3.6The Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1 is a Four-Thirds format, 7.5-megapixel DSLR with live preview. It comes with an optically stabilized Leica D Vario-Elmarit 14-50mm, f/ 2.8-3.5 lens; the camera body and lens package is priced online at about $1,750, although the retail is $1,999. Panasonic and Leica have a close relationship – many lenses on compact Panasonic cameras are branded Leica, even though Panasonic builds them. The L1's seemingly-familiar styling furthers that parallel and assumes a form that will be immediately recognizable to Leica fans. Add a kit lens that is at least a full f-stop faster than competitors' standard lenses and Panasonic enters the DSLR market with a distinct and competitive package.
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1 can shoot images in 4:3, 3:2 or 16:9 aspect ratios. In 4:3, it takes images that are 3136 x 2352 pixels, 2560 x 1920 pixels or 2048 x 1536 pixels. In 3:2, it takes 3136 x 2080, 2560 x 1712 or 2048 x 1360-pixel images. In 16:9, the pixel dimensions are 3136 x 1760 or 1920 x 1080. The L1 shoots RAW files, or JPEGs at three different compression levels. Super-fine files are about twice as big as Fine files, and Fine files are about twice as big as Standard files. Super-fine files are much higher quality than the smaller files, of course. RAW files shorten the burst mode to 6 images, but JPEG images can be recorded until the memory card is full.
Picture Effects Mode (7.5)
The Panasonic L1 offers four preset color effects, three black and white effects, and two user-determined effects. The color effects are Standard; Dynamic, which boosts contrast and saturation; Nature, which boosts saturation for reds, blues and greens; and Smooth, which decreases contrast. The black and white effects are Standard, Dynamic and Smooth. The custom effects, called My Film 1 and My Film 2, allow the user to adjust contrast, sharpness, saturation and noise reduction. Picture effects can only be applied in the recording mode; they cannot be added in playback mode.
