Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1

Panasonic's Lumix DMC-GF1 might be the ideal camera for anyone who doesn't want to make major compromises when they're not using a single-lens reflex (SLR) camera. The DMC-GF1 is also good if you'd like to upgrade from your point-and-shoot, but don't want to commit to the weight of an SLR.

Measuring roughly 5.0-by-3.0-by-1.5, the DMC-GF1 is smaller than any SLR, but still offers removable lenses, giving you the benefits of an SLR-like lens selection in a camera that's close to pocketable. The DMC-GF1 is a Micro Four Thirds camera, meaning it conforms to a design specification defined by Panasonic, Olympus, and Leica. Micro Four Thirds cameras are built around larger sensors that yield better image quality and less noise than what you'll find in a small point-and-shoot. Because they lack the mirrors and prisms required by an SLR, they can be built much smaller than a SLR while still maintaining the advantages provided by removable lenses. And because they all conform to a specification defined by a consortium of participating companies, you can easily interchange lenses from different Micro Four Thirds vendors. All of these features make the DMC-GF1 a very interesting camera.

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The specifics

The DMC-GF1 is a well-made, sturdy, and very pretty camera. Basically a simple box with a little bit of molding on the front, it's a compact design that is reminiscent of Leica-style rangefinder film cameras of old. Solidly made, the camera feels very good in the hand and is easy to hold.

The top of the camera sports a hot shoe, mode dial, shutter button, and a few other controls, as well as a pop-up flash that closes flush with the top of the camera's body.

On the back, you'll find more controls, as well as a big 3-inch LCD screen. Curiously absent from the camera is any kind of optical viewfinder. While this is not unusual for a point-and-shoot camera, the DMC-GF1 looks so much like a traditional rangefinder camera that one expects to see some kind of viewfinder window. Instead, you use Live View through the LCD to frame your pics, although Panasonic does offer an optional electronic eyepiece viewfinder that clips on to the hot shoe.

While the DMC-GF1's image sensor has a 4:3 aspect ratio, the LCD screen itself has a 3:2 aspect ratio, implying that Panasonic expects most users to switch the camera to 3:2 mode. (This is the same aspect ratio as 35mm film.) This is a very good move on Panasonic's part, as I much prefer the slightly more rectangular 3:2 proportions to the boxier 4:3.

The DMC-GF1 ships bundled with either a 14mm to 45mm f3.5 to f5.6 lens, or a 20mm f1.7 prime lens. Micro Four Thirds cameras have a multiplication factor of 2X, which means that these lenses have the 35mm film camera equivalent to 24mm to 90mm and 40mm, respectively.

The lenses themselves are very small when compared to SLR lenses. This is because the DMC-GF1 does not require a big mirror in front of the lens to facilitate an SLR-style viewfinder. As such, Panasonic can get the back of the lens extremely close to the image sensor, which allows for smaller lens designs. The 20mm "pancake" lens, for example, is only 1-inch long. One of the things that make the DMC-GF1 feel like more than a normal point-and-shoot are the zoom and focus rings on the lenses. Rather than a lever for zooming in and out, the actual rings help to give the DMC-GF1 the feel of a much larger camera.