Through Panasonic's prism

We've seen zoom lenses that extend internally before. But now Panasonic takes the concept to the 10th degree--or to 10X zoom, more specifically. To squeeze the long zoom into a relatively compact design, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ1 uses a prism to refract the incoming light sideways toward the sensor, which is positioned near the grip. It's a pretty nifty concept.

The camera also integrates an updated focusing system for faster operation--yay--and the latest Venus III image processor, which ostensibly provides it with faster shooting speeds and longer battery life. That's with Oxyrides, right?