Panasonic has announced the new LUMIX FZ80 from FZ series that packs optical zoom and superior controllability, including manual operation over photo and video recording. The LUMIX FZ80 features the exceptionally-versatile LUMIX DC VARIO 20mm ultra wide-angle lens with a 60x optical zoom (35mm camera equivalent: 20-1200mm), which makes it possible to capture dynamic landscapes, wild animals and birds from a distance. The newly integrated 18.1-megapixel High Sensitivity MOS Sensor and advanced image processor Venus Engine also achieve high-speed response and high-quality images even in high-sensitivity recording. For an even faster response and higher mobility, the LUMIX FZ80 boasts a high-speed, high-precision AF with DFD (Depth from Defocus) technology, which shortens the focusing time. It calculates the distance to the subject by evaluating two images with different sharpness levels at a high 240-fps signal exchange speed. As a result, the LUMIX FZ80 achieves an AF of approximately 0.09 sec. This benefit increases as the focal length grows. The LUMIX FZ80 also offers high-speed burst shooting at 10-fps (AFS) /6-fps (AFC) to capture fast-moving subjects in crisp focus.