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Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 micro four thirds camera

EVIL compact gets the 3D treatment

Art for art's sake

The display is extremely responsive and the icons are big enough, clear and sensibly arranged. But if you still can’t get used to controlling the camera from the screen, you can still access virtually all settings through the available controls and the Main Menu, which has its own dedicated button and is scrolled through the control wheel. Equally, the Fn button can be re-assigned to replace the departed AF/AE Lock.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2

Touchscreen controls reduce the button count but icon menus can be customised

The GF2 offers manual and semi-manual modes together with a 17-scene mode and its flagship Intelligent Auto, which now includes Intelligent Exposure, a feature that automatically adjusts exposure only in under-exposed areas of the image.

The Intelligent Auto mode is extremely effective in all its applicable scene modes – Portrait, Landscape, Night Portrait, Night Scenery and Macro – delivering consistently well-exposed images and automatically selecting the appropriate settings for the framed scene. The Intelligent Resolution feature, improves the resolution of an image by processing outlines, textured and smooth areas separately.

In terms of creative options, the GF2 does not present the usual selection of effects found in similar models. Instead, Panasonic offers a set of filters called MyColours that include Retro, Pure, Elegant, Cine, Monochrome, Dynamic Art, Silhouette and a customisable option. These presets are regrettably not realistic nor artistic enough to be used in any practical way. I was also disappointed with the monochrome setting, which often results in a slight sepia tone and lacks contrast.

Despite adding an extra ISO stop to its range, 100 to 6400 ISO, the GF2 delivers a very similar noise performance to its predecessor, with a good showing up to ISO 400. Noise starts to appear at ISO 800, becoming more obvious at ISO 1600. ISO 3200 is already barely usable, so I can’t see why Panasonic added an ISO 6400 setting other than for marketing hype.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2

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