Panasonic invented the
concept of compact cameras
with interchangeable lenses.
However, last year’s GF5 was
a disappointment, with image
quality and controls that
lagged behind the competition.
The GF5 has now been
discontinued, but some
retailers still have limited
supplies on sale.
The GF6 brings
improvements in almost every
area. There’s now a mode dial
on the top of the camera,
which makes it much easier to
jump between shooting
modes. With the help of
another dial onthe back and
some excellent touchscreen
controls, using the GF6 is
simple and quick. It’s easy to
specify which part of the
scene you want to focus on
simply by tapping the
touchscreen. The screen is
bright and sharp and can tilt
down by 45 degrees or up by
180 degrees for taking
self-portraits and other photos
at odd angles. Group
self-portraits are also
possible, thanks to the
camera’s built-in Wi-Fi and
apps for iOS and Android. The
app let you use the phone or
tablet to compose shots and
to adjust a wide range of
settings. You can also use the
app to upload photos to
Facebook and Twitter without
having to wait until you get
home.
Photo quality is better than
on the GF5, with a
16-megapixel sensor that not
only captures exceptional
detail, but also with less grainy noise than before. This gives a
significant boost to image
quality in low light, which is
now only slightly less sharp
than Sony’s rival NEX cameras
and digital SLRs.Full manual
control is available for those
who want it, but the camera
produces consistently
excellent results on automatic
settings. Autofocus is
extremely quick and overall
performance is comparable
with the best digital SLRs.
The GF5 is an excellent
point-and-shoot video
camera, and the GF6 builds on
this with the option of full
A classy little camera that excels in every way
VERDICT: Exceptionally detailed photos • Outstanding video
mode • Fast performance • Useful mobile apps • Lots of
compatible lenses
★★★★☆
INFO: www.pansonic.com/in/
manual control – a crucial
feature for creative
filmmakers. We also like the
Stop Motion Animation mode,
which captures a frame at a
time and then converts them
into a video file. It can also
capture at set intervals for
time-lapse videos, but sadly
there’s no slow-motion
option.
Another significant change
is the new bundled lens. The
GF5 comes with an
extremely slim lens that used
a slider to control zoom, but it
pushed the price up. The GF6
comes with a more
conventional lens with
mechanical rings for
controlling zoom, but it’s still
remarkably compact. There’s a
wide choice of other
compatible lenses too – far
more than for Sony NEX and
Samsung NX cameras. This is
due in part to the fact that
Panasonic and Olympus lenses
are interchangeable as they
share the same technology
called Micro Four Thirds.
The lack of an accessory
shoe or an eyepiece means
that creative photographers
may prefer a pricier model
such as the Panasonic G6. The
Sony NEX-5R is another
strong alternative with its
elegant controls and even
better low-light image quality.
Nevertheless, the GF6 is small,
reasonably priced and great in
almost every way – you can’t
ask for much more