Today Panasonic introduced the DMC-LS2 – a simple, affordable 5-megapixel point and shoot camera. Retail price will be $199.95 when it comes out in March. More pictures inside.

Full press release from Panasonic

NEW COMPACT PANASONIC DSC MAKES PICTURE-TAKING EASY
Entry-level Camera Has Optical Image Stabilization, Takes AA Batteries

LAS VEGAS, NV (January 4, 2006) Panasonic today announces the introduction of the new DMC-LS2, an affordable, accessible, high-quality digital still camera that brings convenient picture taking to a new level. The DMC-LS2 features a 5-megapixel CCD, MEGA Optical Image Stabilization, and a 3x optical zoom lens.

“The DMC-LS2 has the very best of Panasonic’s digital camera technologies, like MEGA Optical Image Stabilization and our efficient, power-saving Venus Engine Plus processor, at a price that makes great picture taking accessible to all consumers,” says Monica Helmer, national marketing manager for Panasonic’s optical group. “The LS2 features a compact and stylish design, as well, so it looks as good as the pictures it takes. This camera is easy for anyone to carry, handle and operate.”

As with all of the models in Panasonic’s Lumix digital still camera line, the DMC-LS2 features the top rated MEGA Optical Image Stabilization. With MEGA Optical Image Stabilization, the lenses inside the camera actually adjust their position to compensate for any hand movement at the time a picture is taken. This significantly decreases the likelihood of blurry pictures, one of the top complaints among photographers. With MEGA Optical Image Stabilization, pictures come out clear, even when using the zoom feature or in low-light situations.

The Venus Engine Plus processor controls all the image capture and functions of the DMC-LS2, and also manages energy use to extend battery life, which means more opportunities for users to get that perfect shot. The LS2 comes packaged with Panasonic’s own Oxyride AA batteries, which feature longer life and power than alkaline batteries. With Oxyride batteries, the LS2 can take up to 250 pictures. The camera can also use regular AA batteries.

The 2-inch LCD on the back of the DMC-LS2 is also an impressive feature of the camera, with a high-angle LCD function, which makes the display easy to view from all different angles. This high-resolution LCD lets users view pictures in thumbnail form as well, with playback of one, nine, 16 and 25 pictures at a time in a multi-split screen, so searching for one special image among many is easy.

In addition to the 5-point, 3-point high speed, 1-point normal speed and Spot autofocus, the LS2 can be set to 1-point high-speed autofocus. This setting reduces autofocus time by about 50 percent compared to previous models in the LS series of Panasonic Lumix digital still cameras.

The LS series has a mode dial for easy shortcuts to scene modes and Simple Mode. The LS2 contains five new scene modes compared to the previous model, bringing the total now to 13. The special “Baby” mode puts a time stamp on every photo that tells how old the baby is by day, month and year (and this mode appears twice to keep two babies’ birth dates in memory).

Simple Mode offers easy shooting to the most novice photographer. Simply turn the dial to set the mode, aim the camera, zoom in or out, press the shutter button and a picture is taken. Lighting conditions are compensated for automatically.

The LS2 comes with 14 megabytes of built-in memory, so it is ready to take pictures right out of the box. For additional picture-taking capacity, the camera takes SD Memory cards. Picture files can be transferred from the internal memory to an SD card and vice versa. Pictures can also be transferred to a computer using the included USB cable.

The DMC-LS2 will have a retail price of $199.95 and is scheduled to be at retail in March.

Specifications:

Dimensions(W x H x D): 110.5 x 53.5 x 30.9 mm (4.35 x2.11 x 1.22 inch)

Weight: Approx. 138g. ( 0.3 lb)
Aprox.186g with Battery and SD Memory Card( 0.41 lb)

Camera Effective Pixels: 5.0 Megapixels

Image Sensor: 1/2.5″, 5.36 Mega Total Pixels CCD
Primary Color Filter

Optical Zoom: 3 x
Extra Optical Zoom: [ 4:3 Aspect Ratio] 3.8x for 3 Megapixels, 2 Megapixels, 1 Megapixels, 0.3 Megapixels
[ 3:2 Aspect Ratio] 3.8x for 2.5 Megapixels
[16:9 Aspect Ratio] 3.8x for 2 Megapixels

Digital Zoom: 4 x
( Max. 12 x combined with Optical Zoom)

Focal Distance: f=5.8-17.4mm (35mm Equiv.: 35-105mm)

Lens: LUMIX DC VARIO
7 elements in 6 groups (3 Aspherical Lenses / 3 Aspherical surfaces)

Optical Image Stabilizer: MEGA O.I.S. (Mode1 / Mode2)

Focusing Area: Normal: Wide 50cm/ Tele 50cm – infinity

Macro/Simple/Motion Image : wide 5cm/Tele 30 cm – infinity

AF Metering: 1-point / 1-point high speed / 3-point high speed / 5-point / Spot

Focus: Auto Focus System, Normal/Macro (Dial)

ISO Sensitivity: Auto/80/100/200/400

White Balance: Auto / Daylight / Cloudy / Halogen / White Set

White Balance Adjustment: ( 150K step, -1500 – +1500 K)* (Except for Auto set)
Exposure Program AE

Exposure Compensation: 1/3 EV step, -2 – +2 EV

Backlight Compensation: Yes (at simple mode)

Auto (AE) Bracketing: +/- 1/3 EV -1EV step, 3 frames

Light Metering: Intelligent Multiple

Scene Mode: Simple, Normal Picture, Economy, Macro
SCN1, SCN2 (Portrait, Soft Skin, Scenery, Sports, Night Portrait, Night Scenery, Food, Party, Candle, Fireworks, Starry Sky, Snow, Baby1, Baby2), Motion Image, Playback

Shutter Speed: 1/8-1/2000 sec (Starry Sky Mode: 15,30,60 sec)

Aperture: Wide: F2.8 / F5.6

Tele: F5.0 / F10

Self Timer: 10 sec / 2sec

Auto Review: 1sec / 3sec / zoom

Review: 1x / 4x / 8x

Picture Adjustment: Natural, Standard, Vivid

Color Effect Mode: Cool, Warm, Black & White, Sepia

Recording Format: Still Image: JPEG(Design rule for Camera File system, based on Exif 2.2 standard),
DPOF corresponding

Motion images: QuickTime Motion JPEG

Recording Image Size:
Still Image
[ 4:3 Aspect Ratio] 2560 x 1920 pixels, 2048 x 1536 pixels, 1600 x 1200 pixels, 1280 x960 pixels, 640 x 480 pixels
[ 3:2 Aspect Ratio] 2560 x 1712 pixels, 2048 x 1360 pixels
[16:9 Aspect Ratio] 2560 x 1440 pixels, 1920 x 1080 pixels
Motion Image (Only with Built-in Memory and SD Memory Card)
[4:3 Aspect Ratio] 320×240 pixels

Image Quality: Fine / Standard

Motion Image: 320 x 240 pixels 30 fps, 10 fps

Max. recording time depends on the Memory Card capacity.

Burst Shooting Mode Full-Resolution Image, 3 frames/sec or 2 frames/sec

Max. 5 images (Standard mode), Max 3 images (Fine Mode)

Unlimited Consecutive Shooting: Yes

Real-time Histogram: Yes

Composition Guide Line: Yes

Built-in-Memory: 14MB

Scene Mode Help Screen: Yes

Auto Angle Detection: Yes

Economy mode: Yes (Dial)

LCD Monitor: 2.0″ TFT LCD Display (86 K Pixels) Field of View : approx. 100%

OSD language: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Chinese(Traditional), Japanese

Recording Media: Built-in Memory, SD Memory Card, MultiMediaCard

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