|
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 12.1MP Micro Four-Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with LUMIX G 20mm f/1.7 Aspherical Lens
Price: $899.95
|
|
Availability: Usually ships in 4 to 7 weeks
|
| 4/3-type 12.1-megapixel Live MOS sensor; clear images even when taken at high ISO sensitivity |
| Elegant, compact design; includes Lumix G 20mm f/1.7 aspherical lens |
| Capture 1280 x 720 HD video in AVCHD Lite format for longer recording time |
| Full-time Live View; new My Color mode |
| Capture images to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included) |
|
Accessories
|
Customers Reviews
2009-11-16
Not the holy grail - not yet
Ok - so this is hands down the best little camera available right now. But is it good enough? My humble opinion - not so. I bought this camera from Amazon a month ago - with the 20mm 1.7 lens. I have used it for a vacation in Barbados as well as street photography and 'go anywhere' type of shots. Here are my impressions.
Pros:
- Nice form factor and small size. It can easily slip into a big pocket.
- Finally, someone figured out the contrast detection autofocus. It's not perfect. On about 5% of my shots - the autofocus locked but the shot came out clearly misfocused. I found this to be acceptable, though.
- The 20mm 1.7 is a great lens - very sharp, very fast and a pleasure to use.
- The build quality is good.
- The camera feels solid, the controls are generally well laid off, and it is speedy to shoot.
- The features offered are on par or above the mid level DSLRs out there.
- Good image quality up to ISO 200.
- The display is good (especially when compared with the dinky display of the EP1), but not as good as the Nikons and Canons in the same price range (e.g. 3inch, 920k dots).
Cons:
- Overall image quality came below my expectations - for a sensor close to APS-C in size. It's head and shoulders above a compact camera, but for $900, you can get much better IQ from an entry level or mid level DSLR, especially above ISO 200.
- Low light performance is at the level of APS-C sensor a generation or two ago (think Nikon D40, not Nikon D90). This is particularly problematic in the shadows - with significant noise visible at relatively low ISOs - e.g. ISO400. The noise is also of the worst type - chrominance as opposed to luminance.
- I do not miss the viewfinder and I would not get the optional EVF for this. You have to get used to a new way of shooting with this camera - in front of you, using the screen in the back for composition. HOWEVER, in order for this to work, one needs two essential things (both missing in the GF1): an electronic horizon level (to make sure you're lining up those shots) and in body stabilization to compensate for the extra shake from not having this camera supported on three points (two hands + your face) as for a DSLR. This was the deal breaker for me. I found that the rule of thumb for DSLR - shoot at 1 over the 35mm focal length equivalent does not work for the GF1 way of shooting. For the 20mm, not image stabilized, to ensure a good shot - I would have to shoot at 1/80s.
- Other than the 20mm lens (which is great), all the other m34 lenses out there are too big - they negate the size advantage of the format. So I don't really buy the interchangeability advantage - if you want a small package, the 20mm is going to live on your camera, and you shouldn't really pay an premium over non-interchangeable package such as Sigma DP1 or DP2.
- It is overpriced at $900+. The G1 - the GF1's bigger brother (same sensor) sells as a kit for $700. Considering that G1 has a EVF incorporated, and the GF1 lacks that, I value the GF1 kit at around $600. I hope its price settles there after the initial feeding frenzy is over.
- If you are serious about image quality, you shoot raw and part of your workflow involves post processing the image. In that workflow, the GF1 is held back by the fact that the in camera choices you make (film modes, contrast correction, etc.) are not carried over to the RAW developer included with the package - Silkypix. You have to start all over again - which is annoying and a waste of time. I wish Panasonic put some resources in developing their own raw developer - like Nikon's Capture NX or Canon's DPP - this way they can carry over the settings once you get to the computer.
- If you don't shoot raw, well - you have another problem to deal with - the jpeg engine incorporated in the camera is mediocre at best. The colors are off (especially the blues) and the dynamic range of the jpegs is 2 or 3 stops below what the sensor is capable of.
- Crappy flash sync speed of 1/160. This not only applies to the underpowered built in flash, but also external flashes. The GF1 does not offer high speed flash sync like the better DSLRs out there. This is very limiting when you want fill flash on a bright Caribbean day.
So, what does this all mean? If you are looking for a small camera to carry around - either get one of the fixed lens packages from Sigma, Leica, etc. or wait until Olympus perfects the autofocus on the EP series. If you are looking for a travel camera - go for an entry level or mid level DSLR - the size and weight difference is not that great and the difference in flexibility and image quality is well worth the tradeoff. The m43 format has potential, but we're not quite there yet.
| 
2009-11-05
great camera, horrible price
i preordered this at the MSRP of $900 last month and today (nov 5th, 2009), the exact same thing is $1600 - a 78% increase by Pavilion Electronics!!!!!!!!! i'm knocking Pavilion Electronics more than Panasonic. don't buy from them. it's price gouging. find another retailer.
great little camera. not perfect but as close to perfect as you can find anywhere today. included software isn't worth beans. still can't figure an easy way to convert/view AVCHD Lite on my PC. i'd stay with photoshop to do my editing.
other nitpicks... my biggest complaint is that the drive mode button underneath the main mode button should have been designed "tighter" because whenever you change modes, it's easy to knock the drive mode button off. the control dial on the rear panel is also a bit funky. it doesn't protrude out far enough so when you're making an exposure setting adjustment, you really have to get your thumb in there and press hard to work it. also, wish they put more of a curve on the handgrip so i feel like i have a good grip on the camera. i stuck a little friction tape over it. i put on a UV filter to protect the lens and also found a 46mm metal screw-in lens hood and a lens cap to fit over the lens hood. specs says color bit depth is only 12-bits. wish they had made it a 14-bit sensor for higher image quality.
it was pricey when i bought it and now it's way out of line. don't support Pavilion Electronics!
| 
2009-10-31
Great walk-around camera with 20mm lens
Excellent image quality via processing raw photos with the included software or with Lightroom. It's worth the extra effort to process raw photos - the jpgs from the camera are ok, but it's easy to get better color, contrast and sharpness from raws.
The 20mm has excellent sharpness when jpgs are created from raw files, and a very nice smooth look in out of focus areas (nice bokeh). Shooting at f1.7 to f2.8 produces really nice isolation of close subjects from the more distant backgrounds. Great for environmental portraits and general photography.
The way Panasonic has designed the operation of manual focus is excellent. You put it in manual focus mode, then turn the focusing ring on the lens, and automatically the image on the LCD is magnified, so it's easy to see enough detail to focus accurately. The focusing is done electronically and moving the lens focus ring produces minor changes in focus, such that it's easy to fine-tune the focus. GF1's autofocus is reasonably fast and very accurate, but it's nice to have manual focus for special situations.
The grip on the right side of the camera is a little slippery for my taste, and that's one thing on the camera I think Panasonic could have done a better job on.
Exposure compensation is done a bit differently than most other cameras, but it's easy to learn and I've found it convenient and secure in use.
I am used to DSLR image quality and I would say that this camera and lens delivers quality very similar to 1.5x (cropped sensor) DSLRs. With the 20mm f1.7 lens I actually prefer the GF1's image quality to that of cropped sensor cameras using typical consumer-grade zoom lenses. I've sold my cropped sensor DSLR and in the future would consider only a full DSLR (Sony 850, etc.). I do mainly landscapes and general photography. If I was shooting sports or wildlife then a cropped sensors DSLR makes a lot of sense - those are not jobs for a camera like a GF1.
Another benefit is for taking this camera on a vacation trip, where you want to get high quality photos, but don't want to take a larger heavier camera, such as an SLR. It's much easier to have around your neck or shoulder than a heavier bulkier camera like a DSLR. Also, it doesn't stand out as much to onlookers - it's much stealthier (at least with the 20mm lens).
ISOs up to 400 provide very low noise images. Faster ISOs up to 1600 yield more obvious noise, but still very usable shots.
I like the angle of view that the 20 mm lens offers (equiv to 40mm in standard focal length terms - a moderate wide angle, or 'wide-normal'). Ok for many scenics and ok for portraits wider than head & shoulders. Not fussing around with a zoom is a nice change of pace. Yes some shots that can only be obtained with wider or longer lens will be missed (unless you take the time to change lenses - in which case some shots might be missed entirely), but the simplicity shooting with just one focal length (that happens to be a versatile focal length) has resulted a more pleasurable experience than shooting with a zoom and a higher percentage of 'keepers' for me.
VIDEO - I've shot a few videos on AVCHD-lite. The video quality is very good. Audio mediocre at best. I use Media Player Classic-Home software (virtually free) to play the videos on my computer. I suggest this to my friends to they can play my videos on their PC. Although Panasonic provides software on included CD, not many people will have that! I wonder when Windows Media Player and Quicktime players will finally provide built-in codecs for AVCHD. Maybe it's a competition thing. AVCH-lite seems to me to provide better quality than the alternate format provided in the camera (mov).
|
2009-10-25
Very High Marks, Between DSLR & Pocket Camera
Summary: This is an excellent camera for its intended use--prosumer controls on a camera that is much lighter than a DSLR but not small enough to slip in the pockets in your shirt or pants. Outstanding build quality, flexible feature set, good but not superb low light performance.
Background: My previous digital experience is with Nikon DSLRs (D3, D200, D70, D40x and with Canon "SD" or digital elph pocket cameras (several models). I am an experienced photographer, shooting both raw and jpeg in all modes (fully manual, automatic, etc).
Comments: Like many photographers who use DSLRs, I have been looking for a camera that is easy to carry, but provides the same level of control and image quality associated with DSLR cameras. The features that are important to me are: (1) full manual control over exposure (aperture, shutter speed, and ISO); (2) useable built-in flash, (3) high quality screen for image review, (4) portability, including both volume and weight, (5) decent low-light performance, (6) excellent image quality from both raw and jpeg files, and (7) design (simple and elegant). My impression after several hundred images is that the GR1 with the 20mm pancake lens is the first camera that falls within the acceptable range on all my criteria. Here are some thoughts about specific features:
(1) The control system is complex, but can be mastered within a few hours of normal use. Once you learn to use the control wheel (which can be depressed to switch between modes), it is easy to adjust aperture and shutter speed. The "quick menu" provides easy access to most important features, and the programmable function button is very handy.
(2) the built-in flash is usable for "fill flash" and for a limited range of situations, but is not sufficiently powerful for most flash applications. I prefer natural light and rarely use flash for any reason other than fill, so the flash meets my needs.
(3) the image review screen is excellent. I did purchase the external viewfinder. I find it useable for framing and for for manual focus. It is not a high resolution screen, but I do not regret the purchase. After an initial trial period, I now leave it off the camera most of the time.
(4) the GF1 just meets my need for portability. No interchangeable lens camera will fit easily in a pants or shirt pocket, and the GF1 does not. It does fit in a jacket pocket with the 20mm pancake lens attached. It can be carried in a smallish purse or bag. It fits easily in a computer bag, messenger bag, or in a backpack compartment. It easily can be stowed in a medium-sized or larger camera bag--it is small enough so that it will not displace a significant amount of gear. Of course, I would be thrilled if there were a camera with the capacities of the GF1 that were even smaller, but I find the tradeoff to be very acceptable. The GF1 has now totally displaced my current Canon SD (digital elph or Ixus).
(5) the low-light performance is acceptable, especially at the 1.7 aperture of the 20mm pancake lens. Of course, the low-light performance of the GF1 does not come close to the Nikon D3, but the images at ISO 800 are very acceptable and I find the ISO 1600 & ISO 3200 images to be useable--although I am not bothered by graininess.
(6) more generally, the image quality is excellent. In my opinion, the image quality is substantially better than any P&S camera with which I am familiar. I have no experience with the new Canon G11 or S90--but I suspect that in some situations the GF1 with the better Micro Four Thirds lenses will have a significant edge over those cameras. Many of the images from the GF1 have significant "pop" or "wow factor." As is usually the case, the raw files can produce better images with post-processing (I use Lightroom and Photoshop), but I am happy with the jpegs, including the black and white jpegs.
(7) the design is (in my opinion) excellent. I am impressed by the simplicity of the design. The camera feels very solid and in my (large) hand, it has a satisfying "heft." Tastes differ, of course, but I believe that many users will find this camera to be among the most aesthetically attractive cameras on the market today--taking into account appearance, ergonomics, and build-quality.
Conclusion: The GF1 with the pancake lens is a real step forward in the category of compact cameras for serious photographers. In my opinion, it is the best camera in its "weight class" as of October 2009. Rumor are flying about new cameras from Nikon, Ricoh, Sony, and others; and Leica has announced the X1--so a case could be made for delaying a purchase for a few months. But in my experience, the GF1 is a very satisfying camera. Like many other reviewers, I am using the GF1 extensively in situations where it is difficult to cary a heavy DSLR with multiple lenses.
|
2009-10-24
A Fantastic camera overall...Almost perfect!
I am very impressed with this GF1 overall. I also own the Olympus E-P1 so I can't help but compare the two. The build on the GF1 in my opinion is just slightly less as good, or as beautiful? As the E-P1. Opinions will vary on this. I bring up this point mostly because the E-P1 is 100% metal..the GF1 has hard plastic on the top where the hot shoe, shutter is etc. It's no big deal..and even $2,000 SlRs use this sort of plastic but I immediately felt if nothing else, the E-P1 is a bit more luxurious LOOKING. I also owned an LX3 and found IT to look just a tad more SPECIAL than the GF1. HOWEVER to play the other side of the fence the GF1 feels solid as a brick..it seems VERY well made, MADE IN JAPAN vs E-P1 made in China..if anyone cares. Ok so much for looks..that of course is in the eye of the beholder.
Finally the review of the CAMERA:
I was simply amazed at my first snapshots. I was expecting sort of unrealistic skin tones, Blah greens, blues..as I kept reading how the Oly's colors are so much better especially in jpeg form. WOW WRONG! This Gf-1 takes Stunning pictures Even as jpgs...Realistic color (In my opinion maybe more realistic than the E-P1'S too punchy/contrasty colors outdoors EVEN in jpeg form) If you shoot raw, the GF1 just shines even more.
As everyone has written the focus speed is AMAZING, fast as can be..but more importantly seems VERY accurate. I could never really get SHARP pics out of my E-P1. The GF1 blows away the E-P1 in my opinion regarding "detail" in pictures. I know maybe the 20mm lens has something to do with this as well.
I am also impressed with it's dynamic range so far. I am not getting the blown highlights I got with my E-P1 and I am getting less overall shadow vs too bright sun. Another words to my eyes..the GF1 is taking pics much more as your eye sees the scene,..not Overexposed/dark.
In truth I wanted to give the GF1 4.5 stars.. I say that because I find it a bit of a shame that neither the 20mm lens or the body has stabilization. I have read all the reviews how with an aperture of 1.7 you are not going to NEED stabilization in low light...I suppose that is mostly true, BUT the point of these reviews "I feel are to help people make decisions about a product." I find that about 25% of my pictures indoors in semi low light often blur SLIGHTLY because of hand shake..pressing the shutter etc. I know with the zoom you do get the IS but too bad they could not include stabilization with the pancake. Could have been PERFECT! That being said...other than in low light..I am taking the sharpest blur free pictures of my life with this gem.
One more semi negative I don't see mentioned much I am seeing a bit more chromatic aberration (Purple fringing on high contrast areas..) than I noticed with my E-P1 oddly with the Zukio zoom..a supposed lesser lens. I read software can auto fix this..maybe they are talking about Silky Pix..I have not installed that as I use CS4 Photoshop. I am REALLY picking though..the pictures on a whole look AMAZING mostly, with very accurate color and actually very LITTLE purple fringing..I just wanted to tell all I have noticed.
As mentioned in many reviews the E-P1 does look better at higher ISOs..the GF1 gets a bit of yellowy noise about 800 and above in lower light, where the E-P1 looks cleaner to me. BUT with the bright 20mm lens, I have found that the GF1 at 400 iso may have pics that looks as bright as the E-P1 set to roughly 640-800 iso. So you no need USE as high an iso as you need do on the E-P1 ..to my eyes at least.
To sort of sum up, overall pictures from the GF1 they look ..almost stunning. I have NO pictures that I can say look stunning coming from my E-P1.
The GF1 feels great to handle..it has an awesome intelligent auto mode..it is much less complicated to figure out than the e-p1, yet equally as powerful or more. The built in flash IS useful and a big plus for the GF1 especially for fill or just to help out a little in semi low light if you like. Battery life seems GREAT much better than the E-P1...screen looks VERY good...movies look great too.
I can't imagine anyone NOT loving the GF1 once you get to know it a bit. I am still learning and already, IT is helping me to take some wonderful pictures.
I had written a review on the E-P1 and gave it 5 stars too..but now OWNING the GF1 I'd probably have to knock the E-P1 down to a 4. Either camera is actually excellent and they border on "GREAT" in my opinion, BUT the GF1 takes AMAZING pictures where in my opinion the E-P1's are more ordinary.though still good too.
If you buy a GF1 I promise you it's IMPOSSIBLE to NOT like it or LOVE it..GREAT camera.I highly recommend it!
| |
|
Product Details
Batteries Included:
Binding: Electronics
Brand: Panasonic
Color:
EAN: 0037988263851
Floppy Disk Drive Description: None
Has Red Eye Reduction: 1
Is Autographed:
Is Memorabilia:
Label: Panasonic
Legal Disclaimer:
Manufacturer: Panasonic
Model: DMC-GF1C-K
Publisher: Panasonic
Release Date:
Special Features:
Studio: Panasonic
System Memory Size: |
Panasonic Cameras HistoryPanasonic Corporation (formerly known as Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.) is a multinational corporation based in Kadoma, Japan.
Panasonic was founded in 1918 by Konosuke Matsushita. The company was first selling duplex lamp sockets.
In 1931 began the production of radios. But earlier, in 1927, it produced a bicycle lamp, and it was their first product marketed under the brand name National – meaning for people, for nation. The production of road and touring bicycles and their components composed a substantial portion of the goods manufactured by National/Panasonic Corporation from 1945 through the end of the 1980s.
In 1955, the company labeled its export audio speakers "PanaSonic", which was the first time it used its "Panasonic" brand name. This name was created from the elements "pan" meaning "all" combined with "sonic" meaning "sound”.
After Konosuke Matsushita traveled to the United States in 1961, Panasonic began producing television sets for the U.S. market under the Panasonic brand name, and expanded the use of the brand to Europe in 1979. The company began opening its plants around the world. It quickly developed a reputation for its reliable products - televisions, radios, and home appliances.
In the 1980-s, Panasonic continued to produce <... More About Panasonic Cameras |
Panasonic TM350 Full-HD Semi Professional Camcorder
Panasonic announced the new, limited edition HD semi professional camcorder, the Panasonic TM350. Being a sister model to the HDC-TM300, it offers larger capacity flash memory, new Advanced O.I.S and improved low light performance.
The TM350 Full-HD 3MOS camcorder has three separate color sensors to process red, green and blue, so you get clearer true-to-life color. Other highlights include 12 x optical zoom, a manual focus ring, Electronic Viewfinder (EVF), Hot Shoe and mic terminal.
Th ...
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1 aka DMC-ZX1 UltraCompact
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1 (also known as the DMC-ZX1 in Europe) is an ultra-compact digital camera with 12 megapixels of resolution, 2.7 inch LCD screen and 8x optical zoom lens in a metal body just 2.6 cms thick.
The DMC-ZR1 is a versatile, straight-forward and easy-to-use point and shoot camera with no manual controls. It offers the Intelligent Auto mode and a bunch of scene modes (29!) to provide for easy shooting and to help beginners make nice shots.
At the heart of the camera lie ...
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 aka FZ38 Advanced Digital Camera
Cameras.co.uk have posted the camera's review with samples!
Panasonic introduces the LUMIX DMC-FZ35 (aka DMC-FZ38 in Europe) that spots a powerful 27mm wide-angle 18x optical zoom lens, 12.1 megapixels of resolution and HD movie capabilities. The camera is a successor to the popular FZ28.
The camera features the upgraded POWER Optical Image Stabilizer (O.I.S.), and ultra high-speed Auto Focus (AF) for capturing action scenes as they happen.
Alongside with full manual controls there� ...
Panasonic GF1 Micro Four Thirds Digital Camera
What's new: The camera's full review is available at Dpreview!
Panasonic has announced the new Micro Four Thirds digital camera, the LUMIX DMC-GF1. It claims to be the world's smallest and lightest system camera with built-in flash and HD movie recording.
The GF1 features 4/3-type 12.1-megapixel Live MOS sensor and can deliver up to 60 frames-per-second Full-time Live View images. Its large, 3.0-inch Intelligent LCD with a wide viewing angle offers automatic backlight control as well as ...
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP8 Fast Digital Camera
What's new: Digitalcamerareview has reviewed the camera!
Panasonic has released the Lumix DMC-FP8 digital compact with folding optics. It features 12.1 megapixels of resolution, 4.6x optical zoom, 2.7 inch LCD and HD video recording - in a card style body.
The camera features a high-quality 28mm wide-angle lens with folding optics to secure the toughness of the lens unit. So the body is flat due to the retracting lens with folding optics without a fixed lens barrel.
A key feature of ...
|
 |
|
|
;){kind=link}