Panasonic launches Lumix DMC-FS25

27 January 2009 15:30 GMT / By Verity Burns

Panasonic has launched the Lumix DMC-FS25, a 12.1-megapixel camera which the company describes as "stylish, sophisticated and packed with features".

However still "committed to ease of use", the FS25 features Panasonic's new improved Intelligent Auto Mode. Turning this on activates a whole host of features that will enable you to get the perfect picture without even trying, including AF tracking (to keep moving subjects in focus), Intelligent Exposure, Face Detection, Intelligent Scene Selector, Mega O.I.S. (optical image stabiliser), and Intelligent ISO Control.

There is also Intelligent Scene Selector that automatically selects whichever of five scene modes - Macro, Portrait, Scenery, Night Portrait, and Night Scenery - best suits the shooting situation.

As for the lens, it is a 29mm wide-angle Leica DC Vario Elmar lens with 5x optical zoom, although the zoom ratio can be further extended to 9.8x if you opt for 3-megapixel resolution mode.

Other features include a 3cm macro mode, a High Sensitivity mode that lets the camera record at a setting of up to ISO 6400, and the 3-inch, 230,000-dot high-resolution LCD screen which has a High Angle mode to make it easy to view even when the camera is held high in the air.

There's also a video function that allows you to capture WVGA (848 x 480) movies at 30fps, as well as the standard VGA (640 x 480), meaning you can view movies back on a wide-screen TV.

The DMC-FS25 will be available from April in a choice of silver or black, and will come bundled with PHOTOfunSTUDIO 3.0 software.