Panasonic DMC-G1

Value (5.00)
This is a tricky area when evaluating the Lumix G1. In most ways, Panasonic has delivered precisely what they promised with this model, and that's saying something for the first camera in a new format. On the other hand, $800 is a lot of money for a camera that by most measures performs on par with conventional SLRs, but certainly doesn't surpass them, and can't match the extensive array of lenses available in more established formats. Unless you're the kind of early adopter who's willing to pay a premium price for I-got-it-first bragging rights, we rate the G1 a middling value.

Comparisons

Canon Rebel XSi – One of our favorite mid-level SLRs, The XSi with an 18-55mm lens lists for about the price as the G1 kit, and is available for roughly $150 less from discounter retailers. It delivers nearly the same resolution in a substantially larger camera, and while the XSi does offer Live View shooting, it's barely practical to use, particularly if your subjects have the nerve to move around. However, the Canon performance was either basically equal to or notably better than the the Panasonic in all our lab tests, notably when it comes to image noise and white balance,and is compatible with a wealth of lenses and accessories the G1 can't touch. 

 Nikon D60 – The 10.2-megapixel D60 lists for $750 with an 18-55mm image stabilized lens, though of course you'll find it selling at a lower price at retail. It's a relatively compact camera as SLRs go, weighing in at just over a pound without lens, battery and so on, which makes it just slightly heavier than the G1, but the lack of a mirror mechanism gives the G1 a definite depth advantage: it's just 1.8 inches thick, versus 2.5 inches for the Nikon. Beyond portability, the G1 emerged from our lab tests with notably superior scores in color accuracy and dynamic range, though the D60 was much the better when it came to image noise, so we'd call it a wash. In this match-up, we like the Panasonic for its Live View performance and portability, the Nikon for its wide-ranging lens availability.

Nikon D90 – The 12.3-megapixel D90 is one of our favorite cameras of the year, albeit a pricey choice at $1000 plus a lens. Looking at the lab results, it's interesting to see that in a few categories, notably color accuracy and low light performance, the little G1 actually scored better than the D90. And there's certainly no question which one you'd rather lug from place to place. Given the available fundage, we'd still pick the Nikon, as you might imagine, for its extraordinary depth of photographic features and overall performance, but it's intriguing how well the Panasonic stands up on several image quality comparisons

Olympus E-520 – With a list price of $699.99 with a 14-42mm lens, the Olympus sells for significantly less than the new Panasonic. It's a 10-megapixel model that supports auto focus while shooting in Live View mode, though our reviewer found this capability was well hidden in a complex menu system. The Olympus is a 4:3 format camera with image stabilization built into the camera itself, while the Panasonic requires an image-stabilized lens to fight camera shake and has fewer available lenses. When it comes to performance testing, though, the G1 significantly outperformed the E-520 on every measure. 

Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters – In many ways this camera is just right for the point-and-shooter looking for a more satisfying photo experience; the LCD-based shooting style feels familiar, but there's more control and faster performance than your typical compact camera. The option to use  interchangeable lenses is a bit limited by the current lineup, but there's a decent telephoto and hope for the future. Some of the controls may prove overly complicated and intimidating, though, with deep menus and options more suited to experienced SLR shooters.

Budget Consumers – You can take equivalent photos with a far less expensive, albeit bulkier,SLR, 

Manual Control Freaks – While it can't hold a candle to the extraordinary depth of customization and control available in higher-end SLRs, the G1 provides exceptional depth for a relatively compact camera, including full manual and aperture-priority / shutter-priority shooting, the option to assign functions to a programmable button and do-it-yourself film modes that let you effectively store groups of image settings and access them quickly.

Pros / Serious Hobbyists – We can't see hardcore photographers moving over to Micro Four Thirds just yet, given the limited selection of lenses, the 2x lens format magnfication level (which cuts down on wide-angle options) and image quality that's very good compared to other cameras in the price range, but never threatens the scores posted by higher-end gear.