Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 May 2009

Panasonic has launched its second micro four-thirds camera, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1. The successor to the Panasonic G1, the main difference with the GH1 is that it has an HD video-recording mode. There are a few other differences, but if its test results are as good as its predecessor’s, it could be a Best Buy. Until we have full test results available from our lab, here are our initial impressions and a rundown of the camera’s most interesting features.

The GH1 is slightly larger that the G1, but uses the same lenses. Instead of an optical viewfinder, the GH1 has an electronic viewfinder that allows you to preview shots as you adjust the camera settings.

The camera is easy to use, and has a button that switches from photo mode to video mode with a single press. We also liked the fact that the focal area in the viewfinder enlarges when you’re focusing manually. The enlarged area disappears and is replaced by the whole image when your finger is placed on the shutter.

The GH1 can shoot video in HD and, though we're yet to see a consumer-level camera produce video that’s as good as a standalone HD camcorder’s, we expect great things from this model. It will be bundled with a specially designed Lumix G Vario HD 14-140mm lens, which focuses and zooms silently – something that many consumer-level camcorders fail to do.

The lens also allows you to alter the aperture while using the movie mode – an impressive element of manual control for a camera’s movie function. The lens itself is extremely pricey, adding to the considerable overall cost of the GH1 body and lens kit.

The camera also has an integrated stereo microphone and an external microphone socket. For a bit more money, you can buy the DMW-MS1 external stereo microphone and fit it to the hot-shoe mount on top of the camera. A second connection is then made with a 3.5mm jack.

The video recording format is AVCHD, which is a compressed HD format that requires less SD card memory than Motion Jpeg files. It can shoot at 1080p resolution capturing 24fps, or at 720p resolution, where 60 frames can be grabbed each second – something that lends itself well to slow-motion playback.

The GH1 has a new face-recognition processing feature – it ‘learns’ to recognise frequently photographed faces, such as family members or friends, and when one of these faces is in the frame, it automatically adjusts the exposure settings to complement it.

The 3-inch LCD monitor offers Live View composition and can be fully rotated. The GH1 can take a shot in four different aspect ratios: 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 and 1:1.

The range of lenses includes the 14-45mm compact lens, the 45-200mm telephoto lens, the 7-14mm wide-angle lens and now, with a launch coinciding with the GH1, the 14-140mm HD lens. A 7-14mm F1.7 pancake is scheduled for release later this year, and Panasonic stated at the UK unveiling of the GH1 at its Bracknell HQ that it plans to introduce around three or four lenses annually. The DMW-MA1 lens mount will allow users to connect four-third lenses to their GH1 and G1 cameras.

The camera will be widely available online and on the high street from June, and will be bundled with the 14-140mm lens for around £1,300.

For more information, visit the Panasonic website.

Pros: Great electronic viewfinder, excellent HD video-taking capabilities

Cons: Expensive

For our full review of the Panasonic G1 check out our digital SLR reviews or, watch our Panasonic G1 video first look.