Panasonic: New Lumix DMC-GX8 Camera Features 20.3MP Sensor, Dual Image Stabilizer and 4K Photo/Video Recording In A Rugged Splash/Dust-Proof Design

The following video presents [NEW] Panasonic LUMIX GX8 Shooting Impression by Daniel Berehulak:

Daniel Berehulak, a world-renowned award-winning photojournalist, travelled to Cuba with new LUMIX DMC-GX8 to document an evolving culture and society going through significant social, political and economic change.

The Panasonic GX8 improves on the GX7 with a dual image stabilizer: the in-body sensor-shift image stabilizer now works in conjunction with the lens optical image stabilizer to take maximum advantage of both stabilizers in wide angle as well as at the tele end. Sensor resolution has increased to 20.3MP. The 4K Photo/Video capability and DFD (Depth from Defocus) technology of the G7 are now included. Both the EVF and rear monitor are high resolution OLED with time lag of less than 0.01 sec. Available September in either black or chrome metal with an MSP of CAD $1,599 (sold body only).

PRESS RELEASE

PANASONIC CANADA ANNOUNCES LUMIX DMC-GX8 FLAGSHIP DSLM CAMERA

20.3-Megapixel GX8 includes Dual Image Stabilizer and 4K Video/Photo Capability

MISSISSAUGA, ON (July 16, 2015) – Panasonic Canada is proud to introduce the new LUMIX G Series DMC-GX8 Digital Single Lens Mirrorless (DSLM) Camera featuring a host of advanced functions packed into a splash and dust-proof rugged design.

For the first time in a LUMIX G camera, the DMC-GX8 boasts a dual image stabilizer¹. By evolving the in-body image stabilizer, the new DMC-GX8 integrates Dual I.S. (Image Stabilizer)¹ to secure a more powerful handshake correction. Almost any type of handshake can be effectively suppressed with this innovative image stabilization system. As a result, you can get clear handheld shots in low-light situations.

The new 20.3-megapixel Digital Live MOS Sensor excels both in response, sensitivity and dynamic range. The Venus Engine dramatically boosts its performance with a quad-core CPU that enables high speed signal processing. Integrating superior noise reduction systems, the DMC-GX8 allows for shooting at max. ISO 25600. Sensitivity, gradation performance, resolution and colour reproduction are dramatically improved to achieve even higher picture quality. It is also capable of high speed burst shooting at 8 fps (AFS) / 6 fps (AFC).

The DMC-GX8 is capable of recording smooth, high-resolution QFHD 4K video in 3840×2160 at 30p (60Hz) or 24p in MP4, capturing video footage that boasts stunning detail. Taking advantage of 4K video recording performance, users can capture 4K photo opportunities at 30 fps in 8-megapixel resolution. It is easy to get 4K photos with three 4K Photo modes; 4K Burst Shooting, 4K Burst S/S (Start/Stop) and 4K Pre-burst.

The DMC-GX8 boasts newly developed high-precision, high-speed dual OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) displays for the LVF (Live View Finder) and rear monitor. The tiltable 2,360K-dot LVF features the highest magnification ratio for a LUMIX camera at approx.1.54x / 0.77x (35mm camera equiv.) magnification and 100 per cent field of view. Adoption of OLED for the LVF and rear monitor achieves high speed response with minimum time lag of less than 0.01 sec as well as 10,000:1 high contrast. The free-angle 3-inch 1,040K-dot rear monitor supports comfortable shooting even with complicated angles. For quick, intuitive operation, a range of functions are allocated to the dials and buttons.

The Contrast AF System features DFD (Depth From Defocus) technology and excels in both speed and accuracy by exchanging a digital signal between the camera and the lens at max. 240 fps, resulting in ultra-fast auto focusing of approx. 0.07 sec¹. A variety of extensive AF functions including Face / Eye Detection AF, Pinpoint AF, One-shot AF and advanced Low Light AF enhance usability to comply with wide-ranging shooting situations.

Thanks to the connectivity of Wi-Fi® with NFC (Near Field Communication), users can connect the camera to their smartphone / tablet to expand the flexibility in shooting, storing, and sharing images.

The DMC-GX8 also comes with a highly durable magnesium alloy full diecast frame with a sleek and sophisticated exterior and finely machined dials. Packed with the best-possible technologies, the DMC-GX8 will surely satisfy amateur and professional users alike.

1. Dual I.S. (Image Stabilizer) – Innovative Handshake Correction System
The LUMIX GX8 integrates Dual I.S. (Image Stabilizer)² to provide powerful hand shake correction. With the new Dual I.S., a first in LUMIX G cameras, both Body I.S. and Lens I.S. work at the same time to take maximum advantage of both stabilizers in wide angle as well as at the tele end.

With max. 3.5x (wide)/1.5x (tele)³ wider correction angle, you can get clear handheld shots even in low-light situations where the shutter speed tends to be slower. Panasonic LUMIX G DSLM Cameras offers a wide variety of digital interchangeable lenses that incorporate lens stabilization.

For video recording, 5-Axis HYBRID O.I.S.+ (Optical Image Stabilizer Plus)⁴, corrects complex movement for stable imagery on multiple axes.

2. Unprecedentedly Picture Quality
The DMC-GX8 integrates the newly developed Digital Live MOS Sensor that achieves the highest ever image quality in the history of LUMIX G digital cameras. By increasing the resolution from 16.0-megapixel (GX7) to 20.3-megapixel, higher picture quality is achieved. The faster digital signal readout also enables higher speed burst shooting. The combination of the Digital Live MOS Sensor and the Venus Engine achieves clear image rendering with minimum noise, even in low-lit situations, and stunning picture quality.

The Venus Engine with its quad-core CPU enables high speed signal processing. Optimizing the combination design of the sensor, the imaging engine and the low-pass filter enhance the resolution by approximately 15 per cent in comparison to the DMC-GX7. The aperture filter is capable of controlling a wide frequency range and adjusts the amount of sharpness according to the frequency level, resulting in faithful stereoscopic effect. The advanced Multi-process NR (Noise Reduction) applies effective noise reduction and detail processing according to each component frequency. Plus, newly added Random Filter granulates chromatic noise to be blended into the image even more naturally. As a result, the maximum ISO 25600 is achieved.

The Venus Engine also improves colour reproduction, saturation and luminosity. In addition, the Venus Engine in the GX8 excels in diffraction compensation to make images crisp and clear with a small aperture.

3. The Evolution of Videography and Photography – 4K
All LUMIX G cameras are renowned for their high-quality video recording. The DMC-GX8 records stunningly smooth, high-resolution QFHD 4K video in 3840×2160 at 30p (60Hz) or 24p in MP4* in addition to the full-HD 1,920 x 1,080 60p (60 Hz) videos in AVCHD Progressive or MP4 (MPEG-4 / H.264) format with practical full-time AF.

Taking advantage of the DMC-GX8’s 4K video recording performance, 4K Photo can be used to capture fleeting photo opportunities at 30 fps in 8-megapixel resolution by cutting any frame out of the 4K burst file. Three exclusive functions are integrated to make capturing 4K photography even easier; 4K Burst Shooting, 4K Burst S/S (Start/Stop) and 4K Pre-burst. The 4K Burst Shooting allows almost *unlimited shooting at 30 fps, which can be used just like photo burst shooting. The 4K Burst S/S (Start/Stop) mode starts consecutively shooting with a single press of a shutter button and stops it with a second press, which is more suitable for shooting opportunities requiring a longer waiting time. The 4K Pre-burst automatically records a total of 60 images right before and after the shutter release.

All these functions in 4K Photo allows the user to save pictures in 8-megapixel resolution; 3840×2160 (16:9), 3328×2496 (4:3), 3504×2336 (3:2), 2880×2880 (1:1) without missing a moment. Notably photos shot with 4K Photo mode have the EXIF information embedded and can be handled in the same way as images shot during normal photo shooting.

*FOR NORTH AMERICA

• MP4 Motion pictures with their file size set to [FHD],[HD]or[VGA]:
  • Recording stops when the continuous recording time exceeds 29 minutes and 59 seconds or the file size exceeds 4GB.
  • Since the file size becomes larger with [FHD], recording with [FHD] will stop before 29 minutes 59 seconds.
• MP4 Motion pictures with their file size set to [4K]:
  • Recording stops when the continuous recording time exceeds 29 minutes and 59 seconds. (You can continue recording without interruption even if the file exceeds 4GB, but the motion picture will be recorded/played back separately.)

4. Stunning Mobility Supported by Mechanical Advancements
The DMC-GX8 boasts newly developed high-precision, high-speed dual OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) displays for the LVF (Live View Finder) and rear monitor. The tiltable 2,360K-dot LVF features the highest magnification ratio for a LUMIX camera at approx. 1.54x / 0.77x (35mm camera equiv.) magnification and 100 per cent field of view. The tiltable LVF offers extraordinary angle of view with a unique shooting style – looking down into the viewfinder to level the camera straight on the subject. Thanks to the newly designed larger eyecup, the visibility of the LVF is dramatically improved. Adoption of OLED for the LVF and rear monitor ensures high speed response with minimum time lag of less than 0.01 sec as well as 10,000:1 high contrast which allows the user to check white washout or black shadows more precisely. Also, users can customize the colour or brightness settings as they prefer. Now the excellent visibility is comparable to that of an OVF. On the other hand, live view images can be displayed in monochrome through the LVF which emphasizes the contour when using Focus Peaking.

Adopting a static-type touch control system, the free-angle 3-inch rear monitor with 1040K-dot high resolution features approx.100 per cent field of view. It rotates 180-degrees and tilts up by approx. 250-degrees, making it easy to shoot from high or low angles even in vertical composition.

To be tough enough to withstand even heavy field use, the DMC-GX8 adopts a rugged design with a magnesium alloy full diecast front and rear frame. It also features splash / dustproof construction thanks to the weather sealing on every joint, dial, and button.

To further enhance the controllability, the DMC-GX8 comes with an exposure compensation dial in addition to the front / rear dials, which lets users set -5EV to +5EV. Users can change settings such as aperture, shutter speed with the front / rear dials and can also customize the assignment of these dials as well as the Fn buttons. For example, users can adjust white balance with a front dial and set ISO with a rear dial while choosing the shutter speed or seeing the noise effect, which is helpful in complex lighting situations. Either AFS/AFC/MF can be switched with the dedicated focus lever.

5. The Top Level of AF Performance among Conventional DSLRs and Mirrorless Cameras
The Contrast AF in the DMC-GX8 achieves even higher speed and precision focusing with a digital signal communication at max. 240 fps. Furthermore, DFD (Depth From Defocus) technology⁵ calculates the distance to the subject by evaluating two images with different sharpness levels while consulting the data of optical characteristics of the current lens in a fraction of a second. As a result, the DMC-GX8 achieves an ultra-high speed AF of approx.0.07 sec⁶. This improvement becomes more substantial as the focal length increases. The speed of burst shooting is dramatically faster than its predecessor, boasting high speed burst shooting at 8 fps (AFS) / 6 fps (AFC) to capture fast moving subjects in-focus.

The Low Light AF makes it possible to set focus on the subject more precisely even without an AF assist lamp in extremely low-lit situations to -4EV, which is comparable to a moonlit sky. Plus, the DMC-GX8 integrates Starlight AF which allows users to shoot a star in the sky at night using the auto focus. This can be achieved by the accurate calculation of contrast values in a smaller AF zone.

Focus detect area is increased from 23 (DMC-GX7) to 49 points for more flexible composition together with Custom Multi AF mode in which users can freely select the areas of focus out of the 49 possible points. In addition to the conventional Face Recognition AF, the DMC-GX8 newly incorporates Face / Eye Detection AF which automatically sets focus right on the eye of a human face. With the Pinpoint AF, users can magnify the target area to set precise focus. With the new algorithm of AF Tracking, not only the colour but also the size and motion vector of the target are recognized, enabling the camera to lock on the subject even more securely. The result is the AF tracking performance of approximately 200 percent or greater which means the camera has less chance of losing the subject⁷.

6. Other Features

Max.1/16000 sec High Shutter Speed (Electronic Shutter) [NEW]
The DMC- GX8 offers a maximum shutter speed of 1/16000 sec (electronic) to not only to capture fast moving subjects but also to allow the shooter to use high-speed lenses with wide open apertures for impressive defocus effects, even outdoors.

Easy Wireless Connectivity via Wi-Fi® with Smartphones [ADVANCED]
The DMC-GX8 integrates Wi-Fi® connectivity (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n) with NFC (Near Field Communication) technology in-camera to offer instant and easy image sharing. After installing Panasonic’s dedicated application software Panasonic Image App for iOS / Android, users can shoot, browse, and share images remotely.

RAW data development in Camera
The DMC-GX8 is capable of developing RAW images in camera. In addition to the colour space setting (sRGB / AdobeRGB), the parameter of white balance, exposure compensation, contrast, highlight / shadow, saturation, and noise reduction or sharpness can be flexibly adjusted while LUMIX’s Photo Style, Intelligent D-range Control, Intelligent Resolution can also be applied.

Creative Control in P/A/S/M Mode
The DMC-GX8 integrates a variety of artistic functions that add fun to digital photography. The popular Creative Control mode features a total of 22 filter options. The effect parameter of each mode is also adjustable. Now it is possible to apply one of these filters even in P/A/S/M mode. Users can combine favorable settings and filters to make artistic images. Also, the DMC- GX8 is capable of taking pictures “with” and “without” the filter effect simultaneously, so that users can compare them and choose later.

Creative Panorama (ultra wide) [ADVANCED]
The Panorama Shot function allows capturing of horizontal / vertical ultra-wide panoramic images by shooting sequential pictures. Combined with the Creative Control, users can create dynamic, original and artistic images.

Optional Accessories
The DMC-GX8 is compatible with a variety of optional accessories to expand the shooting experience. The Eye Cup DMW-EC3 makes it even more comfortable to see the LVF. The External Flashes DMW-FL360L (GN36) and DMW-FL580L (GN58) are sold separately which can also be used as LED light during video recording. The external flash can be synchronized with max.1/250 second shutter speed.

• Focus Peaking
• Silent Mode
• Time Lapse Shot / Stop Motion Animation

¹ In AFS, at wide-end with H-FS14140 or H-HS12035 (CIPA).
² For photo.
³ DMC-GX8 with H-FS14140, in comparison with the effect of conventional LUMIX G digital interchangeable lens with O.I.S.
⁴ Firmware update is required for some lenses.
⁵ Contrast AF with DFD Technology works only with Panasonic Micro Four Thirds lenses.
⁶ In AFS, at wide-end with H-FS14140 or H-HS12035 (CIPA).
⁷ Panasonic comparison with DMC-GX7.
– The “AVCHD” is a high definition (HD) digital video recording / playback format jointly established by Panasonic Corporation and Sony Corporation.
– “AVCHD Progressive”, “AVCHD”, the “AVCHD Progressive” Logo and the “AVCHD” Logo are trademarks of Panasonic Corporation and Sony Corporation.
– Android and Google Play are trademarks or registered trademarks of Google Inc.
– IOS is a trademark or registered trademark of Cisco in the U.S. and other countries and is used under license.
– All other company and product names are trademarks of their respective corporations.
– Some accessories are not available in some countries.
– The use of recorded or printed materials that are protected by copyright for any purpose other than personal enjoyment is prohibited, as it would infringe upon the rights of the copyright holder.
– Design and specifications are subject to change without notice.

A subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation of North America, Panasonic Canada Inc. provides a broad line of digital and other electronics products and solutions to meet consumer, business and industrial needs. Consumers seeking more information on the company’s products can visit Panasonic’s home page at www.panasonic.com.

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You can pre-order/buy the Panasonic GX8 at B&H:

• Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8 Mirrorless Micro Four Thirds Digital Camera (Body Only, Black)
• Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8 Mirrorless Micro Four Thirds Digital Camera (Body Only, Silver)

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The following video presents [NEW] Panasonic LUMIX GX8 “Rythm REVOLUTION” in 4K by Daniel Berehulak:

Daniel Berehulak, a world-renowned award-winning photojournalist, travelled to Cuba with new LUMIX DMC-GX8 to document an evolving culture and society going through significant social, political and economic change. This is a part of his journey recorded with GX8 in 4K.