If you wanna shrink a full featured camera system with
interchangeable lenses down to a manageable size (without losing any
functions), try Prof. Marvell's Patented Shrink-o-Matic Ray--or, you can check out the Lumix DMC-GF2 Digital Micro Four Thirds Camera W/14-42mm Lens (Black) from Panasonic, the smallest and lightest (at the time of release) interchangeable lens camera available.
This Micro Four Thirds contender is 19% smaller and 7% lighter than
its immediate predecessor, but still has a 12.1MP Live MOS sensor, a
lightweight 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 (equivalent to 28-84mm) 3x zoom lens,
dazzling 1920 x 1080 HD video, and is compatible with the full range of
Micro Four Thirds lenses (including Panasonic's 3D 12.5mm f/12 lens)--in
short, the speed and customization of an SLR camera in highly portable
form.
A bright 3" 460,000-dot LCD display for composition and review can
also be used as a touch-screen for making and changing settings like
focus and exposure--a touch on a human face, for instance, switches to
the portrait mode and a touch on the background or scenery switches to
the scenery mode, while a touch on the subject close to the camera
switches to the close-up mode.
Despite its tiny size, the GF2 is packed with photo and
video goodies. The My Color mode offers 7 preset imaging effects (such
as Retro, Elegant, Cinema, Monochrome, Silhouette, etc.), and also
allows users to customize color, brightness, and saturation on the fly.
The LUMIX GF2 can record 1920 x 1080 videos at 60i or smooth HD 1280 x
720 movies at 60p in AVCHD. For those looking for better compatibility
with computers, the LUMIX GF2 can also record HD Motion JPEG in 1280 x
720 and QVGA, VGA and WVGA. The body supports autofocus during video
recording and Movie Program Mode allows for selective depth-of-field
control.
Additional features of the DMC-GF2 include a built-in pop-up flash,
contrast detection autofocus, integrated dust reduction technology, and
high ISO 6400 sensitivity.
- Smallest, Lightest System Camera
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Smallest and lightest interchangeable lens system camera.
- 12.1MP Resolution
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12.1MP Live MOS sensor has the superb image quality of a CCD
sensor, plus the lower power consumption of a CMOS sensor.
- 14-42mm Wide-Angle Zoom Lens
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The Lumix G Vario 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH/MEGA O.I.S.
wide-angle lens is equivalent to a 28-84mm zoom lens in 35mm format.
- Compatible With Micro Four Thirds Lenses
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Compatible with lenses from the Micro Four Thirds standard, including Panasonic's new 3D interchangeable lens
- Easy Operation
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Extremely easy to operate, with a redesigned user interface,
which allows for the focus to be set, or shutter released, by simply
touching the large 3" touch-screen LCD, which has brilliant 460,000-dot
resolution.
- Simple Touch-Screen Operation
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The touch-screen operation dramatically shortens the time
spent navigating the menus. With the Touch Q-menu, the user can
customize the camera's shortcuts with the most commonly used settings.
Together with the simple button components, including dedicated buttons
for video recording and iA (Intelligent Auto) mode which lights in-use,
users can operate the camera intuitively with ease.
- iA Mode for Automatic Settings
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With the Intelligent Scene Selector in the iA mode, the
camera automatically switches to the appropriate mode according to the
subject touched. For example, a touch on a human face switches to the
portrait mode and a touch on the background or scenery switches to the
scenery mode, while a touch on the subject close to the camera switches
to the close-up mode.
- AF Tracking System
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The fast contrast AF focus system has an AF tracking
function that makes it easy to take photos of moving subjects by
automatically keeping the focus on your subject.
- Venus Engine FHD Image Processor
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The Venus Engine FHD image processor features exceptionally
high performance signal processing capabilities in both photo and movie
recording. With the advanced noise reduction system employing the 3D NR
and CNR (Chromatic Noise Reduction), users can capture clear,
naturally-balanced images even when shooting at high ISO sensitivity
levels to help prevent the color bleeding.
- Intelligent Resolution Technology
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The Venus Engine FHD enables Intelligent Resolution
technology, in which three areas--outlines, detailed texture areas and
soft gradation--are automatically detected. Then, the outline parts are
enhanced effectively to give edges more clearness while giving a
moderate accentuation to the texture areas to look more finely detailed.
To the soft gradation part, noise reduction is applied to make it
smoother. In addition to the uniform enhancement of sharpness,
Intelligent Resolution performs signal processing pixel by pixel,
resulting in images that are naturally clear and crisp in both video and
photos.
- Highly Efficient Dust Reduction System
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If dust gets inside the camera when the user changes lenses,
it could cling to the image sensor and show up as a spot in photos. The
highly efficient Dust Reduction System helps to reduce this risk by
placing a supersonic wave filter in front of the Live MOS sensor.
Vibrating vertically around 50,000 times per second, the filter repels
dust and other particles.
- 1920x1080 HD Video
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The LUMIX GF2 can record 1920 x 1080 videos at 60i or smooth HD 1280 x 720 movies
at 60p in AVCHD. For those looking for better compatibility with computers, the
LUMIX GF2 can also record HD Motion JPEG in 1280 x 720 and QVGA, VGA and WVGA.
A dedicated video record button makes it easy to start shooting videos and a
high quality sound is recorded with the stereo microphone for Dolby Digital
Stereo Creator. Panasonic's iA mode extends to video recording, featuring AF
Tracking that lets you select the subject by simply touching it on the screen,
and track the subject if it moves. 5 detection and correction functions
including the AF tracking are simultaneously activated to optimize the
settings, so you can get stunning HD movies every time. iA Movie functions also
includes Face Detection, Shake Detection - Mega O.I.S., and advanced light
detection Intelligent D-range Control.
- My Color Mode
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My Color mode offers a total of eight preset effects -
Expressive, Retro, Pure, Elegant, Cinema, Monochrome, Dynamic Art,
Silhouette, plus Custom mode, which lets users manually set the color,
brightness, saturation and contrast levels.
- Scene Modes
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There are 17 Scene modes, most of which can be used during video shooting, too.