Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1

Manual Controls

User-controlled exposure modes include program, aperture-priority, shutter-priority and full manual. Exposure compensation is available in a 3-stop range, in 1/3 stop intervals. 

Manual focus is available via an on-camera control rather than the usual switch on the lens barrel. The focus assist feature works very well, offering enlarged views of up to 10x to enable fine focus precision.

There's also a programmable Fn button as part of the four-way control cluster, which lets you choose fast access to a control you find particularly relevant. Available options include aspect ratio, image quality, metering mode, dynamic range optimization (called iExposure), guide line display, move record area and remaining movie recording time display.

Focus

When we worked with the Lumix G1, we were very impressed with the quick, reliable performance of the camera's contrast-based autofocus system. Unlike the other Live View autofocus systems we've experimented with, the G1 is capable of keeping up with fast action. The pre-production version of the GH1 we tried appeared to handle about the same, even in a modestly lit room, but the final judgment will have to wait for a production model camera. 

Autofocus modes include auto focus single (where focus is locked when the shutter button is halfway depressed), auto focus continuous, where the camera follows the moving subject until you fully press the shutter to take the photo.
 

ISO

ISO sensitivity ranges from 100 to 3200. There is a standard Auto ISO capability and also an Intelligent ISO system, which uses scene recognition to boost ISO to allow faster shutter speeds when shooting action scenes.

White Balance

In addition to automatic white balance, the GH1 provides daylight, cloudy, shade, halogen, flash, two custom settings (allowing you to store recorded white balance readings for later use) and direct entry of color temperature information.

Metering

The LUMX GH1 uses a 144-zone metering system, with Intelligent Multiple (attempting to achieve a balanced setting across the entire image), center-weighted and spot options.

Shutter Speed

Shutter speeds range from a speedy 1/4000 second to a luxuriously long 60 seconds, plus bulb mode which continues the exposure as long as you keep the shutter button mashed down.

Aperture

Lens aperture will, of course, depend entirely on the lens attached. There is a depth-of-field preview button, which allows you to stop down the lens to shooting aperture so you can see how much of the photo will actually be in focus.

Image Stabilization

The GH1 reles on image stabilization within a given lens rather than the in-body image stabilization found in Sony and Olympus cameras.
 

Picture Quality & Size Options

Four aspect ratios are available: 4:3 (maximum resolution 4000 x 3000), 3:2 (maximum resolution 4128 x 2752), 16:9 (maximum resolution 4352 x 2448) and 1:1 (maximum resolution 2992 x 2992). RAW and RAW+JPEG shooting is supported.
 

Picture Effects

Panasonic offers a selection of Film Modes, combinations of settings for saturation, hue, contrast and sharpness that mimic choices of different film types in traditional photography. Shooting in color these include standard, dynamic, nature, smooth, nostaglic and vibrant. Black and white also has its options: stnadard, dynamic and smooth. There are two slots for user-created settings, and the option to bracket three film types.