Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1

The latest Micro Four Thirds camera to join the ranks: can it take on the competition?

Following the introduction of Panasonic’s first Micro Four Thirds camera – the DSLR-esque G1 – and the more recent GH1, the manufacturer has launched something that retains the same credentials (small, lightweight, with DSLR functionality and results) but looks and feels totally different. The new Panasonic GF1 resembles an oversized compact camera more closely than a DSLR, with a streamlined silhouette and more discreet styling than its predecessor, much like one of its biggest competitors: the Olympus E-P1.

While we wouldn’t exactly describe it as being ‘pocketable’, it’s certainly much easier to stow in a large inside jacket pocket or small carry case than a DSLR-style camera, particularly when coupled with the newly launched 20mm pancake lens that we also had for this review. It’s roughly the same size as its previously mentioned competitor – the E-P1 – but that’s about where the similarities between the two models end. The E-P1’s retro styling and silver metal body are worlds apart from the GF1’s black, business-like exterior that’s likely to appeal to minimalist photographers who put less emphasis on looks than functionality.

The GF1’s chunky, solid exterior is adorned with just enough controls to keep you from entering the main menu system too often, while maintaining a clutter-free interface. The top plate simply houses a small (somewhat fiddly) power switch, alongside a movie recording button and shutter release – with the latter providing very little ‘play’ and an indistinct halfway point, making it tricky to differentiate between half and full-depression on occasion. This meant we ended up with a few out of focus shots that were accidentally taken before the camera had a chance to focus properly, but once we’d got used to this peculiarity, it became easier to avoid it. The final control on top is the well-proportioned mode dial, with clear demarcation for each of the 10 options available. A tiny drive mode switch is piggybacked onto the side of the mode dial, but we found its positioning to be less than ideal. Gripping the mode dial with a thumb and index finger to rotate it, more often than not we found we knocked this switch and unwittingly out the camera into self-timer mode: a fact that becomes a little tiresome after the first couple of occurrences.

Around the back of the camera, things improve. The de-rigueur four-way d-pad offers softkey access to the ISO, WB, AF mode and Fn menus, with the latter being a user-customisable shortcut that links to the Film Mode menu by default. The central Set button also acts as the point of entry to the camera’s main menu system: an easy-to-read system with large black text on white, with tabs down the left hand side and each section arranged over several pages. With the array of options available when shooting in any of the manual modes (spanning up to 5 pages) it can take a while to access the setting you want – with the Format option notably being at the bottom of page 5 in the Setup menu. To remedy this, Panasonic has thankfully provided the popular My Menu section, where the user can store 5 of their most frequently visited options.

Also on the back plate, a Display button toggles the camera’s shooting information on the camera’s LCD on and off, and an adjacent Delete button doubles up as a Shutter Speed Effect button, which lets you preview the effect of your currently selected shutter speed on your subject, to help determine whether or not you’ll successfully freeze any motion. With a range spanning 8 seconds – 1/1000 sec, it’s a pretty comprehensive tool that will no doubt appeal to developing photographers in need of a little extra help to things spot-on in-camera.

A handy AF/MF switch lets you quickly toggle between Auto and Manual focusing, and a Q-Menu button lets you view a variety of options, depending on the mode you happen to be in at the time. As well as the Flash Open and playback buttons, a final lozenge-shaped AF/AE lock button with a small ridge in the centre to help you locate it easily while shooting, sits alongside the camera’s one and only control dial. Sitting atop the sculpted thumb grip on the back of the camera, the control dial lets you alter settings like shutter speed, aperture, and exposure compensation for example, with the facility to press the dial inwards – like a button – to toggle between the options available. This feature does take a bit of getting used to, and we’re not entirely convinced by it: it’s all too easy to click the dial one time too many and skip past the setting you want, which can hamper things if you’re in a rush to grab a shot. The conventional two-dial (front and rear) setup that’s favoured by DSLRs is certainly still our favoured system.

Despite sporting a completely new look and lighter 315g frame, (compared to the G1’s 360g and GH1’s 385g) the GF1 borrows a few key features from its predecessors, as well as a few extra enhancements. One of the key features that was missing from the G1 – a movie mode – has been integrated into the GF1 to meet increasing consumer demand for cameras to shoot moving as well as still images. The GF1’s movie mode is not quite up to the GH1’s 1080p HD movie capabilities but you do get 720p (AVCHD Lite) movies with mono sound. It’s not on a par with the latest HD movie technology seen in the most recent DSLR launches, but it’s perfectly adequate for everyday creative use, if not for ‘professional’ purposes.

The biggest plus we found is that the movie-recording mode is very accessible: simply press the dedicated red button on the top plate of the camera to start and again to stop. You can access the full set of menu options for the movie mode by turning the mode dial round to the appropriate setting and pressing the menu button, where you’re presented with recording mode options (AVCHD Lite or Motion JPEG), quality, metering mode etc. Interestingly, you can also turn the camera’s I.Exposure (intelligent exposure) option onto Low, Standard or High (or turn it off) to help maintain the correct exposure in your shots and retain detail in the shadows and highlights in high contrast scenes.

The GF1’s built-in HDMI port means you can connect the camera directly to your VIERA TV (if you have one) and view your beautifully detailed images and HD movies straight away, with both looking fantastic on such a screen.

Unlike some of its competitors, the GF1 incorporates a built-in pop-up flash – a welcome addition to its feature set that improves functionality in low-light situations. It’s not as powerful as either of its predecessor’s offerings (with a range of 6m compared to 10.5m) but it’s more than adequate for most subjects shot at close quarters and you do have some control over its output too for more natural results.

There’s no built-in viewfinder, but you can purchase an optional external viewfinder that slots into the GF1’s hotshoe. Otherwise, you have to shoot using the Live View display on the camera’s 3” 460,000-dot LCD, which is – for the most part – a simple and pleasurable experience. The GF1’s screen – like its predecessor’s - is large, bright and clear, with a wide viewing angle and pretty effective anti-reflective coating, although we did still have to shade the screen in particularly bright sunlight.

The GF1 supports the Micro Four Thirds lens mount but users can purchase an adaptor to make it compatible with the full range of Four Thirds lenses. While this means you can make use of a wider range of optics, you have to keep the GF1’s lightweight and compact body in mind when selecting which lenses to couple with it – the larger ‘full size’ Four Thirds lenses can easily make the camera feel very unbalanced. It’s also important to bear in mind that AF functions may be restricted, depending on which optic you’re using too.  We found the new 20mm f1.7 lens to be a perfect partner for this diminutive camera, producing images with plenty of sharpness and clarity, while the fast maximum aperture helped to counteract camera shake in low light – particularly pertinent in lieu of the GF1’s lack of in-body image stabilisation.

The GF1’s maximum continuous shooting rate of 3fps isn’t blisteringly fast, but it should be adequate for capturing moderately paced subjects in motion. What does impress us when it comes to its speed however is the camera’s AF system: it’s very quick to lock on and pretty accurate for the most part. Happily, with a quick single button press you can also flip over to manual focusing and fine-tune your focal point using the focusing ring on the lens: an excellent system that works really well.

The ability to shoot RAW files will be a welcome feature among photographers who don’t want to skimp on image quality. We found this to be particularly useful when it came to shooting high-contrast scenes, as the GF1 had a tendency to over-expose in such situations. While there are plenty of manual controls to help fine-tune things in-camera, having that extra bit of breathing room is always useful. Otherwise, JPEGs straight out the camera are generally pleasingly sharp and detailed, if not always faithfully coloured. The additional Film Mode options – which let you impose a certain look on your images as you shoot – are a particularly fun, creative feature, with plenty to choose from. The innovative Multi Film option is particularly handy, allowing you to shoot the same image with three different film styles in turn, in case you have trouble choosing just one!

The GF1 is a bit of a mixed bag: the size and weight is spot-on, as is some of the user interface and a lot of the features it offers, but the few handling issues we’ve mentioned, coupled with slight inconsistencies in obtaining the correct exposure at times, in addition to the lack of in-body IS, prevent it from scoring top marks. Nonetheless, it’s a step forward for Panasonic’s MFT offerings, and well worth considering.

Final Verdict The GF1 doesn’t work at its best when used as a ‘point and shoot’ camera. It’s a powerful photographic tool that will only reach its true potential in skilled hands, but it’s capable of excellence. OVERALL

Josie developed a taste for photography while travelling around Ecuador, returning home to specialize in the medium as part of her BA (Hons) degree at university. Now the Reviews Editor for Digital Photographer, Josie handles all of the latest camera launches and boasts an in-depth knowledge of all things camera-related.