Venus Engine
Encyclopedia
The Venus processing engine for digital camera
s is an image processing engine
developed by Panasonic
, and almost all of their Lumix
cameras use a version of it. Image processors operate in four steps: receive data from the CCD sensor, create the Y-color difference signal (image processing), perform JPEG
compression
, and save the image data. Panasonic claims that its VENUS II processing engine performs all of these simultaneously.
.
, and "super fast" shutter response.
and other cameras claims enhanced noise reduction
at high ISOs and lower power consumption.
There have been detailed complaints that the Venus III noise reduction is achieved by smudging the fine image details, and that even in raw
mode there is a significant reduction of noise accompanied by loss of fine detail, giving results worse than could be obtained by reducing the noise in a totally raw file by processing with appropriate computer software
.
Reviews of cameras which compare the Venus IV engine to Venus III suggest that the newer engine is better, but the issue of noise reduction techniques losing detail remains, though improved.
Micro Four Thirds System
camera with large sensor. Supports HDMI
output to a high-definition television screen.
It appears that the Panasonic Lumix marketing department has chosen to refer to this LSI hardware chip-set primarily using the phrase "Venus Engine HD" as a way to draw attention the capabilities of the included "Motion Picture" mode(s) of the upcoming camera models that will contain the LSI hardware chip-set. However, this choice of marketing phraseology does not (according to Panasonic Lumix's information as currently released) appear to indicate any identifiable difference in the LSI hardware chip-set that they have chosen to (also) identify as "Venus Engine V". This use of dual phraseology appears to have generated a degree of (understandable) confusion on the part of consumers and reviewers awaiting the release of several camera models in 2009 that will (in addition to the already released DMC-G1) feature this LSI hardware chip-set. If, in fact, there exists an identifiable difference(s) (on the level of the internal LSI hardware chip-set) between "Venus Engine HD" and "Venus Engine V", Panasonic Lumix has so far failed to identify it (or them).
Why the Panasonic Lumix marketing department (at the United Kingdom location, at least) has chosen to (in the lone case of the DMC-FX40) refer to the LSI hardware chip-set using the alternate descriptive phrase "Venus Engine V" is unclear, since the DMC-FX40 (as is the case with all the other upcoming models with the exception of the already released DMC-G1) is, indeed, advertised as featuring a "Motion Picture" mode that (it appears) will be a very similar implementation to that of all the other upcoming models to be released that will also include this LSI hardware chip-set. Perhaps the reasoning for this is that the Panasonic Lumix marketing department (at the United Kingdom location, at least) is (in part) describing the DMC-FX40 as a "digital still camera" (despite the fact that it is also specifically advertised as including the above described "Motion Picture" mode(s), see Reference #6 below).
Digital camera
A digital camera is a camera that takes video or still photographs, or both, digitally by recording images via an electronic image sensor. It is the main device used in the field of digital photography...
s is an image processing engine
Image processing engine
The image processing engine, or image processor, is an important component of a digital camera. The digital image processing engine can perform a range of tasks.- Bayer transformation :...
developed by Panasonic
Panasonic
Panasonic is an international brand name for Japanese electric products manufacturer Panasonic Corporation, which was formerly known as Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd...
, and almost all of their Lumix
Lumix
Lumix is Panasonic's brand of digital cameras, ranging from pocket point-and-shoot models to digital SLRs.Compact digital camera DMC-LC5 and DMC-F7 were the first products of the Lumix series released in 2001. They are equipped with Leica lenses....
cameras use a version of it. Image processors operate in four steps: receive data from the CCD sensor, create the Y-color difference signal (image processing), perform JPEG
JPEG
In computing, JPEG . The degree of compression can be adjusted, allowing a selectable tradeoff between storage size and image quality. JPEG typically achieves 10:1 compression with little perceptible loss in image quality....
compression
Image compression
The objective of image compression is to reduce irrelevance and redundancy of the image data in order to be able to store or transmit data in an efficient form.- Lossy and lossless compression :...
, and save the image data. Panasonic claims that its VENUS II processing engine performs all of these simultaneously.
Venus
With the Venus engine, Panasonic claims "super fast" shutter speeds and less energy consumptionEnergy consumption
Energy consumption is the consumption of energy or power. It is covered in the following articles and categories:* World energy consumption* Domestic energy consumption* Fuel efficiency in transportation* Electric energy consumption* Electricity generation...
.
Venus II
Panasonic claims that their Venus II engine used in the DMC-FZ7 and other cameras has chromatic aberration correction, enhanced resolutionOptical resolution
Optical resolution describes the ability of an imaging system to resolve detail in the object that is being imaged.An imaging system may have many individual components including a lens and recording and display components...
, and "super fast" shutter response.
Venus III
In addition to the features claimed for the Venus II, the Venus III engine used in the Lumix DMC-FZ8Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ8
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ8 is a superzoom bridge digital camera that features:* 1/2.5" sensor 7 megapixel resolution* Fast f/2.8-3.3 Leica zoom lens 12x zoom lens* Mega O.I.S...
and other cameras claims enhanced noise reduction
Noise reduction
Noise reduction is the process of removing noise from a signal.All recording devices, both analogue or digital, have traits which make them susceptible to noise...
at high ISOs and lower power consumption.
There have been detailed complaints that the Venus III noise reduction is achieved by smudging the fine image details, and that even in raw
RAW image format
A camera raw image file contains minimally processed data from the image sensor of either a digital camera, image scanner, or motion picture film scanner. Raw files are so named because they are not yet processed and therefore are not ready to be printed or edited with a bitmap graphics editor...
mode there is a significant reduction of noise accompanied by loss of fine detail, giving results worse than could be obtained by reducing the noise in a totally raw file by processing with appropriate computer software
Computer software
Computer software, or just software, is a collection of computer programs and related data that provide the instructions for telling a computer what to do and how to do it....
.
Venus IV
Panasonic claims that the 2008 Venus Engine IV gives higher-quality images, and includes more accurate detection and better correction for its Optical Image Stabilizer and Intelligent ISO Control functions than earlier versions. It works at 10.1-megapixel resolution. Panasonic published a detailed comparison of Venus III and IV, claiming better noise response by preserving detail, quick-response shutter release time-lag of around 0.008 second minimum and high power-efficiency for Venus IV.Reviews of cameras which compare the Venus IV engine to Venus III suggest that the newer engine is better, but the issue of noise reduction techniques losing detail remains, though improved.
Venus HD
The processing engine used by the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 is the first digital mirrorless interchangeable lens camera adhering to the recently developed Micro Four Thirds System system design standard...
Micro Four Thirds System
Micro Four Thirds system
The Micro Four Thirds system is a standard created by Olympus and Panasonic, and announced on August 5, 2008, for mirrorless interchangeable lens digital cameras and camcorders design and development...
camera with large sensor. Supports HDMI
HDMI
HDMI is a compact audio/video interface for transmitting uncompressed digital data. It is a digital alternative to consumer analog standards, such as radio frequency coaxial cable, composite video, S-Video, SCART, component video, D-Terminal, or VGA...
output to a high-definition television screen.
Venus V
As of February 2009 (based on all information available at official Panasonic Lumix web-pages), it appears that the LSI hardware chip-set that Panasonic Lumix refers to as the "Venus Engine V" (when describing the DMC-FX40, see Reference #4 below) is (substantially, if not actually) identical to the LSI hardware chip-set that Panasonic Lumix (also) refers to as the "Venus Engine HD" when describing their (released) DMC-G1, as well in all of the current Panasonic Lumix descriptions of the other (to be) released implementations of this image-processing LSI hardware chip-set (see Reference #5 below).It appears that the Panasonic Lumix marketing department has chosen to refer to this LSI hardware chip-set primarily using the phrase "Venus Engine HD" as a way to draw attention the capabilities of the included "Motion Picture" mode(s) of the upcoming camera models that will contain the LSI hardware chip-set. However, this choice of marketing phraseology does not (according to Panasonic Lumix's information as currently released) appear to indicate any identifiable difference in the LSI hardware chip-set that they have chosen to (also) identify as "Venus Engine V". This use of dual phraseology appears to have generated a degree of (understandable) confusion on the part of consumers and reviewers awaiting the release of several camera models in 2009 that will (in addition to the already released DMC-G1) feature this LSI hardware chip-set. If, in fact, there exists an identifiable difference(s) (on the level of the internal LSI hardware chip-set) between "Venus Engine HD" and "Venus Engine V", Panasonic Lumix has so far failed to identify it (or them).
Why the Panasonic Lumix marketing department (at the United Kingdom location, at least) has chosen to (in the lone case of the DMC-FX40) refer to the LSI hardware chip-set using the alternate descriptive phrase "Venus Engine V" is unclear, since the DMC-FX40 (as is the case with all the other upcoming models with the exception of the already released DMC-G1) is, indeed, advertised as featuring a "Motion Picture" mode that (it appears) will be a very similar implementation to that of all the other upcoming models to be released that will also include this LSI hardware chip-set. Perhaps the reasoning for this is that the Panasonic Lumix marketing department (at the United Kingdom location, at least) is (in part) describing the DMC-FX40 as a "digital still camera" (despite the fact that it is also specifically advertised as including the above described "Motion Picture" mode(s), see Reference #6 below).