Lumix

Lumix logo

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LC1 (2004)

Lumix is Panasonic's brand of digital cameras, ranging from pocket point-and-shoot models to digital SLRs.

Compact digital cameras DMC-LC5^[1] and DMC-F7^[2] were the first products of the Lumix series, released in 2001. They are equipped with Leica lenses.

Indeed, many Lumix models are fitted with Leica lenses (e.g. Nocticron or Elmarit lenses), designed by Leica's German optical engineers, and are assembled in Japan. Others are rebranded as Leica cameras with different cosmetic stylings. Leica had a similar relationship with Minolta in the past, where late model Leica SLRs (and some 35 mm point-and-shoot models) were strongly based on Minolta bodies.

Most Lumix cameras use differing releases of the Panasonic Venus Engine for digital image processing; the original version (2002) was followed by II (2004), Plus (2005), III (2006), IV (2008), HD, V (2009), and VI, HD II, FHD (2010).

Panasonic produces most of Leica's branded digital point and shoot cameras in Japan, but not film cameras, the Leica M8 or Leica M9 digital rangefinder cameras, the X1 and X2 digital cameras or the Digital Modul R digital camera back for the Leica R9 film SLR.

Panasonic showed a prototype of a planned 3D Lumix camera in September 2011,^[3] saying that it would have twin 4x zoom lenses with folding optics and optical image stabilization for both video and still images.^[3]

In November 2015, Panasonic released a free firmware update for its Lumix G7, GX8 and FZ300 cameras. The update gives the cameras a new mode called "Post Focus," which can capture up to 49 points of focus in a single burst, and the mode works with any lens that offers autofocus capabilities.^[4]

Model lines

Panasonic DMC-LS60

Camera Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ60

Some cameras are available in a choice of colour, indicated by a suffix letter: K is black, S silver, A blue, R red, W white. Most lower-priced models have small sensors of about 10.2 mm / 1/2.5". More expensive ones often have sensors of about twice the area, 14.1 mm to 15.4 mm / 1/1.65" to 1/1.8". dSLRs and Micro Four Thirds cameras have much larger sensors. Larger sensors produce a better image signal-to-noise ratio and better dynamic range. The GH series of Micro Four Thirds cameras have a unique "multi-aspect" sensor, that is larger than the lens image circle. This allows three different aspect ratios, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9, to be used natively. As a result, the image diagonal remains the same in all three aspect ratios and provides full coverage of the sensor, and a larger field of view with higher resolution than one would get by simply cropping the 4:3 aspect to the narrower ratios.

Current

• DMC-FX: ultra-compact high-end, relatively typical cameras. Unlike most of the other Lumix lines, the FX series tends to have a more stylish look (as opposed to the generic silver or black), targeted at social photography. The FX30 was announced as the world's slimmest camera with a 28 mm equivalent wide-angle lens. The FX500 is the first Panasonic to feature a touch-screen interface.
• DMC-FZx (excluding DMC-FZx0 models): compact ultra-zoom higher-end cameras. These cameras are described as compact but are relatively large, have extensive controls (although models earlier than the FZ7 do not have manual focus), and long zoom ranges, typically 12x with extending zoom lens.
• DMC-FZxx: bridge digital cameras, resemble digital SLRs in many ways, but have a non-interchangeable, non-extending zoom lens. The FZ70/72 bridge camera is as large and heavy as a medium-sized DSLR, has a 1/2.3" sensor, a very wide zoom range (20-1200mm, 60x) and extensive manual controls, including fully manual focus, and zoom rings on the lens. FZ1000 uses a 1" sensor (as does the Sony RX10). Compared to the RX10, the FZ1000 can shoot 4K video, is priced considerably lower and has double the optical zoom, but no built-in ND Filter and no fixed aperture.^[5]

• DMC-G: Micro Four Thirds System line, advertised as a "reinvented D-SLR" without mirror.
• DMC-L: DSLR line. It uses the Four Thirds System lens mount and, along with the Olympus E-330, was one of the first DSLRs capable of displaying live image view on the LCD screen.
• DMC-LS: cheapest line, budget plastic compact cameras powered by two AA batteries.
• DMC-LX: compact high-end camera line, with full manual exposure and focus controls (with joystick control rather than focus ring), and RAW recording, unusual in compact cameras.
• DMC-LZ: budget, but more advanced and with more user control than many other digital compact cameras. The most notable feature is a 5x (37–222 mm) optical zoom range.
• DMC-SZ: mid-level compact superzoom cameras. SZ-series stands for "style zoom". Introduced in January 2012, these cameras use the 25 mm ultra-wide angle LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR lens, have a 10x optical zoom, and shoot high definition video.^[6] Models include the SZ1, SZ5, and SZ7.
• DMC-TS / DMC-FT: waterproof, shockproof, and dustproof point and shoot cameras.
• DMC-TZ: compact, point and shoot 20x zoom cameras with image stabilization. The TZ1 uses folded optics, with a prism. TZ1's successors use a traditional design without folded optics, hence the barrel extends further out during operation.^[7] The TZ series stands out against other compact digital cameras by achieving a 20x optical zoom with a 28 mm wide angle lens (equivalent to 35 mm camera) in a small compact body.
• DMC-ZS: alternative names for certain DMC-TZ models, used for marketing in North America.

Discontinued

• DMC-FS: ultra-compact mid-range, relatively typical cameras. The FS range was launched in January 2008.
• DMC-LC: medium-compact-size, mid-range, but also included high-end models.

Model history

Type	Venus Engine
	Non-installing	Venus I	Venus II	Venus Plus	Venus III	Venus IV	Venus HD	Venus V	Venus VI	Venus HD II	Venus VII FHD	Venus IX
High-end Ultra-Compact					FX100	FX150		FX580 / FX550			FX700
Ultra-Compact, Wide-angle				FX01	FX50 / FX30 / FX55 / FX33	FX35 / FX500		FX48 / FP8 / ZX1 / FX550	FX66	ZR3 / ZX3	FX78
Ultra-Compact	F7	F1 / FX5 / FX1	FX7 / FX2	FX8 / FX3 / FX9	FX12	FS3 / FS5 / FS6 / FS7 / FS15 / FS20 / FS25
High-end Compact	LC5	LC1	LX1		LX2	LX3					LX5 / LX7	LX100
Compact, Wide-angle, Large Zoom					TZ1 / TZ2 / TZ3	TZ4 / TZ5 / TZ15 / TZ50 / ZS1	ZS3		ZS5 / ZS8	ZS7	ZS10 / ZS15 / ZS20 / ZS30
Compact, Medium Zoom				LZ1 / LZ2 / LZ3 / LZ5	LZ6 / LZ7	LZ8 / LZ10
Bridge, Ultra Zoom		FZ1 / FZ2 / FZ10	FZ3 / FZ5 / FZ7 / FZ30 / FZ20		FZ50 / FZ18 / FZ8	FZ28	FZ35 / FZ38			FZ40 / FZ45	FZ100 / FZ48 / FZ150 / FZ200	FZ1000
Compact	LC40 / LC20	LC33 / LC43 / LC70		LS1 / LS2	LS60 / LS75 / LS80	LS85
Four Thirds					L1 / L10
Micro Four Thirds							G1 / GH1 / GF1			G2 /G10	GH2 / GF2 / GF3 / G3 / GX1 / GH3 / G5	GH4 / G7
Waterproof, shockproof, and dustproof						TS10	TS1			TS2	TS3 / TS4

Promoters

Panasonic Lumix sponsors German football player Marco Reus of Borussia Dortmund and Germany

Panasonic Lumix sponsors German football player Marco Reus of German Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund and Germany.^[8]

In Japan, pop singer Ayumi Hamasaki promotes the Lumix cameras with her songs. She announced on May 8, 2007, that Panasonic would be releasing an Ayumi Hamasaki x Hello Kitty x Lumix collaboration camera, a Lumix FX-30 which sells for ¥54600 (about US$455). Recently Hamasaki promoted the Lumix FX 40.^[9] Hong Kong actress and singer Karena Lam also appeared in a local Hong Kong Panasonic commercial for the now discontinued FX01.

See also

• Panasonic
• Leica Camera
• Comparison of digital single-lens reflex cameras

References

1. DMC-LC5 (Japanese)
2. DMC-F7 (Japanese)
3. Stephen Shankland, CNET. "Panasonic shows off 3D Lumix camera prototype." September 2, 2011. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
4. Tim Moyhnihan, Wired. “Panasonic Cameras Get a Shoot Now and Focus Later Feature.” November 25, 2015. November 30, 2015.
5. Richard Butler. "Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 First Impressions Review". Retrieved June 12, 2014.
6. "Panasonic announces DMC-SZ7 and DMC-SZ1 mid-level compact superzooms," Digital Photography Review.
7. Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3 Review, Digital Camera resource page, Jeff Keller, April 7, 2007. Accessed on line April 28, 2008.
8. "Panasonic snaps up Marco Reus as brand ambassador".
9. "Hamasaki promotes the Lumix FX 40".

External links

• Official site with details of current cameras
• Thorsten Overgaard's User Report of the Panasonic DMC LC 1 and Leica Digilux 2