Circus time with Panasonic's LX5 and 3D camcorder

Panasonic's latest range of Lumix cameras, and the company's new 3D camcorder, made their Australian debut under the big top.

The circus-themed launch saw fire-twirlers, acrobats, hula-hooping girls and, of course, the cameras take centre stage. The new range includes the Lumix LX5, successor to the LX3, and the HDC-SDT750 3D camcorder. All photos in this set have been taken on the LX5.

The jovial ringmaster kicked off proceedings at the start of the show, introducing a range of acts and Panasonic products. And we thought it was only journalists who used bad puns...

This is the new Lumix LX5, which replaces the LX3. It's a compact camera with a bright f/2.0 lens and plenty of manual controls to satisfy all photographers. It will be available from September in Australia for AU$799.

It's still a 3-inch screen, like on the LX3, but this time it comes with a hotshoe attachment that lets you put in an extra viewfinder, like on the Lumix GF1.

These dexterous boys were on hand to show off ... well, their muscles more than any particular skill of the cameras.

The burst mode on the LX3 grabs three full-resolution frames in one go — here we've stitched together four to show how fast this camera can go.

Next up is the hula-hooping girl who proved to be just as flexible as the gentlemen before her, grabbing hoops in quick succession from her assistant standing at the side of the stage. Check out the full video here.

The rather austere-looking FZ100 reaches 24x optical zoom, which makes it one of the longest-reaching superzoom cameras available. It also records full 1080p AVCHD video (not AVCHD Lite as found in the LX5) and can be equipped with an external stereo microphone and flash. It's available from mid-August for AU$799. And did we mention it only comes in black?

He's not the affable fireman we know and love, but he's close enough. Here, the next act of the day demonstrates some hot moves. In a few years, he'll be explaining to his grandchildren that "it was the style at the time".

An array of the new Lumix FX700, which feature f/2.2 optics, a 14.1-megapixel sensor and burst shooting at 10 frames per second in full resolution. This camera, plus its FX75 counterpart, will be available from September and mid-August respectively for AU$599 or AU$499.

This is Panasonic's new consumer 3D camcorder. You can read all about it in our preview, but be prepared for a price shock; this little baby is worth AU$1999. At least it comes with the detachable 3D lens.

It looks just like any other normal Panasonic camcorder from side-on. The screen displays the image only from the left channel when the 3D lens is attached to the front, which means you don't have to tote around dedicated 3D glasses just to film your home movies.

Jumping Jack Flash is back again with more hair-raising moves. This time he's skipping rope with a flaming ball of kerosene and rags.

This is the first interchangeable 3D lens that Panasonic will release globally by the end of this year.

Ever wanted your camcorder to talk to you, or keep you company on those cold nights? Well, you're out of luck, but this is Panasonic's "social media" camcorder, the HM-TA1. It's fitted out with full HD recording and an integrated USB plug for connecting easily to a computer. There's also a myriad of tools allowing you to upload footage and stills to Facebook, YouTube or Flickr.

Accessorising is key. Here's a range of optional extras for the LX5, including filters and a remote shutter release. Also note in the background is the FT10, an entry-level version of the tough FT1 and FT2 cameras available for AU$399 from mid-September.

This isn't camera related. But it's just so darned cute.