Panasonic has added the DMC-GM5 to its LUMIX GM-series line of premium mirrorless cameras, which offer not only a compact body, but also some extra features to help you capture outstanding image quality. Despite its small size, the DMC-GM5 has a built-in 1,166,000-dot Live View viewfinder with 0.92x 0.46x magnification 35mm equivalent and a 100% field of view. And still delivers 100% color fidelity.
The DMC-GM5 excels in image quality with superb detail, high resolution and accurate color reproduction. The 16 megapixel Digital Live MOS sensor and the Venus Engine give you superb image resolution even in low light, and you can choose sensitivities up to ISO 25600.
The contrast AF system of the camera provides excellent speed and accuracy – the data exchange between the camera and lens is done at the speed of 240 fps. A variety of advanced features, including Low Light AF, Precision AF and Time Lapse AF, help you get great results in a variety of situations. And with a 3′ 3″ 921,000-dot LCD touch screen, you can set the focus point and release the shutter with just a couple of taps.
The new DMC-GM5 also captures Full HD movies at 1920×1080 50p/60p in AVCHD Progressive or MP4. And of course you can use both continuous and tracking autofocus when shooting movies. Enjoy 24p cinema quality at 24Mbps and P/A/S/M modes to capture the highest quality video.
New Snap Movie function lets you take short movies 2/4/6/8sec , creating “moving pictures. You can easily share them using the free Panasonic Image App for smartphone/tablet, or combine them into a movie, accompanied by music and various transition effects. And you can also use the highly acclaimed
Creative control, which offers 22 filters, including Zeitrafer, Stop motion animation and Clear Retouch. Many photographers will appreciate the new Time function, which lets you take a long exposure time of up to 120 seconds.
What’s more, you can use fast shutter speeds as well, max. 1/16000, which lets you use fast lenses even on a sunny day. The DMC-GM5 also offers focus peaking, silent mode, Highlight/Shadow Control and Horizon Level.
Thanks to Wi-Fi support, you can connect the camera to your smartphone or tablet, which opens up even more shooting possibilities, for example, it is possible to use your mobile device as a remote control with the screen. And Instant Transfer lets you send your photos to your smartphone/tablet immediately after shooting. What’s more, using the home wireless network, both photos and videos can be automatically backed up to a PC or other device.
An optional hot shoe mountable external flash Guide Number 7, black or silver is included with the camera. Also sold as an optional accessory is the DMW-HGR1 handle black or silver , which increases grip comfort.
The DMC-GM5 combines premium image quality with a sleek, yet compact body finished in synthetic leather. Proof that cameras don’t have to be big to be functional, this camera is.
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM5 will go on sale in December 2014 at a price of from 40,000 Dollars. Depending on the lens in the package.
1. Minimalistic yet elegant design
Innovative design solutions not only made the body significantly smaller but also helped to find a place for Live View viewfinder. The slim, magnesium-alloy body has all the parts you need, including the aluminum switch and black synthetic leather-covered, easy-to-grip handle. Comes with an external flash Guide Number 7, black or silver that can be mounted on the hot shoe. And the LUMIX G VARIO 12-32mm F3 lenses.5-5.6 ASPH. MEGA O.I.S. H-FS12032 , LEICA DG SUMMILUX 15 mm F1.7 ASPH. H-X015 or the new LUMIX G VARIO 35-100mm F4.0-5.6 ASPH. MEGA O.I.S. H-FS35100 and LUMIX G 14mm F2.5 II ASPH. The H-H014A H-H014A is the perfect match for the camera, so fashion-minded photographers can use the camera as a stylish accessory.
2. Superb image quality
The DMC-GM5 comes equipped with a large Micro 4/3 Digital Live MOS sensor. It offers the highest resolution and superior light sensitivity with minimal noise. Using Semiconductor Fine technology, the photodiode size of each pixel was increased, which had a positive effect on color saturation, and upgraded lenses let in more light, which increased the camera’s light sensitivity. Noise levels were also reduced, both in the electrical circuitry and the readout system, ensuring a superior signal-to-noise ratio.
The Venus Engine image processor offers optimal noise reduction – by increasing the noise control level, the controlled area has been enlarged by about 64 times, which effectively removes large blocks of noise, meaning you get sharper photos. In addition, engineers were able to improve noise texture, resulting in a more pleasing to the eye rendering of the texture of human skin.
An enhanced detail filtering system has increased resolution and contrast in mid to high light tones, while the Intelligent Dynamic Range Control System widens dynamic range while maintaining smooth tonal gradients. The Shade Reduction and Highlight Assist enables more realistic tonal reproduction of all parts of an image, from highlights to shadows. The combination of the Digital Live MOS Sensor and Venus Engine image processor, achieves high quality low light shooting – you can use ISO 100 extended up to 25600.
The DMC-GM5 also supports RAW image capture. The bundled software SILKYPIX Developer Studio 4.2 SE, thanks to its 16-bit data processing, provides the highest quality of RAW conversion.
* SILKYPIX® is a registered trademark of the Soft Laboratory Co., Ltd.
3. Unparalleled user-friendliness
The DMC-GM5 features a Live View Viewfinder with 1,166,000 dots equivalent resolution, approx. 0.92x 0.46x magnification 35mm equivalent and 100% field of view. In addition, the viewfinder has a sensor that automatically switches between the LCD screen and viewfinder when your eye approaches the viewfinder, and can be set to auto-switch sensitivity – high, low, off – to reduce false positives.
The DMC-GM5 is equipped with a hot shoe that can be used with the supplied external flash guide number 7 , a sync terminal for studio flashes or a microphone.
Also features 3′′ LCD touch screen with 920,000 dot resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio and 100% field of view. Increased resolution and color reproduction means the LCD screen image is clear to see even in sunny weather.
4. Ultra-fast autofocus speed
All LUMIX G series cameras feature a contrast AF system. Compared to phase-assisted AF, contrast-assisted AF offers greater precision, especially with fast lenses. The DMC-GM5’s autofocus system outdoes DSLR phase recognition systems not only in terms of precision but also in terms of speed. The camera and lens communicate at 240fps, reducing the time required to focus. The DMC-GM5 offers high-speed continuous shooting at 5.8fps AFS and 5fps AFC, 1 area at 16 megapixels or up to 40fps with an electronic shutter.
The acclaimed low-light autofocus function allows you to focus more accurately in low-light conditions, such as moonlight, without the need for the AF-assist illuminator to activate.
Facial Recognition also got new eye detection technology that recognizes a person’s eyes and focuses on them. With Snap Focus, you can magnify the field five-fold just by touching the monitor screen. And the Single Frame Focus function lets you use autofocus even in manual mode – just press the Fn Function * button, then you can adjust the focus manually.
* It is necessary to pre-assign this function to the button.
5. Creative Control and Creative Panorama give you more ways to express yourself
The DMC-G5 has many artistic features integrated into the camera to help you enjoy digital photography. For example, there is a Snap Movie function that allows you to shoot short videos 2/4/6/8 sec , creating “moving pictures”. These short video clips can be easily published through the Panasnic Image App, as well as stitched together and layered with music or transition effects.
The award-winning Creative Control mode offers 22 filters: Expression Retro Vintage High Tone Underexposed Sepia Monochrome Dynamic Monochrome Rough Monochrome*1 Soft monochrome *1 Expressive Art High Dynamic Cross Process Soapbox Effect Bright Image with Soapbox Effect Skipping Bleach Miniature Effect*2 Sharp image*1 Fantasy Star filter*1 Color accent Sunshine*1. You can freely adjust the effect of each of these effects, and you can even combine them to create artistic photographs. What’s more, the DMC-GM5 can now take two different photos, one with and one without, so you can choose the one with the best results.
Creative Panorama mode allows you to create horizontal and vertical panoramic images by taking a series of photos, each partially overlapping the previous one. And the Photo Style mode allows you to stylize your photos, it got a new Monochrome effect yellow, orange, red, green , with which you can create even more expressive black and white photos.
*1 In Photo Shooting Mode Only.
*2 In Miniature Effect mode no sound is recorded, but the movie is ten times shorter if you shoot for ten minutes, the movie will be one minute long .
6. High quality Full HD video shooting
The DMC-GM5 can shoot 1920×1080 60p 50p video in AVCHD Progressive or MP4 MPEG-4 H.264 . Also captures 1080p/24p videos at 24Mbps in AVCHD format for stunning video quality.
Continuous focus and touch screen autofocus make it easy to change focus while you film, and tracking autofocus helps you track movement in the frame.
Dolby® Digital captures high-quality audio and Wind Mute automatically cuts out background noise.
You also have the option of time-lapse photography, which captures the subject at fixed intervals and stop motion animation which lets you mimic the animation effect by moving objects through the frame as if by themselves.
– AVCHD movie recording time is limited to a maximum of 29 min 59 sec.
– Maximum continuous shooting time for MP4 video is limited to 29min 59sec or 4GB.
– Remaining shooting time is shown on the screen when shooting in [FHD] mode and [MP4] format the file size is larger, so that the shooting time will be less than 29 min 59 sec .
7. Other Functions
Max. shutter speed 1/16000
The DMC-GM5 offers an incredible fast shutter speed of 1/16000 electronic shutter , which is useful not only for fast-moving subjects but also for shooting with an open aperture in sunny weather, blurring the background.
Long exposure mode
Time Lapse lets you shoot at shutter speeds up to 120 seconds and the exposure starts when you press the shutter release button and stops when you press it again.
Focus picking
This feature offers more control over focusing – it works in both manual and AF+MF modes. Focus Pickup can be set to three modes High/Low/Off and three colors blue, white or orange . You can also use this feature when controlling your camera with a smartphone or tablet over Wi-Fi.
Silent mode
This mode switches the shutter mode from mechanical to electronic and turns off all sounds autofocus system, controls as well as the focus backlight and flash.
What are the key features of the Live View viewfinder in the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GM5 mirrorless camera? Additionally, I’m curious about the camera’s shooting capabilities. Can you provide more information on the different shooting modes and options available with this compact body camera?