The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 ($899, with lens) is a compact interchangeable lens camera that uses the Micro Four Thirds standard. When Panasonic introduced their first Micro Four Thirds camera, the DMC-G1, many folks (myself included) were disappointed that it was fairly large, and not the compact model we hoped the MFT format would deliver. Olympus upped the ante with their E-P1, which has a compact, retro-styled body that is a lot closer to what many people expected in the first place. Unfortunately, that camera was plagued by slow autofocus, no built-in flash, and the lack of a viewfinder (with the exception of the one mated to the 17 mm pancake lens).

One of the biggest selling points of the previous model, the GH1, was its ability to capture 1080p HD movies at 24fps. The GF1 does not allow for the capture of 1080p but is limited to 720p HD video capture at 30fps and up to 17Mbps. This will help to produce smoother higher quality videos, but at a smaller resolution. The new pancake lens uses a drive system for the autofocus, that you will hear when play back your movies. A dedicated video capture button has been added to the top of the camera that allows you to start recording with just the touch of a button, no need to be in Video capture mode. This is a feature that Panasonic has been adding to its point-n-shoot cameras as well.

One of the biggest selling points of the previous model, the GH1, was its ability to capture 1080p HD movies at 24fps. The GF1 does not allow for the capture of 1080p but is limited to 720p HD video capture at 30fps and up to 17Mbps. This will help to produce smoother higher quality videos, but at a smaller resolution. The new pancake lens uses a drive system for the autofocus, that you will hear when play back your movies. A dedicated video capture button has been added to the top of the camera that allows you to start recording with just the touch of a button, no need to be in Video capture mode. This is a feature that Panasonic has been adding to its point-n-shoot cameras as well.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 Features:

• 12.1-Megapixel Live MOS imaging sensor
• Choose from 4:3, 3:2, and 16:9 aspect ratios
• Micro Four-Thirds lens mount system
• Compatible with Four Thirds (30) mount and Leica M/R (20) lenses using optional adapter (DMW-MA1PP)
• Venus Engine HD image processor
• Supersonic Wave Filter Dust Reduction System
• 3.0-inch, 460,000 dot, LCD
• Optional Live View Finder
• Full-Time Live View
• intelligent Auto Shooting mode
• Peripheral Defocus
• Built-In TTL Flash – GN6.0 ISO 100
• AVCHD Lite video format
• 1:1 Aspect Ratio
• Contrast AF Focus System – 23 area
• 144-zone, multi-pattern light metering system
• Shutter Speeds: 1/4000 – 60 seconds and Bulb (up to approx. 4 min.)
• RAW image capture
• 3fps High-Speed continuous shooting
• Multiple Scene and other creative shooting modes
• Movie Scene modes
• USB and HDMI
• Rechargeable Li-Ion battery, up to 380 images per charge
• Viera Link

The camera (available in silver or black) is 3.8 inches wide by 2.1 inches high by 1 inch thick and weighs 6.2 ounces with battery and SD/SDHC card–definitely small enough for a pants pocket, though just sliding under our thickness criterion for an ultracompact. On top sits a power switch, shutter release surrounded by a zoom ring, and a button for Panasonic’s Extra Optical Zoom feature. A single press of the E.Zoom button fully extends the wide-angle 3.6x f2.8-5.6 28-100mm lens. Press it again and it increases the optical zoom power to 7.7x, but drops the resolution to 3 megapixels. A third press brings the lens all the way back. The quick-zoom aspect of this button is nice, but the “extra optical zoom” is digital trickery.

In addition to its 14.7 megapixel 1/1.72 inch CCD image sensor, the FX150 also features a relatively fast (f/2.8) 3.6x Leica DC Vario-Elmarit zoom that starts at the equivalent of 28mm, a 2.7 inch LCD, and Mega O.I.S. image stabilization.

Basic shooting modes include an Intelligent Auto setting, plus manual exposure control and a wide-ranging list of scene modes. Auto bracketing, a live histogram, 720p HD video recording, an 11-point AF system with Face Detection, manual white balance, and a high-sensitivity ISO mode are also included, as are claimed 2.5 fps burst shooting and very good battery life.

DMC-FX150 Major Features:

• 14.7-megapixel imager with 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 aspect ratios
• 3.6x Leica zoom lens, equivalent to 28-100mm on a 35mm camera
• Optical image stabilization to prevent camera shake and blurring
• RAW and JPEG still image modes
• 11-point AF system with Face detection technology
• 2.7-inch TFT color LCD with High Angle mode and 100% frame coverage
• Intelligent Auto, Program, Manual and 25 scene modes
• ISO Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600; High Sensitivity Mode (1600 – 6400)
• 2.5fps Burst mode (Max 4 JPEG Fine images, 3 RAW)
• QuickTime movies in either standard (640×480/320×240) or wide (1280×720/848×480) aspects
• Built-in flash with auto, fill, slow synchro and red-eye reduction modes
• TTL Auto White Balance, 5 presets and custom set
• 50MB of internal flash memory
• Card slot supports SD/SDHC/MMC card storage
• Plug-n-Play USB, Mass Storage compliant
• PictBridge Direct-Print compatible
• Powered by rechargeable Li-ion battery

The camera  is 3.8 inches wide by 2.1 inches high by 1 inch thick and weighs 6.2 ounces with battery and SD/SDHC card–definitely small enough for a pants pocket, though just sliding under our thickness criterion for an ultracompact. On top sits a power switch, shutter release surrounded by a zoom ring, and a button for Panasonic’s Extra Optical Zoom feature. A single press of the E.Zoom button fully extends the wide-angle 3.6x f2.8-5.6 28-100mm lens. Press it again and it increases the optical zoom power to 7.7x, but drops the resolution to 3 megapixels. A third press brings the lens all the way back. The quick-zoom aspect of this button is nice, but the “extra optical zoom” is digital trickery.

Equipped with a 28mm wide-angle lens, the* FX150 lets users capture images of expansive scenery just as they appear to the naked eye. The wide-angle lens allows the user to capture a much wider scene into one shot – something not possible with most ordinary cameras. And when shooting in tight or crowded indoor spaces, the wide-angle lens fits more people in the photo. The 14.7 megapixels – the most offered in a compact camera – ensure that photos are crisp, clear and sharply detailed even when enlarged. This high resolution also means you can crop unwanted parts of an image and enlarge the rest, creating a beautifully composed photo that retains outstanding detail.

Basic settings include being able to tweak contrast, sharpness, saturation, and the amount of noise reduction; shooting in black and white, sepia, or with cool or warm temperatures; and setting the sensitivity up to ISO 1,600 (this can also be locked so it never shoots above a particular ISO). But then you get things like normal exposure bracketing as well as color bracketing that will take shots in standard and black and white, standard and sepia, or standard, black and white, and sepia. And mixed in with the scene modes are things like Multi-Exposure mode that superimposes up to three consecutively shot images together and lets you view them onscreen as you shoot so you can compose the final result, and Starry Sky that reduces shutter speed to 15, 30, or 60 seconds. You also get the option to capture JPEG, raw, or raw plus a low-resolution JPEG photos.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX37 is a small and light compact camera aimed firmly at the point-and-shoot user. At first glance the FX37 is rather unassuming, with “only” 10 megapixels, a standard 2.5 inch LCD screen and understated styling, but there are a couple of stand-out features. The 5x zoom lens is the main one, an unusually versatile focal range on such a small camera, but even more so when you find out that the Panasonic FX37 offers a wide-angle setting of 25mm. The second is the ability to shoot high-definition 1280 x 720p video at 30 fps, a feature retained from the previous FX35 model but still something of a rarity in this class of camera.

Panasonic is pleased to introduce the new Lumix 10.1-megapixel DMC-FX37 with astonishing 25mm equivalent ultra-wide-angle* LEICA DC lens and a powerful 5x optical zoom (equivalent to 25mm to 125 mm on a 35mm film camera), which captures almost double the viewing space at the same shooting distance compared to ordinary 35mm cameras, resulting in remarkable images with unprecedented width and depth. The world-acclaimed FX series pursues high picture quality and unique features in an urbane, sophisticated profile to which the DMC-FX37 proudly joins.

Panasonic’s iA (intelligent auto) mode, which makes it easy for anyone to take beautiful photos, has been further enhanced. The newly added AF Tracking function automatically tracks the subject once the AF has been set even if the subject moves around, making it easier to capture sharp, well-focused photos of decisive moments. 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. Face detection accuracy has also been increased, allowing continuous AF/AE adjustment even if a face moves or turns sideways to the camera. The Intelligent Exposure function helps capture natural-looking, true-to-life images by suppressing blocked shadows and blown highlights.

Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-FZ28 is a 10.1 Megapixel super-zoom camera with DSLR-styling and an 18x optically-stabilised zoom range. Announced in July 2008, it comes one year after the Lumix FZ18. The new model is strongly based on its predecessor, but features higher resolution, a larger screen, HD movie recording and quicker burst mode, along with a number of tweaks to the controls, viewfinder, menus and auto systems.

The AF Tracking function is the latest component to be added to Panasonic’s iA system, and allows users to lock focus on a moving subject. The camera then automatically tracks the subject as it moves, keeping it in focus without the need to hold the shutter halfway down. AF Tracking makes it easier to capture moving subjects and spur-of-the-moment action shots. The AF Tracking technology also improves Face Detection (up to 15 faces), by providing continuous adjustment of the focus and exposure, even if the face is turned away from the camera.

The FZ28 is a bridge-style compact camera, looking just like a true DSLR at first glance, but featuring a non-interchangeable lens instead. The Panasonic DMC-FZ28 offers an increase to 10 megapixels, larger 2.7-inch LCD screen, new Venus Engine IV processing engine which promises better low-light performance, and updated iA (intelligent auto) mode with newly added AF Tracking function.

Major DMC-FZ28 Features:

• 10.1-megapixel effective CCD for images up to 3648 x 2736 pixels
• Leica DC-VARIO ELMARIT 18x zoom, equivalent to 27-486mm on a 35mm camera
• Mega O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilization) system to help prevent camera shake and blurring
• Venus Engine IV LSI for robust camera operations
• JPEG and RAW still image capture
• Full-Resolution Burst capture at 2.5fps (total of 3 images in Fine mode)
• Face Detection AF technology for great portraits
• Macro focus with autofocus down to 0.39 inches (wide)
• 2.7-inch TFT color LCD monitor with 230K pixels of resolution
• Eye-level color electronic viewfinder with 201K pixels and dioptric adjustment
• Intelligent Auto, Program AE, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Manual modes
• Five Advanced (Portrait, Scenery, Sports, Night Portrait, Macro) and 17 Normal scene modes
• Four programmable Custom modes
• High Speed and Low Speed Continuous or “Burst” modes
• QuickTime movies WVGA (848×480), VGA (640×480) or HD (1280×720) at 30fps w/audio
• Shutter speeds from 1/2000 to 8 seconds in Shutter priority, (up to 60 secs. in Manual/Starry Sky modes)
• Built-in flash with auto, fill, slow synchro and red-eye reduction modes
• Intelligent Multiple and Spot exposure metering
• TTL Auto White Balance, 5 presets and custom set
• Approx. 50MB of internal memory, plus SD/SDHC/MMC memory card slot
• Plug-n-Play USB 2.0 High-speed, Mass Storage compliant
• PictBridge Direct-Print compatible
• Li-ion rechargeable battery and rapid charger included