Ricoh Unveils P10 28-300mm equivalent F3.5-5.6 VC lens module Now Posted: Our In Depth Review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 In Depth Review

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Posted by Patrick on May 10, 2010 in Cameras, Featured Content, Reviews

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 In Depth Review

It was Panasonic who managed to bring a micro four thirds offering to the market first with their Lumix DMC-G1, a 12.1 megapixel camera that managed to win the hearts of countless editors at various review sites and magazines, but for some didn’t quite bring home the promise of the micro four thirds format. True, it is small, but in form factor the G1 is still a mini-DSLR, not quite the pocket-sized wonder camera that many had foreseen in the micro four thirds tea leaves. Thus it was Olympus, with their E-P1, who scored the initial onslaught of real enthusiasm for micro four thirds. Finally we had a camera that fit in a pocket with a DSLR sensor, and the ability to change lenses (and wasn’t a Leica). Some of that initial excitement was tempered though by a few nagging issues, especially in the minds of enthusiasts. There was no viewfinder with the E-P1, a major negative for many photographers, there was some concern over AF speeds (overblown to some degree we think), and the E-P1 did not include a built in flash, thus requiring an odd looking and expensive external flash. The three issues seem to deflate the E-P1’s bubble just a bit, as many photographers wondered where Panasonic’s answer to the E-P1 was.

In early September that wait ended when Panasonic announced the Lumix DMC-GF1, a 12.1 megapixel camera that did away with the mini-DSLR look, instead embracing the more pocketable form factor of the E-P1, notably minus any sort of retro-styling. With prominant physical controls, a built in pop up flash, a port for attaching an external electronic viewfinder, and the same super-responsive AF found on the G1, the GF1 swooped in with perfect timing to appease many enthusiasts, seemingly offering them everything they’d hope for in an EVIL camera (EVIL being an acronym for electronic view finder interchangeable lens camera).

As with our review of the Olympus E-P2, it’s important to reiterate just why these cameras are so exciting to enthusiasts. As we’ve taken pains to point out here previously, your typical point and shoot camera offers compact size, but at the expense of image quality, since the sensors inside are very small, and hence their light gathering capabilities are severely limited. DSLR cameras on the other hand, provide remarkably better image quality (their sensors are substantially larger than those on compact cameras) and allow the user to change lenses in order to customize their results based on their subject matter and aesthetic tastes, but DSLRs are clearly much bigger animals, and honestly just not that portable or desirable to carry for everyday use.

By removing the mirror and pentaprism from your average DSLR camera, Panasonic and Olympus created a camera system that promised much more portable cameras and lenses, a promise just partially filled by Panasonic’s G1, but better realized by the E-P1 and E-P2, and Panasonic’s GF1. These cameras offer compact size, big sensors (and better image quality than compacts), and the ability to change lenses, which also happen to be typically smaller than DSLR equivalents. In short, for many photographers, these cameras are practically a dream come true, a bona fide camera system that’s super portable, and with few compromises.

Availability

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 Digital Camera with 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens at B&H Photo

Get the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 Digital Camera with 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens and support this site at the same time, by making your purchase through the link above at B&H Photo Video.

Competition

While originally squared against the Olympus E-P1, the Panasonic GF1 is now more likely to be compared to the E-P2 given it’s ability to use a viewfinder like the GF1. More recently, Samsung has offered photographers their own version of an EVIL camera, with their NX10. We’ve compiled some key specifications below for comparitive purposes, and I’m sure many will note the apparent value of the NX10, with its larger sensor, included viewfinder, superior LCD, and lower price.

Camera	Olympus E-P2	Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1	Samsung NX10
Est. Price	$899	$799	$699
Inc. Lens	14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 (35mm film equivalent: 28-84mm)	14-45mm f/3.5-5.6 (35mm film equivalent: 28-90mm)	18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OIS (35mm film equivalent : 27-82mm)
Megapixels	12.3 mp	12.1 mp	14.6 mp
Sensor Size	17.3 x 13.0mm CMOS	17.3 x 13.0mm CMOS	APS-C type CMOS (23.4 x 15.6mm)
Viewfinder	optional: .52x magnification (35mm equiv.), 1,440K dots res., $249	optional: .52x magnification (35mm equiv.), 202K dots res., $149	Built in: .54x magnification (35mm equiv.), 921K dots res.
ISO	100-6400	100-3200	100-3200
LCD	3", 230K	3", 460K	3", 614K
Continuous Shooting	3 fps	3 fps	3 fps
Video	MJPEG (.AVI) 1280x720 @ 30fps, 640x480 @ 30fps, stereo via accessory port.	AVCDHD: 1280 x 720, 60p (sensor output is 30fps) 9-17 Mbps, MJPEG: 320x240, 640x480, 848x480, 1280x720 (all at 30fps), mono.	MP4 (H.264): 1280 x 720, 640 x 480, 320 x 340 pixels, 30 fps, Mono sound (AAC)
Dimensions	4.75 x 2.75 x 1.43" (120.6 x 69.9 x 36.4mm)	4.69 x 2.80 x 1.43" (119 x 71 x 36.3mm)	4.84 x 3.43 x 1.57" (123 x 87 x 39.8mm)
Weight	0.7 lbs (335g)	10.05 oz (285g)	17.6 oz (499g)

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