Panasonic Lumix GX80: Mini camera with 4K video

Still very compact, but already with lush amenities is the motto of the Panasonic Lumix GX80. COMPUTER BILD presents the new system camera.

Panasonic Lumix GX80 © Panasonic

Built viewfinder and flash, plenty of buttons and wheels, plus a folding screen. The features of the Panasonic Lumix GX80 is quite ample, the camera itself is small and lightweight.
Start getting smaller, new system cameras rather getting bigger, because most manufacturers always bring in new cameras buttons and wheels as operating under, so as to facilitate the operation of the camera. The new Panasonic Lumix GX80, the Japanese manufacturer is trying to compromise in order to keep the growth in size under. The new offers many features of the larger sister model Panasonic Lumix GX8 but falls noticeably from lighter and smaller.

New sensor technology

The Panasonic Lumix GX8 was the first system camera from Panasonic with a 20-megapixel sensor. This caused the test for some detailed picture. The Panasonic Lumix GX80 remains at 16 megapixels and uses a different technology for better image quality: Panasonic has omitted the so-called low-pass filter in front of the image sensor. This promises something poignant images as a low pass filter always costs a little sharpness. An updated image processor to provide in return for that ugly Moiré effects (can occur more easily with cameras without low-pass filter) to be limited.
Panasonic Lumix GX80 © Panasonic
Although the fold-out monitor occupies a large part of the back but leaves enough space for operating.

Mixture of GX8 and GX7

Apart from the sensor takes over the Lumix GX80 a lot of features of the Panasonic Lumix GX8 : These include the "Depth from Defocus" -Autofokus, in which the camera quickly makes two blurry shots with the different distance setting to determine so the exact distance to the subject. While this works only with lenses from Panasonic, works with still pictures but very good and very fast, as the test of the Panasonic Lumix G70 and the Panasonic Lumix GH4 have already shown. The viewfinder has the contrast of the Lumix GX80 Panasonic Lumix GX7 inherited. The works with a resolution of 1280x720 pixels and is not quite as big as the Panasonic Lumix GX8 .

Movies in 4K

The video takes the Lumix GX80 like almost all new cameras with 4K. A specialty is the typical Panasonic 4K Photo Mode: takes the GX80 30 images with 8 megapixels per second. In photo mode, the photographer it is free to choose the aspect ratio: 1: 1, 3: 2, 4: 3 or 16: 9 as in the movies. With the 4K Photo mode, you can shoot not only extremely fast series, the function is also suitable for subsequent focusing.

New closure

When Lumix Panasonic GX80 uses a new lock technology. And the shutter is operated electromagnetically. Thereby it is to operate much more quietly. In addition, the closure unit, distinctly compact - one reason why the housing of the GX80 fails lot smaller (12,2x7,1x4,4 centimeters) than the GX8 (13,3x7,8x6,3 centimeters). With Single-AF is the GX80 eight frames per second, creating six frames per second with continuous autofocus. That's not for a professional sports photographer, the better grip for Nikon D5 or Canon EOS-1D X Mark II , fast enough for snapshots but it is. Another reason for the mini-housing the GX80: The little sister of the GX8 dispense with a weather resistant magnesium housing.

Double Flash

Many photographers submit a built-in flash. Den has preceded the GX80 the GX8. Who needs more light for pictures and videos, can pick up the new flash DMW-FL200L. That falls quite tightly and can not only flash but also brighten videos with the built-in LED lamp.

Panasonic Lumix GX80 

Also new: the flash Panasonic DMW-FL200L with built-in LED light that fits in a size suitable for Panasonic Lumix GX80.
installed WLAN
Like almost all new cameras can be the Lumix GX80 via the built-in WLAN remote control via the app (there is for Apple and Android ). In the comfort of a password-less connection is made with Android devices, the photographer at the GX80 will be without. The time and NFC chip lacks the camera.

Price and Availability

When the Panasonic Lumix GX80 and the flash DMW-FL200L come on the market, already is clear: In May, it should be applicable. Even four zoom kits with different objectives are to select then next flash and camera body are, including also a set with the very compact zoom Panasonic Lumix G Vario 12-32mm 1: 3.5-5.6 OIS and Panasonic Lumix G Vario 35-100mm 1: 4-5.6 OIS .