It encircles the Fn5 button and flanks the LVF (Fn6) button. On the rear, we encounter the Focus switch with AFS, AFF, AFC, MF options. For instance, I personally think it would be much more useful to allot a spot to 4K Photo (discussed later on) instead of, say, Creative Control. It puzzles me that Panasonic and many other mirrorless brands continue to dedicate a spot on the mode dial of their high-end cameras to features that would generally be of interest to entry-level users. In addition to the traditional PSAM modes, you also have access to the following features on the mode dial: Movie Mode, Intelligent Auto, Creative Control (filters), Panorama, and three Custom Modes that you can customise with your favourite settings. The top plate of the camera The new exposure dial The mode dial is surrounded by a very handy exposure dial, a first for interchangeable Lumix cameras and a feature I hope continues to appear on future models. The top plate is home to the movie record button, Fn1 button, rear dial with the Fn13 button in the centre, on-off switch and mode dial. However, for shots involving movement, you may come across rolling shutter artefacts. The electronic shutter is perfectly silent and the ideal tool for discretion, and it also circumvents shutter shock. On the flip side, the electronic shutter can only go as slow as 1 second, while the mechanical shutter will stay open for up to 60s (and up to 30min in bulb time). This makes it very useful for shooting in bright light at very fast apertures. Whereas the mechanical shutter of the GX8 goes up to a very decent 1/8000s, the electronic shutter goes one step further with a speed of 1/16000s. The camera has both a mechanical shutter and electronic (silent) shutter. On top of the grip, you’ll find the shutter release button and front dial. The Fn7 button on the front of the body could be handy if it were more prominent Had they made it protrude a little more or given it a significantly different texture, it would be easier to find. I personally don’t use this button at all because it is barely distinguishable from the body. The front of the camera is quite minimalistic, featuring an interchangeable mount, the aforementioned grip, and one Function button (Fn7). While I find the ergonomics of the OM-D E-M1 a little more comfortable because of the shape of the grip, the GX8’s design is easily on par with other high-end mirrorless offerings like the Fujifilm X-T1 or Sony A7rII in terms of pure comfort. It fits nicely into the palm of your hand and is comfortable to hold for long periods of time. Whereas the GX7 was (and still is) a perfectly valid stills camera with many advanced functions, it lacks the rock-solid look and feel of the GX8, which is further reinforced by its dust and splash-proof build and substantial grip.Įrgonomically speaking, the GX8 is very functional. If you are coming from the Lumix GX7, the first thing you’ll notice about the GX8 is the increase in size, weight and robustness. The Lumix GX8 features a magnesium alloy chassis with a rubber coating that covers everything but the top plate of the camera. Be sure to give it a watch before you start reading this review! When we visited the Panasonic Lumix event held in association with the National Trust at Penrhyn Castle, we filmed a quick hands-on video with the GX8. Complete with all the latest bells and whistles from Lumix within the body of a rangefinder, one could certainly call it “the GH4 revamped for stills.” Proof of Panasonic’s intention to establish itself as a photography brand is revealed no more clearly than in the recent release of the Lumix GX8, the company’s first serious stills camera designed to compete with the likes of the Olympus OM-D E-M1, Fujifilm X-T1 and Sony A7II/rII. Indeed, very few people realise that “Lumix” (the company’s name for its series of digital cameras) is an individual product brand of Panasonic at all. Panasonic has always been considered more of a generalist company than a serious photography brand, an issue that hasn’t been helped by the company’s involvement in sectors as diverse as beauty products and home appliances.
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