Panasonic has launched an update to the two-year-old Lumix G6. The new Lumix G7 is a Micro Four Thirds camera that modernizes its predecessor, with its 16-megapixel Digital Live MOS sensor now capable of recording 4K-resolution video at up to 30fps, with the captured footage also able to be used to create 8-megapixel images, by searching the video for ideal photographs and creating a screenshot of the frame.
The G7’s video credentials extend further, with it being able to record 1080p footage at 60fps, in both MP4 and AVCHD, while the accompanying microphone socket adds the option to capture audio from external sources. For stills, the ISO ranges between 100 and 25,600, and an electronic shutter offers a shutter speed of 1/16,000 of a second and helps give it a burst of 40 frames per second with focus locked. Using Panasonic’s Depth from Defocus technology to calculate the distance between objects in a frame, the 49-point autofocus system can take as little as 0.07 seconds, and can provide a continuous autofocusing burst shooting speed of 6fps.
Weighing in at 410g (14 ounces) for the body alone, the G7 is a relatively lightweight camera. On the back is a three-inch 1040k-dot Free-Angle touch display with a 100 percent field of view, accompanied by a 2,360k-dot OLED live viewfinder. Like other cameras, it can be connected to a smartphone or tablet over Wi-Fi, with the option of using a QR code for establishing the connection, though there is the choice of being able to turn off Wi-FI passwords completely on the camera.
Panasonic will be shipping the Lumix G7 in June for $800, packed with a 14-42mm kit lens.
