It's nice to know that there are still some new surprises on their way to gadget product lines that didn't get spoiled by the CES. Panasonic, for instance, just announced six new models for its Lumix line of digital cameras, including HD and waterproof models.

The TS1 is probably the most impressive camera of the six, packing in both durability and image quality. Panasonic claims the model isn't just waterproof, but also shockproof and dustproof, which should be great if you're a bit of a klutz with your gadgets or you're going to be taking photos while you run with bulls. The 12.1-megapixel camera records HD video, features a 4.6x zoom and should go for around $400.

The FX580 is a touchscreen model that also records HD video, up to 720p. It's another 12.1-megapixel camera, this time with a 5x optical zoom. The camera looks solid enough but nothing really special; it can do facial recognition like we've been seeing in a bunch of other cameras and features a wide-angle lens. The FX48 is a near-copy, with the same resolution and lens specs. Where the $400 FX580 has a 3-inch display, the FX48 loses the touchscreen and shrinks it down to 2.5 inches for only $350.

With a slightly lower resolution, the 10.1-megapixel ZS3 and ZS1 have 12x zooms and HDMI outputs for easy hookup to an HDTV. The ZS3 should support recording movies in AVCHD Lite mode, which is designed to increase recording time. While the ZS3 has a 3-inch display, the ZS1's isn't much smaller at 2.7 inches, and that helps bring the ZS1's cost down to $300, compared to the $400 ZS3.

The cheapest of the bunch, the $250 FS25, also has a 12.1-megapixel sensor, but looks like its video recording is limited to 840x480, unlike the 720p the rest handle. If you really don't need HD video, it might be worth looking into to save a buck. All six models should be available starting in April.

This story around the web: