Panasonic Lumix G6, GF6 and LF1 Launch


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MHB’s Valerie Chua, Andy Kho and I headed over to Aloft KL to attend the launch of the new Panasonic Lumix G6, GF6 and LF1 on 27 June 2013 at Aloft KL. Now we were quite excited about this launch as unlike other product launches, Andy and I were actually given the Lumix G6 to test BEFORE the official launch and we brought it out to test at an event and you can read about that HERE (click here)! 
We also thought it would be nice to shoot the Lumix G6 launch with the Lumix G6 itself so Andy Kho left his huge DSLR at home and used the Lumix G6 DSLM to shoot the launch and the press conference. However as the cameras have yet to actually hit the market we had to return the G6 to be displayed inside the product display box. But fortunately the folks at Panasonic passed us a Lumix GX1 to play with use while the G6 was on display so you’ll notice the difference in the photo quality further down my post (the GX1 is good but the G6 is pretty awesome especially in the hands of Andy Kho!).

 A pic of popular Malaysian blogger Cheesie of http://cheeserland.com/ before the launch. While Andy and I were reviewing the G6, she was given a GF6 to test and you can read about her review on her blog.
 This was the second time Andy was actually shooting with the camera as I only passed it to him the night before at the Kirin Beer event to familiarise himself with it.
 The pretty Nadia Heng was the MC for the event
 Andy was in the front while Valerie and I were at the back but he managed to snipe us using the G6’s kit lens which is the LUMIX G VARIO 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH with MEGA O.I.S.
 Andy then flipped the free-angle 3.0 inch touch screen, turned the camera upside down and snapped a pic of the media seated behind him while looking front.
 The Lumix G6’s 16.05-megapixel Digital Live MOS Sensor and Venus Engine features advanced noise reduction systems and accurate colour reproduction
 A little sketch by Nadia and two models touched on the ease of use of the Lumix cameras, advanced features, as well as it’s portability.
 The 3 new Panasonic Lumix cameras are officially launched – G6, GF6 and LF1
 International professional photographer Chloe Lodge who has a Masters in Photography giving a little product demo and telling us why the GF6 is the perfect secondary camera for her
 From this photo onwards we were using the GX1 as we had to put the G6 in the display box pictured above but that wasn’t an issue the GX1 is still a competent camera
 Bloggers Cheesie and Joyce the Fairy
 Valerie checking out the Lumix G6
 Valerie trying out the GF6. She loved it so much she pretty much spent all of the time in the product display room with it
 One of the most important features when girls buy a camera – can you take a good selca with it
 The GF6 comes in various colours including white, black, brown and Valerie’s fav – RED!
 There is a wide selection of Lumix lenses to go with the G series cameras
 And accessories as well such as camera bags
 The line of Lumix compact cameras was spearheaded by the new DMC-LF1 which incorporates a F2.0 LEICA DC VARIO-SUMMICRON lens and 1/1.7-inch large High Sensitivity MOS Sensor
 There are Lumix cameras to suit most individual’s budget and shooting requirements. Although the focus has shifted more to mirrorless cameras such as the G series, Panasonic still produces compact cameras with some equipped with the legendary Leica lens.
 For those of you who like making YouTube videos Panasonic has a range of videocams as well
 This was a test between the G6 versus a “popular DSLR brand” camera to test the performance in dark conditions without the assistance of the AF-assist lamp. The G6 easily picked out and focused on the object while the other camera simply could not focus at all. Pretty impressive!
 Panasonic Lumix G6

I’ll be doing a separate post solely on the G6 with photos shot by Andy Kho and myself so look out for it coming soon!

 Panasonic Lumix GF6

1. New 16.00-Megapixel Live MOS Sensor and Venus Engine for Superb Picture Quality
The DMC-GF6 integrates new 16.00-megapixel Live MOS sensor which enables high resolution and high sensitivity image recording while minimizing generation of noise. The image processor Venus Engine is also newly developed to feature its advanced noise reduction systems. By extending the control level of noise, controllable area of noise is expanded by approx.64x in size. This makes it possible to remove large block of noise which was formally hard to detect and helps produce clear, smooth image especially for the nighttime scenery. In addition, the Multi-process NR (Noise Reduction) works in two separate steps allowing even finer control over noise level. The texture of noise itself, regardless of the noise size, is improved with this deliberate control, which is resulting in the reproduction of smooth human skin even in high sensitivity recording.
Furthermore, the optimum design of newly adopted Detail Reproduction Filter Process enhances the limit resolution by max. 3% and the contrast of middle to high range by max. 5%. Plus, the advanced Intelligent D-range Control offers wider dynamic range while maintaining the smooth gradation thanks to the high-precision signal processing. Suppressing both blocked shadows and blown highlights, every part of an image – from dark to bright – is faithfully reproduced.
The combination of the new Live MOS Sensor and the Venus Engine achieves ISO3200 (Auto) and max. ISO 25600 (Extended). The Low Light AF in DMC-GF6 gains higher performance in such as moonlight even without AF assist lamp to set focus on the subject more precisely.

2. Fast Startup, Higher Speed Response and Mobility
The DMC-GF6 takes only approx.0.5 sec to shoot a photo after startup*. Its intuitive touch controllability on the rear monitor, and the optimum layout of operation devices makes the camera more user friendly. The newly added function lever allows direct adjustment of allotted function – zoom**, exposure or aperture*** control, which works for magnification in playback mode and page flip in menu. The mode dial which is something very handy returns for this new DMC-GF6.
All cameras of LUMIX G adopt Contrast AF for its focus system. Compared with the Phase difference system AF, the Contrast AF boasts higher accuracy especially in shooting with bright lens with small F value. The DMC-GF6 also boasts high-speed Light Speed AF making it possible to capture fast-moving subjects clearly. Also, AF Tracking enables consecutive shooting to capture moving subject in sharp focus.
Combined with the Full-area Touch AF, it is possible to set focus on any point in the field of view while the Touch AE (Auto Exposure) function allows setting focus and exposure at a single touch on the subject displayed on the monitor.
*With H-FS1442A, based on the CIPA standard.
** When used with Power Zoom lenses H-PS14042 or H-PS45175.
*** In M (Manual) mode.

3. A Variety of Shooting Functions for Artwork Creation
The DMC-GF6 is not just a high quality camera but an advanced photographic tool enhancing shooting experience with wide variety of options.
This is very good news for female users – with the new Self Shot mode, users can shoot their own portraits by stretching an arm to hold the camera with the rear monitor flipped approx.180°vertically to get in a frame properly. A variety of options such as Creative Control can be applied on this self-portrait, too.
The popular Creative Control mode is upgraded by increasing its filter option from 14 (for DMC-GF5) to 19 (for DMC-GF6) adding new Old Days, Sunshine*, Bleach Bypass, Toy Pop, Fantasy in addition to the conventional Expressive, Retro, High Key, Sepia, High Dynamic, Soft Focus*, Dynamic Monochrome, Impressive Art, One Point Color, Cross Process, Low Key, Toy Effect and Star Filter* and Miniature Effect mode. Effect parameter of each mode is also adjustable.
With the new Creative Panorama function, it is possible to shoot a horizontal / vertical panoramic image with consequent shots taken by overlaying the previous picture and to put on a filter effect of Creative Control**.
The new Stop Motion Animation function enables producing a stop motion (stop frame) video in camera with the pictures that are sequentially shot while moving the object by degrees. This effect makes the object appear as if it is moving by itself.
Another new in-camera function is Clear Retouch, which makes it possible to erase unwanted objects or figures in an image by just tracing over them on monitor with a fingertip. They naturally disappear without destroying the image.
* For photo only
**Some filters of Creative Control cannot be used in Creative Panorama mode.

4. Wireless Connectivity for One-Touch Picture Sharing & Remote Shooting via Wi-Fi® / NFC with Smartphones
I like this one! As some of you know, I have a Wi-Fi SD card which I sometimes use to transfer photos from my camera to my phone to be uploaded to my social media accounts. However the process tends to be rather slow as the phone takes a while to detect the card.
The DMC-GF6 integrates Wi-Fi® connectivity (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n) with NFC (Near Field Communication) technology camera to offer more flexible shooting experience and instant image sharing with compliant smartphone/tablet using Panasonic’s dedicated application software Panasonic Image App for iOS / Android smartphones/tablets.
Users can connect the camera to their smartphone/tablet anywhere at one-touch to share a image easily right on the spot by just pairing the two devices.
And get this – remote shooting of both photo and video is available by using the smartphone/tablet for a remote shutter with a monitor which displayed live at smooth 30 fps. Using your smartphone/ tablet you can accomplish releasing a shutter, zooming, focusing and settings of shutter speed, aperture, and exposure compensation!

5. Other Attractive Features for DMC-GF6
High Quality 1920 x 1080 Full-HD Video with Stereo Sound 
Compact, Stylish Design with a variety of Color Selection
The DMC-GF6 features ultimate compactness in sleek, stylish design with a useful built-in flash (GN6.3 ISO160･m / GN5.0 ISO100･m) and new power zoom digital interchangeable lens in white H-PS14042-W specially bundled in the white camera kit as DMC-GF6X-W. The GF6 is available in black, white, brown and red.
New Approx.1040K-dot 180゜Tiltable Touch Monitor
The new large, approx.1040K-dot high resolution monitor boasts approx. 100% of field of view, and it tilts up approx. 180°. The front panel is directly attached to the new In Cell Touch LCD without containing air layer in between. The result is that the reflection of external light is dramatically reduced. Together with the increased resolution by approx.13% and improved color reproduction by approx.20%, the monitor for DMC-GF6 gives you higher visibility than ever.

The touch-control system immediately lets users to set focus to the subject by just touching it on the screen and you can even release the shutter. It is free and easy to enlarge the target point with fingertips to set precise focus.
Advanced iA+ (Intelligent Auto Plus Mode) and Scene Guide for Beginners
For beginners of Digital Single Lens Mirrorless cameras, iA (Intelligent Auto) mode supports taking beautiful pictures with a variety of shooting-assist functions including AF Tracking, Intelligent D-range Control, Intelligent Scene Selector, Face Recognition and Intelligent ISO Control. The Intelligent Scene Selector now integrates Food Recognition mode for all you crazy foodies out there, and detects food on the dish and captures it to look delicious. The iA Plus mode even allows users adjust defocusing area in the background (to create the “bokeh” effect, exposure compensation and white balance for more flexible control.
The Scene Guide* offers 23 sample pictures shot by professional photographers. Users can choose the one closer to the situation they are going to shoot and optimum parameters for shooting the scene will be automatically set. Furthermore, shooting procedure, technical advice and recommended interchangeable lens for the scene can be shown for users to learn photography.

 Panasonic Lumix LX1

Here are some of the key features of the Lumix LX1:
1. The F2.0 Fast LEICA DC VARIO-SUMMICRON Lens with 7.1x Optical Zoom
The DMC-LF1 is equipped with newly developed 28mm wide angle LEICA DC VARIO-SUMMICRON lens with 7.1x optical zoom (35mm camera equivalent: 28-200mm). A large aperture and a long zoom will undoubtedly come in handy when travelling.
The super-high-quality LEICA DC VARIO-SUMMICRON lens minimizes distortion at the wide end, so users can get true-to-life images with outstanding resolution and detail. For more effective countermeasure against hand-shake which tends to occur in shooting with high zoom, the LF1 is equipped with POWER O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) with Active Mode is equipped with DMC-LF1 to powerfully suppress blur in both photo and video recording.

2. The 1/1.7-inch Large 12.1-megapixel High Sensitivity MOS Sensor and Venus Engine
The DMC-LF1 integrates 1/1.7-inch, 12.1-megapixel High Sensitivity MOS Sensor which is larger in size than standard digital compact cameras giving you a high resolution image with stunning clarity not only in high sensitivity recording but also in low ISO setting reproducing rich gradation with a wide dynamic range even when the situation is highly contrasted.
The high performance image processor Venus Engine has advanced signal processing which enables deliberate noise reduction process without missing low-frequency noise by searching large detection area to realize high sensitivity image recording even at ISO12800. In addition, Edge Smoothing NR technology helps rendering smooth edges even in image recording at high ISO setting.

3. Practical EVF and Large, High Resolution LCD for Easy Viewing of Image
The DMC-LF1 is a sleek, stylish digital compact camera but it comes with 0.2-inch EVF (Electronic Viewfinder) with 200K-dot resolution, 100% field of view and a 3.0-inch, 920,000-dot Intelligent LCD with super high resolution and a wide viewing angle.

4. Shoot, View, and Share Images with Wi-Fi® Connectivity with NFC
(same as the GF6 above)

5. Manual Control via the Control Ring
A variety of advanced functions are equipped with DMC-LF1 to spur more interest of step-up users in photography. Manual control is can be achieved using the Control Ring, which enables direct control over frequently-used settings – zooming, aperture, shutter speed, ISO sensitivity and filter of Creative Control / Creative Panorama.

6. Creative Panorama & Creative Control / Creative Retouch
The DMC-LF1 is also equipped with Creative Control and Creative Retouch featuring a total of 15 filter effects – Retro, Expressive, High Key, Low Key, Sepia, Dynamic Monochrome, Impressive Art, High Dynamic, Toy Effect, Miniature Effect, Star Filter, Cross Process, Soft Focus, One Point Color and Old Days. 
The Creative Control lets users shoot with a filter effect while checking how it makes difference on the picture, which can be used for video recording, too* while the Creative Retouch enables applying a filter effect on the picture after shooting.
With the Creative Panorama function, you can apply a filter effect of Retro, Expressive, High Key, Low Key, Sepia, Dynamic Monochrome, Impressive Art, High Dynamic, Star Filter, Cross Process, Soft Focus, One Point Color and Old Days to the horizontal / vertical panoramic image, which can be shot by sweeping the camera in any four directions – to right, left, top or bottom.
* Soft Focus and Star Filter cannot be used in video recording.

7. Other Attractive Features for DMC-LF1

High Quality 1920 x 1080 Full-HD 60i (NTSC) / 50i (PAL) Video with Stereo Sound
iA+ (Intelligent Auto Plus) Mode for Photo and Video
AC / USB Power Charging – The camera’s battery can be recharged either via AC or via USB according to the users’ convenience.

PRICE

GF6K (14-42mm) = RM 1,999.00
GF6X (14-42mm Power Zoom Lens) = RM2,399.00
GF6W (14-42mm + 45-150mm) = RM2,599.00
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G6K (14-42mm) = RM 2,699.00
G6X (14-42mm Power Zoom Lens) = RM3,299.00
G6W (14-42mm + 45-150mm) = RM3,499.00
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LF1 = RM1,599.00

For more info head over to:
Panasonic Malaysia’s website: http://www.panasonic.com.my/
Panasonic Malaysia’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mypanasonic