Panasonic takes shot at Aussie action cam market with HX-A1

Panasonic today announced the Australian availability of its HX-A1 action camera, the first device of its kind that the manufacturer will release locally.

The A1 is a miniature camera weighing just 45g. It's waterproof, shockproof, dustproof and freezeproof out of the box, and as such, doesn't require any additional housing.

One of the A1's key differentiating features is a "Night Vision" mode that allows the camera to record in pitch black conditions. Replacing the regular lens cover with an included infrared lens will let users shoot footage in complete darkness, provided they have an infrared light source. Panasonic says a cheap infrared torch can be purchased for as little as AUD$10.

The A1 is able to shoot high definition 1080p video at 30 frames per second (fps). In terms of slow motion, the A1 can take 720p video at 60 fps and standard definition 480p video at 120 fps.

In terms of battery life, the A1's is said to last for an hour an 15 minutes. The extended battery accessory (pricing yet to be confirmed) can bump it up to two hours and 45 minutes.

The A1 will be available in late June and will retail for AUD$299. A tripod mount, multi-mount and GoPro-style accessory mount will all be included with the camera. Optional accessories including a wind shield (pictured below), headband and a twin mount will be sold separately.

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