Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G7 / SHOOTING REPORT

The Panasonic DMC-G7 is the 6th generation of the G series. Apparently, the lionhearted look with sharp lines has an aura different from the predecessors with a curvy, soft, friendly appearance. And, the two-year interval from the last model has also brought dramatic improvement of performance realized by the new Live MOS sensor as well as the high-speed Venus engine powered by quad-core CPU. The list of improvements continues: 4K movie and still photography shooting, the expressive power just as excellent as their highest model GH4, faster AF and better tracking capability enhanced by Depth From Defocus (DFD) technology, faster continuous shooting speed realized by fine-tuning various sections. That's quite a list... and it made me feel excited to try this camera.

( Photography : Z II / Text : 4beats )

---

I set the exposure a bit under making sure the children won't get black clipping. The shadow tone of their backpacks and the stately poles look amazingly smooth. Also, the wonderful rendition of the shiny floor speaks about how well they take care of it.

While the gradation from the top floor to the dark lower stories is so smooth, the different types of shapes and lines looks delicate. And, the 3D quality is stunning regardless of luminance.

The location was very bright, but I shot under to emphasize the umbrella. And, the rendition is so delicate and I think the expressive power rivals Panasonic's advanced models.

---

This is the output from the "4K PHOTO." Capturing sudden splash is extremely hard because it's too late to press the shutter after we see it and the timing of continuous shooting seldom matches with the timing of splash. Now, it's easy with this 4K PHOTO which keeps shooting 8.3-Megapixel images at a speed of 30fps. Among the three modes, I used the "4K Pre Continuous Shooting" which starts recording 1 second prior to the shutter release and records for another 1 second after the shutter release. This means it records for 2 seconds with 60 shots, and there's no way you miss the timing.

It's also very hard to capture the beautiful shape of the fast moving bird's wings because, as you can see, they are still moving so hard even on the images shot at 30fps. This shot was made possible thanks to the 4K PHOTO and the continuous focusing performance must be credited to the DFD technology. Anyway, I had no problem in its AF performance in most situations. And, with enough card memory and battery, it can keep shooting up to almost 30 minutes, which is long enough to shoot animals, sports, and family.

---

The AF performance was so good that I didn't need to prefocus before the butterfly flew away. It just focused instantly. Let me give you one advice for successful focusing. When you shoot moving subjects, set the focus frame wider. And, when you shoot still subjects more precisely, narrow it down.

I don't know how this cat was feeling, but it looks like it's chuckling to itself. All images on this report were shot with the kit lens, which is a decent starter lens for people getting their first mirrorless camera. The reproduction of the hairs and whiskers is just wonderful.

The smooth increment of bokeh is very nice and the 3D quality and contrast are beyond the level of a kit lens. Of course, the Venus engine contributes to the image quality as well.

---

---

4K PHOTO & Depth from Defocus AF capture essential moments without fail.

For recent cameras, particularly mirrorless cameras, movie shooting capability has become a standard feature even though they are primarily designed for still photography. And, it makes sense when we consider the large sensor size and fast lenses which enable beautiful and solid movies. While required resolution is shifting from "Full-HD" to "4K," Panasonic has made a camera that fulfills the main duty of a still camera to capture moments by recycling the 4K movie shooting capability. Older models featured similar functions, but their resolution and usability were not high enough. The new G7's 4K PHOTO can be activated instantly by turning the dial on the left side of the top cover. And, the Depth from Defocus AF which keeps following moving subjects, is ready to shoot anytime. Selecting scenes after shooting is easy with the touch-sensitive panel which supports magnification.

Other improvements include: dramatic increase in the resolution of EVF, supporting high shutter speed up to 1/16000 using an electric shutter, and the AF capable of focusing in low light condition and even on micro light sources such as stars. While I don't know if we should still categorize this camera as an entry model, this camera may be the sign of their future upgrading of other G series cameras. Anyway, the G7 is definitely a high-spec camera among the current entry line and I highly recommend it to those who are getting their first mirrorless cameras as well as those who are looking for their 2nd or 3rd cameras. The G7 has no fear of moving subjects, let alone still ones. It doesn't care whether you shoot photography or movie. The G7 always captures what you desire to capture.

( 24.06.2015 )