Panasonic Lumix FZ150 unveiled

The FZ150 takes over from the FZ100 at the top of the ultra-zoom range. The 24x (25-600mm) zoom range is unchanged but the lens now has a coating that minimises lens flares – a feature that worked well in our tests of the cheaper FZ48. The FZ150 also shares the FZ48’s move to a 12-megapixel sensor, which should deliver lower noise levels than the FZ100’s 14-megapixel sensor.

Other improvements include faster autofocus, 12fps continuous shooting and 3D photo capture. 1080p video capture is at 50fps – twice the frame rate of the old model – with improved optical stabilisation during video capture. It won’t be on sale until October but we’ve had one for testing for the last few days, and hope to have a full review published later today.

Casual photographers might be more interested in the FX90, also due in October. It’s essentially a reworking of the FX77, launched earlier this year, but with the addition of 802.11n Wi-Fi. Unlike other Wi-Fi enabled cameras we’ve seen, which rely on a home network, this one can also connect to an iPhone or Android device to upload photos to popular sharing sites via a free app. A wide-angle, 5x zoom lens with a bright f/2.5 aperture, 12-megapixel photos, 1080p videos and a 3.5in touchscreen complete the impressive line-up of features.

A year on from its launch, Panasonic’s premium compact, the LX5, still holds its own against some stiff competition. As such, existing users will be delighted to find that the updated model takes the form of a firmware update rather than a replacement. The update promises to deliver faster autofocus, improved noise reduction and white balance in low light, better stabilisation while shooting videos and a toy camera effect. The LX5 firmware update can be downloaded from 13th September 2011.