Panasonic’s new Digital Single Lens Mirrorless LUMIX DMC-GF6 is the latest camera to join the compact series of Panasonic’s LUMIX G category.
The camera boasts a new Live MOS Sensor, newly developed Venus Engine and high precision, ‘Light Speed AF’ which all contribute to excellent image quality for photographers used to taking creative images with their smartphones but who are looking for a much more sophisticated and professional result by being able to have more control over manual settings such as aperture, shutter speed or lens selection. Priced at £449 in the UK.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 key specifications
- 16MP Four Thirds sensor (as used in GX1)
- Tilting ‘Cell-touch LCD’ touchscreen – 1.04m dots (720 x 480 pixels)
- Near-field communication (NFC) to simplify Wi-Fi connection
- Mode dial and four customizable function buttons (two on-screen)
- 1080p30 video as MP4 or AVCHD (presented as 60i PsF in AVCHD mode)
- Jog lever around shutter button (which operates zoom or exposure compensation)
- Sensitivity expandable up to ISO 25,600
- Faster startup (as quick as 0.5 sec with non-power-zoom lenses)
The GF6 is the second mirrorless camera we’ve seen to gain a compact-camera-style zoom lever around the shutter button but, whereas the Sony NEX-3N is often bundled with a power zoom lens, the same isn’t true for the GF6. However, when you attach a conventional zoom lens, it instead controls exposure compensation. This makes a lot of sense to us, since arguably the most useful additional property a point-and-shoot user might want to gain control over, simply, is image brightness.
Many of the camera’s basic specs have also been upgraded over its predecessor – the rear screen is a higher-resolution panel, but it’s what’s in front of it that users are likely to notice. The touch capability is now capacitive, rather than the GF5’s pressure-sensitive design, and the front glass has been attached without an air gap, reducing internal reflection and improving visibility. This more precise touch screen allows the implementation of touch-based photo editing (including a Clear Retouch mode that attempts to remove distracting object s from your images.
Cablefree Connectivity with Wi-Fi and NFC
For the first time integrated Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity offer a more flexible shooting experience and easy image sharing from an interchangeable lens camera. After the initial setup, tablets and smartphones for remote shooting can be connected with a simple touch without having to re-enter authorisation details every time.
Creative Features:
- Creative Panorama function: Shoot a horizontal or vertical panoramic image with consequent shots taken by overlaying the previous picture. One of the ‘Creative Control’ effects can also be added.
- Stop Motion Animation function: Enables producing a stop motion (stop frame) video in camera with the pictures that are sequentially shot while moving the object by degrees. This effect makes the object appear as if it is moving by itself.
- Clear Retouch: Makes it is possible to erase unwanted objects or figures in an image by just tracing over them on the camera monitor with a fingertip. They naturally disappear without destroying the image.
Wireless Connectivity:
- Remote Shooting: Remote shooting of both photo and video is available by using the smartphone/tablet for a remote shutter with a monitor which displayed live at smooth 30 fps. Not only releasing the shutter but zooming, focusing and settings of shutter speed, aperture and exposure compensation can all be controlled with the smartphone or tablet and start/stop recording when used in video mode.
- Instant Transfer function: Allows the camera to transfer the photo data to the designated electronic device automatically whenever the shutter is released. In playback mode, users can also touch the image displayed on the camera to transfer it directly to a smartphone or tablet right on the spot. In addition, it is possible to tag the location information to the image by utilizing the GPS (Global Positioning System) log of a smartphone or tablet. All these flexible shooting/browsing/sharing styles are made possible with the DMC-GF6 and Panasonic’s dedicated application software “Panasonic Image App” for iOS / Android smartphones and tablets.
- Cloud Service: Panasonic’s exclusive cloud service “LUMIX CLUB” allows users to store images in a dedicated folder which they can transfer the image to Facebook, Flickr, Picasa, Twitter, YouTube or any other social networking platform.
- The Wi-Fi Direct function: Allows direct playback of images on any DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) compliant VIERA HDTV.
Focusing:
- Full-area Touch AF: Enables focus to be set on any point in the field of view which realizes quick and intuitive focusing operation allowing free frame composition. In addition, the newly adopted Touch AE (Auto Exposure) function enables setting focus and exposure at a single touch on the subject displayed on the monitor.
- Function Lever For One-hand Control: The newly added function lever allows direct adjustment of the allocated function such as zoom, exposure or aperture control. This lever works for magnification in playback mode and page flip in menu.
Advanced iA+ (Intelligent Auto Plus Mode) and Scene Guide for Beginners:
- For beginners of digital interchangeable lens system cameras, iA (Intelligent Auto) mode supports taking beautiful pictures with a variety of shooting-assist functions including AF Tracking, Intelligent D-range Control, Intelligent Scene Selector, Face Recognition and Intelligent ISO Control.
- The Intelligent Scene Control now integrates Food Recognition mode.
- The iA Plus mode lets users adjust defocusing area in the background, exposure compensation and white balance for more flexible control.
- The Scene Guide[7] offers 23 sample pictures shot by professional photographers. Users can choose the one closer to the situation they are going to shoot and optimum parameters for shooting the scene will be automatically set. Furthermore, shooting procedure, technical advice and recommended interchangeable lens for the scene can be shown for users to improve their photography skills.
Display:
- 1040K resolution approx. 180 degree Tiltable Touch Monitor: The new large, 1040K-dot high-resolution monitor boasts around 100 per cent of field of view, and tilts up to approx. 180°. The front panel is directly attached to the new In Cell Touch monitor without containing an air layer in between. The result is that the reflection of external light is dramatically suppressed. Together with the increased resolution by around 13 per cent and improved colour reproduction by around 20 per cent, the monitor for DMC-GF6 secures higher visibility than ever. Plus, attenuation of transmitting backlight is minimized to achieve a wide-angle view and 25 per cent power saving.
