Panasonic's new Lumix sets a new entry-level pricing

Reuben Lee | Jan 24, 2008

Panasonic's first announcement in its buildup to PMA this year is the launch of its latest entry-level model, the DMC-LS80. Now before you dismiss the LS80 as yet another run-of-the-mill point-and-shoot with 8-megapixel CCD, 3x optical zoom and 2.5-inch LCD display, just take a look at its price tag.

According to Panasonic Singapore, the LS80 is expected to retail in Asia for just S$299 (US$196.71), which if this holds true, is a bloody good price for a compact shooter with optical image stabilizer (in Panasonic's case, its proprietary Mega O.I.S.).

The LS80 also offers several interesting features which Panasonic claims will make it really easy to capture good images. We've picked out four of these:

Intelligent ISO control: Said to minimize motion blur by automatically adjusting the ISO and shutter speed settings in reponse to the motion and light conditions.

Quick AF system: Which starts focusing on the subject before you half-press the shutter button, speeding up the autofocusing process.

Auto Macro mode: Aims to automatically switch to the macro mode when shooting closeups.

Other key features: These include high ISO settings (up to ISO 6400), SDHC card support and WVGA video recording at 30fps.

The Lumix hits US retail shelves in February. We're waiting for more word on availability for Asia.

Filed under: Digital Cameras
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tigervyh

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tigervyh says...
Sounds good. The 4 "pick-out" features looks even better, now we'll have to see whether it works! Quick AF system, my Canon S5already has this feature, although it helps, it's not essential, imho, it would suck up the battery power faster anyways. I wonder what size the CCD would be?

Jan 24, 2008 16:13