Archive for Panasonic

Ken Duncan on Safari in Africa

Earlier in the year Lumix Ambassador Ken Duncan went on an African Photo Safari. With a group of 18 people, Ken visited Rwanda, Botswana and South Africa and had the privilege of photographing some amazing wildlife with a collection of Lumix models in his camera bag including his GH1 and LX3 .

Ken on an early morning game drive just taking a few quick shots of a pride of lions with the GH1

Ken on an early morning game drive just taking a few quick shots of a pride of lions with the GH1

Here are a selection of Ken’s shots from the trip:

Giraffes in Silhouette, Mashatu, Botswana

Lumix GH1: Aperture F5.6, Exposure 1/500 sec, ISO 800

“The long telephoto zoom enabled this shot to be taken. We saw these giraffes on the ridge line but couldn’t get close to them without scaring them off. It was right on sunset and what amazed me is that the camera was still able to get some details of the giraffe’s markings. Shooting animals in silhouette at sunrise or sunset, but you have to shoot from low angles. Shooting from low angels can often be a very good thing with wildlife if possible, as it helps separate them from the vegetation and also makes them appear larger.”

Mountain Gorillas, Rwanda

Lumix LX3: Aperture F2.8, Exposure 1/125 sec, ISO 250

“The Silverback is surrounded by adolescent gorillas and one seems to have been left out. Here, I was very close the gorillas as they have come towards me and it was quite an amazing experience to be in close proximity to such powerful animals.”

Tribal Dancing, Rwanda

Lumix LX3: Aperture F4.0, Exposure 1/640 sec, ISO 125

“This dance was performed by the local villagers to welcome us when we arrived at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge in the highlands of Botswana. Here I shot from a high position, standing on a chair, so I could get more depth into the image, as I felt it really important to include the drama of the mountain backdrop in this image. The higher angle also helps to separate the dancers so all the faces are not on the same level.”

For more amazing images and shooting tips from Ken’s African expedition as well as more of Ken’s Lumix Galleries visit the official site here

If you want to know more about future African expeditions with Ken, join the VIP Club on his website here

Lumix Life: ‘Focus on Australia’ Launch Party

Lumix Life ‘Focus on Australia’ launches in Sydney Harbour

We recently launched the latest Lumix Life Book, ‘Focus On Australia’ to Australian Journalists, at the beautiful Fort Denison on Sydney Harbour with the help of Lumix Life ambassador and professional photographer Ken Duncan, as well as iconic journalist and self described ‘photo tragic’, Ray Martin. Also in attendance were a selection of ‘Focus on Australia’ winners who’s photo’s were chosen from over 7,000 entries to be featured in the book alongside Ken, Ray and the rest of the Lumix Pro-Shooters.

Everyone in attendance was also treated to an exclusive look at the Lumix GH2 & GF2 which was also launched on the night.

You can view all the action from the night on the below video:

And a gallery of images of the night here

You can find out all about ‘Focus On Australia’ here and you can enter our exclusive ‘Focus On Australia’ book giveaway here

Shoot Share & Win Promotion – Winners Announcement

“Shoot Share & Win” Winners Announced!

We are very excited to announce the winners of the Shoot, Share and Win competition that we have been running on the Panasonic Australlia Facebook page during the past few weeks.

The 20 lucky entrants who will all win the sensational new TA1 HD Mobile Camera are:

People’s Choice
Ketty des Iles
Nick Rossi
Neni Smith
Mark Robert Lillington
Anthony Brown

Judges Choice
Royale Rowkey
Larz Parutu
Blake Kaleb
Larz Parutu
Krystle Matavao
Belinda Bonello
Vinil Chandrashekar
Jacquie ‘Kyne’ Bilney
Rima Raffoul Khoury
Eric Bert
Tamara Heathcote
Eunice Koh
Angela Kratzmann
Justin Lambert
Marty Dennison

You can see all of these entries on the Panasonic YouTube Channel here.

To all the lucky winners, we’ll be in touch with you via email within the next 24 hours.

Thanks everyone else who entered, thanks for getting involved and better luck next time !

We are very excited to announce the winners of the Shoot, Share and Win competition that we have been running on the Panasonic Facebook page during the past few weeks.

The 20 lucky entrants who will all win the sensational new TA1 HD Mobile Camera < link to http://www.panasonic.com.au/ta1/index.html > are:

1. Ketty des Iles

2. Neni Smith

3. Anthony Brown

4. Eunice Koh

5. Moulin Marie

6. Benny Dixon

7. Angela Kratzmann

8. Eric Bert

9. Blake Kaleb

10. Jamie Floorboards Bryen

11. Justin Lambert

12. Royale Rowkey

13. Larz Parutu

14. Tamara Heathcote

15. Anthony Brown

16. Anthony Brown

17. Simon Killingbeck

18. Krystle Matavao

19. Marty Dennison

20. Kirsty Donaldson

< TOP VOTED VIDEO HERE >

You can see all of these entries on the Panasonic YouTube Channel:

http://www.youtube.com/user/PanasonicAustralia#grid/user/1D413A105195F213

To all the lucky winners, we’ll be in touch with you via email within the next 24 hours.

Thanks everyone else who entered, thanks for getting involved and better luck next time !

‘Focus On Australia’ Book Giveaway!

To celebrate the launch of the highly anticipated book ‘Focus on Australia’, we have twenty copies to giveaway right here on the blog!

After months of preparation and over 7,000 entries we’re extremely excited to announce the release of ‘Focus on Australia’. The book features over 150 pages of amazing images that were submitted by amateur photographers as part of a nationwide competition to capture the ‘Heart and Soul’ of Australia, all with a LUMIX camera. You can find out more information about the book here.

In celebration of the launch we have twenty copies of the book to give away! All you have to do is tell us who your favourite winning photographer from this year’s competition is and why, to be in with a chance of winning.

Simply follow these easy steps to enter…

1) Head over to the LUMIX LIFE winners gallery here.

2) Browse the images gallery and choose your favourite photographer. The photographers name can be found in the top left hand side of the page.

3) Return to this blog and input all the fields below including the photographer’s name which can be obtained from the gallery.

4) We will then inform the winners by email after 23rd December 2010.

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Focus on Australia is available in all good book stores as well as directly from Ken Duncan’s official site here

Read the full terms and conditions below.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1. Information on how to enter and prizes form part of these Terms and Conditions. Participation in this promotion is deemed acceptance of these Terms and Conditions.

2. Entry is only open to Australian residents. Employees (and their immediate families) of the Promoter and agencies associated with this promotion are ineligible to enter.

3. Immediate family means any of the following: spouse, ex-spouse, de-facto spouse, child or step-child (whether natural or by adoption), parent, step-parent, grandparent, step-grandparent, uncle, aunt, niece, nephew, brother, sister, step-brother, step-sister or 1st cousin.

4. Promotion commences 11/11/10 and closes midnight AEDST on 23/12/10 (“Promotional Period”).

5. To enter, individuals must, during the Promotional Period visit the promotional website, http://blogs.panasonic.com.au/consumer/, follow the prompts to the gallery page and decide on their favourite photographer as displayed on the ‘Lumix Life’ winners gallery. The individual must then, during the Promotional Period, re-visit the promotional website, input all requested details including their first and last name, contact details, residential address, answer the following question in 25 words or less ‘Who is your favourite photographer and why?’ and submit the fully completed entry form during the Promotional Period.

6. The Promoter reserves the right, at any time, to verify the validity of entries and entrants (including an entrant’s identity, age and place of residence) and to disqualify any entrant who submits an entry that is not in accordance with these Terms and Conditions or who tampers with the entry process. Errors and omissions will be accepted at the Promoter’s discretion. Failure by the Promoter to enforce any of its rights at any stage does not constitute a waiver of those rights.

7. Incomplete or indecipherable entries will be deemed invalid.

8. Multiple entries permitted, subject to the following: (a) each entry must be substantially unique; and (b) each entry must be submitted separately and in accordance with entry requirements.

9. The judging will take place at the Promoter’s office. The judges reserve the right to select additional reserve entries which they determine to be the next best, and record them in order, in case of an invalid entry or ineligible entrant. Winners will be notified by email.

10. This is a game of skill and chance plays no part in determining the winners. Each entry will be individually judged based on literary and creative merit of the answer provided to the question. The Promoter’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

11. The best twenty (20) valid entries, as determined by the judges, will each win a ‘Focus on Australia’ book valued at RRP$59.95.

12. If any prize is unavailable, the Promoter, in its discretion, reserves the right to substitute the prize with a prize to the equal value and/or specification.

13. Total prize pool value is $1,199. Prizes are not transferable or exchangeable and cannot be taken as cash.

14. All entries submitted become the property of the Promoter. Entries will not be returned to any entrant. As a condition of entering into this promotion, each entrant agrees to assign all of their rights, title and interest (including copyright) in and to their entry to the Promoter. Each entrant warrants to the Promoter that each entry submitted is an original literary work of the entrant that does not infringe the rights of any third party. The entrant agrees to indemnify the Promoter against all costs and claims by third parties arising from a breach of this warranty. Entrants consent to any use of their entry which may otherwise infringe their moral rights pursuant to the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth).

15. Entrants consent to the Promoter using the entrant’s name, likeness, image and/or voice in the event they are a winner (including photograph, film and/or recording of the same) in any media for an unlimited period without remuneration for the purpose of promoting this competition (including any outcome), and promoting any products manufactured, distributed and/or supplied by the Promoter.

16. If this promotion is interfered with in any way or is not capable of being conducted as reasonably anticipated due to any reason beyond the reasonable control of the Promoter, the Promoter reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to the fullest extent permitted by law (a) to disqualify any entrant; or (b) to modify, suspend, terminate or cancel the promotion, as appropriate.

17. Any cost associated with accessing the promotional website is the entrant’s responsibility and is dependent on the Internet service provider used.

18. Except for any liability that cannot be excluded by law, the Promoter (including its officers, employees and agents) excludes all liability (including negligence), for any personal injury; or any loss or damage (including loss of opportunity); whether direct, indirect, special or consequential, arising in any way out of the promotion, including, but not limited to, where arising out of the following: (a) any technical difficulties or equipment malfunction (whether or not under the Promoter’s control); (b) any theft, unauthorised access or third party interference; (c) any entry or prize claim that is late, lost, altered, damaged or misdirected (whether or not after their receipt by the Promoter) due to any reason beyond the reasonable control of the Promoter; (d) any variation in prize value to that stated in these Terms and Conditions; (e) any tax liability incurred by a winner or entrant; or (f) use of a prize.

19. The Promoter collects personal information in order to conduct the promotion and may, for this purpose, disclose such information to third parties, including but not limited to agents, contractors, service providers, and prize suppliers. Entry is conditional on providing this information. If an entrant opts-in, he Promoter may, for an indefinite period, unless otherwise advised, use the information for promotional, marketing, publicity, research and profiling purposes, including sending electronic messages or telephoning the entrant. Entrants should direct any request to access, update or correct information to the Promoter. All entries become the property of the Promoter.

20. The Promoter is Panasonic Australia Pty Ltd (ABN 83 001 592 187) of Austlink Corporate Park, 1 Garigal Road, Belrose NSW 2085.

VIERA Full HD 3D Neo Plasma TV Avatar Giveaway!

New exclusive Panasonic Bonus 3D AVATAR Home Theatre pack promotion announced

Customers who purchase any Panasonic 3D TV[i] between 1 November, 2010 and 31 December, 2010, will receive a bonus 3D AVATAR movie on Blu-ray disc, a 3D Blu-ray Home Theatre System, plus a bonus pair of medium sized 3D eyewear to the total value of up to $1,348RRP. You can visit the official promotional site here for more information.

“We are excited to bring AVATAR in 3D exclusively to Panasonic’s customers and for the very first time to lounge rooms.”
Matt Pearce, Group Marketing Manager, VIERA, Panasonic Australia

Panasonic extended its range of VIERA Full High Definition 3D TVs in September with the long-awaited TH-P65VT20A and TH-P58VT20A. These larger models join the TH-P54VT20A and TH-P50VT20A to offer consumers even greater choice in 3D viewing.

“AVATAR set the standard for the 3D cinema experience; Panasonic through the use of Neo Plasma sets the standard for the home theatre experience by utilising the benefits of Neo Plasma technology. Superior speed, colour, contrast and moving picture resolution all ensure the very best home theatre experience possible. There really is no better way to experience AVATAR than watching it on one of Panasonic’s Full HD 3D Neo Plasmas. We believe this promotion provides consumers with a really compelling incentive to embrace 3D this Christmas.”
Matt Pearce, Group Marketing Manager, VIERA, Panasonic Australia

The Panasonic VIERA 3D VT20 Series not only features exceptional picture quality but also boasts a range of convenient networking features, including DLNA®-networking which lets the user stream content stored on other DLNA-enabled products in the home network, USB HDD playback and recording, and Skype™ voice and video calling capabilities. The Series also features VIERA CAST™, a function that lets users view Internet content in their living rooms, and the popular micro-blogging service Twitter. Plus7 delivered by Yahoo!7 for VIERA CAST™ will be available later this year.

All four models feature VIERA Link, which allows users to operate all compatible Panasonic A/V components using only the TV’s remote control, and VIERA Image Viewer with an SD Card slot for viewing your favourite AVCHD videos and JPEG images on the Plasma screen.

The bonus Panasonic SC-BTT755 Full HD 3D Blu-ray DiscTM Home Theatre System offers advanced sound technologies to complement stunning 3D images. It features an Advanced Bamboo Cone Speaker for clear vocals that are not overwhelmed by sound effects and a Kelton Subwoofer for robust bass. It incorporates a stylish, slim speaker box that suppresses unwanted acoustic reflections to achieve pure, high-quality sound and boasts four tall-boy speakers so there is no compromise on style or sound quality. The SC-BTT350 features a five satellite speaker system for clear, detailed sound.

The Bonus 3D eyewear has an Auto Power Off function which automatically turns the eyewear off if they are placed in a location outside the viewing range for 5 minutes, even if the TV remains switched on.

To receive the Bonus Gift valued at $1,348RRP (including the Panasonic Blu-ray Home Theatre SC-BTT755, 3D Avatar Blu-ray Disc and medium sized 3D eyewear), the eligible Panasonic VIERA Plasma models are:

Model RRP

TH-P65VT20A Full High Definition 3D VIERA Plasma $5,999

TH-P58VT20A Full High Definition 3D VIERA Plasma $4,499

TH-P54VT20A Full High Definition 3D VIERA Plasma $3,999

TH-P50VT20A Full High Definition 3D VIERA Plasma $3,299


[i] All gifts to be claimed by online registration and verifying documents must be posted within 21 calendar days of purchase. Claims will be fulfilled within 8 weeks from the time the claim is validated.

Demystifying 3D Part One – The Basics

In the first of our series on ‘Demystifying 3D’ we look at the some of the basics of 3D and how it works.

Why do we see in 3D?

Let’s go back to basics for a second. When we watch TV on a regular 2D screen the image appears flat, this is because it’s filmed with one camera and one lens, so it’s like watching the world with one eye shut. However the fact that we have two eyes allows us to see the world in 3D, this is due to an effect called ‘stereopsis’, which gives us ‘stereoscopic’ vision. ‘Stereoscopic’ vision gives us the ability to see depth — basically, each of your eyes sees a slightly different image of the same scene. Your brain analyzes and processes the differences between the two images to reconstruct spatial conditions, enabling you to see things with three-dimensional depth.

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To explain this effect here is the Colin Harm, Panasonic Australia, Training Manager

You can try this excercise on yourself and see the effect for yourself, just follow these instructions:

Place your finger just a few centimetres in front of your eyes and shut your left and right eye alternately. You’ll see the object changes (or rather, the finger moves).
Now try it with the arm fully extended. Again the object changes, but not quite as much. If you look at the same finger, say 20 metres away, it will hardly change or move. To put it simply, it’s the combined work of both the left and right eye which allows us to see two images as one and therefore to see life in 3D.

As you can see from the experiment the closer the object is to the eyes the greater the distance between the left and right eye the greater the 3D effect appears.

This is the first in our ‘Demystifying’ 3D series, the next installment will focus on 3D facts.

To read more posts on 3D click here

Panasonic Air Conditioning – Inverter Technology

Fifth in Air Conditioning Webisode Series Explains ‘Inverter Technology’

Panasonics revolutionary ‘Inverter Technology’, which is present in all Panasonic air conditioner models, significantly reduces electricity bills while also helping to maintain a constant temperature in your home throughout the day. The Inverter technology helps the air conditioning unit reach the desired temperature faster than other units, and is constantly on to decrease energy wastage.

For more information on the whole range of Panasonic Air Conditioners visit the official site here

For a complete checklist of what to be aware of when buying an air conditioner check here

Download the full 2010 Panasonic Air Conditioner brochure here

The next in the series of webisodes will focus on ‘Installation’

Ken Duncan LUMIX FT2 Tips

Professional photographer and Lumix Ambassador shares tips on shooting with a Lumix FT2

Ken Duncan was recently in Fiji carrying out some photo workshops with Australia’s top Lumix salespeople as well as doing some product testing. While he was there he put together some tips on shooting with the waterproof Lumix FT2.

You can watch his tips here:

Here are a few of the shots that Ken took on the trip with the FT2

Fijian Fisherman

“This young Fijian man had been fishing while waiting for the tourists he had taken out to finish their snorkeling. When I came up to the surface, I saw him there and thought what a wonderful contrast the bright yellow boat made against the bright blue water. So I shot with my lens half out of the water to show a view of both worlds.”

Fish Reflections

Fish Reflections

“When taking underwater shots, some of the most fun shots can be taken looking back up towards the surface. The sunlight filtering through the water can create some wonderful effects and you can get all sort of reflections and refractions of light. Here you can see the reflection of a fish as he swims close to the surface. Maybe this is why fish sometimes come up to the surface – to have a look at themselves.”

For more tips, galleries and videos from Ken check out the official Lumix site here

You can view more images from the trip on our official Flickr profile here

You can find out more about the FT2 here

For more posts about Lumix Cameras click here

Win One of Twenty Panasonic TA1 Full HD Mobile Cameras!


Announcing our ‘Shoot Share & Win’ Facebook promotion!

We’re delighted to announce the start of the ‘Shoot Share & Win’ competition on our official Panasonic Facebook page here. We’re giving twenty lucky winners the opportunity to win one of twenty TA1 Full HD Mobile Cameras, and then three more lucky winners the chance to win a Nintendo Wii Pack.

To be in with a chance of winning all you have to do is become a fan of Panasonic Australia on Facebook and upload a funny video. The twenty entrants with the most votes and as decided by a panel of judges will each recieve a TA1 camera. Each of these winners will then be invited to remake their winning video with the TA1 to be in with a chance of winning a fantatstic Nintendo Wii Pack. Best of luck to everyone!

‘Shoot Share & Win’ is in celebration of the release of the Panasonic TA1 which you can find more about on the official site here and on the blog here

‘Give the earth a lunch break’ – Join us for Global Earth Lunch Hour on October 6th 2010

Here at Panasonic we are running a worldwide initiative called ‘Earth Lunch Hour’, the idea being to convince as many people as we can around the globe to have the most eco friendly lunchbreak possible. As part of the ocasion we will be running the ‘Eco Cook Fest 24′ where we spend 24 hours making, tasting, being surprised by, and enjoying amazing ingredients and recipes from around the world.

We also look at non-wasteful cooking methods that were contributed to the Tokyo eco ideas Kitchen. You can watch the whole of the ‘Eco Cook Fest’ here and you can follow the whole event through the official Twitter profile @EarthLunchHour here and you can also find our more about the event as a whole by checking the official site here

You can also join in Earth Lunch Hour by watching everything from the food you eat to the wastage you create eating in your lunch break. At Panasonic we will be providing an ‘eco aware’ lunch to employees that will use local produce and seasonal ingredients to decrease the carbon footprint, and the meals will use all of the food ingredients to minimise wastage.

We want to spread the ‘Global Earth Lunch Hour’ beyond the doors of just Panasonic, so we have created a list of things you can do to have your own eco friendly lunch

- Minimize the washing up after your lunch meal, and use biodegradeable detergent

- Seperate your rubbish into recyclable sections

- Turn off any lights not being used

- Try not to create much waste

- Seasonal ingredients and local produce

- Eat more vegetables, smaller fish and meat from smaller animals

- Use natural ingredients, organically grown and pesticide free

You can find out more about the event as a whole by checking the official site here or you can also download this informative pamphlet