Panasonic unveils four new Lumix pocket digital cameras

Panasonic has announced four new, higher-end members to their Lumix pocket-sized digital camera family, all with some top-of-the-line features.

There's a lot to go over, so let's breakdown the details on the Panasonic Lumix point-and-shoot quartet:

DMC-TS2 (pictured above)

• 14.1-megapixel sensor
• 28mm wide-angle Leica DC Vario Elmar lens
• 2.7-inch LCD screen
• 4.6x optical zoom (total zoom boosted to 6x with Intelligent Zoom)
• AVCHD Lite HD 720p video recording
• Venus Engine HD II image processing technology (for better noise reduction)
• Autofocus speeds: 0.24 seconds, 0.28 seconds
• Special features: Intelligent Resolution (enhances outlines, detailed texture areas and soft gradation), Intelligent Scene Selector (chooses from six possible scenes: Macro, Portrait, Scenery, Night Portrait, Night Scenery and Sunset)
• Rugged digital camera: waterproof to 33 feet, shockproof to 10 feet, freezeproof to 14° F and dustproof
• Can shoot up to 360 images on a single charge
• Compatible with SDXC memory cards
• Available in silver, blue, orange and yellow

DMC-ZR3

• 14.1-megapixel sensor
• 25mm ultra-wide-angle Leica lens
• 2.7-inch LCD screen
• 8x optical zoom
• AVCHD Lite HD video recording
• Autofocus speeds: 0.26 seconds (wide-end), 0.31 seconds (tele-end)
• 1-inch thick body
• Special features: Happy Mode (Optimizes color, saturation and brightness), Face Recognition, Intelligent Resolution and Intelligent Zoom (10x)
• Compatible with SD/SDHC and SDXC memory cards
• Available in silver, black, red and blue

DMC-ZS5

• 12.1-megapixel sensor
• 25mm ultra-wide angle Leica lens
• 12x optical zoom
• 2.7-inch LCD screen
• Records HD video in Motion JPG at 30 fps
• Venus Engine VI
• Can shoot 330 photos in a single battery charge
• Available in black and silver

DMC-ZS7

• 12.1-megapixel sensor
• 3-inch LCD screen
• 25mm ultra-wide-angle Leica lens
• 12x optical zoom (also works in video mode)
• Venus Engine HD image processing technology
• Autofocus speeds: 0.35 second (wide-end), 0.41 seconds (tele-end)
• Hybrid "superzoom" digital camera
• Records HD video in AVCHD Lite
• Special features: Intelligent Resolution, Intelligent Zoom, Intelligent Scene Selector, Built-in GPS feature (embeds photos and videos with latitude and longitude details)
• Comes with PHOTOfunSTUDIO HD Edition Version 5.1 software
• Compatible with SDXC memory cards
• Available in silver, black, red and blue

Neither prices nor release dates have been announced on any of these yet, so stay tuned.