Strong response for Panasonic's first digital SLR camera in region

Executives with the company have said that they hope the high-end camera, recently launched in the Middle East, will encourage a new photographic culture for the digital age.

'The camera incorporates several features and functions that are not found in conventional digital SLRs, and we are certain that professional photographers in the Middle East will continue to find the DMC-L1 ideally suited for all their photography needs,' said Yasuo Kimoto, Product Manager, Panasonic Marketing Middle East.

'We are very satisfied with the market's perception of our product offering and in the response recorded to date,' added Kimoto.

The DMC-L1 comes equipped with a LEICA D VARIO-ELMARIT lens, the first Leica lens designed specifically for a digital SLR camera and equipped with MEGAOIS (Optical Image Stabiliser).The DMC-L1 also incorporates a Live MOS image sensor that conforms to the Four Thirds standard and offers 7.5 megapixels to ensure outstanding picture quality.

The new camera also introduces a full-time Live View function that, using a signal output directly from the Live MOS sensor, lets users see on the LCD screen the same image seen by the sensor. With full-time Live View and the DMC-L1's large LCD screen, users can compose shots in new ways and with greater ease and accuracy.

The DMC-L1 is equipped with Venus Engine III for extraordinary processing power to reproduce even nuances in texture and atmosphere. It also features a dust reduction system that solves the digital SLR camera's long-standing problem of dust adhering to the sensor.

In the new DMC-L1, Panasonic has incorporated today's most advanced digital technologies while maintaining the attractive look and operating feel of the familiar film camera. A shutter speed dial on the camera top together with a wide-aperture zoom lens provides F2.8-3.5 brightness from 28mm wide angle to 100mm telephoto (35mm film camera equivalent).

The magnesium-alloy body, which in design closely resembles the body of a rangefinder camera from days past, combines with the aluminum-alloy lens section to offer both high rigidity and a high-grade appearance.

Panasonic has created a digital SLR camera that is a pleasure to use and can render photographs of exquisite beauty. Advanced photographers and hobbyists alike will find the DMC-L1 to be an extremely satisfying tool capable of capturing expressive, artistic images.