Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX580

The 12.1 megapixel Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX580 is a higher end digital camera that boasts many advanced functions. The DMC-FX580 features a 5x optical zoom, a 25mm wide-angle Leica DC Vario-Elmar lens with F2.8 brightness, and a 3.0 inch LCD touch-screen.

The FX580 has an enhanced Intelligent Auto (iA) mode that includes Face Recognition, among the other standard iA functions: Mega O.I.S prevents blurring caused by shaky hands when shooting; Intelligent ISO Control prevents blurring caused by the subject moving as you shoot; Intelligent Scene Selector selects the most suitable Scene mode for the situation; Intelligent Exposure adjusts the brightness of dark areas in an image; Face Detection helps capture clear, crisp shots of faces; and AF Tracking keeps the focus locked onto the subject, even if it moves. Face Recognition is a function that "remembers" registered faces, so that when a familiar face is in the frame, it optimizes the focus and exposure so that the face is bright and sharply focused.

The DMC-FX580 also features a Venus Engine V image processor, which has twin CPUs that carry approximately 2.4x processing capability and supports a High Sensitivity mode that lets the camera record at a setting of up to ISO 6400. The Venus Engine V is also 16% more energy efficient than its predecessor, the Venus Engine IV, thus extending battery life by 350 pictures. Other features include a Panorama Assist scene mode, allowing the user to take a series of images to combine into a panorama shot while checking the degree of overlap between adjacent shotes; a High Speed Burst that fires 10 shots per second; and a Macro Zoom function that delivers dramatic close-ups. Additionally, the FX580 can record High Definition (1280x720p) motion pictures at 30 frames per second. Available in Black or Silver.