Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1

Lumix G1 with an adapted manual-focus Meyer lens (Image rights)

images by Uwe Kulick (Image rights)

image by the other Bailey (Image rights)

image by Elizabeth Reynolds (Image rights)

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 is a mirror-less digital system camera and Panasonic's first camera built around the Micro Four Thirds format co-developed with Olympus.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC G1 is a 12.1 megapixel digital system camera for interchangeable lenses of the Mico 4/3 system. It is the first in its class from Panasonic, and in a very real sense, the first of its kind from any manufacturer. That means that it has a high-resolution electronic viewfinder showing the actual image caught by the image sensor. The finder has an eyepiece with diopter-correction facility. Behind the finder optics is a 1,400,000 Pixel display. The common 460,000 Pixel display screen on the camera back offers also high resolution, and can be tilted and swivelled. The camera has a moveable autofocus area.

The camera delivers fine imaging results. With appropriate diopter setting the finder image is sharp enough for exact focusing. There is still some lag in reacting to fast changing light or focus; thus an optical finder still has some advantage. However, it is cheaper to make an electronic full-frame, through-the-lens viewfinder than the mirrored system of reflex cameras.

Further reading

• Lumix DMC-G1 user manual at Manualslib
• Panasonic Lumix G1 Review by Simon Joinson, Lars Rehm, Phil Askey, Richard Butler at Digital Photography Review
• Lumix G1 at Olypedia - In German