Manufacturers have come out with a number of camera offerings that are touted to be waterproof and shockproof. The latest is Panasonic who has slid the covers off their 14.1MP Lumix DMC-TS2 camera with in-built LED light that is claimed to be not only waterproof and shockproof but also freezeproof and dustproof.
The device incorporates a 28mm wide-angle Leica Dc Vario Elmar lens that offers 4.6 x optical zoom. It displays a 2.7†2,30,000-dot Intelligent LCD with a wide viewing angle. The camera’s Venus Engine HD II lends Intelligent Resolution processing technology for shooting clear and crisp photos and videos. Intelligent Zoom extends the zoom ratio for a total zoom of up to 6 x. HD video may be shot in Motion JPEG or AVCHD Lite formats coupled with Dolby Digital Stereo Creator for enhanced audio quality.
“We have been very pleased to see that consumers found true value in Panasonic’s first rugged digital camera, knowing that they could take it on their outdoor adventures where it could withstand drops, water and dust. But even more, we saw that users enjoyed our Lumix TS1 for their daily photo needs-they were able to take high-quality video and photo without worrying if they casually tossed it in their bag or used it in the rain,†cited Briganti, Senior Product Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company.
The camera is claimed to be able to withstand 6.5 feet drops, be waterproof to depths of 33 feet and function even at -10° C temperatures. It boasts of Sonic Speed AF that puts just around 0.005 seconds between a click and shutter release. Lumix TS2 integrates iA or Intelligent Auto modem which permits user-friendly handling of the camera without the need to change settings as the embedded technologies work together intuitively. Owners may divide video into two sections to shorten or delete clips directly from the camera.
“The new Lumix TS2 gets tougher and we expect it to be a key product in 2010, as its rugged features are becoming even more desirable for active users, especially with this year’s new freezeproof capabilities. Families will enjoy this digital camera, both for their own outdoor activities, vacations, but also so they can allow children to take photos without the anxiety they might otherwise feel of damage,†continued David Briganti.
Other mentioned features comprise of Happy and High Dynamic modes, face recognition for up to fifteen faces and Intelligent Scene Selector apart from several iA technologies. The camera accommodates SDHX memory cards as well as Microsoft’s Windows 7 OS. It flaunts an airtight body that houses rubber padding as also reinforced glass and carbon, with a thicker LCD cover panel. The battery is capable of powering it up for around 360 image shots on a single charge.
Panasonic has not mentioned the pricing or availability details for their Lumix DMC-TS2 digital camera as yet.
My TS1 is awesome, don’t like the new look of the TS2, but I might have to get one anyway.