The Panasonic Lumix LF1 is the latest serious compact from Panasonic, and includes an electronic viewfinder.
| Panasonic Lumix LF1 in Compact Cameras
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Features
Handling
Performance
Verdict
Specification
The Panasonic Lumix LF1 is the latest "Serious compact" camera from Panasonic and features a bright f/2.0 Leica 7.1x optical zoom lens, 12 megapixel sensor, and rather uniquely for a compact camera, it has a built in electronic viewfinder.
Looking at the classic design, you can imagine that this compact camera could be picked up by Leica, for a Leica version. The lens is impressive with a bright f/2.0 aperture at the wide end, although at the telephoto end this reduces to f/5.9. The camera is quite compact, noticeably smaller than the nearest competitor, the Nikon Coolpix P7700, with a size more similar to the Olympus XZ-10.
Wi-Fi is built in, as well as NFC (Near-Field Communication) to allow setup of Wi-Fi connections with smartphones. The smartphone can be used as a remote shutter control, or setup for instant transfer so that photos will automatically transfer to the smartphone after shooting. Wi-Fi can also be used to setup auto backup of photos and video to your computer, or shown on a compatible TV.
Handling - On the top of the camera is stereo microphones for video, the mode dial, with manual controls, two custom modes and panoramic shooting, as well as the shutter release surrounded by the zoom control and finally the on/off switch.
The rear of the camera has a soft touch finish that feels slightly rubberised giving the whole of the back of the camera an extra feeling of grip. Unfortunately the same can't be said for the front with the metal of the camera being smooth, giving very little resistance, and therefore we'd recommend use of the provided wrist strap.
The camera has a number of different grid overlays to aid composition, which can be seen above, with example photos showing you how to use the guide.
The electronic viewfinder has dioptre correction which should help those that wear glasses, particularly as the electronic viewfinder is quite small, so you will want to be as close to it as possible. There is a manual switch to switch between the rear screen and the EVF as there is no built in eye-detection feature.
Menus – The menus are well designed and easy to use, with settings split into four main screens: record, video, setup and Wi-Fi. The Q. Menu button gives quick access to settings on the screen so you don't always have to go into the menus to change settings, and there are a number of settings available using the rear buttons. The Fn (Function) button can be customised to one of 8 options, and the front lens ring can also be customised, or left on default settings - using this the function of the ring changes depending which shooting mode you are in, for example, if you are in aperture priority the ring is used to set the aperture.
Wi-Fi connections can be made to iOS or Android smartphones using the Panasonic Image App which is available in the iOS or Android app store. The app is free to download and lets you control the camera, as well as enable touch shooting from the Smartphone. You can also transfer photos for uploading or sharing from the Smartphone. Setup of the Wi-Fi connection is quite straight-forward, however sharing directly from the camera to social network sites such as Facebook can be more difficult.
Battery life - Battery life is rated at 250 shots according to Panasonic / CIPA test results. You can find the battery and memory compartment under the camera, as well as a metal tripod thread. The camera uses a compact battery, and also features a small built in flash, and you can see from the design of this camera that Panasonic has really worked on keeping this camera as compact as possible.
Speed - We took a number of shots to test the camera's responsiveness, from switch on to first photo, shot to shot, focusing speed etc. We take a number of shots and then use the average to ensure accurate and consistent tests, making it easy to compare with other cameras.
Focus speeds and shutter response are both very good, with the camera also having a very good shot to shot time. 10fps continuous shooting is available in JPEG, Raw, or JPEG + Raw, with a 23 second delay after shooting 10 raw images. 5fps continuous shooting is also available with continuous AF.
Sample Photos - Colour, exposure, and detail are all good, with the camera delivering reliable and consistent results. Flash performance appears to be quite good at lighting the subject, however red-eye was noticeable in a number of portrait shots, despite using the red-eye reduction flash.
Lens Performance - Dynamic range is good and can be enhanced by using the iDynamic option, or alternatively the HDR shot will combine three shots at full resolution. There is quite strong purple fringing in the trees shot, however this was mostly noticed at the wide end of the lens. There is good levels of detail into the corners at the wide setting, although images appear slightly softer when using full telephoto zoom. Macro performance is quite good, allowing you to focus on subjects that are 3cm away from the camera. Distortion was very minimal, with the camera doing a very good job correcting this automatically.
ISO Noise Performance - Noise is low at ISO80, with a very slight increase at ISO100 and ISO200. At ISO400 there is another slight increase in noise, although detail is still good. At ISO800 noise increases and detail is slightly lost. Again at ISO1600 noise increases again and detail drops again, but results are still good. At ISO3200 there is a noticeable drop in detail. Noise gets quite destructive at ISO6400 and this setting is best avoided. As expected ISO12800 shows the most noise, and lowest amount of detail, so is best avoided.
White Balance Performance - Auto White Balance (AWB) performs well under the incandescent lights, as does the incandescent preset. The AWB also takes a good picture under the fluorescent lighting, there isn't a fluorescent preset on the camera, but that's OK because you shouldn't need one due to AWB performing well.
Pano 1 | 1/160 sec | f/8.0 | 6.0 mm | ISO 80
Pano Effect | 1/200 sec | f/8.0 | 6.0 mm | ISO 80
Panorama mode - The panoramic mode automatically stitches the photo together as you pan the camera from one side to another. You also have the choice of filter effects, an example of "High contrast mono" is shown above.
Digital Filters - There are a vast number of digital filters available, with a number of them customisable. The camera records both the JPEG and raw file so you can go back to the original image if you don't like the effect. There are also a number of colour styles.
Video - Video quality is good with the camera recording full HD video with stereo sound, as well as optical zoom. The camera focuses quickly, and optical image stabilisation helps to keep the image steady, although for perfectly stable video a tripod is recommended, particularly if using the zoom.
Nikon Coolpix P330 (5x optical zoom), £267
Olympus XZ-10 (5x optical zoom), £299
Nikon Coolpix P7700 (7.1x optical zoom), £322
Canon Powershot G15 (5x optical zoom, optical viewfinder), £409
Fujifilm X20 (4x optical zoom, optical viewfinder), £455
You'll also need to buy a memory card and a case or bag to keep your camera safe and protected - have a look at our complete guide to camera bags.
The Panasonic Lumix LF1 gives a good zoom range in a very compact camera, with full manual controls and raw shooting. In addition to this the camera manages to squeeze in an electronic viewfinder, in a camera not much bigger than other models without any kind of viewfinder.
The screen is very good, working well outdoors, even in bright sunlight when brightness is increased, leaving us wondering if the electronic viewfinder (EVF) is absolutely necessary. The extremely small size of the EVF makes it difficult to use. The nearest competitor with the same amount of optical zoom is noticeably larger than this camera, and for those that are looking for a small compact with a lot of control, the Panasonic Lumix LF1 is recommended.
Extremely compact considering features
Wide-angle 7.1x optical zoom lens
Wi-Fi connectivity
Panoramic mode with effects
Dual-axis electronic level
10fps continuous shooting
Great screen
Tiny electronic viewfinder
Red-eye in photos with flash
Short battery life
Handling
Performance
Verdict
Specification
The Panasonic Lumix LF1 is the latest "Serious compact" camera from Panasonic and features a bright f/2.0 Leica 7.1x optical zoom lens, 12 megapixel sensor, and rather uniquely for a compact camera, it has a built in electronic viewfinder.
Panasonic Lumix LF1 Features
Looking at the classic design, you can imagine that this compact camera could be picked up by Leica, for a Leica version. The lens is impressive with a bright f/2.0 aperture at the wide end, although at the telephoto end this reduces to f/5.9. The camera is quite compact, noticeably smaller than the nearest competitor, the Nikon Coolpix P7700, with a size more similar to the Olympus XZ-10.
Wi-Fi is built in, as well as NFC (Near-Field Communication) to allow setup of Wi-Fi connections with smartphones. The smartphone can be used as a remote shutter control, or setup for instant transfer so that photos will automatically transfer to the smartphone after shooting. Wi-Fi can also be used to setup auto backup of photos and video to your computer, or shown on a compatible TV.
Key Features
- 12.1mp 1/1.7inch MOS sensor
- 7.1x optical zoom 28mm wide-angle - 200mm equivalent
- f/2.0-5.9 Leica DC Vario Summicron lens
- Optical image stabilisation
- 3inch screen
- Built in compact EVF with dioptre correction
- Control ring and composition guide
- P/A/S/M, raw
- Full HD video with stereo sound (AVCHD)
- ISO80 - ISO12800
- Wi-Fi built in
- 3cm macro
- 10fps continuous shooting
- Available in black or white
Panasonic Lumix LF1 Handling
Handling - On the top of the camera is stereo microphones for video, the mode dial, with manual controls, two custom modes and panoramic shooting, as well as the shutter release surrounded by the zoom control and finally the on/off switch.
The rear of the camera has a soft touch finish that feels slightly rubberised giving the whole of the back of the camera an extra feeling of grip. Unfortunately the same can't be said for the front with the metal of the camera being smooth, giving very little resistance, and therefore we'd recommend use of the provided wrist strap.
The camera has a number of different grid overlays to aid composition, which can be seen above, with example photos showing you how to use the guide.
The electronic viewfinder has dioptre correction which should help those that wear glasses, particularly as the electronic viewfinder is quite small, so you will want to be as close to it as possible. There is a manual switch to switch between the rear screen and the EVF as there is no built in eye-detection feature.
Menus – The menus are well designed and easy to use, with settings split into four main screens: record, video, setup and Wi-Fi. The Q. Menu button gives quick access to settings on the screen so you don't always have to go into the menus to change settings, and there are a number of settings available using the rear buttons. The Fn (Function) button can be customised to one of 8 options, and the front lens ring can also be customised, or left on default settings - using this the function of the ring changes depending which shooting mode you are in, for example, if you are in aperture priority the ring is used to set the aperture.
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| Panasonic LF1 Remote Control | Panasonic LF1 Remote View |
Wi-Fi connections can be made to iOS or Android smartphones using the Panasonic Image App which is available in the iOS or Android app store. The app is free to download and lets you control the camera, as well as enable touch shooting from the Smartphone. You can also transfer photos for uploading or sharing from the Smartphone. Setup of the Wi-Fi connection is quite straight-forward, however sharing directly from the camera to social network sites such as Facebook can be more difficult.
Battery life - Battery life is rated at 250 shots according to Panasonic / CIPA test results. You can find the battery and memory compartment under the camera, as well as a metal tripod thread. The camera uses a compact battery, and also features a small built in flash, and you can see from the design of this camera that Panasonic has really worked on keeping this camera as compact as possible.
Speed - We took a number of shots to test the camera's responsiveness, from switch on to first photo, shot to shot, focusing speed etc. We take a number of shots and then use the average to ensure accurate and consistent tests, making it easy to compare with other cameras.
| Panasonic Lumix LF1 | |
| Shutter Response | <0.05 |
| Wide - Focus / Shutter Response | 0.25 |
| Full zoom - Focus / Shutter Response | 0.3 |
| Switch on Time to Taking a Photo | 1.5 |
| Shot to Shot without Flash | 0.5 |
| Shot to Shot with Flash | 1.1 |
|
Continuous Shooting - JPEG (shots before slow down) |
10fps (12 shots) |
| Continuous Shooting - Flash | 0.6s (Flash burst) |
| Continuous Shooting - RAW | 10fps (10 shots) |
Focus speeds and shutter response are both very good, with the camera also having a very good shot to shot time. 10fps continuous shooting is available in JPEG, Raw, or JPEG + Raw, with a 23 second delay after shooting 10 raw images. 5fps continuous shooting is also available with continuous AF.
Panasonic Lumix LF1 Performance
Additional sample photos and product shots are available in the Equipment Database, where you can add your own review, photos and product ratings.Panasonic Lumix LF1 Sample Photos
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Sample Photos - Colour, exposure, and detail are all good, with the camera delivering reliable and consistent results. Flash performance appears to be quite good at lighting the subject, however red-eye was noticeable in a number of portrait shots, despite using the red-eye reduction flash.
Panasonic Lumix LF1 Lens test images
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Lens Performance - Dynamic range is good and can be enhanced by using the iDynamic option, or alternatively the HDR shot will combine three shots at full resolution. There is quite strong purple fringing in the trees shot, however this was mostly noticed at the wide end of the lens. There is good levels of detail into the corners at the wide setting, although images appear slightly softer when using full telephoto zoom. Macro performance is quite good, allowing you to focus on subjects that are 3cm away from the camera. Distortion was very minimal, with the camera doing a very good job correcting this automatically.
Panasonic Lumix LF1 ISO test images
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Next
ISO Noise Performance - Noise is low at ISO80, with a very slight increase at ISO100 and ISO200. At ISO400 there is another slight increase in noise, although detail is still good. At ISO800 noise increases and detail is slightly lost. Again at ISO1600 noise increases again and detail drops again, but results are still good. At ISO3200 there is a noticeable drop in detail. Noise gets quite destructive at ISO6400 and this setting is best avoided. As expected ISO12800 shows the most noise, and lowest amount of detail, so is best avoided.
Panasonic Lumix LF1 White-balance test images
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Next
White Balance Performance - Auto White Balance (AWB) performs well under the incandescent lights, as does the incandescent preset. The AWB also takes a good picture under the fluorescent lighting, there isn't a fluorescent preset on the camera, but that's OK because you shouldn't need one due to AWB performing well.
Pano 1 | 1/160 sec | f/8.0 | 6.0 mm | ISO 80
Pano Effect | 1/200 sec | f/8.0 | 6.0 mm | ISO 80
Panorama mode - The panoramic mode automatically stitches the photo together as you pan the camera from one side to another. You also have the choice of filter effects, an example of "High contrast mono" is shown above.
Panasonic Lumix LF1 Digital filters
Previous
Next
Digital Filters - There are a vast number of digital filters available, with a number of them customisable. The camera records both the JPEG and raw file so you can go back to the original image if you don't like the effect. There are also a number of colour styles.
Video - Video quality is good with the camera recording full HD video with stereo sound, as well as optical zoom. The camera focuses quickly, and optical image stabilisation helps to keep the image steady, although for perfectly stable video a tripod is recommended, particularly if using the zoom.
Value For Money
The Panasonic Lumix LF1 is available for £389 which makes it more expensive than some of the competitors, however it is one of the cheapest serious compacts available with a viewfinder. Alternatives to consider with a compact body, manual controls, and a similar level of zoom, or an optical viewfinder, can be found below, although only the first two are similar in size to the LF1:Nikon Coolpix P330 (5x optical zoom), £267
Olympus XZ-10 (5x optical zoom), £299
Nikon Coolpix P7700 (7.1x optical zoom), £322
Canon Powershot G15 (5x optical zoom, optical viewfinder), £409
Fujifilm X20 (4x optical zoom, optical viewfinder), £455
You'll also need to buy a memory card and a case or bag to keep your camera safe and protected - have a look at our complete guide to camera bags.
Panasonic Lumix LF1 Verdict
The Panasonic Lumix LF1 delivers good images, with bright saturated colours, along with a whole host of features, including excellent Wi-Fi control and sharing. The compact body fits neatly into your pocket, and despite the small size feels well built with quick access to controls.The Panasonic Lumix LF1 gives a good zoom range in a very compact camera, with full manual controls and raw shooting. In addition to this the camera manages to squeeze in an electronic viewfinder, in a camera not much bigger than other models without any kind of viewfinder.
The screen is very good, working well outdoors, even in bright sunlight when brightness is increased, leaving us wondering if the electronic viewfinder (EVF) is absolutely necessary. The extremely small size of the EVF makes it difficult to use. The nearest competitor with the same amount of optical zoom is noticeably larger than this camera, and for those that are looking for a small compact with a lot of control, the Panasonic Lumix LF1 is recommended.
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| The Panasonic Lumix LF1 gives a lot of zoom in a compact camera with manual controls and high image quality. |
Panasonic Lumix LF1 Pros
Extremely compact considering featuresWide-angle 7.1x optical zoom lensWi-Fi connectivityPanoramic mode with effectsDual-axis electronic level10fps continuous shootingGreat screenPanasonic Lumix LF1 Cons
Tiny electronic viewfinderRed-eye in photos with flashShort battery life| FEATURES |
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| HANDLING |
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| PERFORMANCE |
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| VALUE FOR MONEY |
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| VERDICT |
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Panasonic Lumix LF1 Specifications
| Manufacturer | Panasonic | |
| Lens | ||
| Max Aperture | f/2 - f/5.9 | |
| 35mm equivalent | 28mm - 200mm | |
| Optical Zoom | 7.1x | |
| Image Sensor | ||
| Pixels | 12.1Mp (Megapixels) | |
| Pixels (W) | 4000 | |
| Pixels (H) | 3000 | |
| Sensor Type | Live MOS Sensor | |
| Sensor Size | 1/1.7 inch | |
| Sensor Size (width) | No Data | |
| Sensor Size (height) | No Data | |
| Aspect Ratio |
| |
| LCD Monitor | ||
| LCD Monitor | 3in | |
| Screen resolution | 920K dots | |
| Touch Screen | No | |
| Focusing | ||
| Min Focus | 3cm | |
| Focusing modes |
| |
| Exposure Control | ||
| Shutter speeds shortest | 1/4000sec | |
| Shutter speeds longest | 60sec | |
| Bulb mode | No Data | |
| Exp modes |
| |
| Metering |
| |
| ISO sensitivity | 80 - 12800 | |
| White balance |
| |
| Exposure Comp | +/-2 | |
| Shooting Options | ||
| Continuous shooting | 10fps | |
| Video | ||
| Movie mode | Yes | |
| Video Resolution |
| |
| Video FPS | 50i | |
| Stereo Sound | Yes | |
| Optical Zoom with Video | Yes | |
| Other Features | ||
| Image Stabilisation | Yes | |
| Interface | ||
| HDMI | Yes | |
| USB | USB 2 | |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | |
| Storage | ||
| Card Type |
| |
| File Type |
| |
| Power Source | ||
| Battery Type | Lithium-Ion | |
| Battery Life (CIPA rating) | 250shots | |
| Box Contents | ||
| Box Contents | Camera, Battery Pack, AC adaptor, USB Cable, Hand Strap, CD-ROM | |
| Dimensions | ||
| Weight | 170g | |
| Width | 102.5mm | |
| Height | 62.1mm | |
| Depth | 27.9mm | |
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Photographs taken using the Panasonic Lumix LF1
Comments
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13 Jun 2013 5:11PMSmall, very pocketable with a larger than normal sensor......darned good lens range
@28-200.....PASM control with RAW.....set the Fn button to ISO, & with a dedicated
exposure comp. button makes for easy & perfect controls (for me !)......
But with an EVF too, great stuff !!!
If the price drops below £300 then it'll be a cracking piece of kit....as a carry everywhere
camera...........
The only downside that I can see is the purple fringing, but I always shoot in RAW mode
so that's easily solved during processing........very, very tempting !!
Great review of this beauty !!!!
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26 Jun 2013 7:26PM-
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10 Mar 2014 12:17AMAnd I wish Panasonic start using new sensor they develop with fuji
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20 Oct 2015 12:04AMI have used it with my monopod attached to my macro tripod by a pipe clamp, with a 1/4 inch threaded hole. and connected to my Android phone via NFC. By sliding the camera in and out on the head section of the monopod, that attached by the pipe clamp to the second section of the monopod I can counterbalance the camera with the final two sections of the monopod. The whole setup then becomes a remote control camera boom. Then I can wait up to twenty feet away for an insect to land on what I am viewing on the phones display. You have complete control of the camera via the Panasonic app. The shot and angle of the camera on the monopod head has to be pre-planned, but you don't have the concern of your body getting in the way and shading the shot. Unfortunately the camera does not have a continuous focus mode, so there is a delay while it focuses, or you can set it to continuous firing. Then however, the screen shuts down whilst this is happening, but you can see the subject yourself anyway, so you know yourself when to stop triggering exposures. I might have a go at attaching a couple of lengths of fishing line to the strap clips so I can have a little rotational control too.
I use an DSLR as well, but when I go off for a shoot I still take the LF1 with me as I have another option too hand if something that presents itself quickly and there is no time to change lenses. I take it with me every time I walk the dog, because I can slip in my hip pocket. I'm really pleased with my purchase. Clumsily I broke the LCD display and i considered the competition again, but in the end I decided to fix it and found a replacement LCD on the internet and replaced it myself, which was not hard.
I can recommend this little beauty to anyone wanting a descent compact and at the price it is now, it is a steal.
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27 Jan 2022 4:06PMI was quite surprised to see that they are not far off each other.
Both are OOC.
A tiny touch of jiggery pokery with Ps and the LF1 one looks even better.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/10lJftcO2PGc6K67OL8lAyby4fGNCmyJ2/view?usp=sharing G2
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FCzUt9DPFslnKrp3UkPusHMzjGBhBqGs/view?usp=sharing LF1
Please download them and flick from one to another.
Cheers
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