Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ47 Digital Camera (Black)

From outdoor school events to indoor family photographs, the DMC-FZ47 supports recording those spur-of-the-moment memories in high quality photo and video easily with its superior optical and digital performance.

The LUMIX DMC-FZ47 is an advanced photographic tool for recording not only great photos but also beautiful full-HD videos. Now the DMC-FZ47 can record high-resolution full-HD 1,920 x 1,080 60i (NTSC, sensor output 30p) videos in AVCHD (MPEG-4 / H.264) format. The AVCHD format features almost twice the recording time in HD quality than the conventional Motion JPEG and excels in the compatibility with AV equipment like HDTVs or Blu-ray Disc players. A special, separate button on the top lets the user instantly start recording video while shooting photos without any having to make any extra settings

The DMC-FZ47 features a high-quality Leica DC Vario-Elmarit 25mm ultra wide-angle lens with a 24x optical zoom (35mm camera equivalent: 25-600mm). With the newly applied Nano Surface Coating technology, light reflection is dramatically minimized (380nm-780nm) thanks to the extra-low refractive index coating on the surface of the lens. It results in the super clear picture with dramatic reduction of ghost and flare. With this Panasonic black box technology, the image delivered through the lens of DMC-FZ47 has exceptional optical performance with stunning clarity that passes Leica's stringent standards. Comprising 14 elements in 10 groups, including 3 ED lenses and 2 aspherical lenses with 3 aspherical surfaces, this advanced lens unit passes Leica's stringent standards to deliver exceptional optical performance suppressing distortion at the wide end and color bleeding at the tele end

Thanks to the Intelligent Resolution technology, the Intelligent Zoom is available with the FZ47 which extends the zoom ratio by approximately 1.3x maintaining the picture quality, even when using the digital zoom. This means the 24x optical can virtually extend to 32x equivalent. Furthermore, the Extra Optical Zoom function extends zoom power to 46.9x (at 3-megapixel resolution) by using the center part of the large CCD to bring subjects even closer

The 25mm ultra wide angle lens captures approximately a 196% wider angle of view compared with a standard 35mm camera. It is helpful for shooting dynamic landscape or indoor group portraits

The powerful 24x optical zoom is available for video recording because it's designed to minimize the noise of auto focusing or zooming. With DMC-FZ47, there are always two options to record spur-of-the-moment scenes: high-quality photos or videos. The user can simply choose the one that saves precious memories most beautifully

The Intelligent D-range Control makes images look more natural by preventing blocked shadows and blown highlights. It also ensures a beautiful reproduction of gradation and details.

The videos also come with the high-quality stereo sound of Dolby Digital Stereo Creator, to offer realistic sound to the video. The Wind Cut function is also available to block out most of the noise from background wind automatically.

It is also possible to simultaneously take still images while recording video (3.5-megapixel). With the Video Divide function, users can divide the video into two sections, in-camera, to shorten or delete the unwanted scene. You can also cut out a clear still image from a video in the camera thanks to the Intelligent Resolution technology. A host of options enhance the usability and fun of recording high quality full-HD video.

Photos or videos recorded in AVCHD on SD Memory Cards are easy to view on a Panasonic VIERA TV. Simply insert the card into the VIERA Image Viewer (SD Memory Card slot) on VIERA TV or Blu-ray Disc Player/Recorder to review your contents. Alternately, you can use an optional mini HDMI cable to output the still and motion images you took from the FZ47 directly to the TV for VIERA Link. You can take maximum advantage of LUMIX camera's playback functions including the slideshow in which both still and motion images are integrated in the timeline, category playback according to the scene mode you used, or calendar display and so on. All control is possible using your TV's remote control

For the image processor, the Venus Engine FHD is incorporated that features exceptionally advanced signal processing capabilities. By separating chromatic noise from luminance noise and applying the optimal noise reduction to each, you can capture clear and beautiful images even when shooting at high ISO sensitivity levels. The Venus Engine FHD also provides precisely selective noise reduction to the chromatic noise without affecting the border of colors which is judged from the brightness level of a pixel. With the Intelligent Resolution technology, 3 areas - outlines, detailed texture areas and soft gradation areas are automatically detected. The outline parts are enhanced effectively to give edges more clearness while giving a moderate accentuation to the texture areas to look more finely detailed. To the soft gradation part, superior noise reduction process of the Venus Engine FHD is applied to make it smoother. Apart from the uniform enhancement of sharpness, the innovative technology, Intelligent Resolution, precisely performs signal processing pixel by pixel in the most effective way for it. As a result, images are naturally clear and crisp in both photo and video recording.

Linking smoothly with the Hi-Speed CCD sensor, the Venus Engine FHD processes a large amount of signals at high speed, making it possible to record 1920 x 1080 HD video recording and high resolution consecutive shots at 3.7 fps in 12.1 megapixel full resolution and max. 10 fps at 3 megapixel recording.

In addition, the Venus Engine FHD has a super-fast response time. The Sonic Speed AF (Auto Focus) gains approx. 35% faster speed at tele-end compared with the DMC-FZ40 by reviewing the algorithm and software processing. The speed in AF Tracking also becomes faster thanks to the improved tracking performance which doubles its sampling frequency

With the manual control option you can express your vision not only in photos but also in video, utilizing a host of options including the Creative Control and the Photo Style functions.

The conventional My Color mode has been revamped for the Creative Control function, with a selection of artistic effect modes; Expressive, Retro, High Key, Sepia, High Dynamic, Miniature Effect, Film Grain and Pin Hole. Now it is possible to adjust exposure compensation in the Creative Control mode too. In addition, Photo Style is newly added to the DMC-FZ47 for the expression of finer nuance. It has Standard, Vivid, Natural, Monochrome, Scenery, Portrait presets while enabling finer adjustment of contrast, sharpness, saturation and noise reduction by each. It is possible to fully customize those settings to create a user's own color effect manually in Custom mode. These two modes, Creative Control and Photo Style, allow any shooter the latitude to make photos or videos even more impressive with their own personal style.

In video recording, the DMC-FZ47 goes further than simply recording HD videos. The DMC-FZ47 features a Creative Video mode, which lets the user set the shutter speed and aperture manually to make impressive videos. Changing the shutter speed brings special effects to videos, which is especially suitable for shooting fast-moving subject. The ability to control the aperture is convenient when there are several subjects at different distances and the shooter wants to have each of them stand out.

The 3D Photo mode produces a 3D still image in the camera. The camera takes 20 panning shots and automatically selects the two most suitable images - one for a right eye and one for the left eye - to synthesize a 3D composite. The 3D image can be viewed on VIERA HDTV. The 3D image MPO format can be played back on other MPO-compatible equipment, besides the camera, such as a TV or digital photo frame. These 3D images can also be printed out in hard copy

For a more effective countermeasure against blur, the Active Mode allows for the use of optical image stabilization in video recording. In addition to the conventional POWER O.I.S., the Active Mode is especially effective in video recording at wide angles, such as shooting while walking. With the DMC-FZ47, the Motion Deblur mode is incorporated to prevent blur even more effectively. The mode is a comprehensive integration of Intelligent ISO Control and the advanced contrast control system of Intelligent D-range Control that also optimizes the exposure naturally to prevent over/under exposure of a photo. The camera judges the appropriate shutter speed to suppress the motion blur based on the movement of the subject. The shutter speed can be raised by activating the high sensitivity recording by a pixel mixed readout method.

The Face Recognition function remembers registered faces to give an appropriate AF/AE on the people while removing the unwanted red-eye. The Intelligent Scene Selector automatically selects whichever of 6 Scene modes - Macro, Portrait, Scenery, Night Portrait, Night Scenery, or Sunset, that best suits the shooting situation.

Once you enter the iA mode, these functions happen automatically together with other powerful shooting-assist functions - AF Tracking, Intelligent ISO Control, and Intelligent D-range Control - so you can shoot without the bother of adjusting settings every time conditions change. You can enjoy easy, trouble-free shooting in any situation and get the satisfaction that comes with capturing clear, beautiful images