PANASONICU NVEILS THE LUMIX GF3
THE COMPANY’S SMALLEST AND LIGHTEST
DIGITAL INTERCHANGEABLE LENS SYSTEM CAMERA WITH A BUILT-IN FLASH
Press Release
The LUMIX GF3 Body Weighs Just 7.83oz and Produces High-Quality Photos,
Full-HDVideo Recording Capabilities and Smart Touch-Screen Controls
SECAUCUS, NJ(June 13, 2011) – Panasonic today announces its latest compact system
camera (CSC), the mirror-free Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GF3 is the company’s smallest and lightest
digital interchangeable lens camera with a built-in flash, with its body size comparable to
that of a smartphone and weighing just 7.83oz (body only), less than a standard 8oz cup of coffee.
The Panasonic’s LUMIX GF3 realizes all the features desired from a traditional
DSLR interchangeable lens camera, only it accomplishes them in an ultra-compact body
that is lightweight andsimple to master.
This remarkable reduction in size and weight is thanks to advancements in new mirror-free camera
technology, and large DSLR format sensors that are more compatible with a new class of
compact Micro Four Thirds (MFT) System lenses. This new class of Compact System Cameras
offers a weight and compactness not seen in traditional DSLRs, yielding greater portability
and creative control.
The DMC-GF3’s image quality comes from a large DSLR-sized 12.1-megapixel sensor and newly advanced
image processing technologies.
The LUMIX GF3 digital camera is based on the Micro Four Thirds standard of lenses, which includes
Panasonic’s 3D lens, thus the LUMIX GF3 not only provides outstanding still photos,
full-High Definition 1080/60i video, but is also capable of shooting 3D still photos.
The Panasonic LUMIX GF3 produces high-quality photos with true-to-life details,
thanks to excellent resolution, image rendering and color reproduction;
high-grade lens options;and extremely precise Auto Focus (AF).
Plus, the LUMIX GF3 creates the right balance between resolution and noise reduction,
thus producing life-like images with accurate auto exposure and white balance,
creating rich colors. Taking a page from the renowned LUMIX GH2‘s image quality,
the LUMIX GF3 boasts full sized DSLR like Image quality thanks the same
Venus Engine FHD image processor.
The Venus Engine FHD image processor makes impressive low noise images from its 12.1-megapixel
Live MOS sensor. Notably, images shot in low-lit situations at high ISO sensitivity setting,
are stunningly clear with extremely sharp resolution. The image processor also excels in energy
consumption by extending the battery life, despite its smaller size.
Thanks to a new mount, the LUMIX GF3 is approximately 16.7% smaller and 16.2% lighter than
its predecessor, the LUMIX GF2. Despite its small size and unlike many CSC cameras in this class,
the LUMIX GF3 still maintains a built-in flash and features a new pop-up mechanism that
helps prevent the vignetting effect due to short distances between the flash unit and the
interchangeable lens. With anewly-designed aluminum body that incorporates an ergonomic grip,
and awell-designed control dial combined with a 3-inch touch enabled screen,
theLUMIX GF3 is extremely intuitive and easy to use.
“The Panasonic GF3 compact system camera is extremely small
and its newly-designed rounded body
is quite attractive, which we expect to be popular among those users wanting to step-up
from a point-and-shoot, yet who view traditional DSLRs as bulky and overly complex,”
said Darin Pepple, Senior Product Manager,Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company.
“While the size and weight of the GF3 has been greatly reduced,
Panasonic does not compromise what is at the core of every LUMIX, which is exceptional
photo and video quality with an easy-to-use interface.”
All models in Panasonic’s LUMIX G Series of digital cameras feature Contrast AF for
their focus system, as opposed to phase-difference AF systems, used in traditional DSLRs,
which is susceptible to a mechanical margin of focus errors at wide apertures.
With a Contrast AF system, focusing is controlled by the image sensor so that
mechanical margin of error is reduced to achieve precise focusing,
thus boosting higher number of in focus shots, especially when shooting
in low light with wide open lens aperture. As a result, when the LUMIX GF3 is used with
Panasonic’s new wide aperture interchangeable lens, the LEICADG SUMMILUX 25mm / F1.4 ASPH,
also announced today, the performance of the Contrast AF system is optimally maximized.
The Panasonic LUMIX GF3 features a high-speed and extremely precise Contrast AF system that locks
in approximately 0.18 seconds. Taking further advantage of Contrast AF, the LUMIX GF3
incorporates full-area focusing which makes it possible to set focuson any point in the
field- of-view. The LUMIX GF3 also features Light Speed AF,an extremely fast AF which measures
at approximately 0.1 seconds*2, which is achieved by reducing the detection time for focusing
by doubling the sensors drive speed from 60 fps to 120 fps. With the combination of
touch-control shooting, focusing on close up macro or still life objects is ever more
quick and accurate thanks to the newly adopted Pinpoint AF that unlike a DSLR, offers near pixel
level touch control focusing.
Manual control over focus is available in the DMC-GF3 and now features a quick 4x magnification
feature. By simply touching the subject, that subject is then enlarged in a small window,
allowing you to keep the rest of the image in view as a framing reference.
Beyond 4x, that small window fills the monitor so even more control over focus fine-tuning
can be achieved. This handy feature is available from both the MF (Manual Focus)
Assist and AF + MF focus modes.
At the heart of the LUMIX GF3’s simplified functionality is a large 3.0-inch touch enabled
LCD (460k- dot) that allows for intuitive touch control of menus and most shooting, focusing,
playback and effects controls. Menus can be customized using simple drag-and-drop actions similar
to those on some touch-enabled smartphones. This allows for a custom user interface,
giving Quick Menu access to functions that can be tailored to any user’s expertise level.
Users can also release the shutter using the touch-screen. Once locked onto asubject,
the LUMIX GF3 tracks the subject with the AF Tracking feature and another touch allows
the user to select the size of the AF area. In addition, Pinpoint AF function allows even
more precise focus setting by further enlarging the focusing area. With increased customization,
users can set the touch shutter and touch AF ON/OFF based on their preference.
Touch-control also makes playback of photos and videos easy to flip through like pages in a book.
For those who miss the tactile feel of a traditional DSLR mode dial,
the DMC-GF3 offers an innovative mode thumb wheel that quickly cycles though all available modes
with visual feedback provided on the large 3’’ touch-enabled LCD.
The LUMIX GF3 records 1920 x 1080 full-HD video in the AVCHD format, which features almost twice
the recording time in HD quality than the conventional Motion JPEG. A dedicated video record
button on the top lets users instantly start recording video, without having to hassle with
any menu settings. The LUMIX GF3 allows for Touch AF in video recording,
enabling professional-like features, such as rack focusing. For instance, by touching the subject
on the screen, the focus is shifted to the subject.
Contributing to its ease-of-use, the LUMIX GF3 features Panasonic’s acclaimed
iA*3(Intelligent Auto) mode – and the new advanced iA Plus mode – are automatically engaged once
the iA button is pressed, helping to make shooting video and photos with the LUMIX GF3 extremely
simple– even to users new to compact system cameras. Panasonic’s iA features include MEGA O.I.S.
(included in several lenses), Intelligent ISO Control, and Intelligent Scene Selector,
Face Detection, AF Tracking,Intelligent D-range Control and Intelligent Resolution.
With the new iA Plus mode, the LUMIX GF3 easily enables commonly desired manual enhancements not available
from standard camera auto modes such as peripheries defocusing around faces, exposure compensation,
and color balance adjustments which are visually adjusted by moving an on screen slider
with the user’s finger or the thumb wheel.
The LUMIXGF3, like all CSCs in the Panasonic LUMIX G Series, is equipped with a highly-efficient
Dust Reduction System. In some system cameras, if dust or other foreign matter gets inside the
digital camera while the lenses are being changed, it’s possible that the debris could cling
to the image sensor and show up as a spot in your photos. However, the Panasonic
Dust Reduction System helps to eliminate this problem by placing a supersonic wave filter
in front of the Live MOS sensor that vibrates vertically approximately
50,000 times per second - thus repelling dust and other particles from the LUMIX GF3’s sensor.
Two modes -Photo Style and Creative Control - let users at any skill level get creative with
their photos. With Creative Control, the user can choose the most-frequently-used color modes
(Expressive, Retro, High Key, Sepia, HighDynamic and newly added Miniature Effect*4 mode)
with easy access. In Miniature Effect mode, the peripherals are defocused while saturation
and contrast is emphasized so the photos look like a diorama. The Photo Style mode revitalizes
the conventional film mode with settings in Standard, Vivid, Natural, Monochrome, Scenery,
Portrait presets while enabling finer adjustment of contrast, sharpness, saturation and noise
reduction.
The LUMIXGF3, like all the CSC in the LUMIX G Series of digital cameras,
is compatible with other Micro Four Thirds lenses and the full sized Four Thirds System standard
via an optional mount adaptor. Other accessories available to the LUMIX G Series include
external flashes, PL and ND filters, leather cases, straps, and more.
The Panasonic LUMIX GF3 will be available in black, white, red and brown bodies for a suggested
retail prices of $699.99 with the 14mm lens kit system starting in July 2011,
and $599.99 with the 14-42mm lens kit system starting in late August 2011
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