Pansonic's latest Lumix models
Panasonic has just launched two cameras as part of a new LZ series. The LZ1 offers 4 megapixels, while the LZ2 has a 5-megapixel CCD. Both are pretty compact cameras. The LZ2 comes in black (pictured) while the LZ1 is silver. Both come with a 6X optical zoom lens that’s stabilised courtesy of the MEGA Optical Image Stabiliser (O.I.S) that Panasonic employs – an unusual feature in compact digitals. This ensures that images don’t blur as your hand wobbles when using the optical zoom without a tripod. The new Venus Engine that the phones run on should see the power consumption 50% lower than on previous compacts, while response times have been reduced from the normal 0.1 seconds down to 0.008 seconds. They’ve both got 14MB of internal memory and take SD/MMC memory cards. Also out is the entry level LUMIX DMC-LS1, a 4-megapixel compact with a 3x optical zoom.