Ten days before the opening on the CP+ show in Japan, Panasonic has unveiled the Lumix DMC-GF8 interchangeable-lens compact camera for everyday photographers.
Angled view of the Panasonic DMC-GF8 in orange with its LCD monitor in ‘selfie’ shooting position. (Source: Panasonic.)
Designed to combine photo fun with style and quality, the LUMIX DMC-GF8 will be offered in orange and black. It is small enough to fit into a pocket with the 12-32mm kit lens. Flipping up its 180-degree touch screen monitor automatically engages the ‘Self Shot Mode’, which includes ‘Face Shutter’ and ‘Buddy Shutter’ triggering modes that let users trip the shutter by waving a hand or when two faces are detected. In ‘Self Shot Mode’, either the normal shutter button or the Fn1 button can be selected to take a shot ““ so it is equally easy to use your left or right hand depending on the scene.
Rear view of the DMC-GF8 in black. (Source: Panasonic.)
The 16-megapixel GF8 also comes with Panasonic’s Light Speed Autofocus to capture fast-moving subjects quickly because the camera and lens exchange the digital signal at up to 240 fps to minimise focusing time. High speed burst shooting at 5.8 fps (AFS) or 5 fps (AFC, 1-area AF) at 16-megapixels and up to 40 fps using the electronic shutter. AF Tracking enables the camera to capture moving subjects in sharp focus at around 4.0 fps. The electronic shutter speed has a maximum speed of 1/16000 second.
Movie shooters can record Full-HD 1920 x 1080 50p videos in AVCHD or MP4 (MPEG-4 / H.264) format with stereo sound. The camera also supports 1080/24p native mode with 24 Mbps in AVCHD format for a cinematic feel to the footage. The P/A/S/M modes can be used when recording video clips, along with full-time AF, AF tracking and Touch AF for rack focusing effects. Other useful video features include ‘Time Lapse Shot’ and ‘Stop Motion Animation’.
For snapshooters, the GF8 comes with 20 different scene modes, with the most commonly-used ““ Portrait, Child and Scenery ““ added directly to the mode dial for easy access. The popular Creative Control mode includes 22 filter options, which can now be used in P/A/S/M. Users can take pictures ‘with’ and ‘without’ filter effects simultaneously, and then compare, contrast and choose their favourite.
Panasonic has streamlined the Wi-Fi connection process. After installing the Panasonic Image App on a tablet or phone, users simply press the Wi-Fi button, start the app and they’re ready to go. The app allows remote control over focus, aperture, shutter speed and ISO and remote playback of captured images. It is easy to embed geotags in DMC-GF8 images using a smartphone, so this information can be viewed when images are uploaded to your favourite social media platform.
The Lumix DMC-GF8 is due for local release in March and will be available at selected photographic specialists and consumer electronics retailers as a single-lens kit with the 12-32mm lens for an RRP of AU$699. For more information, visit http://www.panasonic.com/au/consumer/lumix-cameras-video-cameras.html.
