CIPA issues 2009 sales figures and 2010 forecast

Japanese trade body Camera and Imaging Products Association (CIPA) has published an overview of 2009 camera sales and a forecast for 2010. Overall sales fell by 11.6% in 2009 to 105.9 million units but within those figures, DSLR and interchangeable lens camera sales grew 2.3% over the previous year and now account for 9.3% of the overall market. For 2010 CIPA, which gets its figures from all the major Japanese camera makers, predicts integrated-lens camera sales will rise 3.0% while DSLRs and interchangeable lens cameras sales will grow 11.1% compared to 2009.

Panasonic releases DMC- FX66 digital camera

Panasonic has released the Lumix DMC-FX66 ultra-compact. The 14MP camera features Intelligent Resolution technology and Power O.I.S. image stabilization. It also includes the company's new Happy mode that apparently optimizes the color, saturation and brightness of the recorded image to match your memory of the scene, plus a Cosmetic mode that enhances skin texture. It incorporates a 25-125mm equiv. wide-angle lens, 2.7 inch LCD and an HD output.

Panasonic announces DMC-ZX3 digital compact camera

Panasonic has announced the Lumix DMC-ZX3 compact with an 8x optical zoom lens starting at 25mm equiv, made possible by super thin 0.3mm lens elements. Successor to the DMC-ZX1, the ZX3 features the company's new 'Happy Mode' that optimizes the color, saturation and brightness of both photos and videos. It offers AVCHD Lite video recording, SDXC support and Power O.I.S. lens stabilization, and comes with a 14MP sensor and a 2.7 inch LCD.

Panasonic offers DMC-FT2 rugged compact

Panasonic has launched the Lumix DMC-TS2 rugged compact (FT2 outside the US), the successor to last year's DMC-TS1. The TS2 features a tougher body that is dustproof, waterproof to 10m, shockproof against a drop of up to 2m, and freezeproof down to -10°C. It uses a 14MP sensor, 2.7 inch LCD, and 28 - 128mm equivalent lens with Power O.I.S optical stabilization. It also features AVCHD Lite HD movie recording and a faster Venus Engine HD II processor, plus SDXC support and the company's curiously-named 'Happy Mode'.

Panasonic introduces DMC-ZS5 / TZ8 compact superzoom

Panasonic has introduced the Lumix DMC-ZS5 (TZ8 ouside the US) with 12x optical zoom starting at a wide 25mm. Successor to the DMC-TZ6, the TZ8 features the company's new Intelligent Resolution technology that applies different image processing to different content within each image. It supports SDXC memory cards and offers manual control. The 14MP camera features the same lens as the ZS7 but with a smaller, 2.7" LCD and Motion JPEG compression for its 720p HD movies.

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