Watch the Lumixes fly up, up, up!

By Derek Fung on 14 February 2007

Eight new Lumix cameras, all featuring optical image stabilisation and Leica lenses, were announced and are due in Australian shops this March.

Using the soon to be released DMC-TZ3, CNET.com.au snapped some aerial shots of Sydney.

Given Sydney's recent drenching, we were thankful that the only deluge at yesterday's Panasonic camcorder and digital camera launch was of product. (Click here for all the news on the new Panasonic camcorder range.) Flying out over Sydney harbour, CNET.com.au was able to get an extended first-take of the Panasonic DMC-TZ3 digital camera.

Travel Cameras
Panasonic follows up last year's DMC-TZ1 with, predictably, the DMC-TZ2 and DMC-TZ3. Both feature a wider than normal 10x zoom (28-to-280mm), which allows for greater width in landscape photography, as well as easier group shots in cozy confines.

Lumix DMC-TZ3	Price: AU$769 Available: Late March Colour: Black 28-to-280mm (10x zoom) Leica lens 7.2 megapixels 3-inch LCD Optical image stabilisation Storage: 16MB on-board + SD/SDHC Read our hands-on first-take
Lumix DMC-TZ2	Price: AU$659 Available: Late March Colour: Silver 28-to-280mm (10x zoom) Leica lens 6 megapixels 3-inch LCD Optical image stabilisation Storage: 16MB on-board + SD/SDHC

Prosumer
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7 gets upgraded to 7.2-megapixels and becomes the DMC-FZ8 in the process.

Lumix DMC-FZ8

Price: AU$659
Available: March
Colour: Black
36-to-432mm (10x zoom) Leica lens
7.2 megapixels
2.5-inch LCD + electronic viewfinder
Optical image stabilisation
Storage: 28MB on-board + SD/SDHC
Manual controls
Optional accessories include tele- and wide-conversion lenses and a close-up lens

Compact
Panasonic claims the new DMC-FX30 is the "world's slimmest digital camera with a 28mm wide-angle lens".

Lumix DMC-FX30	Price: AU$659 Available: March Colour: Silver 28-to-100mm (3.6x zoom) Leica lens 7.2 megapixels 2.5-inch LCD Optical image stabilisation Storage: 27MB on-board + SD/SDHC Optional underwater housing -- good for a depth of up to 40 metres
Lumix DMC-FX12	Price: AU$499 Available: March Colour: Silver 35-to-105mm (3x zoom) Leica lens 7.2 megapixels 2.5-inch LCD Optical image stabilisation Storage: 27MB on-board + SD/SDHC
Lumix DMC-FX10	Price: AU$419 Available: March Colour: Silver 35-to-105mm (3x zoom) Leica lens 7.2 megapixels 2.5-inch LCD Optical image stabilisation Storage: 27MB on-board + SD/SDHC
Lumix DMC-LZ7	Price: AU$439 Available: March Colour: Silver 37-to-222mm (6x zoom) Leica lens 7.2 megapixels 2.5-inch LCD Optical image stabilisation Storage: 27MB on-board + SD/SDHC
Lumix DMC-LS70	Price: AU$309 Available: March Colour: Silver 35-to-105mm (3x zoom) Leica lens 7.2 megapixels 2-inch LCD Optical image stabilisation Storage: 27MB on-board + SD/SDHC Uses 2 AA-batteries

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