{"id":33,"date":"2012-01-17T23:30:42","date_gmt":"2012-01-18T04:30:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/?p=33"},"modified":"2024-09-05T21:54:14","modified_gmt":"2024-09-06T02:54:14","slug":"panasonic-lumix-dmc-gx1-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/panasonic-lumix-dmc-gx1-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Photographers who use the Micro 4\/3 system of Compact System Cameras have long been awaiting a true upgrade to Panasonic’s original rangefinder style interchangeable lens mirrorless camera, the GF1.\u00a0 The GF2 and GF3 saw a repositioning of the the GF series into a more consumer oriented device, eschewing many external controls found on the GF1 in the name of simplification, presumably to entice point and shoot users to upgrade to the GF cameras.\u00a0 While the GF1 is older, it is in many respects superior to the subsequent GF series cameras due to its ergonomics, multiple dials and buttons for direct access to often used controls, and flash hotshoe.\u00a0 (The GF2 has a hotshoe, but this was discarded on the GF3).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enter the new DMC-GX1. Panasonic has responded to critics of the later GF line by finally giving photographers a true successor to the GF1.  The GX1 has an updated, 16 megapixel Live MOS sensor, shoots 4.2 frames per second in burst mode, incorporates a touch screen and retains all the external controls of the GF1, while adding even more quick access functionality.  Additionally, the body is slightly smaller, yet easier to handle due to the contoured rubber grip.  I’ll take a look at how this camera performs, its quirks, its successes and failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Panasonic GX1 with Olympus 17mm f\/2.8<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Build Quality \/ Ergonomics<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The GX1 is a compact, rangefinder style body that is clad in an aluminum skin that is lightweight, yet sturdy.  With a pancake lens like the Panasonic 14mm or 20mm, or the Olympus 17mm, it is small enough to fit in a jacket pocket.   It is available in both silver and black painted finishes;  I happen to have the silver version.  The buttons on the back are metal, which is different from the G and GH series bodies which have plastic buttons.  The metal buttons give a very positive and satisfying click when pressed.  The top plate is matte plastic with good quality fit and finish.  As a nice touch, “Lumix” is engraved in the metal, and “GX1” is raised.  The biggest change to the GX1 from the GF series is the addition of a chunky contoured rubber grip.  The grip is perfectly contoured to fit your hand, and it even works well when slipping your middle finger along it when carrying it around (which is more comfortable than carrying in the shooting position).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rear of the camera is dominated by the 3″ touch sensitive LCD screen.  Panasonic has provided a small, yet comfortable thumb rest to support the camera.  I find that the shape of the grip and thumb rest forces your hand to a very specific grip for shooting.  Luckily, this grip is comfortable and allows for easy access to camera controls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ergonomically, Panasonic did a very good job for such a small camera.  While the grip isn’t as comfortable as the GH2 due to the size, it’s very good considering the size of the body.  Buttons are well placed and those that would be prone to accidental pressing with the heel of your palm are recessed, yet still easily accessed when needed.  There are two programmable function buttons, the typical four way buttons that control direction as well as ISO, WB, Drive mode and AF.  There is also a dedicated display button, a Quick menu button for changing other parameters and an AF\/MF button for quick switching between focus modes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On top, there is the mode dial, which contains the usual P, A, S, M shooting modes, plus two customizable settings, a scene mode and creative art filters.  The rest of the top plate contains the on\/off switch, the metal shutter button, a dedicated movie shutter button and the iA button for toggling the intelligent Auto mode on and off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The click thumb wheel on the back operates the same as on all other recent Panasonic G series cameras, though it’s a little smaller than on the GH2\/GH1\/G1, etc.  The first day I used the camera,  it was a bit stiff and finicky, but has been broken in now and feels good, though still not as nice as the GH2’s, presumably due to size.  Clicking the wheel transitions between changeable values when setting parameters (aperture and exposure compensation in aperture priority, aperture and shutter speed in manual, etc), or activates the zooming for focus assist if using an adapted manual focus lens, which makes using adapted lenses a breeze.  Because of Micro 4\/3 short register distance, nearly every SLR and rangefinder lens can be adapted for use on the GX1.  I use a variety of adapted lenses on my cameras, so this is a very welcome part of the Panasonic user interface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is no built in viewfinder on the GX1, so the rear LCD is used for both settings and composing the image.  Panasonic does offer a brand new add on electronic viewfinder (EVF) which gives a 1.4x magnification ratio (equivalent to a 0.7x full frame viewfinder) with 1.44 million dots in sequential field display.  The new viewfinder, DMW-LVF2, is only compatible with the GX1 as of this writing.  The GF series cameras must use the earlier LVF1, due to a change in accessory ports made for the GX1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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GX1 with Canon FD 200mm f\/2.8 and Live Viewfinder LVF2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Overall, the camera feels good in hand and all major controls are quickly accessed.  The only negative is directly related to size.  With most Micro 4\/3 lenses, the grip is sure and there is plenty of room for your fingers.  On some wider lenses, such as the Leica 25mm f\/1.4, the fingers can be a bit cramped.  Also, if you are using a large lens, such as the Panasonic 100-300mm zoom, or an adapted telephoto, such as the Canon FD 200mm f\/2.8 pictured above, the size can be a bit too small.  I much prefer the grip of the G or GH series cameras for long lens work.  It is a minor issue, however, since the weight when using such lenses is generally supported by the left hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Menus\/Touch Screen\"\"<\/a><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Like all recent Panasonic bodies, the 3″ LCD is a touch panel as well, and it works very well.  The LCD is a 460k resolution panel.  While I would prefer to see a higher resolution screen in 2012, the screen does display colors accurately and is crisp enough for good composition and is passable for manual focusing, though using the camera’s ability to zoom in when manually focusing is a great aid when using the LCD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Panasonic has made some changes to the touch screen operation and the quick menu system that are for the better.  Like on other touch G series cameras, most major functions that have dedicated controls can also be changed via touch screen (but aren’t required to be).  The screen is a resistive touch panel, though it looks somewhat different than the screen used in the GH2, G2 and G3.  It is glossier, and at first glance appears to be a capacitive screen.  While capacitive touch panels are more responsive, they can’t be operated with gloves on, so I am glad they stuck with resistive for this LCD.  You can set focus point and focus point size just by tapping, which is is fast and intuitive.  There is a new touch activated pull out drawer which has two more customizable function buttons activated via touch, as well as the touch shutter control.  It doesn’t get in the way and is a nice way to get to other settings quickly.    This is a nice improvement over the touch interface in the GH2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One nice addition to the GX1 is an electronic level.  This can be brought up via the Display button, or a shortcut assigned to one of the four customizable buttons.  It is easy to use and doesn’t disrupt composition as well.  My favorite part of the electronic level is that this addition has FINALLY brought automatic image rotation to Panasonic bodies with all lenses.  Prior to the GX1, Panasonic bodies only rotated verticals automatically when using an OIS lens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’m not going to discuss menus here too much.  If you’ve used any recent Panasonic Micro 4\/3 body, you will instantly be at home with the menu system, as it is largely unchanged.  The only new items are those that are specific to the GX1, which are few and far between.  Overall, I find the menus to be relatively logically ordered, though they could still use some cleanup, as many of the sections are several pages long.  Panasonic has improved somewhat in the naming of its function items, but some functions are still rather ambiguous, and require a peek at the manual to figure out what they do the first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next up: Performance:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Performance\/AF<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The GX1 is a quick and responsive camera.  Start up time is quick, with the camera ready to go in about a half a second or so.  There is a small delay when instantly trying to review images on the LCD while the card is still writing images.  This is generally not an issue unless you have just shot a burst and want to review images quickly, where the delay can ramp up into the 10-15 second range with a full buffer.   Burst mode is rated at 4.2 frames per second in high, which does not enable a live view, or about 3 frames per second in medium (with live view).  It also offers a 20 fps mode for 4MP JPEG images only, and uses the electronic shutter.  The last mode is great for high speed shooting where motion is all in the same plane, such as a golf swing or perhaps for catching water droplet ripples.  While perfectly adequate for everyday use, it is safe to say that the GX1 is not a sports camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Panasonic was one of the first companies to really make contrast-detect autofocus (CDAF) a viable alternative to the phase-detect autofocus found in DSLRs.   CDAF used to be incredibly slow, but Panasonic managed good speed and extremely high accuracy with their first Micro 4\/3 camera, the G1.  They’ve continued to improve, and they claim that the GX1 is the best iteration yet.  Indeed, autofocus is blazing fast in single shot mode, easily outstripping even my pro-level DSLR in both good and poor light.  Panasonic claims that autofocus can lock in as little as 0.09 seconds with a fast focusing lens, and I have no reason to doubt their claims.  With a fast lens like the Leica 25mm f\/1.4 or Olympus 45mm f\/1.8, focus seems to lock nearly instantly.  One advantage over phase-detect systems is that CDAF is extremely accurate.  Front and back-focusing from miscalibrated lenses or bodies is a complete non-issue, and is in fact essentially impossible due to the nature of the focusing system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One drawback to CDAF, though, is that it is inferior to PDAF for tracking motion.  While the GX1 offers a focus tracking mode, which identifies an object and follows it as it moves in the frame, as well as an excellent face detection mode, the continuous autofocus is not as accurate or fast as most DSLRs on the market.  The GX1, however, seems to inch ever closer towards acceptability in this realm.  While I haven’t had a chance to fully test out continuous focus, in the limited testing I did, results seemed better than on my GH2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flash\"\"<\/a><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The GX1 comes with a built in pop-up flash that is activated with a button on the rear of the camera.  Like most small flashes, it has enough power for close up shots, but that’s about it.  It does sit high enough to provide relatively decent illumination for macro photography.  In theory, one nice feature with this pop-up flash is the ability to bounce it straight up.  The flash is hinged in a way that you can hold it back and point it directly at the ceiling for some bounce flash.  Unfortunately, the flash doesn’t have enough power to generally make this feasible.  If you shoot at around ISO 640 with an f\/1.4 lens, the bounce will work for close subjects, though using higher ISOs sort of defeats the purpose of using flash.  I tend to stick to my external flashgun for times I need flash, which the GX1 operates as you’d expect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edit 3\/1\/12: After using the pop-up flash’s bounce capabilities for some time, I have actually found it to be quite useful, and one of its best unsung features.  Read about it and see what it can do here.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Image Quality<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

With the same 16 MP Live MOS sensor as the G3, the GX1 enters the top tier of m4\/3 bodies with regards to image quality.  Though the sensors for the GH2, G3 and GX1 are all very similar, there are some subtle differences.  I have not had the opportunity to shoot with the G3, though I have owned the GH2 for over a year, and so I can speak to image quality in terms of that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Panasonic<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am not a JPEG shooter, so I have only taken limited JPEGs as a matter of testing the camera.  One good thing to report is that JPEG color seems improved to me.  There do not seem to be any obvious color casts to the JPEGs and colors were generally natural and pleasing.  The default settings for JPEG are somewhat heavy handed when it comes to noise control, and some fine detail is lost in the standard settings, though for the most part, this wouldn’t become evident even when compared directly against the RAW file until you started printing very large.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Noise is well controlled in JPEGs, with essentially no visible noise until you reach ISO 1600.  At 1600 and higher, artifacting and color smearing begin to creep in.  It looks relatively natural until ISO 3200 where color blotching starts to be visible.  I personally would prefer a noisier image with better integrity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shooting RAW, there is more visible noise, but also much more detail, and using a modern RAW converter like Lightroom allows you to apply a very natural noise reduction technique at high ISO.  Using Lightroom and RAW, I find the GX1 shots to be relatively low in noise through ISO 800, with ISO 1250 and ISO 1600 having a more fine grained noise throughout the image frame.  Even though noise continues to ramp up through the higher ISOs, it is rather well controlled compared to the GH2.  Also, the files take RAW noise reduction very well.  Even ISO 6400 shots can take luminance noise reduction in Lightroom up to about level 50 without losing too much detail.  I think at ISO 6400 with proper noise reduction techniques, good 10×15 inch prints are easily possible.  Even ISO 12,800 shots are usable for small prints and web use, and if you don’t mind a bit of grain, I think 8×12″ prints are more than doable.  This is a rather big improvement over the GH2.  I find that the GX1 maintains its color balance and dynamic range significantly better than the GH2 at the higher ISOs, and this is a welcome improvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"\/<\/a>
GX1, Olympus 45mm f\/1.8 @ ISO 12,800<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

At low ISOs, like many Micro 4\/3 cameras, there is a very fine grain in skies, that can be eliminated at the pixel level by light noise reduction, though in my opinion it is a non-issue, as it will never appear in prints or in web use.  The GX1 has decent dynamic range and good color response in RAW.  Overall, the GX1 is capable of very good still image quality.  The sensor with good lenses is able to resolve impressive amounts of detail, even at high ISO.  Obviously, larger sensor cameras are still ahead in the dynamic range department, but I find the GX1 files will make excellent 12×18″ prints and very good prints up to 20×30″.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next up: Video<\/strong>
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Video<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The GX1 is capable of shooting video at 1920x1080i full HD at 30 frames per second, or 720p at 60 frames per second.  It shoots in either AVCHD or MPEG4.  The controls for video are rather spartan, as you simply have control over exposure compensation and the starting and stopping of recording using the dedicated movie button.  Focus can be re-locked at any time during filming by half pressing the shutter button, and full resolution stills can be captured during recording as well.  The camera can also do focus tracking and continuous autofocus during movie recording.  Movies are of very high quality, and can be used for some really excellent film making, though I would suggest if video is your primary goal, something along the lines of the Panasonic GH2 or GH1 would be much better suited to you, as they allow for full aperture, and shutter speed control, frame rate, etc.  I am not much of a video shooter, so any decent mode here is a bonus for me.  My GH2 sees 99% of my video use, as it well should.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

External Viewfinder – LVF2<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"GX1<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As mentioned earlier, the GX1 does not come with a built-in electronic viewfinder.  Panasonic does offer the excellent LVF2, however.  The LVF2 is a 1.44 million dot EVF with a 120Hz refresh rate and 1.4x magnification, virtually identical to the EVF in the G3.  Because of the high magnification, the apparent viewfinder image is equivalent in size to most full frame professional DSLRs.  It is crisp, clear and bright, and is a wonderful add-on, especially if you use manual focus.  I generally prefer using a viewfinder, so I ordered the LVF2 with my GX1.  The viewfinder is solidly made and attaches securely to the camera’s hotshoe and accessory port.  The diopter adjustment is located underneath the viewfinder, and is accessible only when tilting up.  This is a great location, as it’s easy to access, yet very difficult to accidentally knock out of position.  The EVF tilts 90 degrees to allow top down shooting, which is great for low to the ground or macro shooting.  It comes with a small velvet bag to pack the viewfinder in when not in use, and has a nice locking mechanism to prevent accidentally being knocked off the camera.  Overall, it is a very well made piece of kit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two issues with using the external viewfinder.  First, it takes up the hotshoe, which means that you can’t use an external flashgun and the viewfinder at the same time.  I understand the tradeoff, though, and it’s ultimately not too big of a deal.  The second issue is that the EVF does not have an eye sensor, so you must manually switch between the EVF and LCD.  Coming from the GH2, this is taking a long time to get used to.  I generally make settings changes on the LCD, then raise my eye to the viewfinder (a holdover from my DSLR days).  This isn’t really possible, without pressing the button on the EVF back and forth.  Luckily, Panasonic did include an option (on by default) to do playback on the LCD automatically.  If you are using the EVF and press the playback button, it will display on the LCD.  This is a nice touch.  I would love to have the option to display camera settings on the LCD when the EVF is active, much like the settings display available on the GH2 and other G series bodies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The DMC-GX1 is a great little camera.  It is responsive, compact, with excellent ergonomics, fast and accurate autofocus and very well placed and accessible controls.  Panasonic also managed to squeeze in a bit better high ISO capability over their previous cameras, which makes this little camera capable of some very high-end output.  On the down side, the EVF is still an accessory that must be purchased separately, and the camera lacks any serious video control.  Image review is not possible until all images have been written to the card, an odd limitation that started with the GH2 and is not present on the G1 or GH1.   That said, for still imaging, this is easily Panasonic’s best compact style CSC to date, and rivals the flagship of the Lumix line, the GH2, in everything but video.  Outstanding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sample Images<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
GX1, Leica 25mm f\/1.4, ISO 160<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
GX1, Leica 25mm f\/1.4, ISO 160<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Stitch of four photos, GX1, Leica 25mm f\/1.4, ISO 160<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
GX1, Leica 25mm f\/1.4, ISO 320<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
GX1, Olympus 45mm f\/1.8, ISO 2500<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
GX1, Leica 25mm f\/1.4, ISO 160, Off camera strobe<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Photographers who use the Micro 4\/3 system of Compact System Cameras have long been awaiting a true upgrade to Panasonic’s original rangefinder style interchangeable lens mirrorless camera, the GF1.\u00a0 The GF2 and GF3 saw a repositioning of the the GF series into a more consumer oriented device, eschewing many external controls found on the GF1 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":63,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2},"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[14,13,7,11,10,9,12,6,8],"class_list":["post-33","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reviews","tag-camera","tag-csc","tag-gx1","tag-m43","tag-micro-43","tag-mirrorless","tag-mu43","tag-panasonic","tag-review"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/gx1_sensor.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p28RGq-x","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33"}],"version-history":[{"count":73,"href":"https:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12741,"href":"https:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33\/revisions\/12741"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/63"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}