The GF1 adopts the Micro Four Thirds System standard, which was developed as an extended version of the Four Thirds System standard for digital camera systems. By using this standard and developing a camera body that eliminates the mirror box and optical viewfinder unit, LUMIX was able to achieve a dramatic reduction in both size and weight compared with conventional digital SLR cameras, to create a new-generation system camera that features Full-time Live View, high-speed, high-precision Contrast AF, HD movie recording, and more. The GF1 is small enough to take anywhere yet sophisticated enough to take you as far into photography and movies as you want to go.
*For a system camera with a built-in flash as of September 2, 2009
Micro Four ThirdsTM and Micro Four Thirds Logo marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Olympus Imaging Corporation, in Japan, the United States, the European Union and other countries.

The 4/3-type 12.1-megapixel Live MOS sensor featured in the GF1 offers the best of both worlds the superior image quality of a CCD sensor, and the lower power consumption of a CMOS sensor. This sensor is also advantageous for photo and movie recording with its high S/N, thanks to a new circuit structure that is unaffected by the noise generated in each of the circuits. It results in clear images even when taken at high ISO sensitivity.

The hybrid GF1 lets you take both high-quality photos and HD movies. You can shoot breathtaking HD (1280 720) movies in AVCHD Lite format (MPEG-4/H.264) backed by the high sound quality of Dolby Digital Creator. And you can record for a longer time without running out of memory because AVCHD Lite stores data more efficiently than Motion JPEG while maintaining stunning image clarity and detail. A dedicated "movie record" button on the top lets you instantly start recording movies while shooting photos, so you don't miss a second of the action.
"AVCHD Lite" and "AVCHD Lite" logos are trademarks of Panasonic Corporation and Sony Corporation. Dolby and the double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories.

Some compact size cameras reduce weight by not including a built-in flash. With the GF1, the built-in flash is concealed inside the body and out of sight. A single touch pops the flash up for easy shooting anytime you want. You can also adjust the light intensity in the range of 2 EV at 1/3 EV steps to match your subject.

Naturally you want your photos to be unique. My Color mode on the GF1 lets you control each and every photo with eight unique preset modes in all, including a colorful Expressive mode, a soft and moody Pure mode, and a Custom mode that lets you adjust the color, brightness, and saturation just the way you want them. You can dramatically change the images of even familiar subjects to express your own creativity.

The Soft Focus of Peripheral Defocus Mode Lets You Achieve Professional Results

The GF1 automatically adjusts the focus to match the AF area you positioned while gently defocusing the foreground and background to emphasize the subject. You don't have to change the aperture yourself to take photos with the highly attractive soft focus effect of an SLR camera.

iA Mode Helps Prevent Shooting Mistakes in a Variety of Situations

Select iA mode, and the GF1 automatically activates a host of advanced functions and technologies described below that make it easy to capture beautiful, clear shots.

Unlike most other cameras, the GF1 allows the use of My Color mode and Scene mode to record HD movies. And Motion Picture P mode lets you change the aperture for more creative HD movie recording.

Select iA mode, and the GF1 automatically activates a host of advanced functions and technologies listed below that make it easy to capture beautiful HD movies.

The GF1's Full-time Live View lets you see in the LCD how adjusting the exposure, white balance, aperture and even the shutter speed will affect the shot. This makes it easier to capture a special shot or particular kind of image without shooting again and again.

Let the Exposure Meter Guide You

The on-screen meter display indicates the degree of aperture and shutter speed that can be changed within a suitable exposure range. The range in which appropriate exposure is not possible is shown in red, so you can intuitively grasp the corresponding aperture and shutter speed combinations.

Take Advantage of Leica and Four Thirds Lenses

More than 20 available Leica M/R lenses or 30 Four Thirds lenses can be used with the Micro Four Thirds System standard GF1, simply by mounting a separately purchased lens adaptor.

LEICA is a registered trademark of Leica Microsystems IR GmbH. ELMARIT is a registered trademark of Leica Camera AG. The LEICA DG lenses are manufactured using measurement instruments and quality assurance systems that have been certified by Leica Camera AG based on the company's quality standards. Four Thirds and Micro Four Thirds, and Four Thirds and Micro Four Thirds Logo marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Olympus Imaging Corporation, in Japan, the United States, the European Union and other countries.

You can equip the GF1 with an optional 202,000-dot equivalent Live View Finder (LVF) featuring a magnification of approximately 1.04x (0.52x*) and 100% field of view. Because it displays the same information as the LCD, it is effectively used in situations where the LCD is difficult to see, such as under bright sunlight. The LVF is also handy for low-angle shots because it can be tilted vertically from 0 to 90 degrees. *35 mm camera equivalent.

The Venus Engine HD incorporates two CPUs. This not only boosts image processing speed, it also helps achieve an exceptional noise-reduction performance. Also, the two CPUs of the Venus Engine HD allow long-time movie recording in AVCHD Lite format while maintaining low power consumption. And the Venus Engine HD features HDMI output too.

If dust or other foreign matter gets inside the camera when you're changing lenses, it could cling to the image sensor and show up as a spot in photos. The GF1 helps eliminate this possibility by placing a Supersonic Wave Filter in front of the Live MOS sensor. Vibrating around 50,000 times per second, the filter repels dust and other particles. This keeps the image sensor clean at all times and eliminates the need for cumbersome maintenance procedures.

The GF1 is equipped with an HDMI output terminal for direct transmission of digital image and sound signals. Just connect the camera to an HDTV using a single HDMI mini cable (optional). It's also easy to enjoy slideshows in which both photos and movies are played according to the recorded timeline. If you have a VIERA TV, you can control the camera's playback functions with VIERA's remote control unit.
HDMI, the HDMI logo and High-Definition Multimedia Interface are trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing LLC.

Simply take the SDHC/SD Memory Card from the GF1 and slip it into the card slot of a Panasonic VIERA or Blu-ray Disc player, and you're ready to view HD images. For even greater impact and entertainment fun, you can add background music and image effects to your image slideshows. *To play movies recorded in the Motion JPEG format, you need the included AV cable.

AVCHD Lite movies can be transferred to a PC from an SDHC/SD Memory Card or via the USB cable to view or edit them. You can also make a DVD disc from AVCHD Lite files by converting them to MPEG-2. The software makes it easy and fun to edit or organize a collection of photos. It features a Face Recognition function that recognizes the faces in the photos stored in your PC and lets you sort them by face. Also, photos shot with My Color mode can be categorized and viewed by style. The sophisticated interface allows you to enjoy emotion-packed slideshows with a variety of effects and music. And motion images can be directly uploaded to YouTube. YouTube is a trademark of Google Inc

The GF1 records original image data in RAW file format, which allows images to be developed according to your intention. A number of highly advanced functions can be applied to these RAW images by using the SILKYPIX Developer Studio 3.0 SE software utility, with its unique combination of high resolution and extraordinary color separation.