Panasonic Lumix CM1 Review - The CM1 set Photokina 2014 alight with the implementation of a 1in, 20MP sensor in a smartphone body. We finally get the chance to put it through its paces in our full review.
Panasonic Lumix CM1 Review
Panasonic Lumix CM1 Review – Performance
Although the CM1 is a single device combining the core elements of both a smartphone and a compact camera, to get a full assessment of its success it’s best to consider the camera and the smartphone elements separately to begin with.
Starting off with the smartphone, as mentioned previously the CM1 is powered by the Android 4.4 (Kitkat) operating system. This operating system, and the camera on the whole, is powered by an impressive Snapdragon 801 2.3GHz Quad-core processor.
This places the CM1 in line with notable smartphone competitors including the iPhone 5S, Samsung Galaxy Alpha and Sony Xperia Z2.
The general operating interface will be instantly familiar to anyone who has used an Android device in recent times, with Panasonic sticking to version of the software which features a relatively minimal amount of bloatware.
The apps which do feature are welcome, as they are unique to the CM1 and aid the capturing and processing of 4K video.
Powerful device
The processing power is certainly welcome as it makes switching between the applications in smartphone mode nice and simple, while it’s also prompt to switch between the smartphone and camera mode.
The camera mode itself is also well implemented. Where some models, and smartphones for that matter, fall down when it comes to taking photos is in lacking any kind of dedicated camera controls.
The CM1, however, has a distinctly photographic interface complete with a dedicated shutter button, a model dial on the camera’s touch screen, and the welcome addition of a control wheel on the front of the camera.
The presence of a large LCD screen is also welcome, and at 4.7in and 6,220k-dots it offers a great amount of real estate for both reviewing images and the host of touch controls on offer.
Undoubtedly one of the major concerns with a device such as the CM1 is its battery life owing to the sheer amount of technology on offer. However, in this regard the CM1 impresses – firstly the unit itself is quick to charge, and even after a full day of taking pictures and general smartphone usage the camera still had around 20-30% of battery life left.