Play rough in HD with Panasonic's TS1 camera
(Credit:
Panasonic)
Panasonic's no stranger to shockproof and waterproof devices, but the new Lumix DMC-TS1 is the first of its rugged cameras to feature AVCHD Lite, which is branded for 720p video. Aside from being a 12.1-megapixel pocket camera with a 28mm wide-angle lens with a 4.6x optical zoom, the TS1 is waterproof to a depth of 10 feet, shockproof from falls up to 5 feet, and dustproof.
The $399.95 camera is available in April in silver, green, or orange models and will also feature many of Panasonic's Intelligent Auto (iA) operations that automatically adjust things like ISO, contrast, focus, and exposure. Plus, it'll have the company's latest iA feature, face recognition, which "remembers" faces from previous shots so it can prioritize focus and exposure for them when in frame. The iA features are now available in both still and movie modes.
Josh Goldman is a senior editor for CNET Reviews, covering digital cameras, camcorders, and related bits and pieces, along with writing the occasional laptop or software review. He doesn't have a podcast, newsletter, or CNET TV show, but you can follow him on Twitter if that's something you do. E-mail Josh. 
