Dubai: The Panasonic GF6 is the latest offering in Panasonic’s Lumix series. This is a mirrorless entry level camera which features a 16MP sensor with a three-inch touchscreen which tilts 180 degree and comes with WiFi and NFC connectivity.
The camera comes packed with a 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 lens with optical image stabilization. The lens performs well giving detailed and sharper pictures. Lots of neat tools in the camera make it a versatile camera for the less professional shooter.
The AF performs reasonable well even during low-light situations. I was comfortable while shooting manually to get the focus I wanted; you can easily shift the focus with the display and moving the focus around with your finger. The mode dial allows you to swap to various modes with ease; around the shutter is the power zoom control which doubles up as the exposure adjustment. Intelligent auto setting and the video mode record button is on the side. The grip to hold in front and a thumb grip at the back are ideal for shooting with one hand. The Lumix GF6 also has the usual scroll wheel, menu/set, playback and has a tripod mount as well a built in flash which is quite good. For the majority of people having a built in flash is preferable.
The WiFi and NFC feature gives you the ability to remotely link it with any device running Android or IOS via an app. The smartphones/tablet can be used as a remote shutter control or sets you for instant transfer.When I tried with the Samsung Galaxy tablet it worked very smoothly.
ISO settings
The camera can go up to an ISO of 236000, but I would not recommend crossing beyond 6400 at low-light conditions and there is a slight drop in details in the picture. Digital filters in the camera allow you to play with contrast and saturation.
Video recording is in full HD as either AVCHD or MP4- the quality is pretty good with great depth, it has also an additional feature of stop motion which can be converted to a video.
My overall understanding is the Lumix GF6 comes up with everything you need and it is a versatile semi SLR camera. Image quality is very good with nice colours and detail. There are a few very minor issues, but I can happily recommend the camera. It is priced at Dh2,229.
