Panasonic's new compact SLR camera

Panasonic’s new DSLR camera Lumix DMC-G1 features an interchangeable lens camera that is based on the new Micro Four Thirds System Standard. The new camera is also equipped with 3-inch monitor for live-view shooting. Its 12.1 mega-pixel Live CMOS censor enables you to take images with less noise. The 14-45mm/F3.5-5.6 and 200mm/F4.0-F5.6 lenses with blurring reduction function are available for G1.

External Link:http://panasonic.jp/dc/g1/index.html

Additional Information:

Lumix DMC-G1, Panasonic
Open price
Available from Oct 31, 2008

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6 Comments

gaijintraveller at 11:21 PM JST - 29th September

Sounds good, but does it have English menus or is the language choice blocked on the model sold in Japan?

Panasonic's PR tells us how great it is, but what are they hiding? Recently they have been selling purposely crippled models in Japan.
Harry_Gatto at 02:49 PM JST - 30th September

I bought a Lumix L1 SLR in Japan when they were first introduced. I talked to Panasonic to see if they had an English manaul and they apologised and said no but, if I went to the US Panasonic website I could download one, which I did. A couple of weeks later I bought the matching flash unit and again went to the US site to download the manual but it was not available. I sent them an email asking about availability of the manual and by return email I got a pdf copy of the English text manual which they had made especially for me. Great service all round.

...."purposely crippled models"...... being sold in Japan?? Can you explain or back that up in some way?
gaijintraveller at 10:50 PM JST - 30th September

Yes, easily. I was not referring to manuals but menus. You may well be able to download a manual for a Panasonic camera and find a section the tells you how to change the language displayed on the LCD. I recently purchased a Lumix DMC-FS20 in Japan believing, as reviews I had read stated, it had English menus. It did not. Panasonic were most unhelpful when I called them and asked how I could get it to display English, basically saying f off, there is nothing we can do about that and as a customer, we do not care about you. Fortunately, the camera shop I bought it from gave me better service and a full refund.

Intentionally blocking a feature in the models sold in Japan is what I call crippling them.
Harry_Gatto at 11:02 AM JST - 1st October

Interesting, I didn't know that they did that, seems they have some domestic market spec only models on sale but I can't think why they should do that, after all it is only a small change in the firmware. I looked at some reviews of that camera and they do suggest that is it is at least bi-lingual. I am surprised by the attitude of Panasonic as, like most Japanese tech companies, I have always found them helpful. Anyway, glad to hear that your dealer was sympathetic and sorted it out. What did you buy eventually?
GW at 04:14 PM JST - 1st October

gaijintraveller

its your own fault if you didnt check when buying, not very smart on yr part, yr lucky the store took it back. I have found most cameras easily switch to any number of languages
gaijintraveller at 07:54 PM JST - 1st October

GW, I had bought a Lumix for my girlfriend and one for my son about a month earlier. At that time they did have English menus, and the shop had told me (at that time) that Lumixes had English menus. I assumed that one month later not that much would have changed.

Blocking English menus is a new idea of Panasonic's. Neither the shop nor I were aware of this change. Most cameras did easily switch to any number of languages.

Harry Gatto, I got a Fuji f50fd.

I was thinking of getting a Lumix FZ18 or FZ28 for myself, too. If anyone working for Panasonic reads this, I hope they notice my use of the past tense. I soon stopped thinking about that and got another Canon DSLR instead. It has English menus and I have downloaded the English manuals. The software CD included English versions.