Photo answers review
Photo answers rating 
Boasting the title of currently being the world’s smallest and lightest Compact System Camera (CSC) with built-in flash, the new Panasonic DMC-GF2 is set to wow potential buyers with its impressive array of features. This is the replacement model for the hugely popular, award-winning GF1 that scooped the coveted Product of the Year title at the Practical Photography & Digital Photo Gear Of The Year 2010 awards. It’s a tough act to follow then, but Panasonic has clearly decided that a simple upgrade is not enough as the GF2 is a new design that is more compact than its predecessor and offers new features, including a touch-screen display.
A change of design Looking at the GF2, there are a couple of obvious changes from the GF1, with the top-plate lacking a command dial and the handgrip having been re-styled. The removal of the command dial is an interesting decision, as this was a nice feature that gave quick selection to the key shooting modes. But this has been taken off for good reason, as the selection now takes place on the new touch-control LCD screen. The removal of the dial has helped to reduce the size of the camera, with the body measuring 112.8x67.8x32.8mm compared to 119x71x36.3mm on the GF1.
A touch better The resolution has not been altered, as the camera still outputs 12MP files, so other than size, what is it that’s new? Well, there are two main upgrades that stand out. For video fans, the recording quality has been upgraded to full HD using the AVCHD recording format. On the back of the GF2 sits a 3in LCD, which is the same size as that found on the GF1. The difference is that this screen features touch-control technology so you have all the advantages that this brings. Touch-screen first appeared on a G-system camera with the G2, and it’s the same type of system employed here on the GF2. In Live View, you have the option to use touch-control to select where the camera focuses, as you simply tap the screen where you require the camera to lock-on. This is a very unusual feature and certainly fun to use, especially as it can also be used in video capture too. When it comes to shooting moving subjects, simply tap the screen to highlight the subject you want the camera to follow and it will do so until the subject leaves the screen, making this great for action images. You also have the option to fire the shutter and capture a still image by tapping your finger onto the subject on the screen. The menus can be controlled and settings altered on this LCD too, so it becomes very easy to get the camera set up. Not all the menus can be controlled on-screen, so you have regular controls still present to the side of the screen. In image playback, tap the touch-screen to zoom in, and stroke to move around a zoomed image or simply move to the next image.
Features Other than a touch-screen LCD and HD video, the GF2 has plenty more features to deliver creative images. On the top of the camera there’s a built-in flash and a hotshoe for an optional external flash to be fitted if desired. The hotshoe can also be used to mount an optional electronic viewfinder that connects into both the hotshoe and a port just below it. Also found on the top-plate is a stereo microphone for use with the video mode, and alongside the shutter release a dedicated movie capture button. This allows you to instantly start recording movies without having to select various modes or settings. Other than the power switch the only other button on the top-plate is for the iA (intelligent Auto) mode. This is a rather clever option for those who need a helping hand. This setup will give the camera full control to automatically detect what you are trying to capture and set the camera accordingly. What’s rather neat is that you have a sliding adjuster on the LCD that allows you to alter the range of defocus (depth-of-field), so that you can blur the background. You simply slide your finger along the scale to alter the focus – simple and effective stuff. The My Colour mode offers a range of eight digital effects like Mono, Dynamic Colour and a Silhouette mode. You also have 17 scene modes to select from, and each has a handy hint displayed on the screen so you know how best to use it. On top of these there are the usual offering of manual, shutter-priority, aperture-priority and program modes. The majority of these can be used not only in stills photography but also in the camera’s movie mode. Panasonic has always offered a selection of shooting formats on the G-series, so it’s no surprise to find the GF2 has 16:9, 4:3, 3:2 and 1:1, enabling you to cover video playback on a widescreen TV and in more traditional photographic image proportions.
Performance Our sample came with the 14mm pancake lens, which is a good optic to use on this camera as it keeps everything compact. It’s also a fast lens with a wide aperture of f/2.5, making it great for a variety of conditions. The camera is blessed with the latest Venus Engine FHD processor with advanced signal processing and advanced noise reduction. It also boasts Intelligent Resolution to help improve image quality from the 12.1MP chip. The drive speed is a rather slow 3.2fps, but this is common on CSC models. It’s not so much about speed, but more ease of use combined with a quality output. The camera is very intuitive to use and the fast contrast AF system delivers rapid focus, plus of course you have the touch-control elements. Images display very impressive exposure, even when the light is at its most demanding, the tonal range is well delivered and the camera provides natural colours. From our test shots with the 14mm lens the focus wasn’t as impressive as we’d hoped for. Edge definition at wider apertures was noticeably soft, but focus wasn’t bad across the centre of the frame.
Final verdict We really like this camera and are impressed by the versatility the touch-screen brings. The smaller and lighter design is great for those who want a camera that can be popped into a pocket, but with a more sophisticated performance. The images are certainly much better than from almost any compact, so the GF2 delivers in that respect. We would like some form of image stabilisation, as this would provide a more complete package, but you can get IS lenses for the G-system so it’s not an impossible problem to resolve. The price is always going to look high at launch, but it’s reasonable to expect this £630 price-tag with the 14mm lens to drop with time.
www.panasonic.co.uk
Key spec Street price (with 14mm) £630
Effective resolution 12.1MP
Sensor type 17.3x13mm Live MOS
Crop factor 2x
Lens mount G-System Micro Four Thirds
Metering 144-zone multi-pattern sensing system
ISO range 100-6400
Shooting speed (max.) 3.2fps
Card type SD/SDHC
LCD size 3in 460k dot touch-screen
Video 1280x720p/30fps
Live View Yes
Built-in stabilisation No
Weight/size (wxhxd) 475g/112.8x67.8x32.8mm