Panasonic is the originator of mirrorless cameras, and in 2008 released the world's first mirrorless camera, the LUMIX G1, which removed the reflector and pentaprism on the SLR, and the thickness of the camera was greatly reduced, changing the framing method that had been practiced for decades, but the performance was not compromised at all. The LUMIX G1 is an epoch-making event in the history of the camera, and it may only be a matter of time before the mirrorless system has become the mainstream camera system that can compete with the SLR head-on.
 
Mainstream camera brands have their own exclusive lens mount standards, which are not compatible with lenses of other brands, so in addition to looking at the performance of the body, you also need to pay attention to the lens group under the brand. In the field of cameras, Panasonic is relatively niche compared to Canon, Nikon, and Sony, starting from G1, Panasonic has used the M4/3 system developed in cooperation with Olympus, the M4/3 system is completely open, and now many rising stars in the camera industry use the M4/3 system, such as DJI and YI. The advantage of using the unified mount is that the lens can be used universally, and the Panasonic camera can be used with Olympus M4/3 lenses. The M4/3 system is the earliest developed and has the largest number of manufacturers, and currently has the largest lens group, with more than 60 lenses to choose from, and the price is also the lowest among the mainstream lens groups.
 
Perhaps Panasonic and Olympus did not expect that mirrorless cameras could subvert the camera industry when formulating the M4/3 mirrorless system, and the specifications of the M4/3 system now seem a bit conservative.
 
There are professional cameras with better image quality, and mobile phones that are more and more convenient to take pictures, and the positioning of the M4/3 system is currently awkward. Panasonic also maximizes its strengths and minimizes its weaknesses, with professional models focusing on video shooting, and entry-level models focusing on portability and ease of use. Panasonic cameras are broadly divided into the GH series, which specializes in video shooting, the G series, which specializes in photography, the GF series, which is compact and easy to use, and full-frame systems, which are still under development.
 
Professional video camera GH series
 
The GH series is now in its fifth generation, and each generation was the benchmark for video performance at the time, and as the video production process was simplified, more and more people began to use cameras to shoot videos. Released in 2017GH5 supports internal recording of 4K-10bit-422-30 frames of video, supports variable frame rate shooting, supports up to 4K-60 frames, 1080P-180 frames of upgraded video shooting, the high specifications have few rivals so far, especially the touch screen that can be freely flipped and the top five-axis anti-shake blessing, whether it is handheld shooting or selfie Vlog, GH5 can be perfectly competent, it is already the most popular professional-grade video camera, priced at about 10,000 yuan.
 
The GH5 also has some inherent flaws, such as pure contrast focusing, weak video autofocus performance, and often relying on manual focusing, followed by frame limitations, and slightly worse high-sensitivity performance than the competition. GH5 is a camera that takes into account the video function, and the new GH5S has completely evolved into a real camera, GH5S sensor is only 10.2 million pixels, the first time in the camera to use the high-end camera on the dual native ISO technology, high-sensitivity performance has a qualitative leap, known as the night elf. Its video bitrate and upscaling capabilities have also been further improved, supporting cinema-level 4K-HDR video recording, and better heat dissipation performance allows it to record high-bitrate videos without time limit. GH5SThe threshold is significantly higher than that of GH5, in addition to the price reaching 15000 yuan, the five-axis anti-shake function is removed, an external stabilizer is required, and a more professional team is required to operate.
 
The G series is a Panasonic veteran, G1 is the world's first mirrorless camera, and has now developed to G9, whether focusing, continuous shooting, video, and image quality are the top level in the M4/3 camp, but the price has also reached the level of Sony A7R2. In the early years, Panasonic mirrorless cameras were significantly ahead of Sony and Fujifilm in focusing speed and continuous shooting speed, but today these gaps have been caught up, and the disadvantage of small format is difficult to compensate, and the M4/3 system is not a smart choice for a professional-grade camera for taking pictures. Panasonic announced its entry into the full-frame market in 2018, and the new product plan has been announced, Panasonic once again chose to form an alliance in the bayonet specifications, forming an L-mount alliance with Sigma and Leica, and may become the most powerful competitor of Sony's full-frame system.
 
Portable entry-level cameras GF series
 
The GF series is mainly aimed at the mainstream consumer market, and the GF is also known as the "girlfriend", with retro shape, exquisite workmanship, and high appearance, which fully carries forward the advantages of the small size of the M4/3 system, and can be easily tucked into the pocket even if the lens is installed. Although the GF series is small in appearance, its performance cannot be underestimated, Panasonic's high-speed continuous shooting and focusing speed are traditional advantages, through the touch screen can "point where to play", the operation is smooth, and the algorithm can be used to achieve a variety of gameplay such as taking pictures first and then focusing, and the user experience is very good. GF also comes with a flip screen, so you can take selfies and beautify your face. Compared to Sony, Fujifilm and Canon's entry-level cameras, the Panasonic GF series is more portable and easy to use, and the performance is not at all inferior, and with the large and relatively low-priced lens group of the M4/3, the GF is very versatile, and even professional photographers sometimes buy one as a backup because of its portability.