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Panasonic Lumix GF1 Preview

panasonic gf1 prev

Updated! (September 21st)

Reviews of full-production/retail cameras are our main focus here at DPInterface, but I knew I had to make an exception when I was given the chance to preview Panasonic’s Lumix GF1 camera earlier this month. This is Panasonic’s third Micro Four Thirds digital camera and their first non-SLR form factor camera in the Lumix G line.

With plenty of reaction when hints of the compact GF1 first came out in August and overwhelming interest in the camera when it became official two weeks ago, here’s an in-depth preview of the Panasonic Lumix GF1! As usual, you can also check out full-sized photos taken straight out of the camera in the Panasonic Lumix GF1 photo gallery too.

*BRAD: Special thanks to Panasonic who made this preview possible. Normally it’s only “heavyweight” publications that get their hands-on new cameras first, but Panasonic was nice enough to give DPInterface an opportunity to write about this highly talked-about camera.

Read the Lumix GF1 preview!

Pentax K-x digital SLR announced

Pentax announced a new entry-level digital SLR today. The new Pentax K-x SLR succeeds their popular K2000 as an affordable, yet fairly feature-rich entry-level solution. The Pentax K-x is also the first digital SLR to come in your choice of four colors (besides the regular black and silver).

pentax k x

Pentax K-x
(Entry-level digital SLR camera)

  • 12.4 megapixel CMOS sensor (1.5X crop factor)
  • Pentax K-mount
  • Sensor-shift image stabilization
  • Dust reduction
  • Pentax K lens mount
  • Viewfinder with 0.80X magnification, 96% frame coverage
  • New Pentax Prime 2 imaging processor
  • 11 point AF; 9 cross-type points
  • 2.7 inch LCD
  • Live view with contrast detection AF and face detection
  • Full manual controls with hotshoe, RAW and wireless flash
  • ISO range 200 – 6400 (expandable to 100 – 12800)
  • High Dynamic Range HDR feature
  • 4.7 FPS burst mode (take up to 17 JPEG or 5 RAW photos)
  • 720p (1280 x 720) at 24 FPS movie mode with sound
  • Takes SD/SDHC cards
  • Uses 4 AA batteries
  • Available in October for $650 (with 18-55 mm kit lens), $750 (dual lens kit: 18-55 mm and 55-200 mm) or $850 (dual lens kit: 18-55 mm with the new 55-300 mm)
  • Comes in your choice of black, white, dark blue and bright read

Pentax also announced their new 55 – 300 mm, f4.0 – f5.8 DA L telephoto zoom lens today. The lens is fairly cheap and is currently available with the Pentax K-x $850 dual lens bundle only.

Panasonic Lumix GF1 and normal SLR… size comparison!

panasonic lumix gf1 vs slr

I recently attended a media event with Panasonic… which turned out to be a surprise (to me, at least) event unveiling their Lumix GF1 Micro Four Thirds camera. Yes, in addition to press releases and speeches by important people, and the usual media affair – they had several live, real, working Panasonic Lumix GF1 models there (in addition to ‘people’ runway models). The camera itself will be available to the masses next month (October)… so meanwhile, here’s a teaser picture of how compact the camera is versus a conventional digital SLR.

On the right is a full-sized mid-range digital SLR with a nice lens slapped on, a 24-70 mm f2.8. On the left, is Panasonic’s Lumix GF1 which is really petite (that’s Panasonic’s new 20 mm pancake lens attached, by the way). Without a lens attached, the Panasonic Lumix GF1 is not much larger than the Lumix LX3 – so it’s understandably why people looking for an interchangeable lens camera that they can easily bring along anywhere are overly-excited about the Lumix GF1 (myself included).

More on the Panasonic Lumix GF1 later this week.

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