Panasonic Announces New Firmware for TZ6, TZ7 and FT1 Cameras

Panasonic has updated the firmware for three of its compact digital camera: the TZ6 and the TZ7, its two models with 12x zoom, as well as the FT1, the waterproof model that we tested last week have all had their software revised.

We're used to seeing occassional firmware updates from camera manufacturers.  The aim is often to fix bugs reported by users, or to smooth out a few details.  More rarely, they add new functions that weren't available when the camera was launched.  A good example of this is the Pentax K10D, which can only control motorised lenses when running the third version of its firmware.

Panasonic's announcement today contains updates of both types.

On the TZ6 and TZ7, focusing is now a little quieter, and the display of photos on the TZ6's screen has also been improved.

More interestingly, the TZ7 and FT1, both of which can film in HD 720p resolution, are now compatible with clips filmed using their big brother, the GH1.  In short, if you have video on a memory card that was shot on the GH1, you can now play it back on the TZ1 and the FT1.

This is good news for people who already own the hybrid GH1 but who would like a more portable camera for everyday use.  To ensure compatibility, however, they'll need to ensure that they only film at 720p on the GH1, as Full HD video, which it can also capture, can't be read by the smaller cameras.

Installing the firmware is pretty simple, as long as you have an SD card reader.  You can download the updates from the Panasonic website and then copy them onto a blank memory card which you can then pop into the camera.