Panasonic Offers New Standard and Telephoto Zoom Lenses Based on Micro Four Thirds System Standard

Tokyo, Japan - Panasonic, the leading brand by which Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. is known, has unveiled today new standard and telephoto zoom interchangeable lenses designed specifically for the cameras compatible with Micro Four Thirds System standard. The new LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm/F3.5-5.6 ASPH./MEGA O.I.S. standard zoom lens offers a zoom range of 14-45mm (35mm equivalent: 28-90mm) while featuring its ultra-compact size and light weight. The LUMIX G VARIO 45-200mm/F4.0-5.6/MEGA O.I.S. telephoto zoom lens offers a zoom range of 45-200mm (35mm equivalent: 90-400mm) while achieving minimum aberration at all focal length, high-contrast representation and high color reproduction by implementing 3 ED lens elements.

The two new lens systems incorporate Panasonic's Mega O.I.S. optical image stabilizer, which makes them easy to shoot super clear shots even in low-lit situations by suppressing the blur caused by a hand shake. When they are mounted on the newly announced LUMIX G Micro System DMC-G1 camera, users can use the contrast AF system, which is implemented in the DMC-G1 to offer a wide variety of convenient functions.

The LUMIX G VARIO standard zoom lens, suitable for a wide range of scenes from portrait to landscape photography, provides a maximum photographic magnification of 0.34x (35mm equivalent) with a minimum focus distance of 30 cm even at full zoom. The aspheric lens element also improves optical performance by minimizing distortion, even at the 28mm wide end.

The LUMIX G VARIO standard and telephoto lenses have seven aperture blades. They give the aperture a rounded shape that, when shooting at larger aperture, produces an attractive smoothness in out-of-focus areas. Featuring a highly reliable metal mount, the new lens systems use multi-coated lens elements that reduce ghosts and flare to an absolute minimum, helping deliver a high optical performance.

Specifications

For more information on the products, visit LUMIX global website at http://panasonic.net/lumix/index.html

About Panasonic

Best known for its Panasonic brand name, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. is a worldwide leader in the development and manufacture of electronic products for a wide range of consumer, business, and industrial needs. Based in Osaka, Japan, the company recorded consolidated net sales of 9.07 trillion yen (approx. US$90.52 billion) for the year ended March 31, 2008. The company's shares are listed on the Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and New York (NYSE:MC) stock exchanges. For more information on the company and the Panasonic brand, visit the company's website at http://panasonic.net/.