Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 Review

Panasonic delivers the GF6 a new entry-level model in its mirrorless system technology. With entry-level model seems somewhat deep stacked. A respectable objective of items is ready, since not only the Panasonic lenses, but all MFT lenses can be connected by Olympus.

A camera for carefree and especially carefree photography, but with the claim of an adult image quality. What has changed compared to the predecessor and the benefits that the photographer can draw from this, we have tested in theory and practice.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 – Ergonomics and Processing

Something edgier and larger, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 has become what gives it to the GF5 a more mature look. It’s something a cuddly and compact shape has given a rather smooth simplicity that one is now used by many mirrorless models.

For the case of large hands, GF6 is probably still a bit too small, but – at least with a pancake lens – jack bag ready. Even when she has gained weight, but remains with the kit zoom 14-42mm II OIS with 480 grams comfortable to wear. The case looks very solid processed, all switches and now the newly added mode selector raced clean and can be used well.

The cover of the two ports (HDMI and AV / Digital) is of sufficient, memory card and battery compartment turn decent quality. The tripod socket is properly seated in the optical axis and is made of steel, but denied with an attached quick-release plate to access the battery.

A two fingers wide grip hump in the front and a small application of rubber for the thumb on the back give to reasonably hold, but the GF6 should be clearly better held with both hands. Then also the mode dial on the top and the rocker switch on the back can comfortably use.

Also, a little thicker than the GF6 its predecessor, which is primarily due to the swivel screen. Up and down, it can now be folded, with the clever mechanism can swivel the display completely to the front of the camera, which easily a self portraits Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 permits. Down but only until it reaches about 45 degrees, but due to the good angular independence little limiting.

In general, the display makes a lot of joy. With over a million pixels it represents very detailed and brilliant. Only in direct sunlight one wishes a viewfinder, but unfortunately, the lack of hot shoe and cannot be retrofitted. Inspire can turn the touch sensitivity.

Scroll and zoom into the image are used as possible from the smartphone, and also the operation of many of the menus and camera parameters is a combination of touch screen and switches quickly out of hand. Sometimes this works well even if you accidentally typed when handling the display and thus unnoticed shifts the focus at the edge of the image field.

This can lead to surprises when shooting. If that is too often happened, the better-off Touch AF. Information on the display offers everything makes sense: Histogram, Grid, exposure information GF6 with Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 Vario 14-42 mm and image effects can be displayed directly if needed.

A special feature of the usual compact cameras zoom lever on the trigger that: Only when using a power zoom lens such as the Lumix G Vario PZ 14-42 mm it has the expected function. If there is no power zoom on the camera, so that the exposure is set, but this can easily lead to inadvertent exposure errors. Better like that in manual exposure with the aperture and the zoom lever with the wheel of the rocker switch, the exposure time is regulated.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 – Features

On automatics and image effects is not short of the Panasonic DMC-GF6 truly. Only 23 scene modes, the effect fortunately not only demonstrates some with flowery descriptions, but also with small sample images to give a lot of room for experimentation. There are also 19 image effects, which can also be judged on the display.

From Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 with G Vario 14-42 mm the variety of settings, the photographer can store up to four separate sets and retrieve the mode dial or the touch screen. Who came raging creative here, you may find the standard automatics or even manual control back, which of course are on board.

To good use is the panorama function, which covers almost 180 degrees wide pan with a fast image sequence. Before recording both the swing direction and the orientation of the camera can be set. At high-scale pan produces pictures with a maximum resolution of 8,176 x 2,560 pixels, which should easily be enough for panoramas of one-meter width. It provided some swing experience seams are rarely seen, rather, even slight motion blur because the camera is so moved during recording. Nevertheless, the results are convincing.

The remote control via Wi-Fi from your mobile device can also inspire. It is needed is an app that is available for both Apples as well as Android free of charge. At close range, it comes with appropriately equipped device’s thanks to NFC even without wiring or complicated network setup on the image and video data on a DLNA-compatible TV, the images should be also considered wireless.

With an actual TV set from Samsung that was not possible. While it closed the connection right away, refused to display the images Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 with G Vario 14-42 mm [Photo: North Media] the tv.

For video recording, the GF6 is good also. Recordings are saved with a maximum of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels at 50 frames per second as AVCHD or MP4 with sound via a built-in stereo microphone picks up almost no focus noise.

The GF6 leads the sharpness a bit too slow, so they already lagging at slightly faster movements or pans afterwards. Pumps, we found only at close range. The connection of an external microphone is not intended, after all, the sound level can be adjusted manually in four steps.

A very interesting feature is hidden behind the menu entry stop-motion animation. The Panasonic DMC-GF6 is capable of continuous shooting with intervals between one and take 60 seconds. Trick shots are made easier by the previous image is displayed semi-transparently in the viewfinder.

Following the series of images from the camera, a video can be calculated. In this way, with little effort and without further aids – except for a good tripod – exciting time lapse recording and animated films are created.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 – Image Quality

When the important criterion for many photographers, image quality, the new Panasonic also makes the kit lens with a decent figure, as our detailed test shows the laboratory. The overall results with numerous diagrams and explanations are as always visible for a small fee.

Even at a maximum aperture, the resolution reached down to medium focal lengths into nearly 45 line pairs per millimeter (lp / mm), but with a distinct edge waste.

Stopped down to F8, the whole uniform, the resolution remains at about 40 lp / mm and falls off the edge to about 30 lp/mm. About F11 then lowers the diffraction more and more the overall result.

Vignetting and distortion are so disturbing Panasonic both the short and the long end well in hand, both errors only in critical subjects. Also, the chromatic aberration is likely to be problematic for pixel-peeper, because with a maximum of one and a half, pixel’s wide fringing keep within limits.

In signal processing, there’s also nothing to complain about, Noise and texture sharpness to ISO 3,200 at a good level. When luminance goes even one step more, the grain is quite fine and the color noise hardly plays a role.

Equally pleasing to the high sensitivities into the input dynamics. The GF6 handled according to our measurements, about ten f-stops, until about 6400 it falls to less than nine panels. In the tonal value Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 memory card slot and battery Panasonic goes with the GF6 a moderate way, so the photos are good though primarily for the direct expression, but also minor rework remains possible.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 – Conclusion

Anyone looking for a compact, handy, and full-featured camera with good image quality that comes with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 their money. It particularly liked the touch-sensitive folding screen, the panorama feature and interval shooting.

Who is not afraid of a little fumbling network and a smartphone or tablet computer called your own. You will love the remote control via Wi-Fi. Not least speaks the extensive lens range with many visual treats for this Micro Four Thirds camera.

Would be a bit slow to criticize the focus tracking in video mode, lack of viewfinder and no external flash can be attached. For the target group but the GF6 offers great potential for experimentation, and advanced photographers get their money. The GF6 fun and due to their size can always be there.