Newly Developed 3x Optical Zoom (33-100mm) Leica DC VARIO-ELMARIT Lens and 8.1-megapixel High Resolution CCD

The 8.1-megapixel DMC-FS3 packages a 33mm 3x optical zoom Leica DC VARIO-ELMARIT lens with f2.8 brightness into a slim, compact body. Comprising six elements in five groups, including three aspherical lenses with four aspherical surfaces, this advanced lens unit realizes the outstandingly slim and compact body yet passing Leica's stringent standards to deliver an exceptional optical performance. Further, in 3-megapixel resolution mode, the Extra Optical Zoom function provides additional magnification, extending the zoom power to 4.8x by using the centre part of the CCD.
The Easy Zoom** feature shifts the lens instantly to full 3x optical zoom power at a touch of a dedicated button, and with a second touch, the zoom ratio is further extended to 4.8x by activating the Extra Optical Zoom function.
*35mm film camera equivalent: 33-100mm*
**When the picture size is set to 3 megapixels or larger, the photo is automatically resized to 3 megapixels. When the lens is shifted back to the wide-end, the picture size is set to the original size automatically. The original size is maintained for photos smaller than 3 megapixels.

Great Photos Everytime - Intelligent Auto Technology

Panasonic incorporated the Intelligent Auto mode in pursuit of the ultimate ease of operation and the reduction of misshots. Mega O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) to compensate for hand-shake and Intelligent ISO Control to detect and suppress motion blur are built into all Lumix cameras, as the industry?s most advanced countermeasures against blurring. Both image stabilizing technologies have been further advanced in detection accuracy and correction effect thanks to the new image-processing LSI, Venus Engine IV.

In addition to these two paramount anti-blurring technologies, Panasonic continues pursuing the ideal that anyone at any technical level of photography should be able to take beautiful pictures with ease, by incorporating the Intelligent Auto mode. Increasing the number of scene modes is one thing and taking advantage of them is another, and that?s where the Intelligent Scene Selector comes in. It automatically sets the appropriate scene mode according to the scene you?re going to take from among the most frequently used scene modes, such as Portrait, Scenery, Macro, Night Scenery and Night Portrait mode. The Face Detection system helps the camera to recognize human faces and to focus and set the exposure automatically. Up to 15 faces can be recognized simultaneously. The Quick AF system allows the camera to keep focusing on the subject even without pressing the shutter button halfway, to get the best results from every shooting opportunity by minimizing the AF time.

These multi-capable functions happen automatically, so you can shoot without the bother of adjusting settings every time conditions change -- the powerful Intelligent Auto Mode does all the work for you. You can enjoy easy, trouble-free shooting in any situation and get the satisfaction that comes with capturing clear, beautiful images.

High-Speed, High-Quality Image-Processing LSI Further Evolves into the Venus Engine IV

A new image-processing LSI, Venus Engine IV, features more advanced signal processing technology for rendering even higher-quality images.

Notably, parallel noise reduction in both luminance signal and chromatic signal processing systems, a technology established by the preceding Venus Engine III, gains a more sophisticated process. First, the luminance noise is two-dimensionally separated into high-frequency and low-frequency noises and only the low-frequency noise, which tends to be conspicuous, is eliminated without affecting the high-frequency noise that greatly influences resolution. Second, the information of the change point between colors is minutely stored for precise determination of edges, thus color bleeding is dramatically suppressed. This not only produces a clearer image in high ISO sensitivity recording, but also faithfully reproduces details in low-lit areas of pictures taken at low ISO sensitivity.

The Venus Engine IV also elevates the detection accuracy and corrective effect in both Mega O.I.S., which prevents hand-shake, and Intelligent ISO Control, which suppresses motion blur.

Featured in the DMC-FS3, the multi-task image-processing engine Venus Engine IV supports a super-fast response time. The shutter release time lag is as short as 0.005?second and the camera's quick response makes it easier to capture sudden, spur-of-the-moment photo opportunities. In burst shooting mode, the DMC-FS3 can snap 3 shots per second at full resolution.* And in High-Speed Burst shooting mode,** it fires off an incredible 7 shots per second. You also get unlimited consecutive shooting***, which lets you keep shooting until the memory card is full.

The Venus Engine IV also supports a High Sensitivity mode that lets the DMC-FS3 record at a setting of up to ISO 6400, sensitive enough to capture subjects in near-total darkness without using a flash.****

*Max. 7 images in standard mode/ 4 images in fine mode.
** In 2-megapixel(4:3), 2.5-megapixel(3:2), 2-megapixel(16:9) recording
***The consecutive shooting speed varies with the memory card, image size, and image compression mode. The number of shots depends on the memory card size, battery life, image size and image compression mode.
**** In 3-megapixel(4:3), 2.5-megapixel(3:2), 2-megapixel(16:9) recording

2.5" Large, 230,000-dot High-resolution LCD for Easy Shooting and Playback

The DMC-FS3 incorporate an easy-to-see, large, 2.5-inch 230,000-dot high-resolution LCD for comfortable viewing while both monitoring shots and playing back the results. The Intelligent LCD function detects the light condition and automatically boosts the LCD backlighting by max. 40% when shooting outdoors in bright sunshine, and adjusts the frame rate when shooting in low-lit situations in addition to using the pixel mixed readout method to secure clarity in such situations. Detecting the lighting condition precisely and automatically controlling the brightness with a total of 11 fine steps, this function gives the display the most appropriate clarity in any situation without using extra energy.
The High Angle mode makes the LCD screen extremely easy to view when the camera is held high, such as when shooting over a crowd.