Panasonic FT10 announced
Panasonic, a market leader in digital still cameras, today introduced the new LUMIX DMC-FT10 from the LUMIX’s FT series geared for active outdoor use. Featuring the flat and slim profile adopting the folded optics for its 4x optical zoom* lens unit, the new 14.1-megapixel FT10 features credible toughness to be waterproof to 3m, shockproof to 1.5m, freezeproof to -10 degrees C and dustproof.
Panasonic’s world-acclaimed iA (Intelligent Auto) mode makes it easy for anyone to take beautiful photos by various shooting-assist functions. It comprehends MEGA O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) for hand-shake, Intelligent ISO Control for subject movement, Face Detection and Intelligent Scene Selector. The dedicated iA button on the top of the camera lets you enter the iA mode directly. Once you enter the iA mode, these multi-capable functions happen automatically, so you can shoot without the bother of adjusting settings every time conditions change. You can enjoy easy, trouble-free shooting in any situation and get the satisfaction that comes with capturing clear, beautiful images.
With the DMC-FT10, HD (High Definition) movie recording in 720p Motion JPEG is available. The high performance DMC-FT10 excels in the powerful battery life as long as 300 pictures per a single charge (CIPA) despite its slim, compact body. The 2.7-inch large Intelligent LCD with AR coating assures high visibility of photo and movies both in shooting and playing back the images.
Enjoy casual photo and video shooting with tremendous ease stylishly in town and actively in outdoor adventures – the FT10 suits both situations.
*Equivalent to 35-140mm on a 35mm camera.
1. A Credible Toughness in a Slim, Stylish Profile with 4x Optical Zoom in Folded Optics
The DMC-FT10 features a high-quality 4x optical zoom LUMIX DC Lens (35-140mm*). The folded optics of the shaft guide method is adopted to secure the toughness of the lens unit. Comprising 11 elements and a prism unit in 10 groups, including an ED lens and 4 aspherical lenses with 7 aspherical surfaces, this advanced lens unit renders high resolution image corner to corner even adopting the folded optics. Further, in 3-megapixel resolution mode, the Extra Optical Zoom function provides additional magnification, extending the zoom power to 8.4x (294mm*) by using the center part of the high resolution CCD to bring subjects even closer.
Despite its flat and futuristic profile, the DMC-FT10 is waterproof to a depth of 3m and dustproof equivalent to the “IPX8” and “IP6X” standard. Thanks to rubber padding and reinforced glass and carbon resins inside the camera, the FT10 features an airtight body protected against water immersion, dust and sand.
The FT10 is drop proof from a height up to 1.5m in accordance with the “MIL-STD 810F Method516.5-Shock” test standard. In addition to reinforcing the exterior of the camera with shock-resistant material, the FT10 uses folded optics to prevent its lens unit from taking damage when dropped during operation. The lens unit is protected by a supplementary damper to absorb the force from shock impact. All components including the lens unit are reexamined to endure the temperature as low as -10 degrees C to make the FT10 freezeproof.
*Equivalent to 35-140mm on a 35mm camera.
2. The iA (Intelligent Auto) Mode for Making Every Photographer to Be a Good Photographer
Panasonic incorporated the Intelligent Auto mode in pursuit of the ultimate ease of operation and the reduction of misshots. The MEGA O.I.S. suppresses hand-shake and the Intelligent ISO control prevents moving subject from being blurred by optimizing the shutter speed and ISO sensitivity setting, to render sharp, clear images whatever the shooting situation is. Human faces are captured in focus and appropriate exposure with the Face Detection. Unwanted red-eyes are digitally corrected and backlight compensation automatically activates if they happen. Intelligent Scene Selector, which automatically selects whichever of 6 Scene Modes — Macro, Portrait, Scenery, Night Portrait, Night Scenery and Sunset — that best suits the shooting situation. The Quick AF system allows the camera to keep focus on the subject while the camera is in recording mode even before pressing a shutter button halfway, to get the best result out of a shutter chance because the focus is always near the subject and the AF time is minimized.
The user can activate all of these useful, convenient shooting-assist functions by simply pressing an dedicated iA button on the top of the camera. All these make the FT10 the ultimate, super-versatile automatic camera for capturing clear, beautiful, mistake-free photos with ease.
3. Exciting Options to Expand the Fun of Photography in the High-Definition Era
The new DMC-FT10 records dynamic HD movie in 1280 x 720p Motion JPEG at a smooth 30 fps, in addition to WVGA (848 x 480) and normal VGA (640 x 480). You can enjoy recording not only photos but also HD movies casually even in active outdoor situations. It is also possible to edit it or upload it on YouTube with the included software PHOTOfunSTUDIO ver. 5.0.
・Use a card with SD Speed Class* with “Class 6” or higher when recording motion pictures.
*SD speed class is the speed standard regarding continuous writing.
・Motion pictures can be recorded continuously for up to 15 min in European PAL area.
・Motion picture recorded continuously in [MOTION JPEG] is up to 2 GB. Only the maximum recordable time for 2 GB is displayed on the screen.
・SDHC Memory Cards and SDXC Memory Cards can be used only in equipment that is compatible with their respective formats.
・If the computer being used does not support SDXC Memory Cards, a message prompting you to format may appear. (Doing so will cause recorded images to be erased so do not choose to format.) If the card is not recognized, please refer to the below support site.
http://panasonic.net/avc/sdcard/information/SDXC.html
4. High Speed Response of the Image Processing LSI the Venus Engine IV
The image-processing LSI, Venus Engine IV, features advanced signal processing technology for rendering high-quality images. Featured in the DMC-FT10, the multi-task image-processing engine Venus Engine IV supports a super-fast response time. The shutter release time lag is as short as approx. 0.006 second. The camera’s quick response makes it easier to capture sudden, spur-of-the-moment photo opportunities together with the Sonic Speed AF (Auto Focus).
The Venus Engine IV also supports a High Sensitivity mode that lets the DMC-FT10 record at a setting of up to ISO 6400, sensitive enough to capture subjects in near-total darkness without using a flash.*
Despite its outstanding performance and the slim profile, the engine is also superior in its energy efficiency to feature a long battery life up to 300 shots (CIPA) per a single charge.
*In 3-megapixel (4:3), 2.5-megapixel (3:2), 2-megapixel (16:9) recording.
5. Easy-to-see 2.7-inch Large Intelligent LCD with AR Coating
The DMC-FT10 incorporates an easy-to-see, 2.7-inch 230,000-dot Intelligent LCD for comfortable viewing while both monitoring shots and playing back the results. The Intelligent LCD function detects the light condition and automatically boosts the LCD backlighting by max. 40% when shooting outdoors in bright sunshine, and adjusts the frame rate when shooting in low-lit situations in addition to using the pixel mixed readout method to secure clarity in such situations. Detecting the lighting condition precisely and automatically controlling the brightness with a total of 11 fine steps, this function gives the display the most appropriate clarity in any situation without using extra energy. The High-angle mode makes the LCD screen extremely easy to view when the camera is held high, such as when shooting over a crowd. Plus, the AR coating suppresses reflections even under the strong sunlight.
6. Other Features Enhancing the Ease and Joy of Photography
A rich variety of scene modes make it easy to get beautiful photos in a range of photographic situations. The Beach & Surf mode is perfect for your beach activities, allowing you to use a single mode with optimized auto white balance both on the beach and in shallow water up to 3m. Baby, Pet and Sports modes take advantage of the Intelligent ISO Control as previously described, to let you get great results even if the subjects have unexpected motion. Furthermore, you can record the name and birthday of your children or pet and embed the information of the name and at which age in year and month the photo was taken on the photo, and choose to print either or both of them on the photo. Photo Frame mode lets the user put attractive borders around the photo. When printed, the photos look like postcards in picture frames.
The functions and settings used most often, such as O.I.S., consecutive shooting, auto focus point, white balance adjustment, ISO level, image size and LCD mode are quickly and easily accessed via the Quick Setting function. There’s no need to open menus to adjust them.
The user can select from among several pretty icons for the camera to use for indicating when the subject is in focus. With the My Scene setting, the user can assign a specific Scene Modes to that setting, and switch instantly to the mode when desired.
Using the Macro Zoom function, the user 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.
In addition to the conventional SD/SDHC Memory Card, the DMC-FT10 accepts next-generation SD format SDXC (SD eXtended Capacity), that features high potential in both capacity and data transfer speed. There is no need of worry about scratching if the included silicone jacket is worn.
About Included Software PHOTOfunSTUDIO 5.0
The exciting, multi-functional software PHOTOfunSTUDIO 5.0 comes bundled with DMC-FT10. 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 PC. The Face Recognition function that recognizes the faces in the picture automatically sorts the photos by the registered faces without picking out each photo one by one when you only want pictures 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-degree rotation panorama file in MOV.
Experience and feel the outstanding benefit of the PHOTOfunSTUDIO 5.0. It will surely allow you to view, edit and archive your captured photos and motion pictures with greater ease and fun.
*YouTube is a trademark of Google Inc.
*Windows and the Windows logo are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.
*All other company and product names are trademarks of their respective corporations.
*The use of recorded or printed materials that are protected by copyright for any purpose other than personal enjoyment is prohibited, as it would infringe upon the rights of the copyright holder.
*Design and specifications are subject to change without notice.
About Waterproof / Dustproof performance of the camera
This camera’s waterproof/dustproof rating complies with the “IPX8” and “IP6X” ratings. Provided the care and maintenance guidelines described as following are strictly followed, this camera can operate underwater, to a depth not exceeding 3m(10FT) for a time not exceeding 60 minutes. This does not guarantee no destruction, no malfunction, or waterproofing in all conditions.
– Attention –
Cleaning the rubber seal site (Around the card/battery door, terminal cover)
If any foreign material (hair, sand, dust, liquid, etc.) is present on the rubber seal or the area where the rubber seal sits, water can leak into the camera within a few seconds and cause malfunction.
If there is any foreign material, remove with supplied brush.
– Be careful not to let foreign material get into the camera when cleaning it.
– Pay extra attention when removing fine sand or wet sand.
– Foreign material will adhere to the grooves on the side of rubber seal or its four corners. Remove with the brush.
Handling of the brush
– Prior to use, check that no foreign material etc. is present.
– After use, shake any adhered foreign material etc. off.
To prevent water leak, take care not to nip any foreign objects, and close it by pressing until it clicks. Use the camera underwater up to 3m (10FT) depth, water temperature from 0°C to 40°C, and not longer than 60 minutes continuously. Do not leave the camera under low temperature in the cold climate, or where it has high temperature above 40°C for long period of time. (Waterproof performance will degrade.) Do not use chemicals, such as benzene, thinner, or alcohol, soap, detergents. If it was used in the sea, soak the camera in fresh water a shallow container of for 10 minutes or less. Do not leave the camera uncared for more than 60 minutes after using it underwater. It may cause deterioration of the waterproof performance. To keep the waterproof performance, it is recommended to replace the waterproof seal (with fee) at least once every 1 year at the retail store where you have bought the camera. If the zoom button or Power Button is not operating correctly, shake the camera well in fresh water to wash off any foreign objects.
[PRECAUTIONS] is displayed when the power is turned on for the first time after purchase.
Please check beforehand to maintain the waterproof performance.
About Shockproof performance of the camera
The camera complies with “MIL-STD 810F (Method 516.5-Shock).
The camera has cleared a drop test from a height of 1.5m onto 3cm thick plywood. In most cases, the camera should not sustain any
damage if dropped from a height of 1.5 m or less.*
* This is not a guarantee of no breakdowns, no malfunctions, or complete waterproofing under all conditions.
About Freezeproof performance of the camera
The performance of the battery (number of recordable pictures/operating time) may decrease temporarily when using in a temperature between -10℃to0℃( 14゜F to 32゜F) (at the cold climate such as ski resort).
If the camera gets cold in a cold environment, performance of the LCD monitor may temporarily drop immediately after turning the power on, such as the picture on the LCD monitor being slightly darker than usual or ghost images appearing. Keep the camera warm when using in a cold environment. The performance will resume to normal when the internal temperature rises.
When using the camera in a cold place such as a ski resort, if the camera is left with snow or water drops still on it, the snow or water drops in-between the zoom button, Power button may freeze, making it difficult for some parts of the camera to function properly.
This is not a malfunction. When the camera returns to normal temperature it will function normal. It is recommended to use the camera while keeping it warm in the coat etc.
There is no guarantee of not breaking or malfunctioning under all conditions.