Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT1: Tough-cam FTW

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT1 is here to pwn you n00bs and become the l33t haxxor of rugged cameras. W00t!

Richard Trenholm

Richard Trenholm was CNET's film and TV editor, covering the big screen, small screen and streaming. A member of the Film Critic's Circle, he's covered technology and culture from London's tech scene to Europe's refugee camps to the Sundance film festival.

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Richard Trenholm

Jan. 28, 2009 4:24 a.m. PT

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If you're over the age of 21 and not up on your l33t speak -- that's 'elite speak', hacker/gamer language similar to 'txt speak' -- you may not be aware that FTW ('for the win') is the highest praise going. Maximum geek points then to Panasonic, for naming its new tough Lumix camera the FT1. W00t!

The FT1 may be a n00b -- that means it's new -- but it's built for pwnage. That means it's designed to be tough: it's shockproof from a height of up to 1.5m, waterproof to a depth of up to 3m, and dustproof. It's been tested in the same way as the ToughBook range of computers, and challenges the Olympus mju rugged range to see which is teh l33t haxxor -- that means the best.

With a 28mm wide angle lens, 4.6x optical zoom and optical image stabilisation, the FT1 certainly sounds good. It also shoots high-definition video in AVCHD Lite format, at 17, 13 or 9Mbps. It also includes a handy wind-cut function, a camcorder feature that minimises wind noise while shooting in the outdoors.

Other features include optical image stabilisation, face detection and intelligent auto mode. An intelligent scene selector automatically switches between the usual portrait, macro, scenery and low-light modes, while the FT1 adds beach and surf and panorama modes. Take a look at our photo gallery for more, including pricing and availability.

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The 69mm (2.7-inch) 230,000-dot LCD screen benefits from reinforced glass to withstand pressure underwater.

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Rubber padding and carbon resins inside the camera round out the FT1's airtight body.

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Here we can see the slim profile of the FT1, made possible by folded optics to keep the lens unit safe inside the camera.

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Here's some other colour variations floating around the Internet, with the American version of the FT1 called the TS1, which earns it no geek points at all.