There are some enhancements and upgrades in
the Panasonic Lumix G6 compared to the previous model, Panasonic Lumix G5,
including a new OLED electronic viewfinder, Low-light AF focus system, built-in
Wifi, as well as the panoramic mode which is absent in the G5 version.
Panasonic
Lumix G6 is the update version of the Panasonic Lumix G5
Designed
to compete with other SLR digital cameras
Main
features
·
16.05 megapixel live MOS sensor, low-light AF
·
1.44million dot OLED EVF
·
P/S/A/M manual video control, 50p/24p
·
One-touch picture sharing and remote shooting
·
NFC/Wi-Fi
·
Electronic shutter
·
3inch Touch screen, 1036K dots
·
7fps continuous shooting, 5fps with continuous
AF
·
Improved video 50p/24fps, stereo microphone
·
ISO160 - ISO25600
·
New Venus engine - Area based noise reduction
·
19 Filter effects
·
Sweep / Auto Panoramic feature - Filter
Panoramic
·
Focus peaking
·
Microphone socket
Designed to be a potential competitor in
the SLR digital camera market, its style is very alike the compact DSLR. A new
and more compact 14-140mm HD zoom lens, an optical IS and a brighter aperture
have come with the introduction of this new version, in the comparison with its
predecessor, the G5.
The
14-140mm HD zoom lens
There are two custom modes on the dial
(C1/C2), a manual movie options, HDR, stop motion / time lapse movie filming,
multi-exposure, and a microphone socket, which is a brand new thing that was
also absent on the G5.
Handling
The
camera view from above
With the bigger size, the G6 looks very
similar to a compact digital SLR. Its rubber grip is also a good one, as well
as textured rubber grips at the back and the left sides of the camera. Covering
the front side of the device is a rubber coat which can be opened, and you will
find a microphone socket behind.
The
functions buttons
Some function buttons can be found around
the camera, most of which are default features and can be modified to set up
the camera as personal preferences. Photos can be viewed by swiping on the
touchscreen with your fingers in the playback mode. This screen will also allow
you to focus on any area of the screen, and it can also be used to take photos
if you like. It is not compulsory to use the touch screen, but you can exploit
fully the camera’s features without using the touchscreen if you are not really
a fan. Details about the Panasonic Lumix G6 menus can be seen below.
It is very easy to use the menus, as there
is a detailed explanation for each particular option showed up at the top of
the screen. The menus can also be controlled by the touchscreen, which makes
the use of menus more visual if you are used to using touch screen devices. The
camera works very fast, as the focus process and the shutter response performs
significantly impressive, and we will conduct the full speed test for this
camera once it is available.
Product
images
The
front side
The
tilting screen
The
battery compartment
Flash
slot
The
G6 looks very similar to a compact digital SLR
Performance
Because this is just a pre-production
sample, we have to resize all images’ sizes to 5MP as Panasonic required.
Sample
photos
Cat
(PP) | 1/200 sec | f/5.6 | 37.0 mm | ISO 160
Oil
(PP) | 1/500 sec | f/9.0 | 40.0 mm | ISO 160
Detail
(PP) | 1/500 sec | f/8.0 | 14.0 mm | ISO 160
Horse
BnW (PP) | 1/250 sec | f/5.6 | 55.0 mm | ISO 160
Volksgarten
(PP) | 1/400 sec | f/8.0 | 26.0 mm | ISO 160
Relax
(PP) | 1/640 sec | f/7.1 | 140.0 mm | ISO 160
Full
zoom (PP) | 1/800 sec | f/7.1 | 140.0 mm | ISO 200
Tents
(PP) | 1/500 sec | f/8.0 | 37.0 mm | ISO 160
Zoom
(PP) | 1/640 sec | f/6.3 | 140.0 mm | ISO 160
Horse
Portrait (PP) | 1/200 sec | f/5.4 | 81.0 mm | ISO 160
Using the electronic shutter may lead to
distorted images and some also can show the classic signs of “rolling shutter”.
However, the electronic shutter does have an advantage, which is the ability to
shoot silently.
Panoramic
mode
Panoramic
(PP) | 1/320 sec | f/6.3 | 14.0 mm | ISO 160
The new panoramic mode performs well when
stitching the photos together automatically when you sweep the camera around,
although the movements of the object, for example a walking person, can lead to
ghosting.
Digital
filters
Some
sample photos with different filters
The video is upgraded with the AVCHD/MP4
compressing options, full HD 50/24p, as wells as the filter effects and full
manual controls. There is a microphone socket on the front side of the camera,
and it also has the built-in stereo sound.
Value
The price of the body only for this
Panasonic Lumix G6 is $824 (lower than the G5 body only RRP). Taking the
14-42mm kit lens into account, it will be $944 (lower than the G5 kit RRP when
it was first introduced). These shows that this camera is really worth its
price if we consider it based on the specifications and built-in features. A
twin kit lens options is also possible, available with the 45-150mm zoom lens
for $1,199, and with the new 14-140mm telephoto zoom lens, the total price would
be $1,424.
Conclusion
The amazing updates coming with the
Panasonic Lumix G6 from the Panasonic Lumix G5 has left us a good impression. The
camera also provides other improved handling and design, some of which are the
useful and appealing panoramic modes, Wi-Fi, new digital filters, a built-in
microphone socket as well as the OLED electronic viewfinder. Other upgrades
that may also draw much attention from customers include updated video
recording, as well as a microphone socket and once it is combined with the
quick focus, it would produce a high-quality video.
With brighter aperture, more compact size
and dramatically quick focus, the 14-42mm zoom lens is very impressive. A more
detailed review about the Panasonic Lumix G6 will be provided as soon as it is
available in the market. However, even with the pre-production sample, we were super
impressed with its image quality and detail level of the shots.
Specifications
|
Images sensor
·
CCD pixels: 16.05MP
·
Pixel (W): 4608
·
Pixel (H): 3456
·
Sensor type: live MOS sensor
·
Sensor size: Micro/ Four Thirds
·
Sensor size (W): 17.3mm
·
Sensor size (H): 13mm
·
Aspect ratio: 4:3 16:9 3:2 1:1
LCD Monitor
·
LCD monitor: 3in
·
Screen resolution: 1036k dots
·
Touchscreen: yes
Focusing
·
Focusing modes: Autofocus, Manual, Spot, Face
detection, AF tracking, Multi, Centre, Touch AF
Exposure control
·
Shutter speeds shortest: 1/4000sec
·
Shutter speeds longest: 60sec
·
Exp modes: Program, Aperture-Priority,
Shutter-Priority, Manual, Scene modes, Program Variable
·
Metering: Centre-weighted – Average; Multi
Pattern; Program variable
·
ISO sensitivity: 160-12800
·
White balance: Auto, Manual,
Outdoors/Daylight, Cloudy, Incandescent, Shade, Flash
·
Exposure Comp: +/- 5
Viewfinder
·
Viewfinder resolution: 1.44mil dots
Shooting options
·
Continuous shooting: 7fps
Video
·
Movie mode: yes
·
Video resolution: 1,920 x 1,080, 1,080 x 720
720p, 640x 480 VGA
·
Video FPS: AVCHD (1080p at 50 FPS) and MP4
(1080p at 25 FPS)
·
Stereo sound: yes
·
Optical zoom with video: yes
Other features
·
Image stabilization: no
Interface
·
HDMI: yes
·
USB: USB 2
Storage
·
Card Type: SD, SDHC, SDXC
·
File type: RAW, JPG, RAW + JPG
Power source
·
Battery type: Lithium Ion
·
CIPA rating: 340
Box contents
·
Box contents: Camera, Lens, Body cap, battery,
Battery charger, USB cable, Neck Strap, Software CD-ROM
Dimensions and weight
·
Dimensions: 122.45 x 84.6 x 71.4 mm
·
Weight: 340g
|
