Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 Review

June 13, 2013 | Mark Goldstein | Rating star Rating star Rating star Rating star Half rating star

Introduction

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 is a premium compact digital camera with an electronic viewfinder, a 7x zoom lens, full range of manual shooting modes and RAW file support. The LF1 offers a 7x, 28-200mm f/2.0-5.9 zoom lens, large 1/1.7-inch 12 megapixel MOS sensor, integrated 0.2" electronic viewfinder, 3-inch rear LCD display, 10fps burst shooting, an ISO range of 80-12,800 and 1920x1080 50i Full HD movie recording. The LF1’s multi-function lens ring and rear control wheel provide full control over the aperture and shutter speed range, and there's both Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity built-in. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 is available in black or white for £379.99 / $499.95.

Ease of Use

Slotting in below the flagship LX7 model, the new DMC-LF1 is a rather surprising addition to Pansonic's extensive range of compact cameras, if for nothing else than it sports an eye-level viewfinder, something of a rarity in today's market. Sharing the same 1/1.7-inch, 12 megapixel MOS sensor as the LX7, the LF1 offers a slower but longer 7x zoom lens, equivalent to a focal range of 28mm-200mm. At £379.99 / $499.95 on launch, it's essentially the same price as the now year-old LX7, but does undercut some of its immediate premium compact rivals.

Given the overall size of the camera, the integrated electronic viewfinder is understandably rather small at just 0.2-inch, making it rather tiring to use for longer periods of time. If you think of the EVF as something to use in bright sunlight when the rear screen is difficult to see, or when you want to add some extra stability to the camera when using the full extent of the 7x zoom by holding it at eye-level, then you won't be disappointed. If you're expecting to use it for 99% of your shooting, then you will be.

Still, the EVF adds relatively little bulk or weight to the overall design of the LF1, it displays quite a lot of information, including the ability to playback images and change the camera settings, and it even comes with a diopter control for glasses wearers. So in our opinion it's well worth having, if only as a backup to the main screen.

The rear LCD is more naturally used for shot composition and review. The screen itself is a bright 3-inch model with 920k dot resolution that provides a naturalistic translation of the scene before the lens. However you will still find yourself squinting and cupping a hand around it in bright sunlight, so the electronic viewfinder is worth turning to at some points.

Both Raw and JPEG files can be committed to SD/SDHC/SDXC or Eye-Fi cards, and conveniently both can be shot in tandem, with write speeds impressive at just two to three seconds. The LF1 further boasts a 7x wide optical zoom, offering a focal range equivalent to 28-200mm in 35mm terms, which is optically stabilized to help prevent image blur from camera shake. The fast f/2.0 maximum aperture at the 28mm wide-angle setting makes it easier to achieve DSLR-like shallow depth of field and out-of-focus backgrounds, also proving invaluable when hand-holding the camera in low-light, but the aperture does quickly drop-off as you start to zoom through the focal range, reaching a rather slow f/5.9 at the full 200mm telephoto setting.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 weighs a svelte 192g even with the battery and card inserted, and it easily fits inside a trouser or coat pocket, making it truly portable. Although it lacks the more premium build quality of the LX7 with its metal body, the all-plastic LF1 still feels like a quality product, with an appealingly sober matt-black finish that doesn't draw unwanted attention to itself.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T90 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T90
Front Rear

An intuitive control ring surrounds the lens which can be customised to change either the aperture, shutter speed, step zoom, exposure compensation, aspect ratio, ISO speed or white balance settings. Left at the default setting and used in conjunction with the control wheel on the rear, it makes it easy to alter the camera's principal creative controls. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 doesn't have any kind of grip on the front, just a small rubberised thumb-rest on the rear - in practice this thankfully doesn't mean that the camera is constantly slipping out of your hand.

The LF1 has the same 12 megapixel MOS sensor as the LX7, which offers low light performance running from ISO 80 to an incredible ISO 12800, which we'll come to in the Image Quality section of our write-up. The MOS sensor also greatly increases the camera's burst shooting options, with a fastest setting of 10 frames/sec for 12 full-resolution images (focus and exposure fixed at the first frame). Slower modes of 5 frames/sec and 2 frames/sec complete with AF Tracking are also available, with the High-speed Burst mode capturing 60 frames/sec at 2.5 megapixels or 40 frames/sec at 5 megapixels.

Selected via a twist of the small, ridged top-plate shooting mode dial, there's the subject recognising and performance optimising intelligent Auto (iA) mode for point and shoot simplicity, plus an extensive range of 15 Creative Control in-camera effects. Users also get access to four Color Modes via the on-screen menu when the shooting dial is turned to a creative mode, such as program, aperture priority, shutter priority or manual.

There's a choice of auto and intelligent auto ISO settings, with a range that extends from ISO 80 up to ISO 12800, all at full resolution, the sort of spec to be found on a semi-pro DSLR, so to be welcomed at a compact level. Also present and correct is the time saving 'Q.Menu' (Quick Menu) button on the backplate. Press this and a graphical toolbar of essential shooting functions appears along the bottom of the screen which the user can tab through and make selections from courtesy of the control wheel and central 'Set' button on the camera back.

It's undoubtedly these familiar elements that will appeal to anyone trading up from a cheaper, simpler Lumix compact, and soften any perceived learning curve from what otherwise outwardly appears a more sophisticated proposition. A flick of the top-mounted on/off switch and the LF1 powers up in two seconds. The LCD fades into life and the lens extends from within its protective housing to the maximum 28mm-equivalent wideangle setting. Generally the camera is as fast and responsive as one could wish for.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T90 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T90
Front Top

It's from the front and top that the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 most shows its enthusiast leanings, large (for a compact) 28mm wide angle Leica-branded lens staring you in the face as you tease the camera from its packaging, with an automatic sliding lens cover to protect the glass when not in use. With the new control ring encircling the lens surround as previously mentioned, above the lens and to its left is an AF assist/self timer lamp and the built-in flash unit.

On top of the LF1 we get a small hump which houses the built-in EVF, to the right of which sit the stereo microphones. Next along is the narrow profile and firm shooting mode dial with 10 options squeezed around it. As well as iAuto we get the P,A,S,M quartet plus a separate setting for the Creative Control modes, another for the scene modes (the usual family-friendly array of portrait, landscape, baby and pet settings), the improved sweep Panorama mode, and not one but two user customisable settings.

You can't set the aperture or shutter speed when shooting movies, but the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 does provide access to some of the Creative Control modes when shooting video, plus the ISO settings, white balance and AF tracking are also all accessible when shooting movies. The normal bugbear of exterior location shoots is also dealt with thanks to a wind cut option among the two screen's worth of menu settings in motion picture mode. Happily, the full extent of the smooth and steady 7x optical zoom can be accessed when shooting video, its mechanical operation quiet and minimally intrusive.

Back to stills for a moment though and, if results straight out of the camera are too naturalistic for the photographer's liking, the Creative Control modes are on hand. It's here one can choose the vibrant, saturation boosting 'Expressive' setting from an expansive range of options also including 14 other effects, with the welcome ability to alter the look of each individual effect should you so desire.

Next to the shooting mode dial is the raised shutter release button ergonomically encircled by a finger-tip rocker switch for operating the zoom. As indicated the zoom glides fairly leisurely through its range, taking just over three seconds to get from maximum wideangle to extreme telephoto. Tabbing back and forth it's possible to be reasonably accurate with your framing, and there's also a Step Zoom feature for quickly jumping to key focal lengths. Just to the right of the shutter button is the slightly recessed on/off switch.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T90 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T90
Memory Card Slot Battery Compartment

The rear of the LF1 is well laid out, with the electronic viewfinder, diopter control and LVF button for switching between the EVF and the LCD screen positioned top-right. Alongside this is the WiFi button and indicator lamp. The built-in Wi-Fi functionaility (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n) lets you use your smartphone or mobile device to remotely change the camera settings (focus setting, exposure compensation, ISO, WB and Photo Styles) using the LUMIX App. You can even operate the 7x zoom and fire the shutter button remotely, while the auto transfer function automatically backs up your photos onto a tablet, smartphone, PC, web service, AV device or Panasonic's LUMIX Club Cloud Sync service. The DMC-LF1 is also one of the first cameras to feature NFC (Near Field Communication) technology (the same technology that's used for mobile payments), which allows you to connect the LF1 to a compatible internet enabled device or another NFC-enabled camera by simply tapping them together.

On the far-right next to the thumb-grip is the recessed 'one touch' video record button that very usefully allows the user to be up and shooting video in a thrice no matter what other (non video) mode they might have selected on the adjacent dial. Below this are the configurable Function button (we chose AE Lock) and a familiar playback button, and underneath again is the skinny but very tactile control wheel, which encircles a familiar four-way navigation pad.

This is used for tabbing through and selecting menu options, or scrolling through captured images, with a central menu/set button falling under the thumb in the middle. The top key of the quartet accesses the exposure compensation, the right key opens the flash settings options, the bottom key is for the LF1's self-timer and burst shooting options, and at nine o'clock we get access to the Focus mode settings.

Beneath this again we get the final two buttons on the camera back, the self explanatory Display - a press of which turns of the operational icons or brings up one a new range of compositional grids, including Rule of Thirds Offset, Diagonal Lines, Tunnel, Radiation 1, Radiation 2 and S-Shape - and, the Q.Menu or 'Quick Menu' button bringing up the toolbar of key shooting settings. Again, choose one of the creative shooting modes and the user has access to exposure compensation, step zoom, aspect ratio, picture size, ISO speed, white balance, AF mode and monitor luminance settings. Note that you can't customise the Quick Settings menu.

While that's it for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1's backplate, the right hand side of the camera - when viewed from the back - features a terminal door covering both the HDMI (cable optional) and AV/USB out ports. There are also vacant lugs on the left and right hand flanks of the camera for attaching the provided shoulder strap. The base of the camera meanwhile features an off-centre screw thread for attaching a tripod, the other under-side feature being the compartment housing the battery, good for 250 shots from a single charge, and SD/SDHC/SDXC or Eye-Fi media cards.

So how does the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 measure up as regards image quality? Read on to find out…

Image Quality

All of the sample images in this review were taken using the 12 megapixel Fine JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 4.5Mb.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 produced images of very good quality during the review period. The LF1's low light performance is excellent for a compact camera. Up to ISO 1600 images are clean and relatively noise free. Indeed we'd suggest that performance at ISO 1600 is the equivalent of ISO 800 on lesser compacts. Stray above this and, perhaps inevitably, we start to run into problems, noise noticeably intruding at ISO 3200 and 6400, while the fastest 12800 setting should be avoided at all costs.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 dealt well with chromatic aberrations, with limited purple fringing effects appearing only in high contrast situations. The pop-up flash worked well indoors, with no red-eye and adequate exposure. The night photograph was excellent, with the maximum shutter speed of 60 seconds allowing you to capture plenty of light.

Anti-shake is a feature that sets this camera apart from its competitors and one that works very well when hand-holding the camera in low-light conditions or when using the telephoto end of the zoom range. Macro performance is very good, allowing you to focus as close as 3cm away from the subject. The images were a little soft straight out of the camera at the default sharpening setting and ideally require further sharpening in an application like Adobe Photoshop, or you can change the in-camera setting if you don't like the default results. The extensive range of Creative Controls make it easy to change the look of still and panorama images, with the Sony-eque sweep panorama mode proving easy to use and effective too.

Noise

There are 9 ISO settings available on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1. Here are some 100% crops which show the noise levels for each ISO setting for both JPEG and RAW file formats:

JPEG RAW

ISO 80 (100% Crop)

ISO 80 (100% Crop)

iso80.jpg iso80raw.jpg
   

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

iso100.jpg iso100raw.jpg
   

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

iso200.jpg iso200raw.jpg
   

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

iso400.jpg iso400raw.jpg
   

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

iso800.jpg iso800raw.jpg
   

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

iso1600.jpg iso1600raw.jpg
   

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

iso3200.jpg iso3200raw.jpg
   

ISO 6400 (100% Crop)

ISO 6400 (100% Crop)

iso6400.jpg iso6400raw.jpg
   

ISO 12800 (100% Crop)

ISO 12800 (100% Crop)

iso12800.jpg iso12800raw.jpg

Focal Range

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1's 7.1x zoom lens offers a versatile focal range, as illustrated by these examples.

28mm

200mm

focal_range1.jpg focal_range2.jpg

Sharpening

Here are two 100% crops which have been Saved as Web - Quality 50 in Photoshop. The right-hand image has had some sharpening applied in Photoshop. The out-of-the camera images are a little soft at the default sharpening setting. Unfortunately you can't change the in-camera sharpening level if you don't like the default look.

Original (100% Crop)

Sharpened (100% Crop)

sharpen1.jpg sharpen1a.jpg
   
sharpen2.jpg sharpen2a.jpg

File Quality

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 has 2 different JPEG image quality settings available, with Fine being the highest quality option. Here are some 100% crops which show the quality of the various options, with the file size shown in brackets.

Fine (4.48Mb) (100% Crop)

Standard (2.93Mb) (100% Crop)

quality_fine.jpg quality_standard.jpg
   

RAW (14.2Mb) (100% Crop)

 
quality_raw.jpg  

Chromatic Aberrations

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 handled chromatic aberrations well during the review. There's some slight purple fringing between areas of high contrast, but it's only noticeable on close inspection, as shown in the examples below.

Chromatic Aberrations 1 (100% Crop)

Chromatic Aberrations 2 (100% Crop)

chromatic1.jpg chromatic2.jpg

Macro

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 offers a macro setting that allows you to focus on a subject that is 3cm away from the camera when the lens is set to 28mm wide-angle. The first image shows how close you can get to the subject (in this case a compact flash card). The second image is a 100% crop.

Macro

Macro (100% Crop)

macro1.jpg macro1a.jpg

Flash

The flash settings on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 are Auto, Auto/Red-eye Reduction, Forced On, Slow Sync./Red-eye Reduction, Forced Off, and Flash Synchro. These shots of a white coloured wall were taken at a distance of 1.5m.

Flash Off - Wide Angle (28mm)

Flash On - Wide Angle (28mm)

ISO 64 ISO 64
   

Flash Off - Telephoto (200mm)

Flash On - Telephoto (200mm)

ISO 64 ISO 64

And here are a couple of portrait shots. Neither the Forced On or Auto/Red-eye Reduction options caused any amount of red-eye.

Forced On

Forced On (100% Crop)
flash_on.jpg flash_on1.jpg
   

Auto/Red-eye Reduction

Auto/Red-eye Reduction (100% Crop)

flash_redeye.jpg flash_redeye1.jpg

Night

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1's maximum shutter speed is 60 seconds in the Manual shooting mode and the Starry Sky Mode scene mode, which is great news if you're seriously interested in night photography. The shot below was taken using a shutter speed of 15 seconds at ISO 80.

Night

Night (100% Crop)

night1.jpg night1a.jpg

Image Stabilisation

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 has an antishake mechanism which allows you to take sharp photos at slower shutter speeds than other digital cameras. To test this, we took 2 handheld shots of the same subject with the same settings. The first shot was taken with the stabilizer turned off, the second with it turned on. As you can see, with image stabilisation turned on, the images are sharper than when it's turned off.

Shutter Speed / Focal Length

Image Stabilisation Off (100% Crop)

Image Stabilisation On (100% Crop)

1/25th / 28mm antishake1.jpg antishake1a.jpg
     
1/4th / 200mm antishake2.jpg antishake2a.jpg

Intelligent Resolution

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1's Intelligent Resolution feature makes a standard image look like a higher resolution one by processing the contour areas, texture areas and smooth areas individually.

Off

On

intelligent_resolution_off.jpg intelligent_resolution_on.jpg

Aspect Ratios

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 offers four different aspect ratios.

4:3

3:2

aspect_ratio_1.jpg aspect_ratio_2.jpg
   

16:9

1:1

aspect_ratio_3.jpg aspect_ratio_4.jpg

Creative Controls

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 has an extensive range of Creative Controls, denoted by an artist's palette on the shooting mode dial, with 15 different options on offer.

Expressive

Retro

creative_control_01.jpg creative_control_02.jpg
   

Old Days

High Key

creative_control_03.jpg creative_control_04.jpg
   

Low Key

Sepia

creative_control_05.jpg creative_control_06.jpg
   

Dynamic Monochrome

Impressive Art

creative_control_07.jpg creative_control_08.jpg
   

High Dynamic

Cross Process

creative_control_09.jpg creative_control_10.jpg
   

Toy Effect

Miniature Effect

creative_control_11.jpg creative_control_12.jpg
   

Soft Focus

Star Filter

creative_control_13.jpg creative_control_14.jpg
   

One Point Color

 
creative_control_15.jpg  

Panorama

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 allows you to take panoramic images very easily by 'sweeping' with the camera. The camera does all the processing and stitching. In addition 13 of the Creative Filter effects can also be applied to panorama shots in the Creative Panorama mode.

Panorama
panorama1.jpg
 
Panorama with the Impressive Art Filter
panorama2.jpg

Sample Images

This is a selection of sample images from the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 camera, which were all taken using the 12.2 megapixel Fine JPEG setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.

Sample RAW Images

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We've provided some Panasonic RAW (RW2) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).

Sample Movie & Video

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 1920x1080 pixels at 25 frames per second. Please note that this 20 second movie is 41.6Mb in size.

Product Images

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1

Front of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1

 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1

Front of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 / Turned On

 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1

Side of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1

 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1

Side of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1

 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1

Side of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1

 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1

Side of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1

 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1

Rear of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1

 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1

Rear of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 / Image Displayed

 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1

Rear of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 / Turned On

 

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1

Rear of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 / Main Menu

 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1
Rear of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 / Record Menu
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1
Rear of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 / Wi-Fi Menu
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1
Rear of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 / Quick Menu
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1
Top of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1
Bottom of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1
Side of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1
Side of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1
Front of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1
Front of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1
Memory Card Slot
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1
Battery Compartment

Conclusion

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 is a surprisingly well-realised premium compact camera, offering excellent still image and video quality complete with RAW support, built-in wireless and NFC connectivity, fast burst shooting, a longer lens than the main competition, and that rarest of things, an electronic viewfinder.

OK, so the EVF is tiny and won't be your main way of composing images, but we'd rather have one than not, especially as it doesn't prevent the LF1 from being a true pocket camera. The fast f/2.0 aperture is only available at the widest 28mm focal length, reaching a disappointingly slow f/5.9 at 200mm, but the 7.1x zoom does provide a versatile range that will suit a lot of people's needs. As will the image quality, with the same sensor from the flagship LX7 model again proving its worth in the new LF1 for both video and stills.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 ultimately straddles the divide between the photographer-centric LX7 and the company's extensive range of compacts, providing both a cheaper and in some ways more capable alternative to the former, and a good upgrade path from the latter, depending on your point of view. We've been very pleasantly surprised by the LF1, so much so that we can highly recommend what is an excellent compact camera.

4.5 stars

Ratings (out of 5)
Design 4.5
Features 4.5
Ease-of-use 4.5
Image quality 4.5
Value for money 4

Main Rivals

Listed below are some of the rivals of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1.

Canon PowerShot S110

The Canon PowerShot S110 is a new compact camera that offers an extensive list of advanced features - ISO range of 80-12800, RAW support, full manual controls, built-in wi-fi, touchscreen interface and 1080p video - all in a slim and stylish body that you can easily fit in a trouser pocket. Read our in-depth Canon PowerShot S110 review now to find out if this is the best premium compact.

Fujifilm X20

The Fujifilm X20 is a brand new premium compact camera with a large 2/3-type 12 megapixel sensor and a fast 4x optical zoom lens. Boasting impeccable build-quality, intuitive handling and a long-list of photographer-friendly features, is the Fujifilm X20 the ultimate pocket camera for the avid photographer? Read our Fujifilm X20 review, complete with full-size sample JPEG and raw images, videos and more to find out...

Nikon Coolpix P330

The Nikon Coolpix P330 is a new compact camera aimed at prosumers. The Nikon P330 features a 12.2 megapixel BSI CMOS sensor, full manual controls, 1080p HD video recording, a 5x wide-angle zoom lens with a fast maximum aperture of f/1.8, a high-resolution LCD screen, built-in GPS and 10fps burst shooting. Read our in-depth Nikon Coolpix P330 review to find out if this is the perfect pocket camera for the keen enthusiast ...

Olympus XZ-10

The new Olympus XZ-10 is a serious compact camera designed to fit in your pocket. A 12 megapixel BSI CMOS sensor, fast f/1.8 maximum aperture, high-res 3-inch touch-screen LCD, 1080p movies, RAW format support and a full range of manual shooting modes should be enough to grab your attention. Read our expert Olympus XZ-10 review, complete with full-size JPEG, RAW and movie samples.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7 is the latest premium compact camera hoping to find a place in a professional photographer's pocket. With the fastest lens of any compact to date, the LX7 also offers an improved 10 megapixel sensor, full 1080p HD movies and an even better control system than the previous LX5 model. Read our in-depth Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7 review with sample JPEG, RAW and video files now.

Pentax MX-1

The Pentax MX-1 joins the growing list of premium compact cameras aimed at advanced users. Offering a large 1/1.7" 12 megapixel sensor, fast f/1.8 4x zoom lens, tilting 3-inch LCD screen and an appealingly retro design, does the Pentax MX1 offer enough to compete in this increasingly competitive market? Read our detailed Pentax MX-1 review to find out...

Samsung EX2F

The Samsung EX2F is a new pocket camera for serious photographers, sporting a super-bright f/1.4, 3.3x zoom lens, sensible 12 megapixel sensor and a swivelling 3 inch AMOLED screen. 1080p video, RAW shooting, ISO 80-12800, 10fps burst shooting, image stabilisation and full manual controls complete the EX2F's star attractions. Read our Samsung EX2F review to find out if this is the advanced compact camera for you...

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 is an exciting new premium compact camera. A large "1.0-type" 20.2 megapixel CMOS sensor, 3.6x 28-100mm lens with a fast maximum aperture of F1.8, full 1080p high-definition video with stereo sound, high-resolution 3-inch screen, manual shooting modes, 10fps continuous shooting, ISO range of 100-12800, Raw support and fast auto-focusing are all present and correct. Read our in-depth Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 review to find out if it's the best pocket camera ever...

Specifications

Metrics

Dimensions (W x H x D) 102.5 x 62.1 x 27.9 mm / (4.0 x 2.4 x 1.1 inch)
Weight Approx. 170g without Battery and SD Memory Card (0.37 lb) / Approx. 192g with Battery and SD Memory Card (0.42 lb)

Pixels

Camera Effective Pixels 12.1 Megapixels

Sensor

Sensor Size / Total Pixels / Filter 1/1.7-type High Sensitivity MOS Sensor / 12.8 Total Megapixels / Primary Color Filter

Lens

Aperture F2.0 - 5.9 / Multistage Iris Diaphragm (F2.0 - 8.0 (W), F5.9 - 8.0 (T))
Optical Zoom 7.1x
Focal Length f = 6.0 - 42.8mm (28 - 200mm in 35mm equiv.) / (31 - 220mm in 35mm equiv. in video recording)
Extra Optical Zoom (EZ) 8.7x (4:3 / 8M), 11.1x (4:3 / 5M), 13.9x (4:3 / under 3M)
Intelligent Zoom 14.3x
Lens LEICA DC VARIO-SUMMICRON / 10 elements in 8 groups / (4 Aspherical Lenses / 7 Aspherical surfaces)
Optical Image Stabilizer Power O.I.S. (On/Off)
2- Speed Zoom Yes
Digital Zoom Max. 4x

Focus

Focusing Area Normal: Wide 50cm - infinity / Tele 80cm - infinity / Macro / Intelligent AUTO / Motion picture: Wide 3cm - infinity / Tele 80cm - infinity
AF Assist Lamp Yes (On/Off)
Focus Normal / AF Macro / Macro Zoom / MF / Quick AF On/Off (On in Intelligent Auto), Continuous AF (only for motion picture) / Manual Focus, AF Area Select, AF Tracking
AF Metering Face / AF Tracking / 23-area / 1-area

Shutter

Shutter Speed Approx. 250 - 1/4000 sec  / 15sec / 30sec / 60sec in Starry Sky mode

Finder

Viewfinder 0.20" Color EVF

File

File Format Still Image: JPEG (DCF/Exif2.3) / RAW, DPOF / 3D Image: MPO / Motion Picture: AVCHD, MP4

Recording Modes

Mode Dial / Mode Button Intelligent Auto, P, A, S, M, C1, C2, Panorama, SCN, Creative Control
Creative Control mode Expressive, Retro, High Key, Low Key, Sepia, Dynamic Monochrome, Impressive Art, High Dynamic, / Cross Process, Toy Effect, Miniature Effect, Soft Focus, Star Filter, One Point Color, Old Days (15 filters)
Still Image Scene Mode Portrait, Soft Skin, Scenery, Sports, Night Portrait, Night Scenery, Handheld Night Shot, / Food, Baby1, Baby2, Pet, Sunset, Glass Through, HDR, Starry Sky, 3D Photo
Continuous Shooting Mode Full-Resolution Image: 10 frames/sec, Max. 12 images / with AF Tracking: 5 frames/sec, 2 frames/sec / High-speed Burst: Approx. 60 frames/sec (speed priority) / Approx. 40 frames/sec (picture quality priority)

Motion Picture Recording (*2)

HD Video 1920 x 1080 pixels, 50i (FHD: 17Mbps / AVCHD) (Sensor Output is 50fps) / 1280 x 720 pixels, 50p (HD: 17Mbps / AVCHD) (Sensor Output is 50fps) / 1920 x 1080 pixels, 25fps (FHD: 20Mbps / MP4) (Sensor Output is 25fps) / 1280 x 720 pixels, 25fps (HD: 10Mbps / MP4) (Sensor Output is 25fps)
STD Video 640 x 480, 25fps (VGA: 4Mbps / MP4) (Sensor Output is 25fps)
High Speed Video -

Continuous recordable time (motion pictures)

AVCHD Approx. 70 min (FHD)
MP4 Approx. 80 min (FHD)

Actual recordable time (motion pictures)

AVCHD Approx. 30 min (FHD)
MP4 Approx. 35 min (FHD)

Exposure Parameters

Exposure Program AE, Aperture Priority AE, Shutter Priority AE, Manual
Exposure Compensation 1/3 EV step, +/-2 EV
Auto (AE) Bracketing 1/3-1EV step, Max. +/-1 EV, 3 frames
Light Metering Intelligent Multiple / Center Weighted / Spot
ISO Sensitivity Auto / i.ISO / 80 / 100 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600 / 3200 / 6400 / 12800 (Extended)

Picture Quality

Picture Adjustment -
Still Picture Recording [1:1] 2992x2992 (9M) / 2448x2448 (6M EZ) / 1920x1920 (3.5M EZ) / 1536x1536 (2.5M EZ) / 480x480 (0.2M EZ) / [4:3] 4000x3000 (12M) / 3264x2448 (8M EZ) / 2560x1920 (5M EZ)/ 2048x1536 (3M EZ) / 640x480 (0.3M EZ) / [3:2] 4000x2672 (10.5M) / 3264x2176 (7M EZ) / 2560x1712 (4.5M EZ) / 2048x1360 (2.5M EZ) / 640x424 (0.3M EZ) / [16:9] 4000x2248 (9M) / 3264x1840 (6M EZ) / 2560x1440 (3.5M EZ) / 1920x1080 (2M EZ) / 640x360 (0.2M EZ)
Image Quality RAW / RAW+Fine / RAW+Standard / Fine / Standard
White Balance Auto / Daylight / Cloudy / Shade / Incandescent / White Set
Photo Style / Film Mode -
Color Mode / Color Effect / My color Color Mode: Standard, Happy (only in iA Mode) , Vivid (except iA Mode), Black and White, Sepia
Aspect Bracketing -

Other

Digital Red Eye Correction (Red-Eye Removal) Yes
GPS -
Wi-FI IEEE 802.11b/g/n / 2412MHz - 2462MHz (1-11ch) / WPA / WPA2 / Infurastracture mode / WPS / Wi-Fi Direct / Wi-Fi Button
NFC Yes ISO/IEC 18092(NFCIP-1) NFC-F
Zoom in Motion Picture Yes
Self Timer 2sec / 10sec

Display

Playback Mode Normal Playback, Slideshow, Filtering Playback (Picture Only, Video Only, 3D, Category Selection, Select Date, Favorites), Calendar Search
Thumbnails / Zoomed Playback 12,30-thumbnails / Yes
Calendar Display / Dual- Image Playback Yes (Menu / Zoom Lever) / No
Set Favorites / Rotate Image Yes / No
Show Histogram Yes
Show Highlights -
DPOF Print Setting / Set Protection Yes / Yes

Edit

Retouch Auto Retouch / Creative Retouch
Resize / Cropping / Aspect Conv. / Leveling Yes / Yes / No / No
Copy / Title Edit / Text Stamp Yes / Yes / Yes
Cut Animation Yes
Video Divide Yes
PictBridge Support Single / Multi / All / Favorites / DPOF

Setup

OSD language Japanese, English, German, French, Italian, Spanish

Monitor

LCD Monitor 7.5cm (3.0") TFT Screen LCD Display (920K dots), AR Coating / Field of View: Approx. 100% / Power LCD mode, AUTO Power LCD mode

Flash

Built- in- Flash Auto, Auto/Red-eye Reduction, Forced On, Slow Sync./Red-eye Reduction, Forced Off, / Digital Red-eye Correction, 0.6 - 7.0m (Wide / ISO Auto), 0.8 - 2.3m (Tele / ISO Auto)

Media

Recording Media Built-in Memory, SD Memory Card, SDHC Memory Card, SDXC Memory Card
Built- in- Memory Approx. 87MB

Audio

Microphone / Speaker Stereo / Mono

Interface

Interface microHDMI, AV Output (PAL / NTSC), USB (AV/USB Multi)

Power

Power Li-ion Battery Pack (3.7V, Minimum: 950mAh) / AC Adaptor (Input: 110-240V AC) (Included)
Battery life (approx.) 250 pictures (CIPA Standard)*1

Standard Package

Included Software PHOTOfunSTUDIO 9.2AE, / SILKYPIX® Developer Studio, / Adobe Reader
Standard Accessories Battery Pack, AC adaptor, USB Cable, Hand Strap, CD-ROM

Further Specifications

NOTE *1 / Recording conditions by CIPA standard / - Temperature: 23 oC (73.4 oF) / Humidity: 50%RH when LCD monitor is on. / - Using a Panasonic SDHC Memory Card / - Using the supplied battery. / - Starting recording 30 seconds after the camera is turned on. (When the optical image stabilizer function is set to [ON].) / - Recording once every 30 seconds with full flash every second recording. / - Rotating the zoom lever from Tele to Wide or vice versa in every recording. / - The number of recordable pictures varies depending on the recording interval time. / - If the recording interval time becomes longer, the number of recordable pictures decreases. / - CIPA is an abbreviation of [Camera & Imaging Products Association]. / *2 / - These are standard times taken at a temperature of 23 oC (73.4 oF) and a humidity of 50%RH. / - The time available for recording varies depending on the environment, the interval between recordings, and the manner of use. / - Actual recordable time is the time available for recording when repeating actions such as switching the power supply [ON] / [OFF], starting/stopping recording, zoom operation etc. / - Maximum time to record motion pictures continuously with [AVCHD] is 29 minutes 59 seconds. (excluding when [SH] is set) / - Motion pictures in [MP4] can be recorded continuously for up to 29 minutes 59 seconds. Also, motion picture recorded continuously in [MP4] is up to 4 GB.

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