J. Cricket Loc: Ft Collins, Colorado

Anyone with comments, good or bad, about Lumix cameras?

mffox Loc: Avon, CT

I've owned 3 Lumix models; they represent a good value, well built, easy to operate. Great camera just to keep in the car or when traveling.

elliott937 Loc: St. Louis

I have what one could call a 'pocket' camera. When we went to the Baltic, and our intelligent (then) AG announced that any electronics larger than a cell phone must go into the down in the luggage section, I took this small Lumix camera and took some amazing images, all in RAW. I could not have been happier.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

I've used a Lumix GH4 since 2015. My twins have a GH4 and a GH5. We love them. They are great hybrid (stills plus video) cameras, with many advanced audio and video features. The GH6 is the current Micro 4/3 video champ. It records in many advanced video formats. It has a special stills mode that can make 100 Megapixel files!

If you do any sort of video recording, AND you want a full frame camera for stills, check out the Lumix S5 Mark IIx, a $2200 full frame hybrid camera made for equal quality stills and video. Its twin, the S5 II, has slightly less impressive video features, for $200 less. Both models feature excellent hybrid phase detect autofocus. They have the best image stabilization features for video in the entire industry, can use anamorphic lenses, downloadable LUTs for baking certain film "looks" into your stills and video, and too many other features to mention here.

Lumix Micro 4/3 cameras (the 'G' and 'GH' series) share the same lenses as old Olympus and new OM Systems cameras. Over 100 are available from many manufacturers. Smart adapters and SpeedBooster adapters can fit many SLR lenses to Micro 4/3 bodies.

Lumix full frame cameras (the 'S' and 'SH' series) share the same OEM L-Mount lenses with Leica and Sigma cameras. The MC-21 adapter from Sigma can mount Canon EF lenses on all L-Mount bodies, further extending the range of optics available.

Lumix has a professional services organization similar to Canon's and Nikon's Professional Services.

If you want a camera for action sports or bird-in-flight photography, there are better options from Sony, Nikon, or Canon, but if you want THE best video features and a good balance of stills features for most other types of photography, Lumix is worth a look. Many low budget filmmakers swear by them, as do many portrait and product photographers and landscape photographers.

The usual YouTube reviewers of cameras have plenty to say about all these and other Lumix cameras. Do a search on Google or YouTube, and you'll find plenty of reviews.

letmedance Loc: Walnut, Ca.

Leica puts it's name on at Least two of it's cameras produced by Lumix.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Lumix is not afraid of partnering with others to expand their reach and improve their systems.

Leica and Panasonic have long partnered on both camera and lens designs. Many of Leica's digital cameras have Panasonic guts in them. Panasonic's full frame cameras share the exact same lens mount specifications with Leica and Sigma. The new S5 Mark II and IIX contain a microprocessor that is the result of a new "L-squared alliance" collaboration between Leica and Lumix engineers.

Panasonic's best Micro 4/3 lenses were designed by Leica and contain Leica glass, but are manufactured by Panasonic. Panasonic Lumix shares the Micro 4/3 system lens mount standards with OM Systems, formerly Olympus' camera division.

druthven

As far as video, or movie in still cameras is concerned can you tell me if having that adds any size or weight to the camera?

TonyP Loc: New Zealand

I have 2 of the LX series and owned 2 earlier models if you are considering one of them.
Not a criticism but there is quite a steep learning curve to cope with if you aren't familiar with their menu's etc.
Also quite a bit of experimentation with the initial setup.
But am very happy with the results, particularly if you are a RAW shooter.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

No additional size, no additional weight, other than a tiny cooling fan in a few higher end models.

If, like me, you do both stills and video work for the same projects, you don't have to carry two camera systems! So you get one learning curve, half the bulk and weight, better control familiarity, one muscle memory, and all kinds of other ergonomic benefits.

I started using SLRs when I was 13. So a decade or so later, when I used my first video camera, I found the form factor incredibly awkward, and I still do. I would much rather use an SLR-like mirrorless digital camera form factor. It is easier to hold steady, especially with built-in stabilization features. All the controls for stills work the same as for video.

My entire stills and video kit fits in a backpack. Camera, four lenses (two zooms, a macro, and a portrait lens), plus wireless microphones, shotgun mic, shoe mount flash, batteries, cables, two small video lights, filters, chargers, cleaning supplies, computer and charger, cables... The backpack fits under a standard airline seat.

IMHO, there is quite literally no credible argument for NOT having video and stills capabilities in the same camera. The functions are complementary. Most of the video functions are in the camera firmware, and use the same camera hardware.

A modern digital camera IS a video camera. In fact, digital video evolved into digital still photography, because the chips were capable of decent standard definition video long before they were capable of decent still photos.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

I use Olympus cameras and I use a few Panasonic lenses with them like the 25mm f1.7 and the 7-14 f4, the latter a favorite of mine.
Excellent optics if you ask me.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

I improve one of my old Lumix by buying Leica cufflinks on EBay, disassembling and then attaching a Leica emblem to the camera. At that time the Lumix and Leica had same specifications but Leica was a couple of hundred more expensive.

Pays to read, understand, and then shop.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Very excellent as usual.

bkwaters

Any idea why M43 cameras are poor in tracking? I rented an OM systems OM-1 and despite the claims, the tracking is still not great. The LUMIX M43 are even worse in that one area. Otherwise, as you so clearly detailed, LUMIX M43 cameras can’t be beat when it comes to compactness of lenses, video features, clarity of menu system and computational features.

ELNikkor

We gave out son a GH4 when it came out, as he had been borrowing a friend's Canon to make short-film videos. The short-films he produced with his GH4 won him a number of awards. At the time, (2014/2015), the GH4 was way ahead of any other similarly priced camera. He still has the GH4, but is soon going to upgrade. I'm sure the GH6 is a very capable camera, though now FF offerings are much closer than they were 8 years ago.

Additional Loc: Chicago

I've been using a G85 since 2018, and recently got a Panasonic Lumix G Vario 100-300mm f/4-5.6 II POWER O.I.S. Lens. It gives the equivalent of a 200-600mm in 35mm format. Very lightweight and fast, and the battery life is surprisingly good. I'm able to shoot AutoISO up to 12,800, which is nutz, but Topaz Photo AI removes all the noise and sharpens amazingly well. Here's an example at 1/200, f/5.6, ISO-2500, 300 (600)mm, processed through camera raw, Photoshop, and Topaz Photo AI.

(Download)