Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 14.1 Megapixel Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom, iA Mode, Mega O.I.S, 2.7" LCD, White - DMC-S3W - New Model

iA (Intelligent Auto) Mode

When you don't know which mode will give you the best shooting results, or when a sudden photo opportunity pops up and you don't have time to change any settings, simply choose the iA (Intelligent Auto) Mode and let the camera do it all for you. Just choose the iA Mode, aim at your subject, and shoot. Four detection and correction functions are simultaneously activated to optimize the settings, so you get stunning photos every time.

The MEGA O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer)* in the DMC-S3 compensates for the blurring caused by hand-shake. Even slight hand-shake movement is accurately detected by a sampling frequency of 4,000 times per second, and compensated to produce sharp, clear images. The Venus Engine VI controls the shifting of the blur-stopping lens with even greater precision to further increase the detection accuracy and correction effect of MEGA O.I.S. It lets you shoot in dimly lit rooms or evening illumination to preserve the mood, and works for macro shots and zoom shots, which are especially susceptible to hand-shake. In short, it lets anybody take beautiful, blur-free shots with ease.

* MEGA O.I.S. is automatically turned on in iA Mode and can be turned on or off in Normal Picture Mode or some Scene Modes

The Intelligent ISO Control function* in the DMC-S3 made possible by the Venus Engine VI detects subject movement and automatically adjusts the ISO setting and shutter speed to best suit the movement and lighting conditions. When it detects subject motion, it automatically raises the ISO setting and increases the shutter speed to prevent motion blur. On the other hand, when the subject is still and no movement is detected, it takes beautiful natural photos with a low ISO setting. The Intelligent ISO Control gives you stunning images with ease because there is no need for complicated settings.

* The Intelligent ISO Control function is automatically turned on in iA Mode, and can be turned on or off in Normal Picture Mode

The Face Detection AF/AE function*1 detects faces and automatically optimizes the focus and exposure settings. It prevents the blurry faces that happen when the camera focuses on something in front of or behind the subject, and keeps faces from appearing dark when shooting indoors or against the light source. It detects up to 15 faces at a time, making it extremely convenient for group photos. Once the camera detects a face, Face Tracking follows it even when the subject moves around. Plus, the system keeps detection on if a face turns sideways to the camera. The DMC-S3 is also equipped with Digital Red-eye Correction (Red-eye Removal). The camera takes care of the red-eye effect that often happens when shooting with a flash, to ensure attractive facial expression*2

*1 Face Detection function is automatically turned on in iA Mode and can be turned on or off in Normal Picture Mode or some Scene Modes. *2 Digital Red-eye Correction must be turned ON in the menu prior to use.

With the camera in iA Mode, the Intelligent Scene Selector automatically sets the Scene Mode to one of Scenery, Portrait, Macro, Night Portrait*1, Night Scenery or Sunset. The camera judges it from the various detection results such as focusing and brightness level of the circumstance*2. You are free from choosing different settings every time the scene changes when taking images with these frequently used Scene Modes to get beautiful results. *1 In iA Mode, Night Portrait is not identified when the flash is turned off. *2 With some subject and shooting conditions, it is just not possible to judge the best shooting details. When this happens, it is recommended that you shoot with the Scene Mode that best suits your purpose.

LUMIX Image Uploader

The DMC-S3 gives you a new form of communication by letting you share your photos and movies. All you have to do is checkmark the photos and movies you want to share and connect the camera or SD/SDHC/SDXC Memory Card to a computer. Uploading automatically starts by simply following the guidance. Facebook can be used for photos and YouTube for movies. You can join these social networking services without having to install any special software. It's easy to share photos and movies on the spot, which means that your friends don't have to wait for you to come back home to see them.

The image-processing engine, Venus Engine VI, uses advanced signal processing to give you beautiful images. Multi-task signal processing is employed for all images to enable high-speed, high-performance shooting. Venus Engine VI also effectively raises the precision of various functions, such as MEGA O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) and Intelligent ISO Control. Along with its extremely high performance, Venus Engine VI reduces power consumption thanks to a number of energy efficiency improvements.

Built-in Memory 70MB The DMC-S3's built-in memory holds up to approx. 70MB of image data.