Steady Cam

Panasonic’s come-from-behind digital victory

August 24, 2005—Seemingly out of nowhere, the company that built your family-room VCR has emerged as a player in the crowded digital camera market. Panasonic’s eight megapixel Lumix LX1, the first digicam with a 16:9 native aspect ratio, is set to blow away the competition when it debuts next month. In addition to its groundbreaking wide-screen format, the Lumix boasts the digital equivalent of a 28mm to 112mm zoom and just about any other bell and whistle you can think of, all contained in a subtly sleek package. The price tag: around $600.

If that sounds like the kind of money you’d blow on a pair of shoes but never on something as frivolous as a camera, you might want to consider the company’s Leica-lensed DMC-FX7, above. It’s been out since last year, but it’s still one of the most stylish and reliable slim-line 5 MP cameras around. For example, it’s the only digi in its class with image stabilization, which brilliantly compensates for the inevitable shaking—and blurriness—that comes from pushing the shutter button (a problem that mysteriously seems to get worse during all-night drinking sessions). Best yet, they’re available online for less than $300.
For more information, visit www.shop.panasonic.com.