Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-GH1 certainly has a lot going for it. It’s smaller than a DSLR, boasts some interchangeable lenses, and it’s apparently more than up to the task when it comes to shooting video. Unfortunately, all of that doesn’t come cheap, with the camera now up for pre-order from J&R for the not so low price of $1,499.99, which puts it well above a number of more-than-capable DSLRs. Of course, that price does include a 14-140mm lens, and it could come down slightly once some other retailers get in on the discounting action, but it’s pretty clear that anyone simply looking for a low-cost alternative to a DSLR (or a low-cost DSLR, for that matter) will want to look elsewhere.
We’ve already gotten a pretty good look at Panasonic’s new Lumix DMC-GH1, and even seen a few sample shots, but filmmaker and blogger Philip Bloom has now come through with yet another hands-on with the camera, and he’s thankfully also gone the extra mile and included some sample video footage. As with some other lucky folks that have gotten their hands on the not-quite-a-DSLR, Bloom seems to be mightily impressed with it, saying that the image out of the camera is “utterly terrific,” and that it’s “a dream to use operational wise.” He also found that the built-in mic was “way better” than the ones found on comparable, or even higher-end, Nikons or Canons (like the 5D Mark II pictured alongside the GH1 above), although it’s obviously made even better by the optional top mic. Of course, it’s the sample footage really tells the story, and you can find somewhat compressed version after the break, and an even higher quality sample at the link below.
Both Panasonic and Canon announced their first water- and shock-proof compact toughcams earlier this year, and we’ve taken them underwater for a test. Which is better for capturing your summertime antics both wet AND wild?
Let me say first that I did not use either of these cameras in their ideal conditions—namely, outside, underwater while swimming. For some reason, Canon and Panasonic did not tailor the release dates of these cameras to coincide with my trip to Egypt a few months ago, which is where I wanted to test them out (why not guys??). Back here in New York, any outdoor body of water is way too frigid right now, and there’s something pretty creepy and ultimately unacceptable about taking an underwater camera to the YMCA for test shots. So, instead of the verdant coral reefs of the Red Sea off the Sinai coast, which were straight out of Planet Earth, our test shots are of me playing with a Kraken Attackin’ Lego Pirates playset in my kitchen sink. Which is a cool playset, but, you know, not the same.
But still, we’ve gathered enough data I think to inform your decision, if you’re thinking of picking up a waterproof toughcam for this summer. Here are the main points of differentiation I see:
Form Factor/Interface Both cameras are waterproof, but the Canon D10 is protected up to 10 meters (around 32 feet), where the Panasonic TS1 is only protected up to three meters (around 10 feet). And that’s immediately apparent in their shapes:
The D10 looks like it was designed by Ringo on the set of Yellow Submarine—its bulbous shell and porthole-like screws drive home the fact that this baby is going underwater. But on land, it’ll be tough to fit it into a pants pocket without some serious bulging.
It does have some nice, easy-to-press buttons for changing into video mode, for instance, and the icons on the LCD screen are nice and big, easily spotted through a snorkeling mask. There are some superfluous button presses to lock in settings which could be tedious underwater, but the UI is not horrible, and you’ll easily get used to it. The D10 also has come big screw-mounts on each corner for mounting various underwater grips and other accessories that you can buy from Canon.
The TS1 takes a totally different approach, with a sleek rectangular slab shape that at first glance is hard to distinguish from regular non-tough weeniecams. The buttons are a bit smaller, but not prohibitively so, and shootings modes are selected with a thumb dial instead of dedicated buttons—I didn’t see anything I couldn’t operate with a bit of practice while snorkeling. A basic locking wrist-strap comes in the box.
The important thing is that the TS1 is not at all out of place in non-toughcam situations, where the D10 may be. But if you’re a deep snorkeler, three meters may not be enough for you compared to the D10’s 10 meters (I imagine if you’re a serious SCUBA diver, you’ll need something beefier than either of these), but where you lose usability under water with the TS1 you will gain it on land. Consider that.
Video Another big difference, if not the biggest, is that the Panasonic TS1 shoots 720p in the AVCHD format, where the Canon only does 640×480 VGA vids. The TS1 video recording mode isn’t the most polished—there’s a good two to three second delay from when you hit the dedicated video button to when recording actually starts and stops, and it’s unclear exactly when everything does start, but if you’re OK with that, the HD video mode is awesome. I mean, underwater HD in such a tiny package—that’s a no-brainer right? I would kill to have some HD clips of my friends and I swimming around in crazy schools of neon fish in Egypt.
Here are some sample clips from the sink:
TS1 720P Clip:
Note: There is a current bug with the TS1 that makes video imported into iMovie ’08 and ’09 play at double speed. I had to do some conversion to avoid this, which is a pain. Panasonic says they’re working with Apple on this to include a fix in future versions of iMovie.
Canon D10 VGA Clip:
Keep in mind that the AVCHD format is kind of annoying, in that you might have to install special codecs and import video straight into your video editing software of choice and then export it in friendlier formats, rather than just grabbing an AVI or MOV clip from the memory card and uploading it to YouTube.
And yeah, the quality of these videos is pretty bad, but the difference in the actual output is clear: 720p underwater rules.
Shooting Both cameras are 12-megapixels, for full-res shots at 4000×3000. Both have the same size CCD sensor, but the TS1’s ISO goes up to 6400 where the Canon D10’s only to 1600. I didn’t do a thorough sensitivity test with either camera, but I would imagine you don’t want to go much higher than 800 on either one, so the difference is probably fairly moot.
A difference that does matter is the TS1’s wider-angle lens: it’s a 28mm-128mm f/3.3-f/5.9 effective focal length zoom, compared to the D10’s 35mm-105mm f/2.8-f/4.9.
As you can see, color reproduction via the TS1’s Leica lens is far better than the D10s, which has to fight through a bit more protective plastic. Also, the TS1 tends to autofocus underwater with much greater ease—important, because you won’t always be able to look at the LCD when composing shots while snorkeling.
Conclusion Like I said, I only played with these cameras in the sink, so I didn’t push their waterproof capabilities to their max. But having a waterproof and shockproof camera around the house is kind of cool in its own right—imagine taking bath time photos of your kid without having to worry about getting the camera wet, or taking shots with dirty hands while you’re barbecuing, or anything like that. You can always dunk these cameras underwater to clean them off. It’s nice. You don’t have to be a snorkeler to use them and have fun with them.
Which is why for me, the balance shifts heavily toward the Panasonic TS1. Its form factor makes using it on land a lot more convenient, and the added HD video option is a huge plus. And my ears hurt if I go down much further than three meters underwater anyway. At a premium of only $70 ($400 list vs. $330 for the D10), I’d say it’s well worth spending up for.
Panasonic Lumix DSC-TS1 HD video capture
Unobtrusive form factor good for both land and sea
Given just how long we’ve been looking at prototype OLED panels at trade shows (and trade shows alone), we’re understandably skeptical about a few new claims regarding availability. For whatever it’s worth, MegaWhat.tv has reported that the display will actually be on store shelves in 2010 (yeah, that’s next year), bringing with it a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio, DVI / HDMI inputs and a total depth of just 1.6 centimeters. Furthermore, it’s said to suck down 40 percent less energy compared to an equivalent LCD, but you can rest assured that you’ll pay for that luxury up front. In related news, Smarthouse is suggesting that senior Panasonic executives have said that it is currently “researching” HD OLED TV and should have one on the market within two years. Not to be a Debbie Downer or anything, but we’ll wait until we see progress at CES 2010 before getting too hopeful.
This week’s Gadget Lab podcast kicks off with a sad note about writer Brian Chen’s drowned iPhone, and his pathetic attempt to resurrect it by sprinkling rice on it. Then we jump right into a discussion of the consumer robotics industry, which is running into some hard times: Ugobe, the company that made the Pleo robot dinosaur, is going out of business. Even iRobot and WowWee have canceled plans for upcoming robot toys, as it appears U.S. consumers just aren’t interested in these expensive gizmos.
Wow, it’s been a great day for camera nerds — the Nikon D5000 got a ship date, the Canon Rebel T1i started arriving in stores, and now the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1‘s been unboxed. That’s a hat trick of hotly-anticipated DSLRs* right there, and the GH1 might be the most anticipated of the bunch. Sadly for would-be importers, the Japanese version here can’t be set to display English menus, but we can still gawk at the pretty pictures, including an amazing shot of the lens cap entitled “The Engadget Product Photo Effect.” Hit the read link for the full set, including some test shots.
*Yes, we know GH1’s not technically a DSLR — what would you call it?
You know that 3D bandwagon you’re still hesitant to jump on? We get the feeling that this year’s NAB show may just push you over the top. Shortly after hearing of Fujifilm’s newest P2 memory cards comes this, a conceptual camcorder in which to eventually slot ’em in. Currently, Panasonic’s 3D Full HD Camera Recorder is merely a prototype, but it’s made clear that the company intends to bring this to market as soon as possible. Essentially, the device will boast a twin-lens system for capturing 3D footage natively in 1080p, and all of the video streams will be stored on Panny’s professional P2 cards. It’s hard to say if this would even be useful for 2D shooting on the side, but with practically every major studio at least considering (if not committing to) 3D production, we’d say it’s a solid investment on Panasonic’s part either way.
Most 3D recording systems require dual cameras mounted in close proximity, but Panasonic’s newest 3D camcorder combines these two systems into one.
The unnamed Panasonic “3D Full HD” camcorder features two lenses that record two separate video tracks onto Panasonic’s proprietary P2 flash memory system (it’s not explained how the internal imaging chips work, but we assume that there are at least two of those as well). The result is an easy-to-use 3D camcorder that will compliment Panasonic’s recent push into 3D plasmas.
There’s no word on price or availability, and the word “concept” is tossed around casually in the press release. (UPDATE: Panasonic clarified that it’s definitely just a concept as the company “starts development of a 3D Full HD Production System,” with no word on price or availability) But still, I didn’t expect to see this when I woke up this morning.
PANASONIC TO START DEVELOPMENT OF NEW PROFESSIONAL 3D PRODUCTION SYSTEM
Industry’s First System to Support Efficient Production of 3D Full HD Content
LAS VEGAS, NV (April 19, 2009) — Panasonic Corporation, a world leader in High Definition technology, today announced it will start developing a professional 3D Full HD production system. The system, which is expected to be the first of its kind in the industry, consists of a twin-lens P2 professional camera recorder and a 3D-compatible High Definition Plasma display. Panasonic will exhibit concept models of the 3D system at its booth (Central Hall #3712) at NAB 2009 to be held in Las Vegas, Nevada from April 20, 2009.
Panasonic is exhibiting a conceptual model of a 3D Full HD Camera Recorder at the 2009 NAB Show where it announced it would start development of a 3D Full HD Production System.
With Hollywood studios moving towards creation of more 3D entertainment content, Panasonic successfully debuted the world’s first 3D Full HD Plasma Home Theater System based on Plasma display and Blu-ray Disc technologies at the CEATEC trade show in Japan in September 2008. More recently, the company also established the Advanced Authoring Center within Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory in February 2009 to support Hollywood studios in developing 3D Full HD Blu-ray Disc titles.
Production of 3D movies requires a great deal of time and effort. With the new 3D production system, which can enable an easier and more efficient 3D production process and environment, Panasonic will contribute to accelerating the realization of easier high-quality 3D content production.
At present, 3D content producers have to hand-build their own 3D production systems by physically connecting multiple 2D production devices. Panasonic is now starting to work on developing a twin-lens, 3D camera system. Also, Panasonic’s Plasma displays have been used in many post-production facilities in Hollywood, thanks to their high-quality imaging performance, which has been endorsed by leading Hollywood professionals. Technologies and expertise obtained from their use in post-production has enabled Panasonic to further develop high-quality 3D viewing performance in its Plasma technologies. As a result of this process, Panasonic’s 3D Plasma display system will help 3D content producers to quickly and easily evaluate the image quality of 3D content.
Each component of Panasonic’s innovative 3D Full HD production system has unique features. The twin-lens P2 camera recorder enables the capturing of natural and high-quality live 3D images. Thanks to the non-mechanical solid-state construction of the P2 system, the camera recorder will be compact enough to allow more flexible 3D shooting, thereby maximizing the creativity of the filmmakers by eliminating the stress factor from the use of the equipment.
3D Full HD recording using Panasonic’s proprietary P2 system also enables recording of two channels of Full HD images on the P2 card. P2’s non-mechanical construction and compactness will also be incorporated into the company’s 3D image recording and editing equipment to make production in the field highly flexible and efficient.
Panasonic’s 3D Drive System enables the display of Full HD moving pictures for the left and the right eyes, so large screen 3D viewing will become possible. The excellent moving picture performance and accurate color reproduction characteristics achieved by Plasma’s self-illuminating technology enables the realization of high-quality 3D image evaluation capabilities required in the professional content production field
“Panasonic is continuing its efforts to enable consumers to enjoy 3D movies in the comfort of their own living rooms with its 3D Full HD Plasma Home Theater System, which incorporates a Plasma HDTV and a Blu-ray Disc player,” said Dr. Paul Liao, Chief Technology Officer of Panasonic Corporation of North America. “The professional 3D Full HD image production system we are going to develop will improve the 3D production environment and accelerate creation of 3D titles.”
Panasonic’s latest camcorders have been well-liked by the masses, but haven’t quite had enough features to appease those consumers with higher expectations — or professionals on limited budgets. To captivate the eyes and ears of that prosumer market the company has announced the AG-HMC40, a 2.2 pound semi-pro cam that will do 1080i or 720p at 60 frames-per-second, but more important for many can manage a cinematic 1080p at 24 frames-per-second, all written to SDHC cards. With 10.6 megapixel stills and a 12x optical zoom on tap it sounds like a very well-rounded offering, and, while $3,195 may not fit into every budget, it should do well for modestly funded aspiring filmmakers when it ships in August — just in time for capturing some back-to-school teen angst drama.
We tell ya, that Panasonic FS line sure knows how to expand. Just months after we saw a few more added to the mix, the point-and-shoot Lumix family is growing yet again with three new members. Kicking things off is the 12.1 megapixel DMC-FS12, which boasts a 4x optical zoom, optical image stabilization, 2.7-inch LCD, a WVGA (848 x 480) movie mode and digital red-eye correction. The 10.1 megapixel DMC-FS62 packs most of the same features, though it does step down to a 2.5-inch LCD. Finishing up the trio is the DMC-FS42, a 10.1 megapixel shooter that does most everything the FS62 does save for the omission of optical image stabilization and a few other minor exclusions. The whole lot is expected to arrive soon in a variety of hues, though precise pricing and availability details are still missing.
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Both 
HD video capture
28mm wide-angle lens
Buttons perhaps more difficult to use underwater
Only waterproof up to 3 meters
Most 3D recording systems require dual cameras mounted in close proximity, but Panasonic’s newest 3D camcorder combines these two systems into one.
