Panasonic boosts its entry-level mirrorless, the Lumix GF7
There's just enough new here to make this interchangeable-lens model worth a look.
Panasonic's update to its entry-level interchangeable-lens camera, the Lumix GF6, incorporates most of the newer tech that's in the tiny GM5 . This year's GF7 should have better performance and a more streamlined design, though it loses a couple of things in the process.
The primary kit is priced at $600, £430, or AU$700 and should be available in February in the US and Australia, and in March in the UK.
What's new
- Better burst performance. Its 5 frames per second with autofocus brings it into parity with the better-specced competitors.
- Enhanced autofocus. It now incorporates Panasonic's fast Light Speed AF system.
- Selfie-friendly. It has a couple of new features targeting selfie-takers -- face shutter (triggered by a hand wave in front of your face) and buddy shutter (when it detects two faces in proximity to each other).
- Updated video. It now supports MPEG-4, not just AVCHD.
- Streamlined design. Panasonic swapped the locations of the mode dial and the iA (one-touch auto) button, and added a programmable function button to the left shoulder. The back buttons are also shuffled around a bit. It's also gone from curved to a little more retro boxy on the top. The record button has been relocated as well. Unfortunately, Panasonic also jettisoned the grip; that tends to make cameras look a little sleeker but harder to hold. And the two custom settings mode are no longer on the mode dial.
- More compact. Part of the smaller footprint also includes switching to the smaller lenses designed for the GM series: to the 12-32mm f3.5-5.6 (24-64mm equivalent) kit lens from the 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 (28mm - 84mm equivalent). The wider angle 12-32mm lens is more conducive to selfies and groupies, but it's just a little less broad of a focal range -- 2.7x vs. 3x. Australians will also be able to purchase a two-lens kit for AU$1,000 (denoted with WGN in the model name) with the other GM-designed lens, the 35-100mm f4-5.6 (70 - 200mm equivalent).
My take
There's just enough updated here that it doesn't feed like a complete retread of the GF6, and improved performance is never a bad thing. I hate it when manufacturers drop the grip, though.
Comparative specs
Olympus PEN E-PL7 | Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 | Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF7 | Sony Alpha A5100 | |
Sensor effective resolution | 16.1MP Live MOS | 16.0MP Live MOS | 16.0MP Live MOS | 24.3MP Exmor HD CMOS 14-bit |
Sensor size | 17.3mm x 13mm | 17.3mm x 13mm | 17.3mm x 13mm | 23.5 x 15.6mm |
Focal-length multiplier | 2.0x | 2.0x | 2.0x | 1.5x |
OLPF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Sensitivity range | ISO 100 (exp)/ISO 200 - ISO 25600 | ISO 160 - ISO 12800/25600 (exp) | ISO 100 (exp)/ISO 200 - ISO 25600 | ISO 100 - ISO 25600 |
Burst shooting | 3.5fps unlimited JPEG/20 raw (8fps with fixed focus and exposure) | 3fps 7 raw/unlimited JPEG (20fps with fixed focus and exposure) | 5fps 7 raw/unlimited JPEG (40fps with electronic shutter and fixed focus) | 6fps 56 JPEG/23 raw |
Viewfinder (mag/ effective mag) | None | None | None | None |
Hot shoe | Yes | None | None | No |
Autofocus | 81-area Contrast AF | 23-area Contrast AF | 23-area Contrast AF | 179-pt phase- detection; 25-area contrast AF |
AF sensitivity | n/a | -3 - 18 EV | -4 - 18 EV | -1 - 20 EV |
Shutter speed | 60-1/4,000 sec; bulb to 30 minutes; 1/250 sec x-sync | 60 - 1/4,000 sec; 1/160 sec x-sync | 60 - n/a sec; max 1/16,000 sec with electronic shutter; 1/50 sec x-sync | 30-1/4000 sec.; bulb; 1/160 x-sync |
Metering | 324 area | 1,728 zone | 1,728 zone | 1,200 zone |
Metering sensitivity | -2 - 20 EV | 0 - 18 EV | 0 - 18 EV | -1 - 20 EV |
Best video | H.264 QuickTime MOV 1080/30p @ 24Mbps | MP4 1080/30p | H.264, AVCHD 1080/60p, 50p, 24p (AVCHD only) | XAVC S 1080/60p/30p/25p/24p; 720/120p 50Mbps |
Audio | Stereo | Stereo | Stereo | Stereo |
Manual aperture and shutter in video | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Maximum best-quality recording time per clip | 22 minutes | 4GB/29:59 minutes | 4GB/29:59 minutes | 29 minutes |
IS | Sensor shift | Optical | Optical | Optical |
LCD | 3-inch/7.5cm Flip-down touch screen 1.04m dots | 3-inch/7.5cm Flip-up touchscreen 1.04m dots | 3-inch/7.5cm Flip-up touchscreen 1.04m dots | 3-inch/7.5cm Flip-up touchscreen 921,600 dots |
Memory slots | 1 x SDXC | 1 x SDXC | 1 x SDXC | 1 x SDXC |
Wireless connection | Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi, NFC | Wi-Fi, NFC | Wi-Fi, NFC |
Flash | Bundled optional | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Wireless flash | Yes | No | No | No |
Battery life (CIPA rating) | 350 shots | 330 shots | 230 shots | 400 shots |
Size (WHD) | 4.5 x 2.6 x 1.5 in. 114.9 x 67 x 38.4mm | 4.4 x 2.6 x 1.5 in. 111.2 x 64.8 x 38.4mm | 4.2 x 2.6 x 1.3 in. 106.5 x 64.6 x 33.3mm | 4.3 x 2.5 x 1.4 in. 109.6 x 62.8 x 35.7mm |
Body operating weight | 12.9 oz. 364g | 11.4 oz. (est.) 323g (est.) | 9.4 oz. (est.) 266g (est.) | 10 oz. (est.) 283g (est.) |
Primary kit | $600 £400 (with 14-42mm II lens) | $435 £300 (est.) AU$700 (with 14-42mm lens) | $600 £430 AU$700 | $600 £530 AU$800 (with 16-50mm PZ lens) |
Release date | September 2014 | April 2013 | February 2015 | September 2014 |