Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX37 Digital Camera

Official Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX37 Press Release

Panasonic has introduced an updated version of the FX35 digital camera that we reviewed in April of this year. Like the FX35, the new FX37 has a 10.1-megapixel sensor, a 25mm super wide zoom lens, as well as Panasonic’s MEGA O.I.S. image stabilization and their latest Venus IV imaging processor.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX37 improvements include:

5x zoom range (the FX35 has a 4x optical zoom)
AF Tracking
50 megabytes of internal memory
Image Leveling

I liked the features and performance of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX35 a lot. The FX37′s new, longer zoom will be nice since the 25mm wide end shortens the telephoto capabilities of the FX35. The telephoto end of the lens is still short at 125mm (35mm equivalent). But it’s got better reach than the FX35, and for photographers who appreciate the 25mm wide angle it will be a fair trade.

Panasonic’s new AF Tracking feature looks very interesting. If it works well, it could make the Panasonic FX37 my next favorite pocket camera. The press release says, ” AF Tracking automatically tracks the subject in the frame by locking it into focus, making it easier to capture sharp, well-focused photos. ” It’s integrated into the FX37′s iA “Intelligent Auto” technologies. It’s not clear from the press release whether it can be selected in the manual exposure modes, as well. But for anyone who shoots action, it could be a really nice feature. Panasonic also claims it also improves Face Detection performance. That’s good, since I found the Face Detection to be lacking on the FX35, compared to other compact digital cameras I’ve used.

Official Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX37 Press Release

Official Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX37 Press Release

PANASONIC ANNOUNCES NEW SLIM LUMIX MODEL WITH ULTRA WIDE-ANGLE LENS AND POWERFUL 5X OPTICAL ZOOM

New LUMIX FX37 Offers Enhanced Intelligent Auto Technology, 10.1 MP and HD Video Recording Capabilities With a 25mm Ultra-Wide-Angle Leica Lens
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX37

SECAUCUS, N.J. (July 21, 2008) – Panasonic today introduced the new LUMIX DMC-FX37 digital camera with a 25mm ultra wide-angle LEICA DC lens, enabling users to capture almost double the viewing space at the same shooting distance as compared to 35mm cameras. The 10.1 megapixel FX37, capable of High Definition video recording, also includes a powerful 5x optical zoom while maintaining a sleek, ultra-compact body and expands Intelligent Auto Mode (iA), Panasonic’s system of intuitive technologies that help consumers take better photos.

“Panasonic is committed to manufacturing innovative, high-performance LUMIX digital cameras that offer technologies that are advanced, yet easy to use,” said David Briganti, National Marketing Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. “The FX37 gives users big features – an ultra-wide angle lens, 5x optical zoom, and the enhanced Intelligent Auto technologies – while still packing all this into ultra-sleek body easy enough to slip into a pocket or small purse. With wide-angles, consumers are able to fit more into their frame, giving them increased flexibility when taking photos.”

Joining the LUMIX family, the FX37 comes with several of Panasonic’s proprietary features, including the new AF (auto focus) Tracking function, which expands the iA system. AF Tracking automatically tracks the subject in the frame by locking it into focus, making it easier to capture sharp, well-focused photos. With AF Tracking, the FX37 continually monitors the light source and automatically activates the backlight compensation function if it detects that the light source is behind the subject. AF Tracking also increases Face Detection accuracy, allowing for crisp, sharp-focused shots even if the subject’s face moves – or turns to a profile.*

When the FX37 is set to iA mode, the following technologies engage automatically; no settings need to be made:

Intelligent Exposure – Helps prevents photos from being under- or over-exposed by instantly analyzing the framed image and adjusting the brightness in areas that are too dark because of dim lighting, backlighting or the use of the flash. The camera will automatically adjust the brightness accordingly.
Digital Red-eye Correction– This feature helps to eliminate the red-eye problem that sometimes results when taking flash shots at night. Incorporated into the camera, the built-in flash emits a small preliminary flash before the main flash, detects red-eye and will digitally correct it.
MEGA O.I.S. – Gyrosensors detect hand-shake and the lens system shifts to compensate, helping to prevent hand-shake from creating a blurry image.
Intelligent ISO – Determines if the photo subject is moving and changes the ISO setting and shutter speed accordingly, thus giving a blur-free photo.
Intelligent Scene Selector – Senses the ambient conditions, recognizes the shooting environment and will automatically select the appropriate scene mode from: Scenery, Portrait, Macro, Night Portrait or Night Scenery mode. This intuitive technology helps the consumer use the most common scene modes that are built into the camera, but often go unused, without making any manual adjustments.
Face Detection – Detects faces in the frame (up to 15 faces), even if they are moving, and selects optimal focus and exposure settings so portraits come out clear.
Quick AF (Auto Focus) – Starts focus on the subject by just pointing the camera at the subject, thus minimizing the AF time.

The LUMIX FX37, which includes 50 MB** of internal memory, also features High Definition (HD) video recording capabilities, shooting with a resolution of 1280 x 720p at 30fps. Still photos can also be shot in a 16:9 aspect ratio for optimal viewing on an HDTV. Panasonic VIERA Plasma and LCD HDTVs also feature an integrated SD Memory Card slot, allowing users to easily view photos by simply inserting the SD Memory Card into the convenient SD Card slot built into the TV. Consumers can also enjoy watching videos in HD quality and view still images by connecting the DMC-FX37 via an optional Panasonic component cable (DMW-HDC2).

The new Venus Engine IV supports a faster response time, allowing the LUMIX FX37 to shoot 2.5 shots per second at full resolution and six shots per second in High-Speed Burst mode. The shutter release time lag is as short as 0.005 second, making it easier to capture spur-of-the-moment photo opportunities. The high-performance engine enables the camera to shoot up to 310 photos on a single battery charge.

Additional features of the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FX37 include:

Image Leveling – When a captured image “leans” to the right or left because the camera was held at a slight angle when the photo was taken, the Image Leveling function rotates the image to straighten it and crops the unnecessary edges. No computer needed!
Scene Modes – The DMC-FX37 offers 25 scene modes to address the unique needs of a variety of shooting situations. The new Pin Hole and Film Grain modes add unique, film camera-like effects and ambiences. Additionally, the Transform mode trims and stretches the image to virtually transform the subject to appear slimmer or stretched wider.

The Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FX37 will be available in silver, black, blue, pink, white and brown in September 2008 for a suggested retail price of $349.95.

* Face must initially be facing forward to be detected.
** 1MB=1 million bytes. Usable capacity will be less.

About Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company
Based in Secaucus, N.J., Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company is a Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. (NYSE: MC) and the hub of Panasonic’s U.S. marketing, sales, service and R&D operations. In its commitment to provide consumers with extensive imaging resources, Panasonic LUMIX established the Digital Photo Academy, a series of nationwide workshops designed to instruct consumers how to optimize the features on their digital cameras and produce high-quality photos. Panasonic is honored to support OUR PLACE – The World’s Heritage, a project that will create the world’s largest photographic collection of UNESCO World Heritage sites, with acclaimed photographers exclusively using LUMIX digital cameras to capture all images. Information about Panasonic LUMIX digital still cameras and its affiliated programs is available at www.panasonic.com/dsc.