In summary
Despite being targeted at point-and-press photographers, the GM1 is of interest to serious photographers, particularly those with existing Micro Four Thirds (M4/3) lenses as they will fit on the GM1. It could be handy as a second body for owners of Panasonic’s larger, SLR-style cameras, such as the G6 or GH3, or rangefinder-style cameras like the GX7. (Owners of Olympus CSCs will find it less attractive since it lacks in-body stabilisation.)
Panasonic has made every effort to retain key controls in this tiny camera while providing support for raw file capture and some decent movie capabilities. The top panel boasts a ‘proper’ mode dial with 11 settings, including P, A, S and M modes and two Custom modes where preferred camera settings can be ‘registered’ for future use.
Nearby is a focus mode lever, while the rear panel boasts a control dial, which surrounds a fairly conventional arrow pad. The cursor buttons on the arrow pad provide quick access to the exposure compensation, white balance, AF area selection and drive mode settings.
Panasonic’s excellent touch pad controls make it easy to adjust most functions by touch. Touch focusing is also supported as well as touch-based shutter release. Snapshooters are well catered for with two automated shooting modes (one supporting adjustments of brightness and hue).
They can also select from 23 Scene pre-sets that cover a wide variety of popular subject types and enjoy the Creative Control mode, which provides 22 effects filters.
Inevitably, such a small camera has its limitations. There’s no viewfinder and, without at accessory shoe, no way to attach one. Nor can you fit an auxiliary flash, although the built-in flash should be adequate for snapshots.
Full review
The GM1 is the smallest and lightest model in Panasonic’s compact system camera (CSC) line-up and sits at the entry level to the range, despite not being the cheapest. Designed primarily for snapshooters, it provides many of the features serious photographers require in a body that is small enough to slip into a jacket pocket with the bundled wide-angle zoom lens attached.
Angled front view of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM1, orange version, with the 12-32mm lens. (Source: Panasonic.)
In Australia, the GM1 is offered in three colours: totally black as well as either orange or black with silver top plate and trim. Some countries also offer a white version with the same silver top plate and trim.
Who’s it For?
Despite being targeted at point-and-press photographers, the GM1 is of interest to serious photographers, particularly those with existing Micro Four Thirds (M4/3) lenses as they will fit on the GM1. It could be handy as a second body for owners of Panasonic’s larger, SLR-style cameras, such as the G6 or GH3, or rangefinder-style cameras like the GX7. (Owners of Olympus CSCs will find it less attractive since it lacks in-body stabilisation.)
Panasonic has made every effort to retain key controls in this tiny camera while providing support for raw file capture and some decent movie capabilities. The top panel boasts a ‘proper’ mode dial with 11 settings, including P, A, S and M modes and two Custom modes where preferred camera settings can be ‘registered’ for future use.
Nearby is a focus mode lever, while the rear panel boasts a control dial, which surrounds a fairly conventional arrow pad. The cursor buttons on the arrow pad provide quick access to the exposure compensation, white balance, AF area selection and drive mode settings.
Panasonic’s excellent touch pad controls make it easy to adjust most functions by touch. Touch focusing is also supported as well as touch-based shutter release. Snapshooters are well catered for with two automated shooting modes (one supporting adjustments of brightness and hue).
They can also select from 23 Scene pre-sets that cover a wide variety of popular subject types and enjoy the Creative Control mode, which provides 22 effects filters.
Inevitably, such a small camera has its limitations. There’s no viewfinder and, without at accessory shoe, no way to attach one. Nor can you fit an auxiliary flash, although the built-in flash should be adequate for snapshots.
Build and Ergonomics
According to Panasonic’s press release, the GM1 includes ‘a lot of ingenious inventions’ that have been implemented as part of the body downsizing. To provide some idea of how much the size and weight or the camera have been reduced, the table below compares the GM1 with Panasonic’s popular DMC-LX7 digicam and the next smallest G-Micro camera in the range, the GF6 plus potential competitors from Olympus and Sony.
|
|
Panasonic |
Olympus |
Sony |
||
|
|
GM1 |
LX7 |
GF6 |
PEN E-PM2 |
RX100 II |
|
Sensor size |
17.3 x 13.0 mm |
7.6 x 5.7 mm |
17.3 x 13.0 mm |
17.3 x 13.0 mm |
13.2mm x 8.8mm |
|
Effective resolution |
16 megapixels |
10.1 megapixels |
16 megapixels |
16 megapixels |
20.2 megapixels |
|
Body dimensions (wxhxd) |
98.5 x 54.9 x 30.4 mm |
110.5 x 67.1 x 45.6 mm (with lens) |
111.2 x 64.8 x 38.4 mm |
109.8 x 64.2 x 33.8 mm |
101.6 x 58.1 x 38.3 mm |
|
Body weight |
Approx. 204 g |
Approx. 269 g (incl. lens) |
Approx. 280g |
Approx. 269 g |
Approx. 281g (incl. lens) |
|
Lens (35mm equiv. focal length) |
Interchangeable, 24-64 mm (bundled) |
Fixed, |
Interchangeable, 28-84mm (bundled) |
Interchangeable, 28-84mm (bundled) |
Fixed, |
|
Viewfinder |
No |
Optional |
No |
Optional |
Optional |
|
RRP |
AU$999 |
AU$649 |
AU$749 |
AU$499 |
AU$899 |
Most of the GM1’s body is made from metal, with a magnesium alloy chassis plus three-strand aluminium dial controls and a high quality artificial leather grip. Direct attachment of the sensor unit to a metal frame over the main chassis provides a reduction of approximately 80% in its size, while high density mounting of electronic components reduces the circuit board size by roughly 30%.
Front view of the GM1 with no lens. (Source: Panasonic.)
The front panel of the camera is devoid of ornamentation and also lacks a moulded grip. Fortunately, the leather-like cladding is non-slip and the small size and light weight of the camera makes a large protrusion unnecessary.
The illustration above shows the relative size of the GM1 compared with a typical human hand. (Source: Panasonic.)
Photographers with large hands will probably find this camera slightly more difficult to use since, even with average-sized hands, when the side panel is well into your palm, your fingers extend beyond the shutter button and your thumb intrudes onto the monitor screen. Users with small hands will be most comfortable with the GM1.
Aside from the lens mount, which covers most of the front panel, the only other items here are the lens release button and a tiny LED that doubles as a self-timer indicator and AF-assist lamp. The lens mount extends roughly 7 mm in front of the front panel. The strap eyelets are also positioned towards the front of the camera and attached where the top panel joins the main camera body.
The top panel of the GM1 with the 12-32mm lens. (Source: Panasonic.)
The top panel controls include the above-mentioned mode dial plus a shutter button with surrounding on/off lever switch. A circular lever control to the left adjusts the focus modes (AF-S, AF-C and MF), while the central programmable Fn button can be programmed to access one of 27 recording functions or 8 Custom menu modes. Its default setting is the WiFi function.
A pair of three-hole stereo microphones is located on the top panel just behind the lens. On the left hand side of the top panel is the built-in flash, which lies flush with the top panel when closed and pops up to approximately 2 cm above the top panel when released with a slider just above the monitor screen.
The rear panel of the GM1. (Source: Panasonic.)
The rear panel is dominated by the 3-inch touch-screen, which is fixed in place and has a 3:2 aspect ratio and a resolution of 1,036,000 dots that will satisfy discerning users. Its brightness, contrast, saturation and colour are adjustable, providing some scope for tweaking parameters to improve readability in bright outdoor lighting (although, like most LCD panels, it’s hard to read in sunlight).
The touch-screen supports the standard touch, drag and pinch (enlarge/reduce) gestures when it is enabled by selecting On in the Custom > Touch Settings menu. On-screen icons are provided for supported functions and you must touch the centre of the desired icon to activate the selected control. The touch shutter defaults to off when you switch the camera off.
Like previous Panasonic cameras, the GM1’s touch controls are well set up and nicely integrated with the buttons. So you can operate the camera with a combination of both facilities. Unfortunately, the small size of the camera body makes it easy for your thumb to slip onto the screen and inadvertently change settings without you noticing.
To the right of the screen lie a fairly standard arrow pad with central Menu/Set button and surrounding control dial. The directional buttons access the exposure compensation, white balance, AF area selection and drive mode settings.
Above the arrow par are the movie and playback buttons, the former with a raised surround and central red dot to make it readily identifiable. Below the arrow pad are two buttons, one accessing the Q-Menu and delete functions and the other the display settings.
The battery and memory card share a compartment in the base panel on the right hand side. A metal-lined tripod socket is located in line with the optical axis of the lens. A single interface compartment is situated in the right hand side panel under a solid lift-up cover. It houses the USB and HDMI ports (both ‘micro’).
There are no separate physical controls for adjusting shutter speed or aperture settings, although they are easily set by turning the control dial around the arrow pad, depending on which mode you’re shooting in. In manual mode, pressing the up cursor button toggles between shutter speed or aperture settings, enabling them to be set independently. An on-screen icon shows the extent to which the set exposure deviates from the metered ‘ideal’ setting.
Sensor and Image Processing
The GM1 has the same 16-megapixel sensor as the GX7, which we reviewed in October 2013. However, it’s mounted on a fixed plate, which means in-body stabilisation isn’t supported.
The Venus Engine processor is also the same as the GX7’s, enabling the GM1 to offer the same ISO sensitivities as its sibling. It also offers the same continuous shooting modes, with up to five frames/second with the mechanical shutter or 40 fps when the electronic shutter is enabled (which limits the top ISO setting to ISO 6400). The maximum frame rate drops back to 4 fps when AF Tracking is enabled.
The buffer memory can hold up 40 JPEG frames recorded at the super high speed. For the other continuous shooting speeds, the buffer capacity for JPEGs depends on the capacity of the card. Bursts containing raw files are limited to a maximum of seven frames.
The GM1 supports the same still picture options as the GX7, recording both JPEG and RW2.RAW file formats as well as supporting the capture of stereo pairs for 3D viewing using the MPO file format. Details of file sizes can be found with our review of the GX7.
Video
Movie modes are the same as the GX7, with support for both AVCHD and MP4 /H264 formats. Interestingly both formats provide the same high-resolution settings, with top resolution/quality setting for the PAL region being 1920 x 1080 pixels at 50 frames/second, using progressive scanning.
Variable bit rate recording allows a choice between 24 and 17 Mbps in AVCHD mode. In MP4 mode, the top bit rate is 20 Mbps with 1920 x 1080 pixels, dropping to 10 Mbps with 1280 x 760 pixels and 4 Mbps for VGA resolution.
Autofocusing in movie mode depends on the selected focus mode setting, with full-time AF available in AF-C mode. Soundtracks are recorded stereophonically and users can record still pictures (JPEG only) while capturing a movie clip. Sensitivity is determined automatically with maximum sensitivity available in movie mode being ISO 3200.
Users can adjust camera settings in the P, A, S and M modes and apply many of the Creative Control filters. The menu provides a setting for microphone level adjustments with a tiny icon in the lower left hand corner of the screen showing left and right levels. (But you can’t add an external microphone.)
A wind filter is available to suppress wind noise in outdoor recordings. Alternatively, you can select Silent Operation to prevent both camera sounds and external noises from being recorded. Flicker reduction is also available to minimise the effects of flicker and/or striping with some types of lighting.
Touch screen controls include a slide bar that can be used to control the speed of selected operations like zooming with a power lens or adjusting exposure levels. You can also swap between shooting modes by touching the recording mode icon on the screen.
The maximum recording time per clip is 29 minutes and 59 seconds ““ or up to 4GB in MP4 mode. You can check the recordable time on the monitor screen.
Soundtracks are recorded with Dolby Digital quality and a Wind Cut function is provided for suppressing background noise. The Extra Tele Conversion function extends the zoom range by up to 4.8x without impacting upon picture quality.
Users can create time-lapse movies with the Time Lapse Shot mode, which lets you set the start time, interval and the number of pictures to shoot. Alternatively, the Stop Motion Animation function can produce a movie in-camera with pictures that are shot sequentially while moving the object by degrees.
Connectivity
The integrated IEEE 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi is essentially the same as the GX7’s although the GM1 lacks the built-in NFC (Near Field Communication) technology provided by that camera. Wi-Fi functionality is supported by the Panasonic Image App for iOS/Android smart-phones/tablets, which is available as a free download.
The camera can’t be connected to a public wireless LAN but it can connect to other IEEE 802.11 b/g/n enabled devices, including smart-phones, tablets, printers, TV sets and other AV devices and networked computers. Panasonic also provides its own web services via the Lumix Club at http://lumixclub.panasonic.net/. Users are required to register their email address and a password to create an account and access the service, which only supports JPEG, MP4 and 3D files. Raw files and AVCHD movies can only be transferred to a computer via a Wi-Fi network.
You can upload images to the Cloud Sync. Service, which will hold up to 1000 pictures for 30 days after the transfer or connect to a wireless access point via WPS using a push-button or PIN code or manual connection (which supports encryption). Wi-Fi Direct connection is also available. When the Wi-Fi function is used, a record is saved in the History folder and you can register frequently-used connections as favourites to facilitate future connections.
Installing the Panasonic Image App on a smart-phone or tablet enables the device to be connected to the GM1 and used to control the camera remotely. Exposure settings in the camera can be adjusted from the smart device’s screen, along with focusing and also zooming if a Power Zoom lens is fitted to the camera. The shutter can also be triggered by touch from the smart device’s touch screen.
You can acquire location data from the smart device’s GPS receiver and embed it in the camera’s images. You can also send images directly to web services via the smart device’s screen, either while they are being recorded or in review mode.
Other Features
The GM1 has a similar contrast AF system to the GX7 and its processor enables the sensor and lens to exchange digital signals at 240 frames/second to minimise focusing time.
AF functions include Low Light AF (which operates in light levels down to -4EV), Pinpoint AF and One-shot AF. Focus Peaking is available in MF mode and can be monitored in Live View. The colour can be chosen from cyan, yellow or green.
Pinpoint AF includes the same picture-in-picture display as the GX7, which shows where the focus is within the frame. The area can be magnified by 3x or 6x. Manual focus over-ride is also available and pressing the Fn (Function) button in MF mode lets you use AF to establish an approximate focus on the subject and then use manual adjustment for fine tuning focus.
The following in-camera corrections are provided:
1. i.Dynamic and HDR for compensating exposures in bright and contrasty lighting, the latter combining multiple exposures with different settings.
2. i.Resolution for increasing the apparent resolution.
3. Long Shtr NR for reducing noise in long exposures.
4. Shading Comp. for minimising vignetting (correcting brightness on the screen periphery).
White balance settings can also be fine-tuned along two axes: amber – blue and magenta – green. Two Custom WB settings are provided and the MG1 also supports Kelvin adjustment along with bracketing across three shots in either the a-b or m-g axis.
The in-camera Multi-process NR (Noise Reduction) uses a two-step process to control noise, with emphasis on the texture of the noise itself to ensure skin is reproduced smoothly, even in high sensitivity recordings. A new Detail Reproduction Filter Process improves resolution by up to 3% and boosts the contrast in the middle to high range by up to 5%, while Intelligent D-range Control suppresses both blocked shadows and blown highlights to record the maximum natural-looking tonal range.
Multiple exposures are also supported, with up to four images per frame. The Auto Gain setting can be switched on to adjust the brightness level according to the number of pictures taken or off to compensate the exposure to match the subject.
Playback and Software
Playback modes are similar to those in other G-Micro system cameras and include single-image playback, index display of 12 or 30 thumbnails, Calendar display, Zoomed playback (up to 16x), Slideshow (duration & effect is selectable) and Category or Favourite displays. Playback mode also supports playback of video clips and 3D images (the latter requiring a 3D TV set).
The software bundle supplied includes PHOTOfunSTUDIO 9.2 AE for Windows (for organising photos and video clips), SILKYPIX Developer Studio 4.1 SE for RAW file development (Mac and Windows) and a 30-day trial of the Windows-based LoiLoScope for editing videos. Multi-lingual versions of the user manual are supplied on a separate disk.
The Kit Lens
The Lumix G Vario 12-32mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH. MEGA O.I.S. lens (model H-FS12032) supplied with the GM1 is not listed separately on Panasonic’s Australian website and doesn’t appear to be offered as a stand-alone lens in local retail outlets. Built to match the camera, it achieves a compact size by having retracting inner barrels.
The G Vario 12-32mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH. MEGA O.I.S. lens. (Source: Panasonic.)
When the camera is switched on, you must extend the inner barrels by rotating the zoom ring to the right. This doubles overall length of the lens from 24 mm to roughly 48 mm. Subsequent adjustments to the focal length have little effect on the overall ength of the lens as both focusing and zooming are internal.
The optical design of the lens comprises eight elements in seven groups with three aspherical and one ED (Extra-low Dispersion) element among them. Multi-coatings have been applied to minimise ghosting and flare. The iris diaphragm closes to a circular apertures to optimise bokeh.
In-lens MEGA O.I.S. stabilisation shifts two lens groups to counteract camera shake, using power from a new dedicated actuator. No promises are made for the number of f-stops of compensation achieved; but it’s probably at least two stops, given the focal length range of the lens.
Being designed for the GM1, the 12-32mm lens can operate with the sensor drive at up to 240 fps, enabling it to take advantage of the fast contrast AF system in the GM1 ““ and also the GH3 and G6 cameras. We found autofocusing to be both quick and accurate when shooting both stills and video clips.
The GM1 automatically corrects any rectilinear distortion produced by this lens in JPEG files and, although slight barrel distortion was evident in raw files at 12mm, this lens is relatively distortion-free. Vignetting is also auto-corrected for JPEGs but visible in raw files.
Imatest showed the lens to be capable of matching the resolution of the camera’s sensor with both JPEG and RW2.RAW files but revealed a fair amount of edge softening at wider apertures. The best performance was a stop or two down from maximum aperture, with the highest resolution achieved at f/5.6 with the 25mm focal length setting. The graph below shows the results of our tests.
Lateral chromatic aberration was effectively negligible, as shown in the graph of our Imatest results below, which plots the performance of JPEG files from the GM1. Raw files showed slightly more chromatic aberration, although not enough to affect image quality.
Although no hood is supplied with the kit lens, it proved fairly resistant to flare in most situations we tested. However, veiling flare reduced overall image contrast when bright light sources were just outside the image frame.
Performance
Subjective assessments of image files from the review camera showed them to be detailed, sharp and reasonably colour accurate, although there was a tendency to emphasise both reds and purplish blues and blues were shifted towards warmer hues. This was confirmed by our Imatest tests, which showed it to be mostly a result of JPEG processing. Raw files were close to colour-neutral.
Fortunately, saturation was well controlled in JPEG files and overall image colour balance was not unattractive. Metering was as accurate as we’ve come to expect from G-series cameras and the default Standard setting in the iDynamic mode delivered well-balanced highlight and shadow detail, even in quite contrasty situations.
Imatest showed both JPEG and RW2.RAW files could meet expectations for a 16-megapixel camera with optimal lens settings. Resolution held up very well with both file types across the camera’s sensitivity range, as shown in the graph of our Imatest results below.
Long exposures taken in dim lighting showed little visible noise right up to ISO 6400, even without noise reduction processing. By ISO 12800 granularity was noticeable in test shots and its visibility increased at ISO 25600. Interestingly, one- and two-second exposures captured at the highest sensitivities revealed little image softening and enough detail was captured to make then usable at modest output sizes.
The built-in flash performed as expected, showing a tendency to under-exposure at the lowest sensitivities and slight over-exposure at the highest ones. Colour reproduction reflected the camera’s inherent warming tendency and sharpness and contrast began to deteriorate from about ISO 6400 on.
White balance performance was typical of many cameras we test, with the auto setting failing to eliminate the warm cast from incandescent lighting but delivering close-to-neutral colours under fluorescent lighting. No in-camera correction is provided for fluorescent lighting but manual measurement produced natural colour reproduction. It also eliminated colour casts with incandescent lighting. The camera provides plenty of scope for fine-tuning colour rendition via the touch screen.
Video clips showed similar quality to those we obtained from the GX7 we reviewed in October 2013 and were excellent at the higher resolution settings in both movie formats. VGA clips lost quality when the Extra Tele Converter was switched on, although the reduction in quality with the FHD and HD settings was less noticeable.
The contrast-detection AF system worked as well in movie mode as for stills capture and focusing was fast and usually accurate. Clips shot in daylight were sharp and clear with smooth recordings of moving subjects and during pans. Slight deterioration in quality occurred in very low light levels, mainly as a result of noise and reduced shutter speeds. (Sensitivity is set automatically in movie mode, with an upper limit of ISO 3200.)
Movie soundtracks were recorded clearly without interference from camera noises. The built-in wind filter was more capable than many we have found at suppressing interference from wind noise.
Our timing tests were conducted with a 16GB Panasonic SDHC Class 10 UHS-1 card. The review camera powered up in approximately one second, although an additional second was needed to unlock the lens to make it ready to shoot. The average capture lag of 0.15 seconds was eliminated when shots were pre-focused.
Shot-to-shot times averaged 0.45 seconds without flash and 2.8 seconds with. High-resolution JPEGs took approximately one second to process on average, while RW2.RAW files were processed in 1.9 seconds and RAW+JPEG pairs in 2.1 seconds.
We timed all of the four continuous shooting modes the review camera offers and found they matched Panasonic’s specifications. The Super high-speed mode can record at 40 frames/second but is JPEG-only, while the High-speed mode captures records JPEG and raw frames at five frames/second. Live view is not available during either burst.
In both modes it took approximately three seconds to process each JPEG burst. With RW2.RAW files in the High-speed mode, the camera slowed after seven frames, which were captured in 1.4 seconds. It took 7.1 seconds to process this burst. The same frame rate and buffer limit applied for RAW+JPEG pairs but it took 12.8 seconds to process this burst.
The middle and low speed settings record at four and two frames/second respectively with live view supported during capture. Both settings are available for bursts of RW2.RAW files and the buffer limit is seven frames. JPEGs are processed on-the-fly and processing was completed within roughly a second of the last frame captured.
Conclusion
There’s a lot to like in Panasonic’s GM1, despite its limitations (small control buttons, the lack of a flash hot-shoe and accessory port and limited battery capacity). The camera with its compact kit lens makes a great combo for street photography. It’s also comfortable with Panasonic’s alternative 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens.
While you can fit longer lenses, they aren’t nearly as suitable. We found the Olympus 75-300mm lens an awkward companion for this camera. It was easy enough to fit but not really comfortable to use for any length of time. The lack of in-body stabilisation makes Olympus lenses less attractive than Panasonic’s stabilised ones.
Snapshooters looking for an upgrade will find the GM1 kit is smaller and lighter than many digicams with fixed lenses. However, its larger sensor delivers significantly better quality at high sensitivity settings.
Enthusiasts looking for a take-everywhere camera should give the GM1 kit serious consideration, particularly if they already own an M4/3 system. The same applies to M4/3 owners looking for an ultra-compact second camera body.
Unfortunately, the price of the GM1 kit in Australia could be a major hurdle. Even with street prices in Australia averaging around AU$850-900, it’s still more expensive than the twin-lens kits for its main rivals: the Panasonic GF6, Olympus E-PM2 and Sony NEX-3N.
SPECS
Image sensor: 17.3 x 13.0 mm Live MOS Sensor with 16.84 million photosites (16 megapixels effective)
Image processor: Venus Engine
A/D processing: 12-bit
Lens mount: Micro Four Thirds
Focal length crop factor: 2x
Digital Zoom: 2x, 4x
Image formats: Stills ““ RAW, JPEG (Exif 2.3), RAW+JPEG; MPO (with 3D lens); Movies ““ AVCHD (Audio format: Dolby Digital 2 ch)/ MP4 (Audio format AAC 2ch)
Image Sizes: Stills ““ 4:3: 4592 x 3448, 3232 x 2424, 2272 x 1704; 3:2: 4592 x 3064, 3232 x 2160, 2272 x 1520; 16:9: 4592 x 2584, 3232 x 1824, 1920 x 1080; 1:1: 3424 x 3424, 2416 x 2416, 1712 x 1712; Movies: 1920×1080 (Full HD) at 50i/25p/24p, 1280×720 (HD) at 50p
Image Stabilisation: Lens based
Dust removal: Supersonic wave filter
Shutter speed range: 1/16,000 to 1 second for stills with electronic shutter, 1/500 to 60 se4conds with electronic front curtain shutter; 1/25 ~ 1/16,000 for movies (PAL); flash synch at up to 1/50 second
Exposure Compensation: +/- 5EV in 1/3-EV steps
Exposure bracketing: 3, 5 or 7 frames in 1/3, 2/3 or 1EV steps; max. +/-3 EV
Self-timer: 2 or 10 seconds delay plus 3 images after 10sec
Focus system: Contrast AF system with Face Detection, AF Tracking, 23-area-focusing , 1-area-focusing , Pinpoint AF
Focus modes: AFS (Single), AFF (Flexible), AFC (Continuous), MF; Quick AF, Continuous AF (during motion image recording), AF+MF, Touch AF/AE Function, Touch Shutter, MF Assist, Touch MF Assist, One Shot AF
Exposure metering: 1728-zone multi-pattern sensing system with Multiple, Centre-weighted average and Spot modes
Shooting modes: iAuto, Program AE, Shutter-priority AE, Aperture-priority AE, Manual exposure, Custom (x2), Movie, Creative Control (effects)
Scene Pre-sets: Clear Portrait, Silky Skin, Backlit Softness, Relaxing Tone, Sweet Child’s Face, Distinct Scenery, Bright Blue Sky, Romantic Sunset Glow, Vivid Sunset Glow, Glistening Water, Clear Nightscape, Cool Night Sky, Warm Glowing Nightscape, Artistic Nightscape, Glittering Illuminations, Handheld Night Shot, Clear Night Portrait, Soft Image of a Flower, Appetising Food, Cute Dessert, Freeze Animal Motion, Clear Sports Shot, Monochrome
Picture Style/Control settings: Standard, Vivid, Natural, Monochrome, Scenery, Portrait, Custom
Filter effects: Expressive, Retro, Old Days, High Key, Low Key, Sepia, Monochrome, Dynamic Monochrome, Rough Monochrome, Silky Monochrome, Impressive Art, High Dynamic, Cross Process, Toy Effect, Toy Pop, Bleach Bypass, Miniature Effect, Soft Focus, Fantasy, Star Filter, One Point Colour, Sunshine
Colour space options: sRGB, Adobe RGB
ISO range: Auto, Intelligent ISO, ISO 125 (Extended), 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400, 12800, 25600
White balance: Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Shade, Incandescent, Flash, White Set 1, 2, Colour temperature setting (2500-10000K in 100Ksteps); Blue/amber bias, Magenta/green bias adjustments; WB bracketing of 3 exposures on blue/ amber or magenta/ green axis
Flash: TTL built-in pop-up flash, GN 5.6 equivalent (ISO 200/m); synch speed at < 1/50 second; 1st. Curtain Sync, 2nd. Curtain Sync available
Flash exposure adjustment: +/-3 EV in 1/3- or 1/2-EV increments
Sequence shooting: Max. with electronic shutter: approx. 40 shots/sec.; Max. with mechanical shutter: 5.0 frames/sec (with AFS), 4.0 frames/sec (with AFC, In 1-area-focusing AF mode) for unlimited JPEGs or 7 RAW files
Other features: Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11b/g/n, 2412 MHz – 2462 MHz (11 ch), Wi-Fi / WPA / WPA2, Infrastructure mode); Focus Peaking, Silent Mode, Scene Guide with 23 sample pictures plus shooting advice
Storage Media: Single slot for SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards; UHS-1 compatible
Viewfinder: No
LCD monitor: 3-inch 3:2 aspect TFT colour LCD with Touch panel; approx. 1.036 million dots; Brightness, Contrast, Saturation and Colour adjustable
Live View shooting: 2x or 4x digital zoom, 2.4x and 4.8x magnification (depending on recording pixels and aspect ratio); guide lines (3 patterns) level gauge and histogram displays available
Playback functions: Single image display, 30-image index, 12-image index, Calendar display, max. 16x playback zoom, Slideshow (duration & effect is selectable), Title Edit, Location Logging, Clear Retouch, Text Stamp, Video Divide, Stop Motion Video, Time Lapse Video, Resize, Cropping, Rotate, Favourite, Print set, Protect, Face Recognition Edit, Highlight display, protect or erase single and multiple images, PictBridge compatible
Interface terminals: USB 2.0 High Speed Multi, microHDMI Type D, A/V-Out
Monaural Type, NTSC/PAL
Power supply: 7.2V/680mAh/4.9W rechargeable lithium-ion battery; CIPA rated for approx. 230 shots/charge
Dimensions (wxhxd): Approx. 98.5 x 54.9 x 30.4 mm
Weight: Approx. 204 grams (with battery and card)
TESTS
Based on JPEG files:
Based on RAW2.RAW files converted with Adobe Camera Raw 8.3:
SAMPLES
Auto white balance with incandescent lighting.
Auto white balance with fluorescent lighting.
16:9 aspect ratio, 12mm focal length, ISO 200, 1/320 second at f/7.1.
16:9 aspect ratio, 32mm focal length, ISO 200, 1/400 second at f/11.
2x digital zoom, 32mm focal length, ISO 200, 1/500 second at f/10.
4x digital zoom, 32mm focal length, ISO 200, 1/320 second at f/9
30-second exposure at ISO 125, 21mm focal length, f/5.6.
30-second exposure at ISO 200, 21mm focal length, f/7.1.
8-second exposure at ISO 1600, 21mm focal length, f/10.
4-second exposure at ISO 6400, 21mm focal length, f/13.
2-second exposure at ISO 12800, 21mm focal length, f/14.
1-second exposure at ISO 25600, 21mm focal length, f/16.
Flash exposure at ISO 125, 42mm focal length, 1/50 second at f/5.6.
Flash exposure at ISO 200, 42mm focal length, 1/50 second at f/5.6.
Flash exposure at ISO 1600, 42mm focal length, 1/50 second at f/5.6.
Flash exposure at ISO 6400, 42mm focal length, 1/50 second at f/5.6.
Flash exposure at ISO 12800, 42mm focal length, 1/50 second at f/5.6.
Flash exposure at ISO 25600, 42mm focal length, 1/50 second at f/8.
Strong backlighting with 12mm focal length; ISO 200, 1/400 second at f/11.
Backlighting, 12mm focal length; ISO 200, 1/320 second at f/6.3;16:9 aspect ratio.
Backlighting; 32mm focal length; ISO 200, 1/1000 second at f/11.
Veiling flare with 12mm focal length; 18mm focal length; ISO 200, 1/125 second at f/5.
4x digital zoom with 20mm focal length; ISO 200, 1/200 second at f/7.1.
2x digital zoom with 32mm focal length; ISO 200, 1/160 second at f/6.3
3:2 aspect ratio; 32mm focal length; ISO 400, 1/160 second at f/5.6.
3:2 aspect ratio; 25mm focal length; ISO 400, 1/320 second at f/5.6.
4:3 aspect ratio; 12mm focal length; ISO 200, 1/250 second at f/5.
3:2 aspect ratio; 32mm focal length; ISO 125, 1/800 second at f/11.
4:3 aspect ratio; 252mm focal length; ISO 125, 1/320 second at f/8.
16:9 aspect ratio; 32mm focal length; ISO 125, 1/500 second at f/11.
ISO 25600, 32mm focal length, 1/13 second at f/5.6.
Handheld night shot mode; ISO 3200, 14mm focal length, 0.62 second at f/3.5.
Glittering illuminations mode; ISO 3200, 25mm focal length, 0.62 second at f/5.3.
Still frame from AVCHD Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) video clip recorded in 50i mode.
Still frame from AVCHD Full HD video clip recorded in 25p mode.
Still frame from AVCHD Full HD video clip recorded in 24p mode.
Still frame from AVCHD HD (1280 x 720 pixels) video clip recorded in 50p mode.
Still frame from MP4 Full HD video clip recorded in 25p mode.
Still frame from MP4 Full HD video clip recorded in 25p mode with the Extra Tele Converter on.
Still frame from MP4 HD video clip recorded in 25p mode.
Still frame from MP4 video clip recorded with VGA resolution.
Still frame from MP4 video clip recorded with VGA resolution with the Extra Tele Converter on.
Rating
RRP: AU$999; US$750 (as reviewed with 12-32mm kit lens)
- Build: 8.8
- Ease of use: 8.8
- Autofocusing: 8.8
- Still image quality JPEG: 8.5
- Still image quality RAW: 8.8
- Video quality: 8.8
