Panasonic GF7: An Entry Level MFT Mirrorless Camera Designed for Selfies
You can tell that “selfies” are a big trend right now by the fact that more and more camera companies are touting it as a feature for their new models. Less than a week after Fuji launched a “selfie-ready” mirrorless camera, the X-A2, Panasonic is unveiling its own: the GF7.
A followup to the GF6, the GF7 is an entry level Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera that offers “modern selfie shooting features,” something Panasonic calls “one of the world’s most powerful trends.”
As we pointed out when this camera first leaked a couple of days ago, Panasonic is moving the camera’s design towards “classic styling” (i.e. a “retro look”). Here’s what the GF6 looks like by comparison:
Inside the camera is a 16-megapixel sensor with an ISO range of 200-25600 (100-25600 if extended). Shutter speed goes to 1/16000s, and the camera has a continuous shooting speed of 5.8FPS at 16MP for up to 7 straight shots.
On the back of the camera is its selfie feature: a 3-inch 1.04-million-dot touchscreen LCD that can tilt up at a 180-degree angle to allow you to frame your own face while pointing the camera at yourself. A new “Self Shot Mode” also assists you in selfies by triggering the shutter with “Face Shutter” and “Buddy Shutter.”
Oh, and the software has a number of “beauty functions.”
The GF7 can be easily paired with a smartphone using its Wi-Fi connectivity. The phone (or tablet) can then be used for live view, triggering the shutter, controlling the camera’s functions, and transferring files.
Other features include: 1080/60p video recording with full time AF, a popup flash, cinema-like 24FPS video, a “moving photos” feature called “Snap Movie Mode,” and an iA (Intelligent Auto) mode for beginners.
The GF7 will be available in black and pink with a 12-32mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens for $600 starting in February 2015.
