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Panasonic GH1 Comparison Review

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera that was officially introduced in March 2009 and is equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. It offers a resolution of 12 megapixel.

camera

Is the Panasonic GH1 a good camera? The GH1 has a Camera Elo of 1418. This rating puts the GH1 below average of all mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (Four Thirds cameras), the GH1 also ranks below average. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 2.5-star performance rating. – Well, the Panasonic GH1 is more than 15 years old, and there have been many other good digital cameras released since 2009.

Headline Specifications
Panasonic GH1
Mirrorless system camera
Micro Four Thirds lenses
12 MP, Four Thirds Sensor
1080/24p Video
ISO 100 - 1 600 (100 - 3 200)
Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)
3.0 LCD, 460k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
3 shutter flaps per second
300 shots per battery charge
124 x 90 x 45 mm, 385 g

Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.

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Body comparison with a credit card

The physical dimensions of the Panasonic GH1 relative to a credit card are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are presented. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Panasonic GH1 vs credit card front
GH1 versus credit card top view
GH1 and credit card rear side

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Panasonic GH1 alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

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Body Specifications
    Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Panasonic GH1 124 mm 90 mm 45 mm 385 g 300 n Mar 2009 EUR 799ebay.com
2.
 
Olympus E-P1 121 mm 70 mm 36 mm 355 g 300 n Jun 2009 EUR 699ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-P2 121 mm 70 mm 36 mm 355 g 300 n Nov 2009 EUR 699ebay.com
4.
 
Panasonic G1 124 mm 84 mm 45 mm 360 g 410 n Sep 2008 EUR 499ebay.com
5.
 
Panasonic G2 124 mm 84 mm 74 mm 428 g 360 n Mar 2010 EUR 549ebay.com
6.
 
Panasonic G6 122 mm 85 mm 71 mm 390 g 340 n Apr 2013 EUR 549ebay.com
7.
 
Panasonic G10 124 mm 84 mm 74 mm 388 g 380 n Mar 2010 EUR 499ebay.com
8.
 
Panasonic GF1 119 mm 71 mm 36 mm 385 g 380 n Sep 2009 EUR 649ebay.com
9.
 
Panasonic GF2 113 mm 68 mm 33 mm 310 g 300 n Nov 2010 EUR 499ebay.com
10.
 
Panasonic GH2 124 mm 90 mm 76 mm 442 g 330 n Sep 2010 EUR 899ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic LX100 115 mm 66 mm 55 mm 393 g 300 n Sep 2014 EUR 799ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Panasonic GH1 was launched in the US market at a price of $899. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tent to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

The Panasonic GH1 features a Four Thirds sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Panasonic GH1 among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability.

Panasonic GH1 sensor measures

For most cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of alternative cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
    Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Panasonic GH1 Four Thirds 12.0 4000 30001080/24p21.611.677264
2.
 
Olympus E-P1 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024720/30p21.410.453655
3.
 
Olympus E-P2 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024720/30p21.510.450556
4.
 
Panasonic G1 Four Thirds 12.0 4000 3000none21.110.346353
5.
 
Panasonic G2 Four Thirds 12.0 4000 3000720/30p21.210.349353
6.
 
Panasonic G6 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p21.311.563961
7.
 
Panasonic G10 Four Thirds 12.0 4000 3000720/30p21.210.141152
8.
 
Panasonic GF1 Four Thirds 12.0 4000 3000720/30p21.210.351354
9.
 
Panasonic GF2 Four Thirds 12.0 4000 30001080/60i21.210.350654
10.
 
Panasonic GH2 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60i21.211.365560
11.
 
Panasonic LX100 Four Thirds 12.7 4112 30884K/30p22.312.555367

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The GH1 indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the GH1 can use is 1080/24p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the GH1 has an electronic viewfinder with a resolution of 1440k dots. The viewfinder offers a field of view of 100% and a magnification of 0.70x. The adjacent tables list some of the other core features of the Panasonic GH1 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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Core Features
    Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Panasonic GH11440 n3.0 / 460 swivel n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
2.
 
Olympus E-P1none n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s n Y
3.
 
Olympus E-P2optional n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s n Y
4.
 
Panasonic G11440 n3.0 / 460 swivel n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
5.
 
Panasonic G21440 n3.0 / 460 swivel Y 1/4000s 2.6/s Y n
6.
 
Panasonic G61440 n3.0 / 1036 swivel Y 1/4000s 7.0/s Y n
7.
 
Panasonic G10202 n3.0 / 460 fixed n 1/4000s 2.6/s Y n
8.
 
Panasonic GF1optional n3.0 / 460 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
9.
 
Panasonic GF2optional n3.0 / 460 fixed Y 1/4000s 2.6/s Y n
10.
 
Panasonic GH21534 n3.0 / 460 swivel n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
11.
 
Panasonic LX1002764 n3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/4000s 11.0/s n Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The LCD screen on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 is flexibly attached to the body. In particular, the LCD is hinged on the side and can be flipped out for odd-angle shots in both portrait and landscape orientation. Also, this fully articulated, swivel type of LCD attachment is often appreciated by videographers for its flexibility. Moreover, v-loggers like the design because the screen can be turned to be front-facing.

articulated screen
Flexible screen on the GH1

One convenient feature of the GH1 is the presence of an on-board flash. While this built-in flash is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light to brighten deep shadow areas.

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Connection comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
    Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Panasonic GH1Ystereo / -Y-mini2.0---
2.
 
Olympus E-P1Ystereo / ---mini2.0---
3.
 
Olympus E-P2Ystereo / ---mini2.0---
4.
 
Panasonic G1Y- / ---mini2.0---
5.
 
Panasonic G2Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
6.
 
Panasonic G6Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
7.
 
Panasonic G10Ymono / ---mini2.0---
8.
 
Panasonic GF1Ymono / mono--mini2.0---
9.
 
Panasonic GF2Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
10.
 
Panasonic GH2Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0---
11.
 
Panasonic LX100Ystereo / mono--micro2.0YY-

It is notable that the GH1 has a microphone port. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Further information on the features and operation of the GH1 can be found in the free online Panasonic GH1 Manual or on the Panasonic support site.

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Expert reviews

While the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it says nothing about, for example, the handling, responsiveness, and overall imaging quality of the GH1 in practical situations. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased. This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).

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Review Scores
     Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Panasonic GH1..+ +..72/1004.5/54.5/5 Mar 2009 EUR 799ebay.com
2.
 
Olympus E-P1..+..66/1004/54.5/5 Jun 2009 EUR 699ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-P23/5+..69/1004/54.5/5 Nov 2009 EUR 699ebay.com
4.
 
Panasonic G1..+ +..70/1004/54.5/5 Sep 2008 EUR 499ebay.com
5.
 
Panasonic G2......72/1004/54.5/5 Mar 2010 EUR 549ebay.com
6.
 
Panasonic G64/5+ +....5/54.5/5 Apr 2013 EUR 549ebay.com
7.
 
Panasonic G103/5....70/1004/54/5 Mar 2010 EUR 499ebay.com
8.
 
Panasonic GF1..85/100..69/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2009 EUR 649ebay.com
9.
 
Panasonic GF23/582/100..70/1004.5/54.5/5 Nov 2010 EUR 499ebay.com
10.
 
Panasonic GH25/5+ +..79/1004.5/55/5 Sep 2010 EUR 899ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic LX1005/5+ +..85/1005/55/5 Sep 2014 EUR 799ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Panasonic GH1 FAQ

Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the GH1.

What technology is the imaging sensor in the Panasonic GH1 based on?

The camera features a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor.

Which image processing chip is used in the Panasonic GH1 to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?

Panasonic equipped the GH1 with the Venus HD image processor.

What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Panasonic GH1?

The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600.

Does the Panasonic GH1 have a selfie-friendly screen?

Yes, the LCD-screen of the GH1 is flexible and can be turned to be front-facing for capturing selfies.

What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1?

Panasonic does not publish a shutter rating for the GH1. Yet, shutters in comparable cameras from other manufacturers are said to be good for at least 100 000 actuations. It should be noted, though, that this number represents a Mean Time before Failure. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust an expected shutter life of 100 000 shots over, say, three years, one would have to take about 100 pictures each and every day.

How do I find the shutter count on my Panasonic GH1?

Panasonic embeds the number of shutter actuations in hidden menus. You can check the number of shots that your GH1 has taken up to now by carefully following the steps described on the Panasonic GH1 shutter count page.

Does the Panasonic GH1 feature an autofocus assist light?

Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.

What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Panasonic GH1 for flash photography?

The GH1's flash sync speed is 1/160 sec.

Which battery does the Panasonic GH1 use?

The camera gets its power from the Panasonic DMW-BLB13 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.

Camera to camera comparisons

If you would like to see a side-by-side review with another camera, just make your choice using the following search menu. An an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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    Specifications Summary
    Camera Model Panasonic GH1
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Micro Four Thirds lenses
    Launch Date March 2009
    Launch Price USD 899
    Sensor Specs
    Sensor Technology CMOS
    Sensor Format Four Thirds Sensor
    Sensor Size 17.3 x 13.0 mm
    Sensor Area 225 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 21.6 mm
    Crop Factor 2.0x
    Sensor Resolution 12 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4 000 x 3 000 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 4.33 μm
    Pixel Density 5.34 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/24p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 1 600 ISO
    ISO Boost 100 - 3 200 ISO
    Image Processor Venus HD
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 64
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 21.6
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 11.6
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 772
    Screen Specs
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.70x
    Viewfinder Resolution 1440k dots
    Top-Level Screen no Top Display
    LCD Framing Live View
    LCD Size 3.0 inch
    LCD Resolution 460k dots
    LCD Attachment Swivel screen
    V-logging Friendliness Front-flip possible
    Touch Input No touchscreen
    Shooting Specs
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF
    Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking Feature
    Maximum Shutter Speed 1/4000s
    Continuous Shooting 3 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy100 000 actuations
    Silent Shootingno E-Shutter
    Time Lapse Photographyno Intervalometer
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium SDHC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot
    UHS card support no
    Connectivity Specs
    External Flash Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port
    Wifi Support no Wifi
    Body Specs
    Battery Type Panasonic DMW-BLB13 power pack
    Battery Life (CIPA)300 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 124 x 90 x 45 mm
    (4.9 x 3.5 x 1.8 in)
    Camera Weight 385 g (13.6 oz)

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