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From the now-established camera house of Panasonic comes the Lumix DMC-G1 – a micro four-thirds camera that’s aimed at both ardent amateurs and budget-conscious professionals who still want interchangeable lenses.
So how much does the G1 want to be a DSLR? Answer: very much. And it’s not far off. Images from the G1’s 12-megapixel sensor are nothing short of astounding: stuffed full of exceptional levels of detail and punchy contrast. Its one weak point? It doesn’t render exactly accurate colours, but they’re within the bounds of acceptability and certainly pleasing.
It’s also got extra features such as an impressive continuous-shooting speed of three frames per second. And anyone living in Stoke will be pleased to hear that photos of their hideous local footballers can be touched up, as the G1 shoots in RAW.
Peering through the electronic viewfinder is like entering a tiny High-Definition kingdom: the 1.4 million pixels inside give three times the detail of its already sharp three-inch LCD screen. And while we’re on that screen, it also supports Live View, which lets you see what you’re shooting and adjust the focus and composition.
Overall, the Panasonic G1 is comfortable and reliable, providing rich, well-exposed photos. There’s no video-capturing mode (you want the GH1 for that) and anyone who’s used to the reassuring weight of a DSLR will be disappointed with the lightweight G1 weighing just 380g and measuring 124×84x45mm. But the image stabilisation technology works wonders, so you won’t have to worry about blurry images. In summary: a mini marvel.
[...] Read our Panasonic Lumix G1 review Elsewhere, the Panasonic FP8 impresses. It starts up in just 0.95 seconds, has a great 2.7-inch LCD that’s visible even in strong sunlight, and the shutter speed is pretty nippy. The 720p HD movies are smooth and judder free, as you’d expect considering they’re running at 30fps. And should iA not do it for you, there are 28 shooting modes to choose from. Although the new Photo Frame mode that borders your pics with graphics (including a low-resolution heart with pixellated stars) is best left for teenage girls. [...]