The G6 is due out at the end of May, priced £629 with a 14-42mm zoom, or £549 body only.
Panasonic last night stressed that, in the UK, the G6 will not replace the nine-month-old G5.
An ISO sensitivity range of 160-25,600 and better video are among the billed improvements on the 16-million-pixel micro-four-thirds model, which boasts better signal-to-noise ratio to help boost performance in low light.
Panasonic also claims to have improved AF tracking, to help photographers lock onto a moving subject, thanks to a type of predictive AF software, according to Panasonic Japan’s imaging consultant Michiharu Uematsu.
Features include a Night-Shot AF mode, said to be capable of operating down to -3EV by slowing down the AF speed in low light, plus full HD video that includes a 24p mode for capturing images with a ‘film-like appearance’.
Unlike the LCD-equipped GF6 announced a few weeks ago, the G6 sports an OLED viewfinder with a resolution of 1,440k dots, in addition to a 3in, free-angle, LCD screen.
This is an area Panasonic wants to improve as much as possible, said Panasonic UK’s Lumix G product marketing manager Barnaby Sykes, in an interview with Amateur Photographer.
The OLED is designed to display images faster, deliver better visibility outdoors in bright sunlight and boost battery life – owing to its lower power consumption.
Panasonic claims the G6 can deliver 350 shots per charge, compared to 320 on the G5 predecessor.
Controls include full-area touch focusing, even when the EVF is deployed at the time.
Like the GF6, and Panasonic’s TZ40 and FT5 compacts, the debutante features Near Field Communication Wi-Fi connectivity for sharing images quickly – a move designed to step up the fight against camera phones.
This should also allow remote shooting from tablets and smartphones, without having to re-enter authorisation details each time, ideal for wildlife photography, for example.
‘We think NFC is going to be really hot technology in 2013…’ added Sykes.
Modes also include time-lapse and creative panorama.
To coincide with the launch, Panasonic has unveiled the Lumix G Vario 14-140mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH/Power OIS lens.
The new zoom is designed to produce the 35mm viewing angle equivalent of a 28-280mm lens and is optimised for HD movie recording.
