The prize at stake: a Joby SLR-ZOOM Gorillapod plus the Joby Ballhead. (Joby was kind enough to write and offer to up the stakes of these contests a bit.)

For a little advice, check out this very apt guide on photographing Christmas lights.

The rules:

1. Submissions need to be your own.
2. Photos need to be taken the week of the contest. (No portfolio linking or it spoils the "challenge" part.)
3. Explain, briefly, the equipment, settings and technique used to snag the shot.
4. Email submissions to contests@gizmodo.com.

Send your best entries by Sunday at 6PM Eastern to contests@gizmodo.com with "Christmas Lights" in the subject line. Save your files as JPGs or GIFs at 800 pixels wide, and use a FirstnameLastname.jpg naming convention using whatever name you want to be credited with. Include your shooting summary (camera, lens, ISO, etc) in the body of the email. ALSO, AND THIS IS NEW FOR THIS WEEK, ATTACH A 2560x1600 JPEG AS WELL FOR PEOPLE TO DOWNLOAD AS WALLPAPER. [Flickr]

The official challenge is "Gray Winter." For fun, let's all shoot black and white in-camera and try to create most of the image without too heavy a hand in post production. If you nee advice/tips on shooting black and white landscapes, check here.

The rules:

1. Submissions need to be your own.
2. Photos need to be taken the week of the contest. (No portfolio linking or it spoils the "challenge" part.)
3. Explain, briefly, the equipment, settings and technique used to snag the shot.
4. Email submissions to contests@gizmodo.com.

Send your best entries by the end of SUNDAY (yes, we moved the contest days) at contests@gizmodo.com with "Gray Winter" in the subject line. Save your files as JPGs or GIFs at 800 pixels wide, and use a FirstnameLastname.jpg naming convention using whatever name you want to be credited with. Include your shooting summary (camera, lens, ISO, etc) in the body of the email.

Bonus points for extra depressing shots that destroy the hope of happy holidays for everyone.

*Note: we didn't run last week's Shooting Challenge (Thanksgiving) because we didn't receive enough entries. Meanwhile, the week before, we received around 75 shots. We'll do our best to keep the challenges interesting, but for Giz's weekly shooting challenge to stay afloat, we really need your free labor, I mean, participation! [Image]

Nikon Rumors reviewed the Nikon-compatible Fabre Photo EX DSLR Stereoscopic Microscope, a $1,600 lens that pwns macro photography pretty hard.

Here's a video they captured of a millipede. So gross, but we can't look away.

Two points Nikon Rumors makes: integrated LEDs sound handy for illuminating the small subjects, but they tend to create a harsh reflection on surfaces. And, yes, the microscope lens is every bit as "fun" as you'd imagine.

Lots more test shots over at: [Nikon Rumors]

DSLR Remote is a remote control for Canon cameras. Connecting to a laptop over Wi-Fi, the software can obviously take shots at will, but it can also control settings including shutter speed, aperture and white balance. Plus, and this is the neatest feature, the iPhone can stream the camera's Live View feed (if applicable to the DSLR) for a realtime look at what's in the frame.

DSLR Remote will be in the App Store soon for an introductory price of $10 (it'll jump to $20 soon). There's also a Lite version if you just want the capability to snap photos. For a full list of compatible camera, visit onOne. [onOne via Gadget Lab]

If the rumor is true, Canon will be adopting sub-35mm dSLR sensors (APS-C sized CMOS, or what you see in entry level dSLRs like the Rebel) into their elite camcorders. It's not a completely new idea. The Red One has long used a CMOS chip to record 4k video, and Canon makes use of a CMOS in the $1000ish Vixia. But with Canon choosing CMOS for a pro-level camcorder, it pretty much means that CCD (the preferred video chip format of the last several decades) is dead. (Once we saw dSLRs shooting 1080p, we knew this day wasn't far off.) As for the mystery cam itself:

The sub-$8,000 camcorder is said to resemble the XL-H1 (above), accepting EOS lenses and featuring a 12.1MP CMOS that can film 1080p video at 60fps/120hz—that's MPEG4 encoded at a max rate of 56Mbps. We're not sure how the camera will record this much data though the Red One offers CompactFlash, RAID and SSD options. There's also word of a 12bit video RAW format that will require a $4,000ish IO box providing SDI and USB 3 output.

And for the first time in some time, Canon's prosumer camcorders are exciting again. [canonrumors]

Its longevity is nifty, as its 50-year history means you can take advantage of lenses crafted long before your DSLR. But as BoingBoing Gadgets reader Mat Halprin points out, Nikon yet to do anything wicked like release an anniversary DSLR that looks like the old school F-series camera pictured above, but stuffed with a D700 sensor, or something else that would tap that history while making us drool at the same time. We demand sexy history, dammit.

In the meantime, how do you think Nikon should celebrate? [Nikon BoingBoing Gadgets, Image: darksida/Flickr ]

Hey, all you endoskeleton people—calm down. Take a deep breath. It's OK. John Mahoney and I actually had the same conversation, and he convinced me. In our books, it's an exo because it's really the outside of the camera, supporting and protecting the entire gadget, just coated a thin layer of paint (or in some parts, plastic). If you still aren't convinced, we can agree to disagree. Or you can go fuck yourselves. Either works.

In our original post, we speculated that using a gun stock for shooting a camera seemed like a good way for a photographer to get shot. And we wondered how common these stocks could be. Duran wrote back with a short, informed response, but I was able to twist his arm into telling us a bit more.

Pointing a long lens mounted on a stock is indeed a recipe for getting shot if you're not careful. In fact in training at Fort McCoy, Wi., I was "shot" by Soldiers on practice missions.

I was not where they expected me to be... i.e. mixed in with the opposition who happened to be shooting at them at the time. Thus, I was "shot" at with blanks during the training even though I was in uniform. They *saw* what they assumed was a rifle in an area where bad guys were shooting at them..

This, of course, is why we train. Even as military media, we need to train in realistic conditions. It was a learning event for both myself and the Soldiers in training.

At Kajaki Dam in Afghanistan, I was there to get some on the ground coverage for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and the Afghan National Army. The Afghan National Army troops there are "spot on" as the Brits say and the dam has great strategic importance. There are lots of bad guys.
I took my Bushhawk stock along for the ride out to Kajaki. The stock is of limited use as in remote regions such as this, the local population has never seen a DSLR so they limited trust when you're pointing a long lens at them. In operations where we were going patrols or at night with night vision I'd use it a lot. However, when going where the bad guys are, there is little worry as I was with some of the best Soldiers in the world.

Okay, so why risk losing your life. Good question. Lemme see if I can figure it out.

Ok. It is an extremely stable platform to shoot pictures with (i.e. that's why rifles are designed that way). It is very natural and comfortable which results in good images. When using long lenses, holding the camera steady is damn important.

Plus, you can sling the camera stock while walking. This is very important when trying to keep up with Soldiers that are in *much* better shape than you (lost 20 pounds during the tour). Although I'm a Reservist, there's only one standard... so I have the keep up with Olympic-grade athletes when on Active duty.

Monopods work very well but are a pain in the ass when on the move. You have to open them, then close them when you're going to roll out. Which happens unexpectedly at times :)

Handholding with two hands is about the only way and how most of the world gets it done. I would not advise *any* media in a war zone to use a stock. In my case, I'm a member of the armed forces and I'm with the guys with the guns. We used to joke about it in that the Taliban would wonder if we bought some some secret weapon since we were the only Americans at Kajaki. Either way, the bad guys would shoot at me anyway on any patrols with little regard if I had a camera or a rifle.

My main thing was not to make the local population feel threatened...
I have to say that there is something inherently fun about shooting a camera like a rifle. It is really more fun than I should admit. I found myself grinning every time I used the darn thing.

I guess there's just something obsessive with me and rifle stocks for cameras. I actually designed one in drafting class in high-school but it wasn't until this last tour that I ponied up the cheese to buy one. It's just a lot of fun.

- Jeff Duran

or Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Duran one weekend a month, two weeks a year (unless called to go to far away places and meet new people... and take their picture).

A special thanks to Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Duran for writing in and sharing his experiences. You can see more of his photos here and here.

The extender, which is basically a $50 periscope that attaches to your SLR lenses by way of an adapter, allows you point that zoom lens at a "fake out" object, and then shoot pics of the real subject to your immediate right or left. The extender even swivels 360 degrees, in case your subject is a slippery one, and is able to dance about your periphery to your right and left with relative ease. Actually, if that's the case, the person may have gotten wise to you, and the police could be coming soon. In any event, the pics will look fantastic.

More seriously, amateur and professional photogs alike understand that people just look better in photos when they don't know they're being photographed. This adapter, while somewhat creepy (just hit the link and watch the woman snap a few pics in public), gets that job done. [Photojojo]

To add a bit or strangeness to the whole thing, have a look at the picture taken with the lens before it gave up:
It's a ridiculously apropos snap of a dynamic art installation at the Arab-Islamic museum in Paris. The installation evidently passes outside light through a giant wall of adjustable apertures, which to a DSLR might look a little like some kind of bizarre out-of-body experience. [FredMiranda - Thanks, Sam!]

After all, this is the highest resolution DSLR in its class on the market. The dual Bionz processors allow 5 frames per second burst, but the enormous file sizes can eat up memory on your cards—you'll fit only 105 RAW images on a 4-gig compact flash card. Another great feature is that the SteadyShot anti-vibration feature is in the camera—not the lens—which helps if you're using older Minolta lenses on it. I also liked the large, comfortable eyepiece—it makes my ancient Nikon D70 feel like a pinhole camera—and the very bright,100% coverage viewfinder. The controls around the 3-inch, 270dpi LCD screen were quite intuitive. A handy preview function activated with the depth of field button allows you to adjust white balance and other aspects before taking the actual photo. But make no mistake, this camera is a brick—the magnesium alloy body and rubber housing alone (minus batteries and accessories) weighs 850 g, and will strain your arms if you're not used to lugging heavy lenses and bodies. Still, the Alpha 900 should win over some film die-hards who have been waiting for full-frame sensors in DSLR cameras.

Sony Alpha 900 full specs available here.

Photos and story by Tim Hornyak.

Aperture Settings
The coolest thing about shooting with a DSLR is the fact that you can switch lenses, so the second coolest thing is inherently that you can tweak the aperture. (As a video camera shooting a constant 30fps, there's of course no shutter control.) I found that shooting family members with a 50mm lens at really low f-stops can be amazing as long as they're not moving around so much. If you have a moving target, like a cat, for instance, you can just dial up the f-stop to narrow it. You may sacrifice a bit of the intimacy of a portait shot, but you can keep your moving subject in a greater depth of field. As you can see from the rubber duck shots, though, it's not too great a depth.

Manual Focus and Zoom
I find that shooting with a tripod makes everything a lot easier with this camera, which is of course a flaw when it comes to mobility and capturing the moment. Staged shoots—like the one above, and the far more aesthetically pleasing Vincent Laforet Canon 5D Mark II film—are pulled off by reducing the amount of camera movement. At the same time, you can make use of this by doing funky focus tricks, like the rack focus shot above with the duck, the knife and the Giz logo. Manual zoom is also good and bad—you can't really achieve the kind of speed I get at the end of this vid when using regular cameras; however, even when I was being careful, there was a little jostle. I decided to keep it for effect, but it's a bit annoying. (Maybe a more expensive tripod would help.)

Color, ISO and Other Settings
Pretty much anything you can tweak before shooting a photo can be done with the D90. If you want a movie in black-and-white or any range of color settings, just go into the shooting menu and make it so. Same goes for exposure settings, ISO and a lot more tweaky options. I was (accidentally) shooting with a high ISO for much of the duck shoot, and you can really only see a good bit of noise when I was in the high f-stop tight aperture setting. Truth is, you can unexpectedly do a lot of cool stuff in low-light thanks to the D90's ISO control.

A Few Things To Keep In Mind
• It's important to focus beforehand, and if you're in Live View on manual focus, you can tap the magnifying glass to zoom in (digitally) to get a better focus on your subject.

• When using Live View, the auto-focus is slow because it uses contrast or face recognition. Also, again, this can only be used to set up the shot, and can't be used when shooting vid.

• Holding AE-L AF-L button will lock the exposure setting when you're shooting, so panning from a bright window to a dark corner won't screw up your carefully constructed ambience with a quick lighting change. (Of course, manually panning and adjusting your focus will probably mess up the shot anyhow.) Reader TimmyTimeTravel just told me about this article, which contains an additional AE tip: "To set your camera for AE-L (hold): Menu > Custom Settings (Pencil Icon) > f (controls) >> Assign AE-L/AF-L Button > Ae lock (hold) > Ok"

• Very important: Camera settings don't take for some reason unless you exit Live View. So if you change your aperture or ISO or some other setting, exit LV, then pop back in to see the change.

What Not To Do
Here in a second video I'm including some shots of me and Wade the Cat to show you how hard it can be to manage the thing when you're not really working at it. Notice how shaky everything is, and how objects come in and out of focus all too easily. Aside from the fisheye bit (in there because how can you not shoot your cat with a damn fisheye?), the video was shot at pretty wide aperture setting, partially explaining the inability to keep focus:

Update: Though I shot this in 720p, I had to edit it and compress it to put into our servers. I'm no pro, of course, but some blurring of in-focus shots did happen in the conversion process. The following are actual frames pulled from the movies seen above, preserved much closer to their native resolution:

[Nikon D90 on Giz; song in duck vid was "Tasty" by The Grift]

The 12.1-megapixel camera uses a digital Live View high-res viewfinder and focal-plane shutter, avoiding the mirror apparatus that would require a larger, bulkier body. It still retains the faster autofocus and supersonic wave filter that you see on Panasonic and Olympus DSLRs. While the main advantage is reduced size without reducing picture quality (much), we still have to see it in action before we can judge that it's an appropriate departure from the DSLRs. After all, it's not that small.

And while it's definitely a step above point-and-shoots, it still borrows heavily from them. Primarily, it has Panasonic's Intelligent Auto mode, which combines the image stabilizer with face detection and smart AF tracking, exposure and ISO setting, even auto scene-mode selection, giving you really nice shots for not knowing anything about taking a picture. It takes SD or SDHC cards, and comes in three colors, traditional black, plus metallic red and blue.

On the lens front, the as-yet-unpriced kit will ship in November with a Lumix G Vario 14-45mm/F3.5-5.6 ASPH/MEGA O.I.S lens. (Note: No Leica certification at this point.) At the same time, a zoom lens, the Lumix G Vario 45-200mm/F4.0-5.6/MEGA O.I.S. lens, will also ship for an extra (but untold) sum. There will also be an adapter so that you can use Four Thirds lenses you may already own.

I can only translate so much into plain English—check out the camera and lens press releases below for the specific details you're searching for.

PANASONIC LUMIX DMC-G1: WORLD’S SMALLEST AND LIGHTEST DIGITAL INTERCHANGEABLE LENS CAMERA*

World’s First Micro Four Thirds System Camera Features Portability, Ease-of-Use

and Colorful Blue and Red Models For Personalized Style and Active Lifestyles

Secaucus, NJ (September 12, 2008) – Panasonic today announced the world’s first Micro Four Thirds system camera, the LUMIX DMC-G1, the world’s smallest and lightest digital interchangeable lens camera, weighing in at approximately 385 grams (0.85 lbs).* Based on the new Micro Four Thirds System standard, the LUMIX G1 eliminates the internal mirror structure that defines digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras, thus reducing the size and weight by nearly half.** With the mirror-less system, the G1’s flange back, which is the distance between the mount and the image sensor, has been reduced from 40 mm – as specified in the Four Thirds System – to approximately 20 mm.

The new Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G1 will enhance the advanced photo quality and flexibility made possible by the Four Thirds™ System, and with its innovative design, consumers will appreciate the portability of a smaller camera body and lenses. The G1 will be available in mid-November as a kit with the new LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm/F3.5- 5.6 ASPH/MEGA O.I.S lens. Also available in November, and announced today, is the LUMIX G VARIO 45-200mm/F4.0-5.6/MEGA O.I.S.lens.

“With the LUMIX G1, we are filling a void that has existed for a long time in the digital camera market because consumers wanted the power of an SLR, but previous models were bulky and inconvenient,” said David Briganti, National Marketing Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. “The LUMIX G answers this challenge as consumers can benefit from the flexibility of changing lenses; a quick Auto Focus; and a sensor that produces high-quality photos. By packing all those powerful assets into an extremely compact body with easy-to-use features familiar to point-and-shoot users, we are excited about G, as it brings new possibilities to the consumer.”

The LUMIX G1 is also the world’s first interchangeable lens camera that will come with color variety – with availability in black, blue and red models – allowing consumers to personalize their style through color, something very popular with point-and-shoot camera models.

For current Four Thirds users with a collection of lenses, an optional mount adapter will allow Four Thirds lenses to be compatible with the LUMIX G1.*** Also, today, with the introduction of the Micro Four Thirds System, Panasonic is announcing a wide-variety of accessories including: External Flash DMW-FL220(GN22); PL Filter: DMW-LPL52; Mount Adapter: DMW-MA1; Battery Pack: DMW-BLB13; DC Cable: DMW-DCC3; Soft Case: DMW-CG1; Soft Bag: DMW-BAG1; Shoulder Strap (Stylish) DMW-SSTG1-A/C/R; Shoulder Strap (Woven) DMW-SSTG2-W; Shoulder Strap (Leather) DMW-SSTG3-T.

The G1 is also compatible with current accessories: External Flash: DMW- FL360(GN36)/DMW-FL500(GN50); ND Filter: DMW-LND52; MC Protector: DMW- LMC52; Remote Shutter: DMW-RSL1; HDMI mini Cable: RP-CDHM15(1.5m), RP- CDHM30(3.0m).

The G1’s compact size can also be attributed to its electronic full-time Live View Finder, as opposed to a conventional optical viewfinder. The electronic Live View Finder, with an impressive and high-resolution 1,440,000-dot equivalent, allows the user to shoot the exact image the camera sees while also displaying information about the camera’s settings through the view finder. The G1 also features a clever built-in eye sensor, so the camera can detect when the user is nearing the view finder and automatically switches off the LCD, thus conserving battery life. Furthermore, the Live View Finder has a large 1.4x (0.7x on a 35mm equivalent) magnification and when using the G1 in manual focus mode, the frame in the view finder or LCD will enlarge by 5x or 10x (can adjust using the dial).

The Live View Finder and the bright 460,000-dot resolution, 3.0-inch LCD provide a 100% field of view, letting the user adjust settings before taking a shot, which is a great learning tool for consumers beginning to use manual controls as they can visually confirm the effects of changed settings. The LCD can also swivel 180 degrees horizontally and 270 degrees vertically, giving the consumer flexibility to take high and low-angle shots, and its Auto Power technology will automatically boost brightness by as much as 40% depending on the shooting condition so it remains visible in all lighting environments.

The G1 introduces a new Contrast AF (Auto Focus) function that is not only accurate and easy to use, but also very fast. Users can choose from a wide-range of AF modes, including multiple-area AF with up to 23 focus areas, 1-area AF with a selectable focus area, Face Detection, and AF Tracking. In the 1-area AF mode, the AF frame size can be changed by simply turning a dial. The G1 also has a Quick AF function that begins focusing as soon as the user aims the camera – no need to wait to press the shutter button halfway. This provides quicker focusing that can help capture the subject before the crucial moment passes.

Users familiar with point-and-shoot digital cameras, and new to the world of advanced interchangeable lens cameras, will benefit from Panasonic’s Intelligent Auto (iA) mode. When in iA mode, the G1 will detect the shooting condition and automatically adjust for the ultimate shooting results. Panasonic’s iA includes the following intuitive technologies.

• AF Tracking – Automatically tracks the subject as it moves, keeping it in focus without the need to hold the shutter halfway down.

• Intelligent Exposure – Helps prevents photos from being under- or over-exposed by analyzing the framed image and adjusting the brightness in areas that are too dark because of dim lighting, backlighting or the use of the flash.

• MEGA O.I.S. – Gyrosensors detect hand-shake and the lens system shifts to compensate, helping to prevent hand movement from creating a blurry image.

• Intelligent ISO – Determines if the photo subject is moving and changes the ISO setting and shutter speed accordingly, thus giving a blur-free photo.

• Intelligent Scene Selector – Senses the ambient conditions and will automatically select the appropriate mode from Scenery, Portrait, Close-up, Night Portrait or Night Scenery.

• Face Detection – Detects faces in the frame (up to 15 faces), even if they are moving, and selects optimal focus and exposure settings so portraits come out clear. Also features Digital Red-Eye correction.

The Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G1, a 12.1 Megapixel camera, also includes the following advanced features.

• Live MOS Sensor – Provides the best of both worlds with high image quality from a CCD sensor, and the lower-power consumption of a CMOS sensor. New technology makes it possible to read four channels of data simultaneously and deliver 60 frames-per-second full-time Live View images.

• Venus Engine HD – New imaging processor enhances noise reduction and provides independent gradation control for each of the R, G and B colors.

• Supersonic Wave Filter Dust Reduction System – Designed to prevent dust from adhering to the image sensor by vibrating 50,000 times per second, the filter repels dust and other particles.

• My Color Mode – Users can freely adjust the color, brightness and saturation while composing shots, allowing for more expressive and creative shots.

• HDMI Output – With an optional HDMI cable, the G1 can connect to an HDMI-capable High Definition television, such as a Panasonic VIERA Plasma or LCD.

When connected to a VIERA, using VIERA Link capability, the TV’s remote control can direct the slideshow on the G1.

• My Menu – This new tab automatically stores the five most recently used menu selections for quick, convenient retrieval. The custom-setting can also be used to program a frequently-used function, which can be activated by pressing the down arrow on the cursor key. The color of the menu viewed on LCD can also be changed to three different colors: black, red, blue.

Pricing for the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G1 and its Micro Four Thirds accessories will be announced in early October.

* As of September 12, 2008.

**Compared to the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-L10.

*** Needs an adapter (available as an optional accessory) to use Four Thirds lenses. Lenses that are not compatible with the Contrast AF function can be used with manual focusing. There are also some limitations to other functions. For details, see the following customer support site: http://panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/dsc/index.html

LUMIX DMC-G1 Specifications

-K(Black), -A(Blue), -R(Red)

TYPE Type Digital interchangeable lens system camera

Recording media SD memory card, SDHC memory card, Multimedia card

Image sensor size 17.3 x 13.0 mm

Mount Micro Four Thirds mount

IMAGE SENSOR Type Live MOS Sensor

Total pixels 13.1 Megapixels

Camera effective pixels 12.1 Megapixels

Aspect ratio 4:3 (Horizontal : Vertical)

Color filter Primary color filter

Dust reduction system Supersonic wave filter

RECORDING SYSTEM Recording file format JPEG(Design rule for Camera File System, based on Exif 2.21 standard), RAW, DPOF corresponding

Aspect ratio 4:3, 3:2, 16:9

File size 4:3 Aspect Ratio: 4000 x 3000 pixels, 2816 x 2112 pixels, 2048 x 1536 pixels

3:2 Aspect Ratio: 4000 x 2672 pixels, 2816 x 1880 pixels, 2048 x 1360 pixels

16:9 Aspect Ratio: 4000 x 2248 pixels, 2816 x 1584 pixels, 1920 x 1080 pixels

Image quality RAW, RAW+Fine, RAW+Standard, Fine, Standard

Color space sRGB, Adobe RGB

VIEWFINDER Type Live View Finder (1,440,000 dots equivalent)

Field of view Approx. 100%

Magnification Approx. 1.4x / 0.7x (35mm film camera equivalent) with 50mm lens at infinity; -1.0 m-1

Eye point Approx.17.5mm

Diopter adjustment -4.0 ~ +4.0 [m-1]

AUTO FOCUS Type Contrast AF system

Focusing mode AFs/AFc/MF

AF mode Face detection / AF Tracking / 23-area-focusing / 1-area-focusing

AF detective range EV 0-18 (ISO100)

AF assist lamp YES

AF lock AF/AE LOCK button or Shutter button halfway pressed in AFs mode

EXPOSURE CONTROL Light metering system 144-zone multi-pattern sensing system

Light metering mode Intelligent Multiple / Center Weighted / Spot

Metering range EV 0-18 (F2.0 lens, ISO 100)

Exposure mode Program AE, Aperture Priority AE, Shutter Priority AE, Manual

ISO sensitivity Auto / 100 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600 / 3200 / Intelligent ISO

Exposure compensation 1/3EV Step ±3EV

AE lock AF/AE LOCK button or Shutter button halfway pressed

AE bracket 3,5,7 frame, in 1/3 or 2/3 EV Step, ±2 EV

WHITE BALANCE White balance Auto / Daylight / Cloudy / Shade / Halogen / Flash / White Set 1,2 / Color temperature setting

White balance adjustment Blue/amber bias, Magenta/green bias

Color temperature setting 2500-10000K in 100K

White balance bracket 3 exposures in blue/amber axis or in magenta/green axis

SHUTTER SYSTEM Type Focal-plane shutter

Shutter speed 1/4000 ~ 60 and Bulb (up to approx. 4minutes)

Self timer 2sec / 10sec / 10sec, 3 images

Remote control Remote control with bulb function by DMW-RSL1 (Optional)

SCENE MODE Advanced SCN mode Portrait (Normal/Soft Skin/Outdoor/Indoor/Creative) / Scenery

(Normal/Nature/Architecture/Creative) / Sports (Normal/Outdoor/Indoor/Creative) /

Close-up (Flower/Food/Objects/Creative) / Night Portrait (Night Portrait/Night

Scenery/Illuminations/Creative)

SCN mode Sunset / Party / Baby 1,2 / Pet

BURST SHOOTING Burst speed 3 frames/sec (High speed) or 2 frames/sec (Low speed)

Number of recordable 7 pictures (when there are RAW file with the particular speed)

Unlimited consecutive shooting (when there are no RAW file)

(depending on memory card size, battery power, picture size, and compression)

BUILT-IN-FLASH Type

TTL Built-in-Flash, GN11equivalent (ISO 100 ・m), Built-in Pop-up

Built-in flash Auto, Auto/Red-eye Reduction, Forced On, Forced On/Red-eye Reduction,

Slow Sync., Slow Sync./Red-eye Reduction, Forced Off

X-Sync speed Less than 1/160 second

Flash output adjustment 1/3EV Step ±2EV

Flash synchronization 1st. Curtain Sync, 2nd Curtain Sync.

Hot shoe TTL Auto with FL360/FL500/FL220 (Optional)

LCD MONITOR Type Low temperature Polycrystalline TFT LCD

Monitor size Free-angle 3.0inch / 3:2 Aspect / Wide viewing angle

Pixels 460K dots

Field of view Approx. 100%

LIVE VIEW Digital zoom 2x, 4x

Extra optical zoom Max.2x

(Not effective with full pixel recording. Magnification ratio depends on the recording

pixels.)

Highlight Display

Guide Lines (3 patterns)

Other functions

Real-time Histogram

Color Standard / Dynamic / Nature / Smooth / Nostalgic / Vibrant

Black and white Standard / Dynamic / Smooth

FILM MODE

Others My Film1 / My Film2 / Multi Film

PLAYBACK Playback mode Single / 12, 30-thumbnail display, Calendar display,

Zoomed playback (16x max.), /image rotation (except for RAW)

Slide show (duration is adjustable, also manual controllable),

Playback of favorite pictures/ Resizing (selectable number of pixels)

Trimming / Protection / Aspect conversion / DPOF print setting

PROTECTION / ERASE Protection Single / Multi or Cancel

Erase Single / Multi / All / Except FAVORITE

DIRECT PRINT Print

PictBridge（Print size, Layout, Date setting is selectable ）

INTERFACE Digital USB 2.0 High Speed

Digital video MiniHDMI TypeC (1.3b corresponding)

Analog video NTSC/PAL Composite (Switched by menu)

*Check the website of the Panasonic sales company in your country or region for

details on the products that are available in your market.

English,German,French,Italian,Spanish,Polish,Czech,Hungarian,Russian,

Chinese(Traditional),Chinese(Simplified),Dutch,Thai,Korean,

OSD LANGUAGE OSD language

Turkish,Portuguese,Arabic,Persian,Japanese,Finnish,Danish,Swedish

POWER Battery Li-ion Battery Pack (7.2V, 1250mAh) (Included)

Battery Charger/AC Adapter (Input: 110-240V AC) (Optional DC cable(DMW- DCC3) is required)

Battery life CIPA Standard : Approx. 330 images(LCD)

LVF : Approx. 350 images

with LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm/F3.5-5.6 ASPH./MEGA O.I.S.

DIMENSIONS / WEIGHT Dimensions (W x H x D) 124 x 83.6 x 45.2mm

Weight

Approx. 385g（Body only）

OPERATING CONDITIONS Operating temperature 0℃ to 40℃

Operating humidity

10% to 80％

STANDARD ACCESSORIES Software PHOTOfunSTUDIO -viewer- 2.1 E

SILKYPIX® Developer Studio 3.0 SE

USB Driver

Standard accessories Battery Charger/AC Adapter, Battery Pack, Body Cap,

Video Cable, USB Connection Cable, AC Cable, Shoulder Strap, CD-ROM

*Shooting conditions: 23°C with 50% humidity; LCD on; using SD Memory Card; starting to shoot 30 seconds after turning on the power; shooting once every 30 seconds with the flash in full operation for every other shot; changing the zoom setting from telephoto to wide, or wide to telephoto, for each shot; and temporarily turning the power off after each 10 shots (long enough to lower the battery temperature).

The DMW-BLB13 comes with a function to check whether the battery and unit can be safely used together. •Batteries made by other companies which have been certified by Panasonic may be used with these units, but we offer no guarantee as to the quality, performance or safety of such batteries.

•Exercise care when purchasing batteries. Many fake or imitation batteries have been found among those sold at unusually low prices and those which customers cannot check for themselves before purchasing.

•Please confirm the latest information about batteries on the following website.

http://panasonic.co.jp/pavc/global/cs/info/battery.html (This website is in English only.)

*Some accessories are not available in some countries.

*The use of recorded or printed materials that are protected by copyright for any purpose other than personal enjoyment is

prohibited, as it would infringe upon the rights of the copyright holder.

*Four Thirds, Micro Four Thirds are trademarks or registered trademarks of Olympus Imaging Corporation.

*All other company and product names are trademarks of their respective corporations.

*This unit is compatible with both SD Memory cards and SDHC Memory cards. You can only use SDHC Memory cards on devices that are compatible with them. You cannot use SDHC Memory cards on devices that are only compatible with SD Memory cards. (When using a SDHC Memory card on another device, be sure to read the operating instructions for that device.)

PANASONIC INTRODUCES WORLD’S FIRST INTERCHANGEABLE LENSES FOR MICRO FOUR THIRDS SYSTEM DIGITAL CAMERAS

Two New Lenses Compatible with LUMIX G1, the World’s Smallest & Lightest Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera, Part of the Micro Four Thirds System

SECAUCUS, NJ (September 12, 2008) – Panasonic today announced the world’s first interchangeable lenses designed for the new Micro Four Thirds System. The LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm/F3.5-5.6 ASPH./MEGA O.I.S will be the standard kit lens with the LUMIX DMC-G1, the world’s first Micro Four Thirds System digital camera, which also debuted today. In addition, the LUMIX G VARIO 45-200mm/F4.0-5.6/MEGA O.I.S. telephoto lens, also designed for the Micro Four Thirds format, offers an enhanced zoom range for use with the DMC-G1 and other cameras based on the new standard.

Panasonic’s two new Micro Four Thirds System lenses produce professional-level images, typical of digital single-reflex lens (DSLR) cameras, while greatly reducing the size. For instance, the LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm/F3.5-5.6 ASPH./MEGA O.I.S lens is nearly half the size and weight of traditional DSLR lenses with comparable focal lengths.* Both lenses feature Panasonic’s Mega O.I.S. (optical image stabilizer), which helps reduce blur caused by hand movement when snapping photos, and are compatible with Panasonic’s Contrast AF (Auto Focus) system found in the LUMIX DMC-G1. Contrast AF in the G1 allows the user to choose from a wide-range of AF modes, including: multiple-area AF with up to 23 focus areas; 1-area AF with a selectable focus area; Face Detection; and AF Tracking. The lenses also feature a durable metal mount and multi-coated lens to reduce ghosts and flares on images. In addition, seven aperture blades create a rounded shape that produces smoothness when shooting out-of-focus areas, helping to deliver top optical performance.

“The introduction of the Micro Four Thirds System is a huge advancement for digital photographers as the reduction in size and weight of these lenses will really change the market and make this format more approachable,” said David Briganti, National Marketing Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. “Average consumers interested in purchasing an advanced camera were previously deterred by the bulkiness and inconvenience of DSLRs, so these new lenses provide the same level of quality that consumers demand, but in a package much more suitable for active lifestyles.”

The LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm/F3.5-5.6ASPH./MEGA O.I.S. will be part of the kit with the LUMIX DMC-G1 body and will be available in mid-November. The LUMIX G VARIO 45-200mm/F4.0-5.6/MEGA O.I.S. will also be available in November. Pricing for the both lenses will be announced in early October.

*Compared to LEICA D VARIO-ELMAR 14-50mm / F3.8-5.6 / MEGA O.I.S. lens, available with the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-L10 kit.

LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm/F3.5-5.6 ASPH./MEGA O.I.S. Specifications

Lens Construction 12 elements in 9 groups (1 Aspherical lens)

Mount Micro Four Thirds mount

Optical Image Stabilizer YES

Focal Length f=14mm to 45mm (35mm film camera equivalent 28mm to 90mm)

Aperture Type 7 diaphragm blades / Circular aperture diaphragm

Aperture F3.5(Wide) - F5.6(Tele)

Minimum Aperture F22

Closest Focusing Distance 0.30m at all focal lengths

Maximum Magnification Approx. 0.17x / 0.34x (35mm film camera equivalent)

Diagonal Angle of View

75°（Ｗ）～27°（Ｔ）

Filter Size φ

52mm / 2.05 in

Max. Diameter φ 60mm / 2.36 in

Overall Length Approx. 60mm / 2.36 in

Weight Approx. 195g / 6.88oz

Standard Accessories Lens Cap, Lens Hood, Lens Rear Cap, Lens Storage Bag

LUMIX G VARIO 45-200mm/F4.0-5.6/MEGA O.I.S. Specifications

Lens Construction 16 elements in 13 groups

Mount Micro Four Thirds mount

Optical Image Stabilizer YES

Focal Length f=45mm to 200mm (35mm film camera equivalent 90mm to 400mm)

Aperture Type 7 diaphragm blades / Circular aperture diaphragm

Aperture F4.0(Wide) - F5.6(Tele)

Minimum Aperture F22

Closest Focusing Distance 1.0m at all focal lengths

Maximum magnification Apporox. 0.19x / 0.38x (35mm film camera equivalent)

Diagonal Angle of View

27°（Ｗ）～6.2°（Ｔ）

Filter Size φ

52mm / 2.05 in

Max. Diameter φ 70mm / 2.75 in

Overall Length Approx. 100mm / 3.93 in

Weight Approx. 380g / 13.4 oz

Standard Accessory Lens Cap, Lens Hood, Lens Rear Cap, Lens Storage Bag

While (insert code name) is not a replacement for Epic or Scarlet, it is strategically targeted at the DSLR space. As Nikon and Canon release their 720P and 1080P, respectively, DSLRs with video capture... RED has a more advanced view of the future.

My personal reading on this is that the company is aiming for 4K capture. They also dropped this other tidbit, in case you aren't excited enough:

I won't comment on any specifics until the 1st of the year. But "revolution" applies more to this than the RED ONE did to cinema.

They'll hear from us January 1st. [Red User via Engadget]