Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2 is a 12.1-megapixel Micro Four Thirds camera with an articulated touchscreen that provides touch-based functions like Touch AF/AE and Touch Shutter. Armed with a newly developed Venus Engine HD II processor, the Panasonic G2 shoots AVCHD Lite movies at a resolution of 1280×780 pixels, and has a port for an optional stereo microphone.

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Our Rating (4/5)

Good: Nice touch-screen implementation; articulated LCD; relatively fast; pretty good EVF.

Bad: Images a little noisier at midrange ISO sensitivities than they should be; too easy to accidentally move focus points with touch screen.

The image resolution of the Panasonic Lumix G2 is unchanged, which signals that the majority of the DSLR and Micro Four Thirds manufacturers have found 12 Megapixels to be an optimal standard resolution. It remains strange that those same manufacturers keep painstakingly introducing compact cameras to their assortment with resolutions far above 12 Megapixels. There is obviously something which benefits the consumer when the message projected says that the Megapixel race for the system camera segment is unnecessary and redundant. The manufacturer Panasonic, in any case, is doing this well. The only thing that is actually emphasized is that in the case of Micro Four Thirds, and also in other system cameras, that an ideal combination has been found: the quality of a DSLR camera with the ease of a compact camera.

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The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2 is not very small in comparison with the small-format DSLR cameras that the competition offers. But that doesn’t seem to be too important. At least, not for the consumer that is just looking for quality, and has outgrown its compact camera. The jump to a DSLR is self-evident, as quality is a priority over format. The Panasonic Lumix G2 is especially designated for such a step.

The camera looks friendly, and has a more basic look&feel than, for example, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1. A Panasonic GF1 has a much more advanced appearance and is more suitable for the experienced (DSLR) photographer in terms of the camera design and look&feel, with which it wants to distinguish itself. It is in terms of the Panasonic DMC-G2’s design that I have personally begun to understand more. It is not so much a design that emphasizes the maximization of the small scale of the camera, such as the GF1, but rather it is directed at the masses.

Reviews

Cnet writes:
“The G2 is almost identical to the G1 in terms of its overall body shape and incorporates a 3-inch tilting, flip-out LCD, with the big difference being the tactile interface — it’s now a touchscreen. Controls have been moved around, such as the Q.Menu (Quick Menu) button shifting from the top of the camera to the rear. In its place are two additional buttons, one for intelligent Auto control and a video record button.”

Trusted Reviews  writes:
“As for the G2, it has the same 100 per cent FOV, 0.7x magnification, 1.44 million dot viewfinder; the same articulated 3in 460k dot LCD screen; and the same image sensor as the G1 and GF1. However, it adds touchscreen abilities to the LCD and can also shoot video at up to 720p resolution at 50fps (60fps for the NTSC version). Furthermore, it has a built in mono microphone and input for a stereo microphone, so it’s a very capable video shooter.”

Cnet UK writes:
“What makes the G2 unique is its touchscreen. It’s the first lens-swapping compact camera you can control by tapping on the screen. There’s all sorts of finger-friendly touchscreen options, whether tweaking shooting controls or changing the camera’s settings.”

PCAdvisor writes:
“The best combination here of image quality, camera build and features, we highly recommend the Panasonic Lumix G2’s one-touch HD video recording, choice of viewfinders and its tiltable LCD. Buying in to the Micro FourThirds concept in the first place isn’t cheap, but if you’re up for the investment, this excellent camera is the model to choose.”
Rating: ★★★★☆

Telegraph.uk writes:
“Panasonic’s new Lumix gives you both stunning images and super-easy operation, so as your knowledge of photography grows, all the manual features are there for you to use and explore.“
Rating: N/A

DCRP writes:
“I like the design, the shooting experience, the photo quality, and the ability to record HD movies at the push of a button (literally). If you want a compact interchangeable lens camera, then I can definitely recommend checking out the G2, as well as its cheaper sibling, the DMC-G10. “
Rating: N/A

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