Panasonic DMC GH1

Panasonic DMC GH1 Review : I really think Panasonic has hit upon something quite amazing with this “hybrid” camera, though whether or not the video/still capabilities will be worth it to you will depend on how you want to shoot. This is my first DSLR-like camera, but the transition has been nearly seamless after owning several point and shoots, consumer-grade camcorders, and a film SLR over the years. I’ve had the Japanese version for almost two months now, taken 21,000 photos and several hours of video, and have only found more reasons to love it, despite a few notable flaws.

ﾞ★ Image quality : is surprisingly good, rivaling the APS-C sensor DSLRs from Nikon and Canon (Imaging Resource has some nice comparisons against the Nikon D5000 and Canon T1i). Images keep detail well in higher ISOs, though sensor noise is a problem at low-light shots taken at ISO 1600 and above, with sometimes severe sensor noise visible in bands across flat, dark areas of an image. Luckily, sensor noise is much less of an issue shooting HD video in low light, even at ISO 1600.

ﾞ★ Video : This is stunning… in the right hands. Having only owned mid-range, consumer-grade camcorders in the past, my knowledge of shooting video is extremely minimal, so I’ve mostly shot in Intelligent Auto mode, which has worked wonderfully for my home videos. The image stabilization (though unfortunately lens-based), continuous autofocus, face and AF tracking are lifesavers for the untalented videographer, and will greatly help the skilled veteran. However, the Panasonic GH1 is NOT a pro camcorder, and so will not perform as fast (though will match up admirably to a consumer-grade camcorder). Unless you really need 1080/24p, 720/60p is a much better option for video, as it takes up less room, has a higher frame rate, and is of higher quality with fewer compression artifacts. The “low data rate” issue that H. Massey mentioned is based on an incomplete/inaccurate understanding of HD video capture and in-camera compression; the oft-quoted 17 mb/s data rate will not affect the quality of the video ([...]). Sound capture is very impressive using the built-in stereo mic, but you’ve got the option to plug a much better mic into the stereo line-in jack.

ﾞ★ Camara Size : I absolutely love the handling of the camera. The size and weight allow me to run around and shoot for an entire day without feeling its weight or bulk around my neck (and I am an admittedly weak and petite woman). The articulating LCD is amazing for framing the perfect shot without fatigue, and both it and the EVF have amazingly high pixel densities and frame rates that will soon ease (though not completely eliminate) worries about the lack of an optical viewfinder. Speaking of which, though peeking into the EVF will leave you disoriented in a bad way at first, it is VERY good after more use. It gains nicely in low-light, though it will be very useless if you don’t have enough light to read a watch (the non-glowing kind). It’s wonderful for eyestrain-free shooting at a dark musical performance, but shooting moving subjects outside in the daytime makes me long for an optical viewfinder.

ﾞ★ The controls on the camera work as expected, though the menu system is a bit of a mess. The main menu changes based on what mode is set via the mode dial, which is disorienting at first, but makes sense upon further thought. Unfortunately, Panasonic is nowhere near Canon in the sophistication of menu designs, and you will be forced to dig through a rather unattractive 6-page menu for certain options. There is a special menu that displays the last 5 options you accessed, which should ease the pain just a bit.

ﾞ★ The bottom line : I’ve found the Panasonic DMC GH1 to be a wonderful camera. As someone who likes to just walk and shoot, it has been great for framing shots quickly and capturing half a dozen pictures without falling out of pace. The video capturing capabilities have also gotten me interested in video more than any of my camcorders ever has. Videographers considering getting into still photography may thus want to consider this camera as well. Together with the versatile zoom lens, it’s a great kit that will last me a long time without upgrades (very nice on my budget, despite the initial kick in the wallet).

ﾞ★ My rating on Panasonic DMC GH1

You can buy Panasonic DMC GH1 for only $ 1499 but it’s now temporarily out of stock. Order now and we’ll deliver when available. We’ll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon as we have more information. Your credit card will not be charged until we ship the item.

ﾞ★ Buy Best Price Panasonic DMC GH1