Lumix

Lumix is Panasonic's brand of digital cameras, ranging from pocket point-and-shoot models to digital SLRs. Compact digital cameras DMC-LC5 and DMC-F7 were the first products of the Lumix series, released in 2001. Most Lumix cameras use differing releases of the Panasonic Venus Engine for ; the original version (2002) was followed by II (2004), Plus (2005), III (2006), IV (2008), HD, V (2009) and VI, HD II, FHD (2010). Some Lumix models are branded with Leica lenses (e.g. Nocticron or Elmarit lenses), although Leica does not manufacture the lenses. Others are rebranded as Leica cameras with different cosmetic stylings. Panasonic showed a prototype of a planned 3D Lumix camera in September 2011, saying that it would have twin 4x zoom lenses with folding optics and optical image stabilization for both video and still images. Panasonic collaborated with Sigma and Leica to form the L-mount Alliance on 25 September 2018, and license the L-mount system for their own lines of lenses and cameras. in 2019 Panasonic announced the release of its new S-series line of mirrorless cameras. Despite shifting focus to full frame cameras, Panasonic continues to release and support micro four thirds (MFT) cameras. Some cameras are available in a choice of color, indicated by a suffix letter: K is black, S silver, A blue, R red, W white. Most lower-priced models have small sensors of about 10.2 mm / 1/2.5". More expensive ones often have sensors of about twice the area, 14.1 mm to 15.4 mm / 1/1.65" to 1/1.8". dSLRs and Micro Four Thirds system cameras have much larger sensors. Larger sensors produce a better image signal-to-noise ratio and better dynamic range. The GH series of Micro Four Thirds cameras, and the LX100, have a unique "multi-aspect" sensor, that is larger than the lens image circle. This allows three different aspect ratios, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9, to be used natively. As a result, the image diagonal remains the same in all three aspect ratios and provides full coverage of the sensor, and a larger field of view with higher resolution than one would get by simply cropping the 4:3 aspect to the narrower ratios.