Panasonic Lumix FX48

Panasonic today added one more camera to its roster in the Lumix FX48, its newest ultra-compact model. The camera is relatively slim at about 0.85 inches deep but carries a 12-megapixel sensor and a 5X, 25-125mm equivalent wide-angle lens that makes it better-suited both to close-ups and to landscape shots. It also adds a newer face detection system common to most 2009 models that can recognize individual faces and prioritize those over others in the same scene.

Outside of its new software, the point-and-shoot has the same dual-processor capturing as many of the other updates and is both faster to snap images as well as more power-efficient. The extra performance further helps it record 720p video at 30 frames per second. Light sensitivity tops out at a typical ISO 1,600 but optionally boosts to ISO 6,400 in a special shooting mode.

As with other Lumix cameras launched today, the FX48 won't appear until April but will cost a relatively lower $350.

By Electronista Staff