The GF1 makes best sense of the Micro Four Thirds format by kicking all the unnecessary DSLR-styling to the kerb. What remains is a compact-sized camera with a deceptive amount of oomph tucked away on the inside, plus the 20mm f/1.7 pancake lens is highly effective. It'll appeal to a wide ranging audience that want a small bit of kit to produce excellent pictures, though more traditional photographers will still find a DSLR provides better use. There's certainly some room for improvement (especially the price), but it's generally good news all round. Picture quality is excellent, it's easy to pick up and use from the getgo and performance is a fair marriage of compact-meets-DSLR. Ultimately, if you're in the market for this sort of a camera – where comparably small and light competitors come very few and far between – then the GF1 is certainly the best one on the market.
Pros
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Size, design, HD video, Peripheral Defocus scene mode, Micro Four Thirds compatability
Cons
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Costly, limitations to auto focus, no in-built viewfinder
Verdict
The Panasonic GF1 makes best sense of the Micro Four Thirds format by kicking all the unnecessary DSLR-styling to the kerb.
What remains is a compact-sized camera with a deceptive amount of oomph tucked away on the inside, plus the 20mm f/1.7 pancake lens is highly effective.
It’ll appeal to a wide ranging audience that want a small bit of kit to produce excellent pictures, though more traditional photographers will still find a DSLR provides better use.
There’s certainly some room for improvement (especially the price), but it’s generally good news all round. Picture quality is excellent, it’s easy to pick up and use from the getgo and performance is a fair marriage of compact-meets-DSLR.
Ultimately, if you’re in the market for this sort of a camera – where comparably small and light competitors come very few and far between – then the GF1 is certainly the best one on the market.