Budget-friendly Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS85 announced

Panasonic has done some impressive work in bringing the price down on feature-rich compact cameras via its Lumix LS series, and today that lineup got a boost with the announcement of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS85.

Designed to compete on both features and cost with the likes of Canon's highly successful PowerShot A models, the Lumix LS85 features a more solid specs sheet than you might expect: a 4x zoom lens with a bright f/2.8 maximum aperture, an 8.1 megapixel CCD image sensor, optical image stabilization, and wide-format 848x480 video capture.

Stylistically, the LS85 closely resembles previous LS cameras, with a chunky but still pocketable plastic body. The LS85's display isn't a top-shelf unit, but at 2.5 inches and 230,000 dots, it still manages to best the screens on most competitive models in a specs comparison.

Ease of use is a key ingredient in the LS85's recipe, and to that end, Panasonic's newest budget model features many of the usability and performance technologies on display in the company's (much) more expensive ultracompacts. It's especially noteworthy that a camera in this class would pack features like Panasonic's Intelligent Auto mode, Intelligent Scene Selector, and a current-generation Venus Engine IV image processor.

Like previous LS cameras, the LS85 uses AA power, making it convenient to find fresh power in a pinch when traveling. Even better, though, is the fact that the use of newer low-power technologies means a CIPA average of 270 shots on a pair of alkaline batteries. Assuming the LS85 hits this number, that should place it among the more power-efficient cameras to draw juice from a pair of AAs.

The LS85's most astounding spec may well be its price: the latest Lumix, which comes in three colors, carries a suggested retail price of just $119.95. Nothing about the LS85 is cutting-edge or particularly flashy, but combine a very solid list of features that includes optical image stabilization, plenty of resolution, and a 4x zoom lens from a noted manufacturer with a presumed street price hovering near the $100 mark and, assuming performance meets expectations, the FS85 might just be the entry-level deal of the year.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS85 Specifications