth record in which the baby's time of age according to preset birthday would be automatically recorded onto the image, as well as giving a shade of soft focus on the subject. It is easy to select the best scene mode thanks to the Scene Mode Help Screen, that shows the description of each mode on the LCD monitor, helps you to select the mode that best fits the shooting condition.

Easy to Use for Any Skill Level
The DMC-FX8 offers easy shooting even to the entry-level users by providing the Simple Mode, in which most settings are made automatically. You just aim at the subject, zoom in or out, and press the shutter button. Light is automatically compensated with a single press of the Exposure Compensation button when the subject is backlit.

Auto Angle Detection
Auto angle detection records whether an image was taken horizontally or vertically. This ensures that when playing back on the LCD monitor and displaying images on your TV by connecting your Lumix Digital Camera with an AV cable, vertical images are automatically displayed vertically and horizontal images are automatically displayed horizontally.

Bundled Photo Editing Software
In addition to the ArcSoft PhotoImpression, PanoramaMaker, and PhotoBase, The DMC-FZ8 includes the Lumix Simple Viewer for Windows. This software is good especially for the beginners to store, playback, print or attach to E-mail the images via the PC. Images will be automatically transferred just by inserting the SD Memory Card into a card reader, or by connecting the camera to PC; and the images will also be sorted by the date of shooting to streamline the process of organizing the pictures as much as possible.

Print Directly From Your Camera
You can send images directly to print, without the need of a PC, when using PictBridge compatible printers.

Image Processor: Venus Engine Plus  
Primary Color Filter     
 

Digital Zoom: 4x

Exposure: Program AE 

Shutter Speed: 2 - 1/2000 sec.

Still Image: JPEG (design rule for camera file system), DPOF corresponding
Still Image with Audio: JPEG (design rule for camera file system) + QuickTime
Motion Images: QuickTime Motion JPEG     

Mega Burst Shooting Mode: (Full-resolution image)
Standard Mode: Up to 5 images at 3 or 2 frames/sec.
Fine Mode: Up to 3 images

Economy Mode     

Manufacturer Warranty: One year