Photo answers review
Photo answers rating 
Features & handlingThe Panasonic GF1 is an exciting digital camera that benefits from the new Micro FourThirds lens mount. The first camera to use this format was the Olympus E-P1, which received great acclaim, so it’s no surprise to find other FourThirds partners producing similar models. The Panasonic LUMIX GF1 is not, however, a re-badged E-P1. It’s a feature-packed 12.1MP camera that also offers a built-in flash.
The debate over this camera being a DSLR or not is one that has been argued both ways. With a FourThirds sensor and removable lenses you can expect the same image quality and versatility you’d get from a FourThirds Olympus or Panasonic DSLR. With no viewfinder you use the LCD screen in permanent Live View mode, as you would on a compact. Effectively, this camera sits in a new hybrid category of DSLR/compact, and one that is yet to find a common name.
Let’s not distract ourselves from the key features that this camera offers. The FourThirds 12.1MP Live MOS sensor is the same as used in the latest DSLR models, so the image quality is potentially as good as those models. The 20mm lens that comes in the kitted £800 package is an excellent optic, with a maximum aperture f/1.7. The GF1 has HD quality movie capture that also includes sound, and no less than 12 film modes. These allow you to automatically calibrate the camera settings to replicate different styles of colour and tone. This mode includes two ‘My film’ settings for you to set your own desired look. Within the options you have B&W that can be selected as dynamic, smooth or normal. Putting the camera into a B&W mode is a great way of forcing you to think about monotone images at time of capture rather than as a post-production process. Some of the other film mode options like nature, vibrant, smooth and dynamic require a little bit of experimentation as they don’t work for all images, but they are still fun to try. Add to that a 3in LCD, 23-point AF and a mix of creative shooting modes, and you have an easy-to-use camera that packs a punch.
For the photographer who currently owns a DSLR or a compact, the GF1 is equally endearing. The layout is very intuitive, so you will discover that all the controls sit neatly within reach of your fingers and thumb. The grip is comfortable, and even a large hand will find it beds in well. On the top of the camera sits a very large control dial, and it is here that you select the main shooting modes, including the HD movie mode. To the side of this dial is also a quick movie record button, so you can start recording video no matter what mode you are in. It’s nice to have these modes so easily to hand, and you can switch between them very quickly. There is only the one selection control wheel, so in manual you have to press once on the wheel, which very neatly alternates the control for aperture and shutter settings. The 3in screen on the back of the camera is one of the best I have tested, which is quite some accolade. The thing that most impressed me was just how bright and visible it remained in strong daylight. The built-in flash is a flimsy contraption, so you need to take care when it is selected, but it does a great job of illuminating subjects at close range.
Performance & image qualityThe trouble with compacts is that they generally can’t compete with the DSLRs when it comes to image quality. Some brands have tried to offer larger chips in small bodies, and others have worked to improve the response of the sensor. But at the end of the day, a bigger sensor is best. What has been achieved by the development of Micro FourThirds is that both Panasonic and Olympus have been able to create this new range of compact DSLRs utilising a sensor that has been proven in the DSLR arena. They lack an optical viewfinder, but that’s a small problem when you look at the benefits. The FourThirds 12.1MP sensor in the GF1 is capable of delivering excellent detail for a camera of this diminutive size, and that’s what a camera should be about.
You can certainly see that the GF1 utilises a DSLR sensor, even when viewing the images on the LCD screen. This is because the level of detail and crispness is very apparent, especially when you place the camera alongside a compact. On a computer screen the images once again do not fail to impress. The camera produces well-exposed images in some quite challenging conditions. The tonal range is impressive, especially in low light where the camera does well. For skin tones, the Panasonic LUMIX GF1 produces natural colour and the auto white balance adjusts for the built-in flash, low light situations and daylight without any obvious colour tone errors.
Final verdictThe introduction of the mini DSLR is a very exciting category that will open up into a large-scale proposition over the next year or so. The GF1 is Panasonic’s third Micro FourThirds product and a very impressive camera it is too. There is little to dislike about the compact design, and the quality of the screen quickly combats any argument about the lack of viewfinder. HD video is a fun addition, but also a very serious tool for anyone who wants a fully versatile camera that takes high quality moving images as well as giving a solid stills performance.
Key specificationStreet price £800
Effective resolution 12.1MP
Sensor type 17.3x13mm 4:3
Crop factor 2x
Lens mount Micro FourThirds
Exposure modes P/A/S/M, scene, Movie
Metering modes 144-zone multi-pattern
ISO range 100-3200
Shooting speed 3fps
Card type SD/SDHC
LCD monitor size 3in 460k dot
Aspect ratio 4:3, 3:2,1:1, 16:9
Live View Yes with contrast AF
Autofocus 23-area
Integrated cleaning Yes
Built-in stabilisation No
Weight/size (wxhxd) 285g/119x71x36.3mm
