Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 K – World’s First Full-time Live View Digital Interchangeable Lens Camera

Panasonic has announced the brand-new digital interchangeable lens camera system – the LUMIX G Micro System, based on the new Micro Four Thirds System standard that greatly reduces camera size and weight. Priced at $800, the DMC-G1, a 12.1 Mega Pixels camera, with Full-time Live View LCD and Live View Finder brings you to the new horizons of creative possibilities.

The G1’s Full-time Live View lets you see in the LCD how adjusting the exposure, white balance, aperture and even the shutter speed will affect the photo. The G1 adopts the Micro Four Thirds System standard, developed as an extended version of the Four Thirds System standard for digital camera systems. The result is that the Lumix DMC G1 body eliminating the mirror box and optical viewfinder unit, thereby reducing the lens mount diameter by about 6 mm as compared with the conventional Four Thirds camera and shorten the flange-back distance (the distance between the lens mount and image sensor) by about half.

As the G1 is using a Four Thirds-sized sensor, the area which light falls on is significantly larger than the sensors used in conventional point-and-shoots. This also means the pixel density is lower and this gives better detail reproduction with lesser noise.

In addition to accepting Micro Four Thirds lenses, the G1 can be fitted with a mount adapter that allows the use of standard Four Thirds lenses. This greatly expands the assortment of lenses available to users. They can choose lenses from a variety of manufacturers and in a variety of combinations, for virtually unlimited photographic capabilities.

Lumix G1 boasts a plethora of other features :

3.0-inch free-angle LCD with high 460,000-dot resolution
The Lumix G1 comes with a large 3.0-inch LCD that rotates 180° horizontally and 270° vertically. And when the lighting around you changes, the LCD backlighting level automatically changes too to offer comfortable, easy-on-the-eyes viewing at all times.

1920 x 1080-pixel HD (high-definition) photo recording
The G1 shoots wide-screen, 16:9, full-HD images. These images can be directly displayed on an HDTV, which handles about four times the data of a standard-definition TV.

HD output-ready for the HDTV age
The G1 can be connected to an HDMI compatible HDTV, with a single HDMI mini cable (optional). With a Panasonic VIERA HDTV, you can also operate the G1 with the VIERA remote control for even easier viewing.

iA Mode automatically adjusts settings to fit the shooting condition
Panasonic claims that the Intelligent Auto mode activates 6 detection and compensation functions that work automatically :

Shake detection – MEGA O.I.S.
Helps prevent blurring when the camera shakes.

Motion detection –  Intelligent ISO Control
Helps prevent blur caused by subject motion.

Light detection – Intelligent Exposure
Adjusts the brightness of dark areas in the image.

Advanced Face – Detection Face Detection AF/AE
Helps deliver clear portraits.

Scene detection – Intelligent Scene Selector
Selects the optimal scene mode for the situation.

Subject detection – AF Tracking
AF Tracking follows moving subjects and adjusts accordingly.

Technical Specifications