Panasonic’s Lumix G1 was the very first mirrorless Micro Four Thirds camera, and a lot of things have changed since it launched in 2008. That single Lumix G lineup has branched into five separate series of mirrorless shooters, and while the original G1 didn’t even shoot video, the brand-new G7 counts it among one of its core strengths.
In fact, the Ultra HD-shooting Lumix G7 is a lot more like the professional-video-minded GH4 than its more-basic G series predecessors. 4K is front and center: It has a video mode that records 3840x2160 MP4 clips at 30p and 24p, and you can use manual exposure controls while shooting video. In 1080p mode, it records at 60fps in MP4 and AVCHD Pro.
It has the same quad-core image-processing engine as the top-of-the-line GH4, which Panasonic says is built for recording Ultra HD video without overheating. To help shuttle all that beefy video quickly, the G7 is compatible with UHS-II. And although its sensor is different than the GH4’s, it’s still a 16-megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor---smaller than APS-C, but not by much.
Along with a full-resolution burst mode that captures at 6fps with shot-to-shot AF enabled (and 8fps with focus locked on the first frame), there are a range of “4K Photo” modes that ramp image-capture speeds up even further---albeit at a lower resolution. There’s a straight “4K Burst” mode that nabs 30 8-megapixel images per second, as well as a “4K Pre-Burst” buffer that records images at 30fps for two seconds before and after you hit the shutter button.
The result, according to Panasonic, are images you can capture at high speeds that are higher-resolution and more usable than your average frame-grabs. Each frame is an 8-megapixel image that you can scrub through and save (or delete) after shooting, albeit there is some cropping that takes place. In the 4K Photo modes, each image is taken from the center portion of the 16-megapixel sensor.
The company is also touting the camera’s autofocus system, which uses a combination of contrast-detection and a proprietary system called DFD (depth from defocus), which offers some of the benefits of a phase-detection system. It’s also found in the GH4, and it uses data from defocus tests on each of its lenses to pop into focus without searching back and forth---one weakness of a contrast-detection system. According to Panasonic, the system can lock focus in 0.07 seconds, which would put it neck-and-neck with Sony’s A6000 and Fujifilm’s X-series cameras.
For its kit price, it serves up a nice array of features beyond those 4K modes, too. ISO ramps up to 25,600, its electronic shutter can fire at a top speed of 1/16,000 of a second, a tilt-and-swivel touchscreen, and the always-helpful focus peaking are in the mix. One unique feature is Starlight AF, a mode Panasonic says enhances contrast and exposure settings for capturing images of the night sky. You’re also able to mix-and-match manual exposure effects with the camera’s creative filters.
Available in both gunmetal-and-black and all-black variations, the price is a very nice $800 as a kit with your basic 14-42mm/F3.5-F5.6 lens. There’s also a black-only kit for $1,100 with a 14-140mm/F4.0-F5.8 lens. If you can deal with the smaller-than-APS-C sensor, it looks like a promising entry-level model for anyone who wants to start shooting 4K.
