Secaucus, NJ—Panasonic’s pocketable Lumix DMC-LF1 point-and-shoot compact, part of its new LF series—a sister line of the LX series—incorporates a 0.2-inch 200k-dot electronic viewfinder with 100% field of view and a 3.0-inch 920k-dot LCD with automatic brightness adjustment for high visibility during shooting and image playback.
It also boasts a 7.1x optical zoom, 28–200mm equivalent f/2.0 Leica DC Vario-Summicron lens and a 1/1.7-inch MOS sensor. The high-sensitivity 12.1 megapixel sensor pairs with a Venus engine to help achieve clear images even at sensitivities as high as ISO 12,800.
With Wi-Fi connectivity and NFC (Near Field Communication) technology, the LF1 features “touch & share,” which enables users to connect the camera to a smartphone/tablet with one touch of the devices. It’s also possible to use a smartphone/tablet as a remote shutter with a monitor. And, with the LF1’s instant transfer function, photos are automatically sent to the smartphone/tablet right after shooting. Additionally, both photo and video can be automatically archived to a registered digital device, such as a PC, via a wireless home router.
For beginners, iA (intelligent auto) mode offers a variety of shooting-assist functions, including AF tracking, intelligent scene selector, face recognition and intelligent ISO control. The iA plus mode lets them adjust the defocusing area in the background, exposure compensation and white balance.
For step-up photographers, the LF1 comes with manual functionalities. An integrated control ring enables direct control over zooming, aperture, shutter speed, ISO sensitivity and creative functions, while a composition guide lets users choose the most suitable pattern of composition from Rule of Thirds Offset, Diagonal Lines, Tunnel, Radiation1, Radiation2 and S-shape. They can also achieve special effects via the camera’s creative panorama, creative control and creative retouch features with 15 filter effects.
The LF1 also records Full HD 1,920×1,080 60i (NTSC) video in AVCHD/MP4 formats with stereo sound. The 7.1x optical zoom is available during recording, and Power OIS (optical image stabilizer) with active mode works to suppress blur.
Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-LF1 will come in black and white versions. $499.99. panasonic.com
