Panasonic GM1 Review

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM1 with ultra-compact housing: Micro Four Thirds in retro look

With the Lumix DMC-GM1, Panasonic sets a new miniaturization record in the Micro Four Thirds system. The mirrorless system camera (DSLM from Panasonic) uses a retro look in silver-black, orange-black or all black. Similar to the GF series, the buyer has to do without a flash shoe and a viewfinder, but at least a small flash is built in. The matching new set lens is also particularly flat, although it is a zoom lens.

Short evaluation

Pros

• Good operability via touch screen
• Extensive equipment (including WiFi)
• Noble haptics and workmanship
• Extremely small housing for the sensor size
• Good image quality like a full-grown camera despite compact housing

Cons

• Set lens with low resolution at the image edge
• 1/50 s shortest flash sync time too long
• Most MFT lenses have too large a diameter for the small camera

The Lumix DMC-GM1 is the most compact DSLM from Panasonic, even the LX7 and TZ41 are bigger. [Photo: Panasonic]

The miniaturization of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM1 is made possible among other things by the smaller sensor electronics as well as a new mechanical shutter. [Photo: Panasonic]

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM1 has the same 16 megapixel image sensor as the GX7. [Photo: Panasonic]

On the back, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM1 has a 7.5 centimeter touchscreen with 1.04 million pixels resolution. [Photo: Panasonic]

Even with the new set lens, a zoom and image stabilizer, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM1 looks extremely compact. [Photo: Panasonic]

The new Pancake set lens of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM1 extends the tube during operation. [Photo: Panasonic]

The magnesium housing of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM1 with its leather-like cover looks particularly elegant. It is available in black, silver-black or silver-orange. [Photo: Panasonic]

The new set lens Lumix G Vario 12-32 mm 3.5-5.6 Asph. O.I.S. covers a 35mm equivalent focal length range from 24 to 64 millimetres. [Photo: Panasonic]

Due to the pancake construction, the Lumix G Vario 12-32 mm 3.5-5.6 Asph. O.I.S. is particularly flat during transport. [Photo: Panasonic]

Alternatively, the Lumix G Vario 12-32 mm 3.5-5.6 Asph. O.I.S. is also available in silver. [Photo: Panasonic]

The Lumix G Vario 12-32 mm 3.5-5.6 Asph. O.I.S. even has an optical image stabilizer. [Photo: Panasonic]

The GM1 measures only around 99 x 59 x 30 millimetres and is therefore even more compact than a Lumix DMC-LX7 or TZ41. With an SD memory card and lithium-ion battery, the weight is just over 200 grams, although the case is made of robust metal, a magnesium alloy, and has a high-quality leather-look cover. Since the set lens weighs only 70 grams, the combination is about 275 grams. Nevertheless, the DSLM wants to offer a high image quality. The same live MOS chip as in the GX7 is used, with a resolution of around 16 megapixels. Three aluminium adjustment wheels are designed to provide quick access to all functions, even if the housing itself leaves little room for many control elements. The miniaturization was achieved, among other things, by the newly developed, 80 percent smaller focal-plane shutter. This one has only one curtain instead of two. The first curtain works purely electronically, but the second process is mechanical, at least in the range of 1/500 to 60 seconds exposure time. With faster shutter speeds of up to 1/16,000 second, the shutter operates purely electronically, but this is also possible with optional exposures of up to 60 seconds. On the other hand, there are the disadvantages of the rolling shutter effect (the electronic shutter works line by line and not for the whole sensor at once) and the shortest flash sync time of 1/50 second. Although Panasonic states that the GM1 has a daylight fill-flash, with a guide number of 5.6 at ISO 200 and 1/50 second exposure time one might have problems to brighten up a subject in backlight.

The miniaturization is also due to the miniaturized electronic sensor circuits and the sensor unit attached directly to the metal housing. The readout rate of 240 frames per second is intended to provide a particularly fast contrast autofocus. The 7.5 centimetre rear screen with a resolution of 1.04 million pixels is touch-sensitive, allowing the camera to be operated alternatively or in addition to the buttons. This is practical, for example, for focusing on a certain point on the motive that you simply need to tap. Triggering is also possible via the screen. In addition, the GM1 has a WLAN module, which not only allows the camera to transmit photos and videos to other devices, but also allows remote control via app from a smartphone or tablet – including live image transmission, of course. The Panasonic app even allows a lot of camera settings.

In addition to the intelligent fully automatic function and numerous motive programs and filter effects, the ambitious user also has the classic exposure programs P, A, S and M at his disposal. Focus peaking, which highlights sharp contrasting edges in color, helps with manual focusing. The GM1 records videos in full HD resolution in MP4 or AVCHD format. Manual or semi-automatic exposure is available on request as with photos. In addition to a frame rate of 50i, 24p is also available. From mid November 2013, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM1 with 12-32mm set lens will be available at a price of almost 700 EUR. The silver-orange GM1 is delivered with the silver set lens just like the silver-black one, while the black camera with the black lens is in the box. Panasonic also offers a special set consisting of a silver-black GM1, the silver set lens as well as a silver 20mm F1.8 and a silver handle for almost 1000 EUR.

Panasonic also offers this handle, which fits the GM1 and is intended to improve handling, separately. The also new set lens Lumix G Vario 3.5-5.6/12-32mm Asph./O.I.S. covers a focal length range of 24 to 64 millimetres according to 35mm. The pancake wide-angle zoom has an optical image stabilizer. It is an incredible 24 millimetres flat and weighs only 70 grams. The closest focusing distance is between 12 and 20 millimeters at a focal length of 20 centimeters, but at 30 centimeters, which means that a maximum magnification of 1:7.7 is achieved. Despite the compact dimensions and the low weight, the image is even stabilized by two lens groups, for which a new, powerful drive was specially developed. The 12-32 even has a metal bayonet. The internal focusing system works with a quiet and precise as well as fast stepping motor. Zoom is achieved by means of the rotating ring attached to the lens. Despite its compact dimensions, the lens consists of eight multi-coated lenses in seven groups, including an ED lens. The screen consists of seven lamellas and thus provides an almost circular opening for a beautiful bokeh. The Lumix G Vario 3.5-5.6/12-32mm Asph./O.I.S will be available individually in black and silver at a price of almost 350 EUR from the end of November 2013.

In addition, Panasonic is currently developing two new lenses. The Leica DG Summilux 15 mm/F1.7 Asph. is designed to extend the line-up of high-intensity fixed focal lengths for the Lumix-G system. So far available are a 24 mm/F1.4 and a 45 mm/F2.8 macro, each with Leica label, a 42.5 mm/F1.2 has already been announced. In line with the GM1, Panasonic is also planning a particularly compact telezoom with a focal length of 35-100 millimetres, which will expand the range to a total of 23 Lumix G interchangeable lenses.

Panasonic announced the Lumix GM1 as an extremely small system camera. Individual photos of the camera do not convey how small this is, because the proportions are familiar. Everything was shrunk to scale, in volume by a total of around 40 percent – even the corresponding lens. Only the image sensor doesn’t, because with it applies: larger is better. It’s the same as the current Panasonic top model Lumix GX7. In the test we report in detail about our experiences with the GM1 in the test laboratory as well as in practice.

Ergonomics and workmanship

The tiny size of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM1 and the matching 12-32 mm lens surprised me. It’s hard to believe that the manufacturer has managed to shrink the camera on the one hand and the lens around the established Micro-Four-Thirds bayonet on the other! Because its diameter is fixed and determines the framework conditions. With the GM1, this means that the camera is only exactly as high as the outer diameter of the bayonet. This design is also followed by other manufacturers (Sony, Samsung), but their bayonet, and thus the camera height, is significantly larger due to the larger sensor. There is also another design trick originally known from Sony: the bayonet jumps out of the housing a bit and seems to form a unit with the lens instead of with the camera. This allows the actual camera housing to be designed much flatter than the back focal distance (the distance between the bayonet surface and the sensor) actually allows.

The tiny zoom lens is a completely new development. So far, Panasonic has focused on the smallest possible installation depth for particularly small lenses. A few years ago the Lumix G X Vario PZ 12-42 mm lens with motorized zoom was developed, which is, however, very large in diameter, considerably larger than the bayonet. For the GM1, a lens had to be developed that exactly matched the diameter of the bayonet – a completely new design requirement! And it should have a shallow depth, too. The result is the tiny pancake zoom with the type designation H-FS120332. Similar to the Micro Four Thirds lenses from Olympus, which have been used for quite some time now, the lens is first “unfolded” for photography: A turn of the very handy zoom ring extends a two-piece lens tube. The just flat pancake then grows to twice the construction depth. Also the further zooming takes place steplessly and sensitively mechanically. We like that much better than a motorized zoom! In addition, the lens feels really good and noble. Not only was metal used on the bayonet. No trace of cheap kit lens — the feel of the 12-32 mm is exemplary. The small lens does not have a focus ring for manual focusing, instead you have to use the control elements of the camera if necessary.

The width of the camera is determined by the display (diagonally almost three inches in 3:2 format) and the Panasonic-typical controls next to it. There’s hardly any room to touch. A tiny thumb rest is covered with the same non-slip artificial leather as the front. During the test, it often happened that the smooth-running turn/push ring on the back was accidentally pressed and turned and camera parameters were unintentionally adjusted (does anyone really like these turn/push things?). Fortunately, all other keys are somewhat recessed. There is no need to worry about accidental operation of the controls on the upper side, as they require some force and have little “surface to attack”. The on/off switch is arranged around the shutter release, to the left of it there is a distinctive autofocus switch (single, continuous or off) and a function key (F1, WiFi by default, but freely assignable).

On the one hand, it’s nice that Panasonic uses the same control system for all its cameras, so a Panasonic user feels right at home. On the other hand, the GM1 could be even more ergonomic if Panasonic could jump over its own shadow here.

It would be avoidable for the camera to greet the user with the message “Turn the zoom ring to extend the lens” after switching on the camera, if this would also serve as an on/off switch for the camera. This would save a single movement each time the unit is switched on and off. In this case, an on/off switch on the camera would be useful as a button and not as a lever. And the nice switch for the autofocus; hand on heart: how often will you really manually focus with the lens without focus ring or how often will you really switch between single autofocus and continuous autofocus? How nice it would be if this would be the drive switch, with which you could quickly switch between single and continuous shots, bracketing, Auto-HDR and self-timer (these are the things you just want to change for a single shot).

In the mini housing of the Lumix GM1, the developers have even accommodated a small flash with a guide number of 4 that is sufficient for shadow illumination or motif lighting in the close-up range. The flash is snapped out mechanically via a small lever and then an adventurous lever-stroke-swivel-construction with the flash speeds a good way up and forward. In this way, shadowing of the lens is avoided – not an easy task with such a small body (some other manufacturers “solve” the problem by not installing a flash at all!). The swivelling construction can also be used for indirect flashes by completely retracting the spring-mounted flash head during photography, so that it flashes on the ceiling. This may not be in the spirit of the inventor, but it works very well. The construction is transported back into the housing at the touch of a finger. Don’t be afraid! What bends doesn’t break! Only then does the second of the two safety levers snap into place and the flash sits really flush in the housing again.

Despite the miniature body, Panasonic engineers have managed to place a solid metal thread in the middle of the lens housing. With the quick-release plate attached, the battery compartment flap, in which the memory card is also inserted, can of course not be opened, the tiny housing is far too small for that. The entire processing, which probably already sounded through, is exemplary for such a small camera. The housing and all controls on the top are made of metal. Even though we only weighed 273 grams for the camera and lens with battery and memory card, we still have something in our hands in view of the small dimensions.

 

The camera is available in all black (with black lens), classic in silver-black or peppy in orange-black (each with silver lens). Optionally there is a handle in silver.

The touch screen monitor with more than one million pixels has a very wide viewing angle and is slightly smaller than the cover suggests (7.5 cm screen diagonal). In very bright sunlight, the visibility of the subject is limited, there is still enough to choose the subject. The 3:2 format is a good compromise. If you photograph in 4:3 aspect ratio (native aspect ratio of the sensor) or in 16:9 format (then 12 of the 16 megapixels remain), the image doesn’t get too much smaller. The touch-screen user interface is now also very successful. This allows you to adjust everything much more conveniently and quickly than with the cursor rocker. But by their presence you have to remind yourself again and again that you have a touch screen in front of you and that every selection you see can be selected with a single fingertip instead of using the cursor and enter keys.

Equipment

The recording program on the GM1 is set in the classic way by means of the program selector wheel on the top of the camera, which engages tightly and snugly. Very practical is the intelligent automatic control, which automatically adjusts all camera parameters from the subject program to the image stabilizer to the ISO sensitivity, so the user only has to select the subject and press the shutter button. However, you are not at the mercy of the automatic lens: both the exposure brightness and the aperture for the depth of field can be adjusted on request. Even white balance correction (cooler or warmer colors) is possible. However, if the photographer chooses the subject program himself, he can no longer influence the aperture but the exposure correction. You can even select one of the presets for white balance. The user gains more control in the classic programs P, A, S and M. In the latter, the manual control of shutter speed and aperture offers full control over the exposure. In addition, two user memories allow the assignment of individual presettings.

The GM1 records videos at any time via the dedicated video recording button on the edge of the thumb tray. Both the AVCHD and MP4 formats are available for selection. In AVCHD, 50i, 25p and 24p are available in Full HD resolution and 50p in HD resolution. When saving in MP4 format, there are even three resolution levels: Full HD, HD and VGA. The frame rate is always 25p. The MP4 format is particularly convenient for transferring to smartphones or uploading to the Internet, which can even be done directly from the camera thanks to built-in WLAN. The video sound is transmitted to the memory card via the built-in stereo microphone. While shooting for the camera, the autofocus is accurately and without large pumping after, but at least at 12-32 mm standard zoom a very quiet rattling can be heard. At the start of the video recording, the image is cropped at the top and bottom, which the camera unfortunately does not show before. This only happens when you switch to video mode using the program dial. Then the GM1 also allows manual exposure and using the shutter release instead of the video recording button to start and stop video recording.

Although the small Lumix offers some recording filters, photos cannot be edited afterwards with it. Panasonic, on the other hand, has built in an HDR recording function. It takes three photos with up to 3 EV exposure difference and optionally even aligns these photos when calculating, so that you can also take freehand HDR shots with the GM1. However, a raw data development function is missing just like a panorama mode. After all, images can be cut or titled, videos can even be edited. Thanks to the touch screen, images can be scrolled through by a wiping gesture, with a two-finger gesture even zooming into the image is possible. The GM1 doesn’t even care which camera was used to take the pictures on the memory card, but you can still view and zoom. The built-in WLAN is also very practical, allowing images to be transmitted to mobile devices and the GM1 also allows remote control of the camera via smartphone including live image transmission. Especially the functional range of the app inspires, some competitors could cut themselves a slice of it. The camera can be configured very extensively via smartphone.

The flash functions are unfortunately somewhat limited. The GM1 offers only the internal flash, which can not even remote control external flashes. With fill-in flash, anti-red-eye pre-flash and long-time sync, the standard functions are available, as well as flash sync at the beginning or end of exposure and flash exposure compensation. The biggest drawback, however, is the long flash sync time of 1/50 second, the GM1 does not allow shorter shutter speeds. This makes it almost impossible for the low-power flash to light up in daylight in the open air. The reason for the misery is the new closure unit, which is 80 percent smaller than the GX7. Instead of a conventional focal-plane shutter, the sensor is set to “dark” at the beginning of the exposure, the shutter closes at exposure time of 1/500 second and longer only at the end of the exposure, so that the sensor can be read without interference. The shutter has only two slats and does not operate fast enough to allow flash sync times shorter than 1/50th of a second. Although the GM;1 also offers a completely silent, purely electronic shutter with a shutter speed of up to 1/16,000 second, it can unfortunately not flash.

Picture quality

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM1 has the same 16 megapixel live MOS sensor as the GX7 and should therefore deliver the same good image quality. It measures about 17.3 x 13 millimetres, as is usual with Micro-Four-Thirds, in the diagonal this corresponds exactly to half the size of a 35mm sensor, which apparently doubles the focal length (crop factor 2). But not only the image sensor including image processing is decisive for the image quality, but also the quality of the lens.

In fact, the GM1 is very similar to the GX7 in terms of measured values. The signal-to-noise ratio starts at ISO 125 in the barely good range of just under 40 db and drops below the critical limit of 35 dB from ISO 1.600 onwards. While the color noise plays practically no role, brightness noise from ISO 3.200 becomes visible and increases up to the highest sensitivity of ISO 25.600. However, with less than two pixels it remains fine-grained enough not to attract attention on A4 sized images. The GM1 even reproduces the finest details more sharply than the GX7, but this is due to the more aggressive image processing and sharpening. Here it can be clearly read that the GM1 is aimed at photographers who do not want to post-process their images, at least in JPEG, but expect very crisp results. The noise suppression reduces the detail fidelity somewhat more slowly than with the GX7 and the GM1 certifies good detail fidelity even at ISO 6,400. However, above this the images become visibly softer.

The input dynamics over the entire ISO range are a good ten to eleven f-stops, the output tonal range is good up to ISO 1,600. In addition, the brightness gradations become increasingly coarser. The GM1 even reproduces the finest colour nuances very well up to ISO 6,400, whereby the camera displays red to violet tones more saturated than in reality, cyan is also shifted towards blue. Both, however, provide subjectively pleasantly bright colors with a beautiful sky blue that doesn’t look so washed-out.

However, the lens also makes a significant contribution to the image quality. Relative to A4, the 12-32 mm shows no blurred edges, but the resolution measurement reveals a quite high edge drop especially in wide angle. Here the resolution drops from 45 line pairs per millimeter (lp/mm) in the center to 25 lp/mm at the edge of the image at 50 percent edge contrast. Even dimming does not bring any significant improvement. With an edge drop of 10-15 lp/mm at medium and long focal lengths, the resolution is better here, but you can’t call it impeccable either. A further problem of the 12-32 is the strong distortion of two percent in the wide angle, which can be disturbing with critical motifs, such as architectural shots. At medium and long focal lengths, on the other hand, there is practically no distortion. Even color fringes hardly appear, even the darkening of the edges gives no cause for criticism.

Bottom line

With the Lumix GM1, Panasonic has succeeded in developing a system camera that, despite its large sensor and interchangeable lens, is tiny in size and at first glance is certainly considered to be a compact camera. Although all Micro Four-Thirds lenses can be operated with the small housing, the included small wide-angle zoom is the only lens that really fits the small piece of jewellery. So you will seldom see another lens on the GM1. But with the standard lens you can also live very well if you don’t need a lot of telephoto focal length. In wide angle position the image quality decreases towards the edge, a compromise in view of the small size. All in all, this fine mini is doing very well and does not afford any real weaknesses anywhere. The only limitation seems to be the unique shutter, which only allows very long flash sync times.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM1 Datasheet