Tesla is quietly developing its own battery cell production technology, despite a longstanding partnership with Panasonic, as the automaker takes clearing one key manufacturing bottleneck into its own hands. Panasonic and Tesla have worked together since 2014, and collaborate on the Tesla Gigafactory where batteries are made.
Panasonic has unveiled the new Lumix S1H full-frame mirrorless camera, the first model to ever support 6K/24p 3:2 aspect ratio video recording, according to the company. This full-frame addition to the Lumix S series also supports recording 'cinema' video in 5.9K/30p 16:9 and 10-bit 4K/C4K 60p resolutions. Panasonic says its new S1H model offers a wide color space and rich gradation that is 'virtually equal to' what users get from cinema cameras.
Tesla's Gigafactory 1 is too much of a risk for further investment, Panasonic has reportedly concluded, with the EV company's battery partner freezing its plans to expand the facility while Tesla looks to squeeze more out of existing capacity. The hiccup in the relationship comes on the heels of Elon Musk suggesting Tesla would look to multiple battery suppliers for its Shanghai factory, along with the automaker missing its Q1 2019 production goals.
Panasonic has a new rugged Micro Four Thirds camera, the Lumix G95, promising advanced image stabilization, 4K video, and 20.3-megapixel stills. Rather than focusing primarily on either photography or videography, Panasonic is pitching the Lumix G95 as an all-rounder, and it has the specs to match.
Joining its newly launched FZ1000 II digital camera is a new compact travel zoom model, the Lumix TZ95, from Panasonic. The TZ95 packs a bunch of features into a tiny body, offering photographers more options than they'll get from their smartphone, but without the bulk of larger, heavier digital cameras. Among other things, the Lumix TZ95 features 4K video recording, a zoom lens, and optical image stabilization.
Panasonic has quietly launched an update for its Lumix FZ1000 ultra-zoom digital camera. The new FZ1000 II point-and-shoot model features a fairly substantial body coupled with a 20.1-megapixel high-sensitivity MOS sensor and a 16x zoom lens. Buyers get a variety of features, including support for 4K video recording, at a price that undercuts mirrorless and DSLR cameras.
The Panasonic LUMIX S1R and Panasonic LUMIX S1 were revealed in full detail this morning with a set of new lenses. These two Panasonic LUMIX S series cameras roll with 4K 60p/50p (PAL area only) video recording, rugged durability (when protected sufficiently, of course), and what Panasonic suggests is "expandability." The LUMIX S1R's specs start with a 47.3-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor, while the LUMIX S1 sports a 24.2-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor.
Panasonic is seeking funding for HomeHawk, a new floor lamp that features a built-in camera. The product is billed as an alternative to existing indoor home security cameras, one that blends in with the decor and doesn't require mounting. The lamp offers the same array of security features as many competing models, but with the added benefit of being essentially invisible.
10 years on from the launch of the LUMIX G1, which was Panasonic's first digital single-lens mirrorless camera, the company is teasing two new mirrorless cameras in the LUMIX S line. Today, Panasonic announced the LUMIX S1 and S1R, which will be the company's first full-frame mirrorless cameras. Unfortunately, these cameras won't be here until sometime next year, despite the fact that they're being revealed today.
Panasonic has introduced a new Android tablet with a bland, arguably retro, design. Called the Toughbook FZ-L1, the new model sports a 7-inch display and a durable exterior, making it suitable for use in industries where the tablet is frequently at risk or by anyone prone to clumsiness. Both WiFi-only and 4G models will be available starting this fall season.
It's clearly rangefinder season, and Panasonic is joining the party with the new LUMIX LX100 II, a 21.77-megapixel compact camera. Ushering in the seventh-generation of LX cameras, the LX100 II fronts a Leica DC Vario-Summilux f1.7-2.8 lens, with a nine-blade aperture diaphragm for what Panasonic says will be creamy smooth, circular bokeh.
Great shoes can be ruined by bad odors, but Panasonic says it has the solution. The company has introduced a new shoe deodorizing gadget that it says can remove smells from shoes in a few hours, restoring them to their non-smelly state. The model, MS-DS100, utilizes "nanoe X" and other technology to strip away the odors.