Review: Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8 Now In UAE
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8 is good for professionals. Their career may certainly be out of question if they’ll use such kind of camera with size way smaller than DSLRs. Professionals are very much safe even to the majority of the uninitiated and that they’re serious with their jobs using this kinda point and shoot camera.
This is an interchangeable-lens camera (Micro Four Thirds mount), one of the pre-requisites among professionals.
GX8 is among those digital rangefinder and mirrorless cameras out there, which seriously hurt the sales of DSLRs. Ouch! But then again, both mirrorless and DSLRs have each pros and cons, so that “sale” trend right now would probably settle in a balance position, soon.
On the other hand, Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8 is perfect as well for amateurs. Why? Simple. It comes with features that will wow them.
Now let’s proceed. Let us check the four factors in buying a camera and knowing this piece of technology more deeply as well. Pretty much the same factors actually when buying a point and shoot digital camera.
Looks
Classic it is! Similar to the likes of Leica but one wouldn’t dare call this a poor man’s Leica. Especially that Panasonic and Leica have partnered and “agreed to expand and strengthen their technological cooperation in the digital camera field”. So don’t be confused also seeing Leica lenses mounted on any of these Panasonics. A’right?!
GX8 has got two color versions, the all black and the black-silver.
Convenience
Its friendly weight of approx. 487 g. including battery and SD card but excluding lens, is just one of the reasons why this camera is convenient among users; amateurs, enthusiasts and professionals alike. As mentioned and what you will see in the below video, the grip is just perfect; so handy that it can be carried anytime, anywhere without a strap. Although, I’d strongly suggest to use one.
And that is one of the advantages of a mirrorless camera. It is a bit thinner and lighter than the bulky built DSLRs.
The buttons and dials are neatly arranged. The opening and lock lever of the battery and SD card memory function impressively.
It’s a WiFi and Near Field Communication (NFC) certified so sharing images is as well fast and easy. It’s a PictBridge compatible so you can print pictures directly from the camera. More on sharing of files, there’s USB 2.0 High Speed Multi version and microHDMI TypeD/VIERA Link for your uncompressed video and digital audio data transferring needs.
I also find the self timer more convenient now as it shows a button that reminds you if timer is still on. This is when after using the feature and I want to go back to single shot shutter function. You can just undo it by touching a button on the rear OLED monitor. It then short cuts the long process of having to go back to settings. One click and it goes back to the shutter setting you wanted.
What else? It is splash and dust proof, etcetera.
Effectiveness/Usefulness
Now, Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8 is the first among Micro Four Thirds lens mounted cameras to get the 20.3 megapixel sensor. Paired this with another first, the Dual Image Stabilizer (Dual I.S.), getting that desired great images is way possible. AND, it has got 4K Photo mode. Same when taking a video, coz it has the equivalent 4K Video mode which is way clearer than HD with 3,840×2,169 pixels actual resolution.
More on taking pictures. Its Auto Focus is pretty much impressive too. You won’t have a hard time finding that focus in every snap you’ll make. This is because of Panasonic’s Depth From Defocus (DFD) AF technology with a speed of upto 0.07 seconds.
Back to the viewfinders. Aside from being tiltable, the Large OLED Live View Finder gives crystal clear and high-res (2,360K-dot) live view monitoring. Much useful if you are shooting under direct sunlight. The Free-Angle OLED Monitor (1,040K-dot) is very dynamically designed aside from being a touchscreen. Perfect for selfies and vlogs.
One more feature that I’d like to mention, one which I actually think will greatly “wow” the amateurs. These are the built-in Creative Controls or filters as they’re commonly called, for image and video functions.
Talking about the downside? There’s not much really. Unfortunately though, professionals can’t mount high-spec lenses on GX8 that can be catered by DSLRs.
Focal length: 19, F number: 4.1, Exposure time: 1/80
Focal length: 17, F number: 11, Exposure time: 1/800
Focal length: 17, F number: 11, Exposure time: 1/1,300
Focal length: 15, F number: 1.7, Exposure time: 1/60
Focal length: 15, F number: 1.7, Exposure time: 1/60
Focal length: 42, F number: 8, Exposure time: 1/320
With an Amazon price of $1,197.99/- (Dhs 4,398.72), relatively fair price for an awesome camera like the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8. It sure is a good buy for amateurs, enthusiasts, and professionals alike.
Visit your nearest electronic store in UAE now. You may also see full specs from Panasonic.com
Please support sounds funny and the not so funny with amazon.
This is not a sponsored review and this is of author’s own and honest opinion.
