Panasonic Adds LX5, FX700, TS10 and FZ40 to LUMIX Digital Camera Line

Earlier today, we told you about the new top-of-the-line LUMIX FZ100 hybrid digital camera from Panasonic. But that's not all the company announced today. Panasonic introduced four more LUMIX digital cameras - the LX5, FX700, TS10, and FZ40. Here is a rundown of the new cameras:

LUMIX LX5

Panasonic calls the LUMIX LX5 the "ultimate compact, high-performing digital camera," and you know what? We just might agree with them. This baby features a 10-megapixel CCD sensor, a F2.0 ultra-wide-angle 24mm LEICA lens and a 3.8x optical lens.

The LUMIX LX5 records HD video in AVCHD Lite, and also features Dolby Digital Creator to record high quality audio. Its 3.0-inch LCD screen was redesigned using a high color rendering index backlight LED for better color reproduction and visibility at night or in sunlight.

The outside has been redesigned as well, with a thicker grip and new turn-and-push jog dial. The camera also has a hot shoe for attaching an external flash or other accessories.

The Panasonic LUMIX DMC-LX5 will be available in both black and white in August 2010 for $499.95.

LUMIX FX700

The new LUMIX FX700 is a 14.1-megapixel point-and-shoot digital camera featuring a 24mm ultra wide-angle F2.2 LEICA lens with a 5x optical zoom. It records 1080p full HD videos in the AVCHD format and has a 3-inch touch-screen LCD.

It also has Panasonic's iA (Intelligent Auto) mode, including the addition of the Motion Deblur mode. Included in the iA suite is: POWER O.I.S., Face Recognition, Face Detection, AF Tracking, Intelligent ISO Control, Intelligent Scene Selector and Intelligent Exposure.

The Panasonic LUMIX FX700 will be available in black in August for $399.95.

LUMIX TS10

Panasonic's new 14.1-megapixel LUMIX TS10 is for those looking for a compact digital camera to use outdoors. The camera is waterproof to approximately 10 feet, shockproof to 5 feet, dustproof and freezeproof to 14 degrees F. The TS10 has a folded optics design with a 4x optical zoom lens and also comes with a silicone jacket to keep it from getting scratched up.

The company's most affordable rugged model, the TS10 also shoots HD video in 720p, has a 2.7-inch LCD display, and includes Panasonic's popular Intelligent Auto (iA) mode.

The Panasonic LUMIX TS10 will be available in blue, red, black and silver in mid-September for $249.95.

LUMIX FZ40

Last but certainly not least, the LUMIX FZ40 is a hybrid digital camera with 14.1-megapixels, a 25mm ultra-wide angle LEICA lens, 24x optical zoom and a 3.0-inch LCD. Burst shooting is available in full-resolution at up to 1.8 fps.

The FZ40 also shoots 720p HD movies in AVCHD Lite and it features a dedicated video record button. A new Video Divide function lets you separate a video you've shot into two sections so you can delete any unwanted parts and a Wind Cut function blocks out noise from background wind when recording videos.

Panasonic upgraded the FZ40's manual and creative controls with a new jog dial and the new My Color mode is available in both still and movie modes with options including Pin Hole, Film Grain, High Dynamic and High Dynamic B&W.

The Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ40 will be available in black in August for $399.95.