Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 DSLR Camera Review

Introduction

The Lumix DMC-GH1 ($1499.95 MSRP) is Panasonic's first foray into the realm of video-capable DSLR cameras. The camera isn't exactly a DSLR, per se, as it uses Panasonic's Micro Four Thirds lens mount system, but its functions just like one. The GH1's video features are quite impressive, and it definitely has the most polished and extensive video controls we've seen on a digital camera. Among the GH1's benefits include options for AVCHD and Motion JPEG recording, the ability to capture full 1920 x 1080 HD video, and direct control over aperture, shutter speed, and ISO—even while the camera is recording video. Most importantly, the camera has a live autofocus system that functions just like the autofocus does on any run-of-the-mill camcorder. This may sound like an insignificant feature, but it is something that neither the Nikon D5000 nor the Canon Rebel T1i were capable of. Any way you look at it, the Panasonic GH1 is the most appealing video-DSLR we've seen so far. Update: The GH1 was ultimately selected as our 2009 Video DSLR of the Year. To see why we selected it and read about our other awards, check out the 2009 CamcorderInfo.com Select Awards.

Exclusive - Read the full review of the Panasonic GH1 at DigitalCameraInfo.com, including complete, comprehensive video testing and analysis by CamcorderInfo.com.

Color & Noise Performance

The Panasonic GH1 rendered accurate colors in our bright light testing, but the camera didn't blow us away with its results. In fact, the GH1 had the exact same color error and saturation level as the Nikon D5000. The camera specifically had trouble with the green and yellow color patches. It also had a slightly darker-than-average image in bright light, but this gave its colors more contrast and pop. Click here to read our full color performance review, including color swatches and crops.

Color Accuracy Performance
Color Test Chart (above), Color Error Map (right)
The Panasonic GH1 produced a color error of 4.15 and a saturation level of 88.06% in our bright light color testing. (The map on the right is a diagram of the color error. The length and direction of each line indicates how the camcorder processed each particular color.)

As with all the video-capable DSLRs we've tested this year, the Panasonic GH1 registered some uncommonly low noise levels. The camera was on par with the Canon T1i and just a bit behind the Nikon D5000 as far as its raw numbers are concerned. It also did slightly better than the HDC-HS300—Panasonic's top-of-the-line consumer HD camcorder. Click here to read our full noise performance review, including crops and comparative analysis.
 

Motion & Sharpness

Of the DSLR cameras we've tested, the GH1 had the best overall motion performance. The camera offers 24p (downconverted from 60i), 30p, and 60p frame rates, although you have to switch compression codecs and/or video resolutions in order to use certain frame rates. We found the camera's full HD motion to be a bit choppy, while the rest of its recording modes were splendidly smooth. Click here to read our full motion performance review, including video clips.

The Panasonic GH1 didn't quite match the sharpness the Canon T1i was capable of, but it did produce identical results to the Panasonic HDC-HS300. The sharpness results listed below are taken from footage shot at 1920 x 1080—full HD video. Click here to read our full sharpness performance review.

Low Light Performance

Low light sensitivity proved to be the GH1's most disappointing test. The camcorder needed more light than both the Nikon D5000 and the Panasonic HDC-HS300 to reach 50 IRE on our waveform monitor. It did do better than the Canon T1i, however, which had lousy sensitivity. The data below is from the GH1's full HD test footage—the camera did even worse when we used other frame rates and resolutions. Click here to read our full low light sensitivity performance review.

Required Illumination *

* the lower the lux required, the better the performance

Interestingly, the GH1's saturation level was actually higher in low light than it was in bright light, although its colors still weren't as deep as the Canon T1i. The GH1 had decent color accuracy in low light, but its numbers were a bit worse than both the Nikon D5000 and Canon T1i. Click here to read our full low light color performance review, including comparative images and analysis.

Auto Low Light Color Performance
Color Test Chart (above), Color Error Map (right)
The Panasonic GH1 produced a color error of 4.6 and a saturation level of 94.82% in our low light color testing. (The map on the right is a diagram of the color error. The length and direction of each line indicates how the camcorder processed each particular color.)

The GH1 reigned supreme in our low light noise test, besting each of the comparison models we used in our review. This excellent low light noise score rounded out a fairly good video performance overall for the GH1. Its only real downside being low light sensitivity. Click here to read our full low light noise performance review, including crops and comparative images.

Conclusion

Judging it solely on its video capability, the Panasonic GH1 ($1499.95 MSRP) is a strong camera. It is the first video-capable DSLR that truly offers the gamut of manual controls that we expect to see from such a device. This isn't all that surprising coming from Panasonic, which usually offers an extensive amount of manual controls on its consumer camcorders. We were pleasantly surprised with the GH1's autofocus system as well. You don't have to push the shutter button halfway to engage it, and the camera doesn't make any loud noises when it attempts to focus—both of which were problems on the Canon T1i and Nikon D5000. The GH1's autofocus wasn't quite as good as a regular camcorder's, but it was pretty darn close. Handling the GH1 as a camcorder was a bit tricky due to its bulky size—a problem with any DSLR camera—but Panasonic adds a number of good features to help you out. The rotatable LCD is as good as any featured on a regular camcorder, and the electronic viewfinder is a great asset for shooting video in high-glare situations. There are, of course, a number of setbacks to the GH1. Its Micro Four Thirds lens mount system is fairly new, so you're stuck with a rather slim range of lenses to choose from. The camera's extensive menu system can be daunting to navigate and some of the video control options can be difficult to understand. We also weren't crazy about the motion quality of the camera's full HD video (1920 x 1080), although things looked a lot better in lower resolutions (like 1280 x 720). Despite these problems, the Panasonic GH1 is clearly the front-runner of the video-capable DSLRs. The camera's strong results in our video testing, along with its plethora of features and controls make it the first DSLR that can really stand side-by-side with the rest of the high-end HD camcorder market.

Exclusive - Read the full review of the Panasonic GH1 at DigitalCameraInfo.com, including complete, comprehensive video testing and analysis by CamcorderInfo.com.