Next month, Matsushita will launch the DMC-LX1 digital camera, which has a 16:9 aspect ratio CCD image sensor.

Unlike most digital camera which have a 4:3 aspect ratio, that are the same proportions of a standard screen, TV or computers, the DMC-LX1 sensor's resolution will reach 8.4 megapixels on a 16:9 format. This means this camera can see very close to the range of a human. There is a 4x optical zoom with a Leica lens on the front and a large LCD display on the back.

The camera will still be able to take pictures in 4:3 or 3:2, yet it will just have the added feature of the wide-angle ratio. The expected consumer price is to sell for around $560.