Best Compact Point and Shoot Digital Camera Overall Under $1000: Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 (with 20mm Lens), by picturemaker

Expert Recommendation

Best Compact Point and Shoot Digital Camera Overall Under $1000

By picturemaker

Expert (47 Recommendations and 29 Compliments)

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November 12, 2009 Updated: November 16, 2009

Overview

So you’ve decided you want a camera with SLR quality, but with point and shoot simplicity and size. Panasonic knows this and has produced just the item you need to capture those big, beautiful images in a small, beautiful camera. The Panasonic lumix DMC-GF1 is an award-winning 12.1mp camera with a four thirds imaging sensor, interchangeable lenses and 720p video recording. Perfect for taking on trips, to the ballgame or just having available for those quick shots that seem to show up when you least expect them.

My Best In Class Pick

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 (with 20mm Lens)

The award winning Panasonic DMC-GF1 is being touted as ‘the world’s smallest and lightest digital interchangeable lens system camera with a built-in flash’ . That’s quite a lot to live up to. And it does. With SLR style buttons and dials on top of, and behind the camera body, the GF1 gives you the control at your fingertips you have come to rely on for quick decision making and fast response time.

Small enough to fit into a purse or jacket pocket, the GF1 comes with a Lumix G 20mm f1.7 lens that pancakes into the camera body for slimness. Add more lenses from the LUMIX G Micro System to extend your creativity.

But size is not the only criteria discerning photographers use when looking for a quality camera. Consider the 12.1mp CMOS sensor, intelligent IA, fast (less than 0.5) shutter lag time, 3fps JPG and RAW speed, 720p video recording with a dedicated motion picture button and a 3.0” LCD screen.

And with built-in flash, a Dust Reduction system, live preview for assisting beginners to “see” in advance the changes they make, plus face recognition, Panasonic puts everything and more into this easily transportable camera.

Add the optional DMW-LVF1 viewfinder for excellent framing and sturdy hand held shooting.

Comparison with Sigma DP1s

Even though these are two great compact cameras, they have taken different approaches to their imaging sensors. The Panasonic GF1 uses a micro three fourths sensor, while the Sigma DP1s has a FOVEON X3 direct image sensor. Unfortunately for the Sigma, you can only expect to get good results up to 800 ISO and with a lens that only opens to f4. The GF1 uses interchangeable lenses, offering much more creative options.

Comparison with Ricoh Caplio GX200

These two cameras are close in the compact, customizable category and share a lot of the SLR functions desireable in such a small body, but the GF1 features HD video, interchangeable lenses, a good IA mode and easy to use controls. The Ricoh GX200 does have a brighter LCD screen but the GF1 has an optional viewfinder to make composition easier.

Pros

+
Interchangeable lens
+
Pocketable
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HD
+
Dedicate movie button
+
AF for movies
+
Dust removal
+
Raw

Cons

-
Flash output
-
Viewfinder optional

Where to buy

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 (with 20mm Lens)

Recommended with

Panasonic DMW-LVF1 External Live Viewfinder for Panasonic GF1 Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Camera

$128.55 @ Amazon.com

Specifications

Zoom: 1.0x
Wide-Angle Lens: No
Resolution: 12.1MP
Easy to Use: Yes

Want More Opinions? See:

Customer Reviews

Website Reviews (3 reviews)

Highly Recommended at DPReview.com
Dave's Pick at Imaging-Resource.com
Rated Excellent by CNET.com

Comparing My Best In Class Pick with Other Good Choices

Product	Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 (with 20mm Lens)	2 Sigma DP1s	3 Ricoh Caplio GX200
Customer Rating
Price	$999.99	$562.11
Size (W x H x D)	4.7 x 2.8 x 1.4 in.	4.5 x 2.3 x 2.0 in.	4.4 x 2.3 x 1.0 in.
Weight (with batteries)	11.1 oz	9.8 oz	8.4 oz
? Close Sensor Type The image sensor converts the captured light into electrical signals. There are two main types of image sensors, CCD (charge-coupled device) and CMOS (complimentary metal-oxide semiconductor). Neither technology has a clear advantage in image quality. CMOS can potentially be implemented with fewer components, use less power and provide data faster than CCDs. CCD is a more mature technology and is in most respects the equal of CMOS. Sensor Type	Live MOS	CMOS	CCD
? Close Sensor Size Most digital cameras, even most digital SLRs, have sensors that are smaller than a standard frame of 35 mm film (36 x 24 mm). These smaller sensors have a number of effects on the captured image and the use of the camera, including an increased depth of field, decreased light sensitivity, increased pixel noise, and increased degree of enlargement. Sensor Size	17.3 x 13.0 mm	20.7 x 13.8 mm	7.6 x 5.7 mm
Anti-Dust Available	Yes	No	No
Max Shooting Speed (burst)	2.9 frames/sec	-	1.2 frames/sec
Video Available	Yes	Yes	Yes
HD Video Available	Yes	No	No
? Close Image Stabilization Available Image stabilization features are designed to reduce the blur that results from normal, minute shaking of a lens due to hand-held shooting. However, image stabilization does not prevent motion blur caused by the movement of the subject or by extreme movements of the camera. Image Stabilization Available	No	No	Yes
Interchangeable Lenses Available	Yes	No	No
Full Manual Exposure Mode Available	Yes	Yes	Yes
? Close Face Detection Available Face detection technology will try to set the focus, exposure, and color balance so that faces appear sharp, well-exposed, and with the proper color. Face Detection Available	Yes	No	No
? Close Viewfinder Available A viewfinder is a window that you look through to compose the picture. Some cameras do not have a viewfinder and instead use the LCD display. The LCD display may be difficult to see in bright light and may make it more difficult to capture fast-moving subjects because of the time required to update the display. Viewfinder Available	No	No	Yes
? Close LCD Screen Size The LCD Screen Size is the length of the miniature LCD monitor measured diagonally. LCD Screen Size	3.0 in.	2.5 in.	2.7 in.
Battery Type	Proprietary Lithium Ion Rechargeable	Proprietary Lithium Ion Rechargeable	AAA-size (x2) or Proprietary Lithium Ion Rechargeable

Sigma DP1s

Sigma may not be the first brand you think of when considering a point and shoot camera, but that will probably change when you see how advanced they are when it comes to packing a lot of power into little camera.

Starting with a 14mp FOVEON X3 direct image sensor that will capture RAW and JPEG simultaneously, a 28mm equivalent f/4 prime lens, a TRUE image processing engine and the QS (quick set) function, the DP1s is a camera you can take with you when small, but big quality, is what you’re after.

Another reason to consider this 9.5oz camera as your SLR alternative are the intuitive, easy to use controls that are so common on the big bodies. Intelligently placed on top and on back, all within a thumbs reach, the DP1s makes creative decisions a simple process.

Add the optional VF 11 viewfinder if you like having something other than the 2.5” LCD screen for composing.

Pros

+
Quick set function
+
Good controls
+
Raw

Cons

-
Viewfinder optional
-
Low ISO