Event Coverage

A Day of Shooting with Panasonic GF6 and G6 in Bali

By Hafeez Sim - 14 May 2013

A Day in Bali

A Day Around Bali

The cameras we were shooting with were all pre-production units, so while they may be close in functionality and quality to the actual retail units, there were still some glitches that have yet to be ironed out. That aside, we had a good time shooting with the cameras. 

Panasonic GF6

The GF series has always been a series of Micro Four Thirds cameras that strike a balance between image quality, size and usability. The GF6 is no exception; it's perfectly suited for those who are upgrading from a digital compact but still demand easy controls. 

With the addition of the mode dial, the GF6 ups its score in the usability department.

The GF6 sits pretty nicely in the hands of the fairer sex, so no worries there about it being too bulky.

We found the GF6 to be easy to shoot with due to its size; girls will definitely like the fact that it is not too bulky and it will fit nicely in their hands. We were also happy to find that the GF6 comes with a mode dial which we found to be an odd exclusion in the GF5; even though the GF series is aimed at the casual shooter, a physical mode dial is definitely helpful for shutterbugs of any level. The GF6's display can also be flipped for self portraits though due to our shy nature we didn't exactly take any pictures of that sort.

While the GF6 is aimed at the casual shooter segment, that doesn't mean it will not appeal to the enthusiast crowd.

The GF6's shutter speed and burst mode is pretty impressive as we were able to capture the wave hitting the rocks behind this model in a series of successive shots.

Unfortunately she was soaking wet in the end though.

The vivid sunset glow filter came in pretty handy in this shot.

Panasonic G6

The G6 will sit at the top of Panasonic's mirrorless system camera food chain, and the AF speed was quick and agile. It proves that mirrorless system cameras have come a long way when it comes to AF speeds. The G6 was of course larger than the GF6, but is definitely lighter and smaller than a APS-C DSLR. So even though we spent the entire day shooting with the G6 as well as the GF6, we didn't feel as bogged down as we would have if we had travelled with a DSLR camera. Unless you intend to produce large prints or often shoot in low light situations, we're pretty sure the G6 will suffice for photography enthusiasts. 

The G6 has more in common with a traditional DSLR in terms of design.

The G6 is still pretty light compared to even an APS-C DSLR.

The G6 features a display that can be flipped out for more creative shooting options.

Somehow, we ended up using the G6 more when it came to shooting the models. Maybe it's because we had a F2.8 prime lens mounted.

 The G6 offers a good compromise between image quality, weight and size. And the ability to shoot with a prime lens doesn't hurt either.

Final Thoughts

Both cameras come with NFC capabilities, though the process was cumbersome and the camera experienced issues with detecting our smartphone. We aren't sure if it's because of the fact that the cameras were both pre-production models so stay tuned for our full-fledged reviews to see how the cameras stack up against the competition! While both the GF6 and G6 handed to us were pre-production models, we left the trip with a favorable impression. Panasonic has always produced quality mirrorless system cameras and the latest models are no different. With the GF6 catering to the casual shooter and the G6 for those who demand more from their digital camera, we're interested to see how the other camera manufacturers respond. But on Panasonic's end, we're sure they are heading in the right direction. 

 

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