27 January 2010

By: Florin Panaitescu, Gadgets Editor
Panasonic's New Lumix DMC-FT2 Can Dive Down to Two Meters Underwater

Also, more rugged

DMC-FT2 Panasonic
Panasonic has just announced introduction of yet another compact digital camera, the DMC-FT2, namely the successor to the company's first rugged camera. This packs High Definition video recording capability, in the AVCHD Lite format, and is even more sturdy and rugged compared to its predecessor, as well as a better diver, if you catch my drift. "We have been very pleased to see that consumers found true value in Panasonic's first rugged digital camera, knowing that they could take it on their outdoor adventures where it could withstand drops, water and dust. But even more, we saw that users enjoyed our LUMIX TS1 for their daily photo needs - they were able to take high-quality video and photo without worrying if they casually tossed it in their bag or used it in the rain," said David Briganti, Senior Product Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. Since I mentioned ruggedness, I should continue with that, telling you that the TS2 has an airtight body, thus is safe with water immersion, dust and sand. Speaking of water immersion, this little camera can dive down to 3 meters, even if the water is very cold, as it is also freezeproof down to -10 degrees Celsius. As we're in value area, let me mention that the shockproof ability of the Lumix DMC-FT2 will let the camera take a fall from up to 2 meters high. For that, the company also thickened the cover panel for the LCD by 1.3x. Pricing for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT2 will only be announced 30 days before shipping date, March 2010. "The new LUMIX FT2 gets tougher and we expect it to be a key product in 2010, as its rugged features are becoming even more desirable for active users, especially with this year's new freezeproof capabilities.  Families will enjoy this digital camera, both for their own outdoor activities, vacations, but also so they can allow children to take photos without the anxiety they might otherwise feel of damage," added David Briganti.
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3 June 2010

By: Alex Vochin, Gadgets Editor
Panasonic Lumix FT2 Weatherproof Compact Digicam Hands-On Preview
One tough, yet attractive little cookie
Panasonic FT2 front/angle view Softpedia
Although the large majority of consumers found rugged, waterproof cameras to be fairly useless, the truth of the matter is that there are countless occasions when they can prove their worth, allowing users to take some pretty spectacular shots that would have otherwise been impossible. And one such ultra-tough and rugged product is the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT2 model, which we recently had the chance of testing, albeit for a very short period of time. So, during a local Panasonic event (where we went hands-on with a bunch of other cameras as well), we got to spend a few quality moments with the FT2 and see what this tough little device is all about. Unfortunately, we were only able to check out its shock resilience (a test that the device from Panasonic passed with flying colors, by the way), but we're most likely going to fully test it at some point in the near future, which is exactly the reason why we've called this article a "preview." Anyway, as you might imagine, the FT2's main selling points are related to its capability of withstanding the action of the elements. So, the device is freeze-resistant (to -10°C) so it will withstand severe cold temperatures, at the same time drop-proof from a height of up to 2m in accordance with the MIL-STD 810F standard. The lens unit is further protected by a supplementary damper to absorb the force from the shock of the impact. But what's much more important to point out is the fact that the DMC-FT2 has improved water-resistance to a depth of 10m, and is dustproof equivalent to the 'IPX8' and 'IP6X' standard. The LCD panel is thickened by 1.3x (compared with the DMC-FT1) for protection against pressure, allowing the display to operate with clear visibility, even underwater. Leaving aside its "ruggedness," it's important to point out that the FT2 offers some pretty interesting photography-related features as well. So, the device comes equipped with a high-quality LEICA DC VARIO ELMAR 28mm wide-angle lens with a 4.6x optical zoom (35mm equivalent: 28-128mm) employing folded optics for increased durability and compact design. This 4.6x optical zoom is also available in video recording, and since we're on this topic, we'll also point out that the DMC-FT2 can record High Definition video in the AVCHD Lite format, allowing greater recording capacity while achieving quite an OK HD quality. A newly-developed Venus Engine HD II further strengthens the camera with powerful image processing and high-speed performance. The FT2 features Intelligent Auto (iA) for both still image shooting and video recoding, ensuring optimum settings are automatically selected for the best results, every time. Naturally, these are only a few basic details, but we'll be sure to come back with more exciting info when we get the chance to fully review this very interesting device.
We are just a few, but there are many of you, Softpedia users, out there. That's why we thought it would be a good idea to create an email address for you to help us a little in finding gadgets we missed. Interesting links are bound to be posted with recognition going
Page 1 Copyright (c) 2001-2011 Softpedia. All rights reserved. Softpedia and Softpedia logo are registered trademarks of SoftNews NET SRL.
mainly to those who submit. The address is.   Follow me on Twitter @AlexVochin.
Page 2 Copyright (c) 2001-2011 Softpedia. All rights reserved. Softpedia and Softpedia logo are registered trademarks of SoftNews NET SRL.