Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 at a glance:
- 16.05-million-pixel sensor
- Venus 7 HD II engine
- ISO 160-12,800
- 1080 50p HD video
- 3in, 920,000-dot touchscreen LCD
- Street price around £600 body only, or £700 with 14-42mm lens
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 review – Introduction:
Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-G1 was the model that kick-started the compact system camera market. Although the range has since expanded to include the GH, GF and GX versions, the G series retains its popularity due to the inclusion of a viewfinder, hotshoe mount and vari-angle screen.
The expansion of the range is a sign of the considerable size of the compact system market, which now accounts for 22% of all interchangeable-lens camera sales in the UK. The micro four thirds system used by Panasonic (and shared with Olympus) remains the largest, with 12 cameras and 29 lenses now available, 16 of the lenses being from Panasonic.
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 is actually the fourth camera in the original G range, with the model number jumping from 3 to 5, thereby avoiding the unlucky (in Japan) number 4. While it is a natural successor to the G3, it will not replace the old model. Instead, both will be available, widening Panasonic’s range to provide a camera to suit a range of needs and budgets.
With an already impressive specification on the G3, one might expect improvements in the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 to be minimal, but it seems that the addition of elements from the Lumix DMC-GH2 and GF5, as well as some new functions, should allow the camera to distinguish itself from those models that have come before.
