Ultra HD TVs have certainly been around long enough and cameras have been able to capture stills for them, but video, that’s something only big cameras have supported. This year, the small ones will get it, too.
If you’re keen to capture some video in a definition that is fuller than the Full HD cameras have sported for ages, the good news is that this year, you’ll get your chance, and even if you don’t want to fork out extra cash.
Panasonic has announced that alongside the several 4K mirrorless cameras and camcorders it already has out, it will this year release two compacts with 4K Ultra HD capture supported under its feature list.
The two cameras are the DMC-TZ110 and the TZ80, two models that appear to be built for different needs, but offer similar features.
We’ll start with the baby of these, and that’s strangely the one that goes the farthest, with the TZ80 packing in a 30x optical zoom lens capable of reaching an equivalent of 24 to 720mm, making it ideal for travelling with and getting up close to things that may well be far away.
Under the hood, there’s an 18 megapixel LiveMOS sensor at play here, capturing stills and 4K vide, and supporting one of the features we loved from the G7 last year, pre-burst mode, which captures images before you fire the shutter and is ideal for sports or any action where you want to get imagery before you think you do.
Next up is the Panasonic TZ110, and this looks to be the flagship and more premium model for Panasonic in 2016, bringing a larger sensor to the table capable of letting in more light and seeing better in the dark.
The lens is a little shorter on this one, cutting it down to 10x optical which translates to 25 to 250mm in regular camera speak, but even though it’s shorter, the lens quality has improved, with Panasonic incorporating Leica glass.
Like the TZ80, there’s a 4K capture mode, and we’re hearing there’s RAW support too, with in-camera RAW development, a 10 frames per second burst mode, face and eye tracking, and a five-axis hybrid optical image stabilisation to keep that camera steady.
Both also appear to support wireless control, too, meaning that phone and tablet you own will be able to receive the images you’ve shot and even control the cameras remotely, too.
As for pricing, Panasonic puts these in reach of anyone who doesn’t care about interchangeable lenses or pro bodies, with the TZ80 fetching an RRP of $599, while the higher-end TZ110 will see a price of $999.
