BIOS: Technology Means Business

Having announced its entry to the digital SLR market in 2005, Panasonic is chuffed to pieces with its 7.5-Megapixel Lumix DMC-L1 - the company’s first interchangeable-lens digital SLR camera, distinguished from conventional digital SLRs by combining the operating feel of an analogue camera with innovative features unique to digital cameras.

The DMC-L1 benefits from a new LEICA D VARIO-ELMARIT 14-50mm/F2.8-3.5 lens, equipped with an aperture ring, focus ring and zoom ring, for easy, direct aperture setting.

This new digital SLR also features a shutter speed dial on top of the camera body, to enhance the sense of camera control. These features, combined with a classic design that will remind users of traditional analogue cameras, ensure the Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1 is distinct in both design and operation.

Panasonic has developed the new Live MOS sensor using its original Maicovicon technology. The 4/3 type Live MOS sensor with 7.5 million pixels helps capture the beautiful images of a CCD sensor with delicate gradation and a wide dynamic range, whilst suppressing energy consumption as only a CMOS sensor can do. Noise is also minimised thanks to a special processing technology that runs on voltage as low as 5-Volts.

The Venus Engine III is an image processing LSI, newly developed to maximise the performance of the Live MOS sensor. Offering high resolution, superior colour reproduction and detailed gradation, the Venus Engine III also reduces noise to the level expected from a digital SLR, thus achieving stunning picture quality, according to Panasonic.

The Venus Engine III also improves camera responsiveness supporting high-performance consecutive shooting and a short shutter interval. Despite offering superior performance, the Venus Engine III consumes only 80 per cent as much power as its predecessor, the Venus Engine II. This combines with the Live MOS sensor’s low energy consumption to provide longer battery life.

The heart of a digital SLR is the mirror box unit, which integrates a quick-return mirror, viewfinder, and AE sensor. This, combined with the full-time image output function of the Live MOS sensor, achieves a full-time Live View function that displays the image on the LCD directly from the sensor signal. This incredibly useful function can be selected in both Auto Focus and Manual Focus modes.

In Manual Focus, photographers can enlarge an image within the frame and then select the area focusing, making it easier to check the focusing condition on the large 2.5-inch, high resolution, 207,000 pixel LCD. It is also possible to check the depth of field by pressing the Aperture button.

The most critical and annoying problem with digital SLRs with interchangeable lenses is the possibility of dust getting inside the camera during the lens changes, thus contaminating the image sensor. If this happens, professional cleaning is often required. The DMC-L1 effectively manages this problem by incorporating a Supersonic Wave Filter dust reduction, which uses supersonic vibration to instantly shake off dust that might otherwise affect the image.

Consistent with all Panasonic Lumix cameras, the DMC-L1 is compatible with the SD memory card. It is also compatible with mass-storage SD standard based on FAT32, including the upcoming super-high-capacity SD Memory Cards of more than 2GB (SDHC).

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