The FX520 features a hybrid control system that combines a joystick control with a touch-screen operation. Basic settings can be directly controlled by the joystick, and others extensive ones are intuitively adjusted by touching or moving a slider on the screen with your finger or an included stylus pen. This model features a 3.0" LCD with a total of 230,000 dots for comfortable viewing. The LCD's brightness adjusts automatically　in 11 steps as the ambient light level changes, so images are clear, bright and easy to see day or night, indoors or outdoors.

This sophisticated 25mm wide-angle lens system features 7 elements in 6 groups, including 4 aspherical lenses and an EA (Extra High Refractive Index Aspherical) lens. It's also equipped with a 5x optical zoom. The wide-angle lens lets you capture dramatic images that convey an impressive sense of breadth and depth – remarkable for such a compact camera. When the camera is in 3-megapixel mode, the Extra Optical Zoom function boosts the zoom power to as much as 8.9x.

Choose iA mode and let the camera do the rest. When you aim at a subject, or touch a subject on the LCD, the camera automatically corrects for both hand-shake and motion blur, activates Face Detection AF/AE for you and selects the best scene mode for the situation. The Intelligent Exposure function is also turned on to prevent blown highlights and blocked shadows, and Digital Red-Eye Correction is turned on to prevent red-eye problems in flash shots. You get perfect shots in any shooting situation.

The DMC-FX520 features a newly developed CCD. Slightly larger than previous types, this 1/2.33-inch CCD fully supports the camera's 10.1-megapixel resolution.

Panasonic's new image-processing engine, Venus Engine IV, uses advanced signal processing to give you even higher-quality images. The new engine also offers a number of other improvements, including more accurate detection and better correction for its MEGA O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) and Intelligent ISO Control functions. Venus Engine IV responds quickly and saves power even with full 10.1-megapixel resolution.

The camera can record motion pictures with sensational 1280 x 720P HD resolution at 30 frames per second. When you're done shooting for the day, just connect* the camera to an HDTV and you're ready to view your still shots and motion pictures in high-definition beauty. *Optional component cable (DMW-HDC2) required.