Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ7 6MP 1/2.5" CCD Black

LUMIX DMC-FZ7 6-Megapixel Digital Camera with MEGA Optical Image Stabilizer, High Sensitivity Mode & 12x Optical Zoom, Black LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT Lens with a 12x Optical Zoom
The DMC-FZ7 features a LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT Lens with a remarkable 12x optical zoom, equivalent to a 36 to 432mm lens on a 35mm film camera. A film camera with an optical zoom this powerful would be so big and heavy, you couldn't handle it with one hand. However, the DMC-FZ7 is small, lightweight and easy to handle. It also has Panasonic's Extended Optical Zoom. While causing minimal deterioration by using the center part of the high resolution CCD, this function magnifies the image to give you total zoom power of 16.5x1.

Taking Hand Movement Out of the Picture with MEGA Optical Image Stabilization
All of us have taken a shot that we thought was focused perfectly, only to have it turn out blurry. The most common cause of this is hand movement. Digital cameras are wonderfully light and compact -- but for the same reason they can also be hard to hold still. Even pressing the shutter button can cause the camera to move. And most people use the LCD monitor (with arms outstretched)to frame a shot -- great for getting the shot you want, but most likely adds to the likelihood of hand movement. Basically, hand movement is a real concern anytime you're taking a handheld telephoto shot, macro shot or self-portrait, or when shooting at night or in dim lighting.

The answer to the hand movement problem? An advanced optical image stabilizing system that we call MEGA Optical Image Stabilization. This system uses built-in gyrosensors to detect even tiny camera movement and then shifts a lens in the opposite direction to compensate. The system is completely optical -- it does not affect the CCD or image processing ? so you get sharp, clear images with minimal degradation. It lets you reduce the shutter speed more than 3 steps below2 the conventionally accepted hand movement limit, which is calculated as 1/focal length (1 divided by the focal length). It greatly expands what you can do with a handheld digital camera.

High Sensitivity Mode Helps Reduce Motion Blur
When there's not a lot of light or you're using a slow shutter speed, hand movement isn't the only potential problem. There's also "motion blur" -- the blurring that can result if your subject like children or pets move even a little in low lighting. That's why we added a High Sensitivity mode3 that allows you to shoot at up to ISO 1600 by using the pixel-mixed readout method, effectively raising the shutter speed. It not only minimizes motion blur, it also lets you take clearer, sharper shots in dim lighting without using a flash. The picture quality is good enough for printing at the ordinary 4" x 6" (10 x 15 cm) size.

A Large, Bright 2.5" Diagonal LCD with High Angle Mode and In-Line Style EVF
The DMC-FZ7 features a large, 2.5" diagonal LCD and the Power LCD function. The pixel-mixed readout method performed by the CCD increases the brightness level of the live image on the LCD, which greatly facilitates shooting in low lighting. Simply touch the Power LCD button and the display becomes about 40% brighter for easier viewing on sunny days. The DMC-FZ7 also has the world's first4 developed High-Angle shooting function, which makes it easier to check the LCD when you're holding the camera high to shoot over a crowd. In addition, we aligned the electronic viewfinder and LCD along the same line of sight to minimize differences in the images you see when framing shots.

Fast, Precise Response for a High Zoom Model
Thanks to the multi-task image processing in the Venus Engine™ II LSI, the DMC-FZ7 has a release time lag as low as 0.008 seconds5, and can fire off up to 13 consecutive shots at a swift 3 frames per second in Standard Mode. It also has Unlimited Consecutive Shooting6, so you can keep shooting until the SD Memory Card full. Moreover, the 1-point high-speed AF boasts super-short shutter time lag for a high zoom model, letting you capture decisive moments that happen all of a sudden.

Easy Manual Operation Using the Joystick
The joystick also makes it easy to manually adjust the exposure and focus. You can set the aperture, shutter speed and focus with your thumb while framing the shot on the LCD monitor. Press and hold down the joystick, and you can also instantly change four key settings (white balance, ISO sensitivity, image size, and image quality) while viewing the subject on the monitor. There's no need to switch to the menu screen.

Flexible Manual Focus with Your Thumb
The joystick on the back of the camera gives you quick, easy and accurate manual focusing. You can also use the Manual Focus Assist function, which helps you set a perfect focus by magnifying the center of the LCD image and displaying a bar graph of the focal distance and depth of field.