SECAUCUS, N.J., April 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Panasonic today announces the new HM-TA20, full-High Definition(*1) mobile camera, which has a rugged design that is waterproof to approximately 10 feet, shockproof to approximately 5 feet and dustproof(*2), and with the Night View Mode – it shoots exceptional video and photos, even in low-lighting. The Panasonic HM-TA20's small and compact size, combined with tough exterior, make this the ultimate video camera when it comes to portability. Plus, with a large, 3.0-inch Touch LCD, the HM-TA20 is easy and intuitive to use.

"Panasonic is excited to bring some versatility to the shoot-and-share category of mobile camera cameras, and with the HM-TA20, we're adding rugged features, allowing consumers to take this compact camera underwater to ten feet, or even for everyday use without the fear of dropping or exposing it to dust," said Chris Rice, Senior Product Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. "Plus with the new 3.0-inch touch-screen, it's incredibly intuitive to use to shoot full-High Definition videos and extremely crisp still photos."

The Panasonic HM-TA20 shoots in full-HD 1920 x 1080 videos, and records in the MPEG-4 AVC file format (MP4), which is convenient for editing images with a computer and uploading files to the Internet. The HM-TA20 includes an integrated USB terminal in its compact body and after editing images within the camera, the user simply connects the camera to a computer and the built-in software, which must be installed first, will then always launch automatically upon connection. The HM-TA20 can also be used as a web camera, for online video chatting. Additionally, extended voice recording is also possible, for recording and storing sounds.

The HM-TA20 will automatically prompt the new Nigh Video Mode feature when it recognize dark shooting conditions and enable shooting at a frame rate of 1/15 width, which helps shoot high-quality video and still photos, even in dimly lit conditions.

Other features of the Panasonic HM-TA20, include:

• An included tripod stand, making it easy to take self-portraits
• 4x digital zoom
• Capability of 8-megapixel still photos
• E.I.S (Electrical Image Stabilizer) during video recording
• Panasonic's iA model for automatic settings
• Face Detection
• One-touch button for easy recording 1-button simple operation for easy recording
• Simultaneous Voice recording (Linear PCM) with still pictures
• The ability to cut a photo from a video(*3)
• Three recording effects: sepia/monochrome/soft skin
• Voice recording with stereo microphones
• Direct connection to high-definition TVs with an HDMI cable

Panasonic also announces today the HM-TA2, which is also a compact and mobile camera with the same features, except it is not waterproof, dustproof and shockproof. Like the HM-TA20, the HM-TA2 features the Night View Mode, a large 3.0-inch LCD for easy and intuitive Touch Operation for controls such as, play, record, stop, zoom, and also settings such as edit and – all accessible with the touch of a finger.

The Panasonic HM-TA20 and HM-TA2 will be available in June 2011 and pricing will be announced approximately 30 days prior to shipping. The HM-TA20 will be available in orange, while the HM-TA2 will be available in red, white and dark grey. For more information on Panasonic camcorders, please visit: www.panasonic.com/dvc.

*1 1920 pixels in the horizontal direction and 1080 pixels in the vertical direction.

*2 Waterproof: IEC60529 IPX8; Provided the care and maintenance guidelines described in this document are strictly followed, this camera can operate underwater, to a depth not exceeding 12 m for a time not exceeding 60 minutes. This does not guarantee no destruction, no malfunction, or waterproofing in all conditions.

Shockproof: Anti-shock performance complies with "MIL-STD 810F Method 516.5-Shock" of the U.S. Defense Department, which specifies performing drop tests from a height of 122 cm, at 26 orientations (8 corners, 12 ridges, 6 faces) using 5 sets of devices, and passing the 26 orientation drops within 5 devices. (If failure occurs during the test, a new set is used to pass the drop orientation test within a total of 5 devices). The camera has cleared a drop test from a height of 2 m onto 3 cm thick plywood. In most cases this camera should not sustain any damage if dropped from a height not exceeding 2 m. This drop test was passed. (Disregarding appearance change such as loss of paint or distortion of the part where drop impact is applied). This does not guarantee no destruction, no malfunction, or waterproofing in all conditions.

Dustproof: IEC60529 IP5X.

*3 The size of the cutout still image is the same as that of the video image.

*Design and specifications are subject to change without notice.

About Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company

Based in Secaucus, N.J., Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company, is a Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC) and the hub of Panasonic's U.S. marketing, sales, service and R&D operations.  Panasonic is pledged to practice prudent, sustainable use of the earth's natural resources and protect our environment through the company's Eco Ideas programs. Company information for journalists is available at www.panasonic.com/pressroom.

SOURCE Panasonic