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Panasonic G1 Digital Camera First Impression Review

First Impressions Review

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Physical Tour

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Design / Layout
September 25, 2008 By Steve Morgenstern
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Viewfinder
The G1 includes an electronic viewfinder with approximately 100% view and 1.4x magnification. Unlike the typical LCD-based viewfinder, this one uses LCOS display technology drawn from Panasonic's professional video division. Colors were well-saturated and the image looked sharp, though not awe-inspiring. We're told that the final version will outperform the pre-production model we experienced, but we're told a lot of things; we'll wait to review the final version before we draw too many conclusions.


Sensors beside the viewfinder turn the LCD off
when you hold the camera to your eye.

LCD Screen
The LCD screen is the primary focus of your photographic efforts when shooting with the G1, and it's a handsome example, measuring 3 inches across with 460,000-dot resolution and user-adjustable brightness settings. Too often on SLR cameras with Live View mode, the image stutters when panning the camera across a scene at even moderate speed. No such problem with the G1, which proved capable of keeping up even when chasing deer racing across a field (by panning the camera, that is, not racing madly after them).

In record mode, the DISPLAY button toggles between three views:

- the standard view with minimal overlaid information

- a viewfinder-style screen that mimics a traditional SLR display; there's a black bar at the bottom of the screen and shooting information overlaid on top of it

- a status panel view featuring a rectangular grid of information boxes showing current settings for white balance, ISO, auto focus mode, metering mode, file size and type, etc. This view is particularly useful if you then press the Quick Menu (Q MENU) button on top of the camera, which lets you adjust any of the settings shown by maneuvering to them with the four-way controller and pressing the MENU/SET button.

In playback mode, DISPLAY toggles between four modes:

- clean screen with image only displayed

- standard shooting information image overlaid on image

- extended information display, with thumbnail photo shown at top left

- thumbnail photo mode with four histograms displayed on the right

The G1 LCD can be laid flat against the camera body or extended out,
as shown here. And while this shot was taken at a German trade show,
you won't have to sprechen Deutsch to use the G1.

Flash
According to Panasonic, the pop-up flash has a guide number of 11 at ISO 100. The flash supports auto shooting, automatic with red-eye reduction, mandatory flash (used to fill in shadows in otherwise bright environments), mandatory flash with red-eye reduction, slow sync, slow sync with red-eye reduction and flash prohibited.


The relatively high flash position helps minimize red-eye.

Lens Mount
One feature of Micro Four Thirds cameras that enables their small size is a lens mount diameter that's smaller by 6 centimeters than a traditional SLR. By way of size and weight comparison, Panasonic points to the 14-50mm lens the company'sells for its L10 SLR. That lens weighs 434 grams. The kit 14-45mm lens for the G1, on the other hand, weighs 195 grams.

The Micro Four Thirds lenses and mounts also support two more electrical contact pins than standard Four Thirds lenses, to support promised future enhancements.

Initially Panasonic will ship two lenses for the G1, the kit lens (14-45mm, equivalent to 28mm - 90mm in 35mm photography) and a 45-200mm telephoto (90mm-400mm equivalent). We shot with both, and found them solidly built and comfortable to handle. Swapping between the two, which we did several times moving from cramped indoor spaces to outdoor shooting situations, proved easy to master: the relatively small size actually makes maneuvering lenses a bit easier than usual.

There is some confusion in the claims being made for backward compatibility with existing Four Thirds-standard lenses. Yes, both the older Four Thirds SLR standard and the new Micro Four Thirds format use the same size sensor, and offer the same 2x magnification factor (unlike most digital SLRs, which multiply the physical lens mm measurement by 1.5 to get the effective lens range in relation to 35mm photography). And there will be an adapter that enables mounting all, or nearly all (its unclear until we try it) Four Thirds lenses on a Micro Four Thirds body.  Only a handful of current lenses, though, will support the contrast-detection auto focus used in Micro Four Thirds cameras, and manually focusing a teeny lens is nobody's idea of a good time.


The smaller lens diameter of Micro Four Thirds lenses
contributes to the camera's diminutive design.

Connections
Two doors on the left side of the camera shield connection ports. The smaller, top cover opens to reveal a remote control connector. Below that is a larger door hiding the mini-HDMI connector and a micro USB port.


Micro USB and mini HDMI ports are provided --
that's the fact, jack.
Battery
The G1 is powered by a new lithium-ion rechargeable, rated at 7.2V 1250mAh. According to Panasonic, the battery will shoot approximately 330 images in CIPA-standard testing; we'll know more about the real world battery life when we get a production unit in for testing.

 
The battery is keyed to fit in properly without looking, a useful feature.
Memory
The G1 accepts SD and high-capacity SDHC memory cards..


The position of the memory card slot enables quick changes.

Other Features
Dust removal – The Lumix G1 incorporates a vibrating filter that shakes off dust that would otherwise accumulate on the image sensor.

Image stabilization – Sensor-shift image stabilization is provided in three flavors: continuous (very responsive, but high power consumption), shutter-depressed (i.e., it kicks in when you half-press the shutter to focus) and vertical, which only stabilizes in a single direction to support smooth horizontal panning.

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Panasonic G1 Digital Camera First Impression Review
First Impressions Review
1 Comments
(add your own)

Previous: Page 1

Physical Tour

Previous: Page 3

Design / Layout