What is the pixel pitch of the Panasonic GF1?

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 provides 12 megapixels from a Four Thirds sensor. This pixel density gives rise to a size of the individual pixel of 4.33µm.

The pixel size or pixel pitch can be calculated by dividing the sensor area by the pixel count and then taking the square root. In particular, the sensor in the Panasonic GF1 measures 17.3mm in width and 13.0mm in height, so that the total imaging area of the sensor amounts to 225 mm². Moreover, the GF1 has 4 000 horizontal pixels and 3 000 vertical pixels, for a total of 12 megapixels. Then, the size (height or width) of each individual pixel can be calculated as the square root of the ratio of the sensor area (225 mm²) to the MP count (12 000 000).

Larger pixels provide advantages with respect to gathering light, particularly in low-light situations. Large pixels notably have a better signal to noise ratio, meaning that they can better differentiate between incoming photons and the noisy signals that the internal processes of the camera create. As a result, big pixels are particularly helpful to the photographer when shooting with high ISO settings.

Sensor specs and performance

The table below compares the sensor specs of the Panasonic GF1 to those of several similar cameras. The reported DXO values are indicators of the sensor's imaging quality (higher is better), covering color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape), and high-ISO noise (DXO Sports). Larger sensor cameras tend to outperform cameras of the same generation that are equipped with a smaller imager. On the other hand, larger sensors are more expensive and require bigger and heavier lenses than smaller light receptors.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Panasonic GF1	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	720/30p	21.2	10.3	513	54
2.		Olympus E-P1	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	720/30p	21.4	10.4	536	55
3.		Olympus E-P2	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	720/30p	21.5	10.4	505	56
4.		Panasonic G1	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	none	21.1	10.3	463	53
5.		Panasonic G2	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	720/30p	21.2	10.3	493	53
6.		Panasonic G6	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	21.3	11.5	639	61
7.		Panasonic G10	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	720/30p	21.2	10.1	411	52
8.		Panasonic GF2	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60i	21.2	10.3	506	54
9.		Panasonic GH1	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	21.6	11.6	772	64
10.		Panasonic GH2	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	21.2	11.3	655	60
11.		Panasonic GX1	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60p	20.8	10.6	703	55

Further information on the sensor in the Panasonic GF1 and the camera's operation can be found in the camera manual.

In the United States, the GF1 was initially launched in September 2009 at a price of $749.

Check GF1 offers at
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Camera to camera comparisons

In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities with other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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