Venus Engine

The Venus processing engine for digital cameras is an image processor developed by Panasonic, and almost all of their Lumix cameras use a version of it. It is based on the Panasonic MN103/MN103S.

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.

Panasonic claims that their Venus II engine used in the DMC-FZ7 and other cameras has chromatic aberration correction.

In addition to the features claimed for the Venus II, the Venus III engine used in the Lumix DMC-FZ8 and other cameras claims enhanced noise reduction at high ISO numbers 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.

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 that compare the Venus IV engine to Venus III suggest that the newer engine is better, but the issue of noise reduction techniques losing detail, though improved, remains.

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Wikipedia