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Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 Review

  • Overview
  • Alternatives
  • Lenses
  • Panasonic GF6

    Main Features

    • 16MP - Four Thirds CMOS Sensor
    • ISO 160 - 12800( expands to 25600)
    • 3″ Tilting Screen
    • 4 fps continuous shooting
    • 1920 x 1080 video resolution
    • Built-in Wireless
    • 323g. 111 x 65 x 38 mm
    • Replaced Panasonic GF5
    • Replaced by Panasonic GF7
    $325.54

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    Panasonic GF6 Overview

    First introduced in April 2013 , Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 is a 16.0MP Entry-Level Mirrorless camera with a Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm ) sized CMOS sensor. Panasonic replaced the older Panasonic GF5 with this model and later GF6 was replaced with Panasonic GF7. Follow the links to compare these cameras in detail:
    Compare Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 vs Panasonic GF5
    Compare Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 vs Panasonic GF7
    or try our multi-camera comparison:
    Compare Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 vs GF5 vs GF7

    Panasonic GF6 is a member of Panasonic's GF series of cameras. Below you can see the latest models in this series and how their main specs have changed with each new version.

    Panasonic GF Series History
    Model Release Date Sensor Max FPS Dimensions Weight
    Panasonic GF8 2016 16.0MP - Four Thirds 5.8 fps 107 x 65 x 33mm 266g
    Panasonic GF7 2015 16.0MP - Four Thirds 5.8 fps 107 x 65 x 33mm 266g
    Panasonic GF6 2013 16.0MP - Four Thirds 4.0 fps 111 x 65 x 38mm 323g
    Panasonic GF5 2012 12.0MP - Four Thirds 4.0 fps 108 x 67 x 37mm 267g
    Panasonic GF3 2011 12.0MP - Four Thirds 3.0 fps 108 x 67 x 32mm 264g

    Check the link below to compare specs of the latest cameras in this series:
    Panasonic GF8 vs GF7 vs GF6 vs GF5 vs GF3

    Panasonic GF6 has an Overall Score of 64/100 and ranked #101 out of 163 in Mirrorless cameras (Top 10 Mirrorless), and ranked #258 out of 1131 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

    Panasonic GF6 Type Scores
    Imaging
    Features
    Value for Money
    Portability
    Overall Score
    Check our Smart Finder Tool to filter, sort and compare all digital cameras

    Panasonic GF6 Compared to other Mirrorless Cameras

    Now let's get in to more details of Panasonic GF6's specs and feature, and list out its pro's and con's compared to average cameras in its class.

    PROs
    Built-in Wireless (Wi-fi)
    NFC Connectivity
    Articulating Screen
    1920 x 1080 Max Video Resolution
    Touch Screen
    Face Detection Focusing
    12.800 Max ISO
    1.040k dots LCD Resolution
    323g Light Body
    Panorama Shooting
    Flash Sync Port

    Buy Panasonic GF6 from AMAZON or B&H PHOTO


    CONs
    No Image Stabilization
    No External Flash Shoe
    No Built-in Viewfinder
    No External Viewfinder Option
    Only Unknown Focus Points
    Low Battery Life: 340 shots
    No Environmental Sealing
    Poor Low Light Performance
    Not so wide AE Bracketing Range: ±2 EV
    Panasonic GF6 Lens Mount and Lenses

    Panasonic GF6 has a Micro Four Thirds lens mount and currently there are 92 native lenses available for this mount. MFT is the most mature and diverse mount in the Mirrorles camera world. Panasonic offers a big selection of MFT lenses with high optical quality. Other main contributor of the system, Olympus also offers similarly well regarded lenses. Third party lens manufacturers keeps on offering more lenses for the system every day as well.

    Panasonic GF6 doesn't have a sensor based image stabilization system but 22 of these lenses already comes with Optical Image Stabilization. There are also 22 lenses with weather sealing for GF6 but bear in mind that GF6 body doesn't have weather sealings.

    Here are some of the most popular Panasonic GF6 Lenses on Camera Decision:

    Popular Panasonic GF6 Lenses
    Model Focal Length on GF6 Max Aperture Weight Focusing Price
    Panasonic Lumix G Vario 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH Power OIS
    24-120mm F3.5 - F5.6 210gr AF $497.99
    Olympus 9mm F8 Fish-Eye Body Cap Lens
    18mm F8.0 30gr MF $98.72
    Panasonic Lumix G Vario 14-140mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH. Power O.I.S
    28-280mm F3.5 - F5.6 265gr AF $497.99
    Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO
    24-80mm F2.8 382gr AF $999.00
    Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 25mm F1.8
    50mm F1.8 136gr AF $399.00

    Check our Panasonic GF6 Lenses page or use our Smart Lens Finder tool for more detailed lens search.

    Panasonic GF6 Sensor and Photography Features

    Panasonic GF6 has a 16.0MP Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Venus Engine FHD processor. You can shoot at maximum resolution of 4592 x 3448 pixels with aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. GF6 has a native ISO range of 160 - 12800 which can be boosted to 25600 and it can save files in RAW format which gives you a wider room for post processing.

    Panasonic GF6 is not the highest resolution Four Thirds camera. Panasonic GX8 with its 20.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Panasonic GF6 vs Panasonic GX8 or take a look at Highest resolution Mirrorless cameras list.

    Let's look at how the size of the Panasonic GF6's Four Thirds sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

    Panasonic GF6 Sensor Size Comparison

    Panasonic GF6 Physical Specs
    Panasonic GF6 weighs 323 g (0.71 lb / 11.39 oz) and has external dimensions of 111 x 65 x 38 mm (4.37 x 2.56 x 1.5″). Considering that the average weight of Mirrorless type cameras is 395g, Panasonic GF6 is a remarkably light camera for its class. Even better, with a thickness of only 38mm, it is also quite small, 8mm thinner than the average of its class.
    Weight Comparison

    Mirrorless Cameras

    Panasonic GF6
    Min
    Average
    Max
    Thickness Comparison

    Mirrorless Cameras

    Panasonic GF6
    Min
    Average
    Max

    Here is the front and top view image of Panasonic GF6 with the dimensions:

    Panasonic GF6 Body Size Dimensions

    In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Panasonic GF6, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.


    Panasonic GF6 Real Life Body Size Comparison


    Now lets compare the weight and thickness of Panasonic GF6 with its main competitors:

    Panasonic GF6 Size Compared to Main Competitors
    Model Sensor Weight vs GF6 Thickness vs GF6
    Panasonic GF7 16.0MP - Four Thirds 266g 57g lighter 33mm 5mm thinner
    Sony a5000 20.0MP - APS-C 269g 54g lighter 36mm 2mm thinner
    Panasonic GF5 12.0MP - Four Thirds 267g 56g lighter 37mm 1mm thinner
    Panasonic GX7 16.0MP - Four Thirds 402g 79g heavier 55mm 17mm thicker
    Olympus E-PL5 16.0MP - Four Thirds 325g 2g heavier 38mm equal thickness
    Sony a5100 24.0MP - APS-C 283g 40g lighter 36mm 2mm thinner
    Olympus E-PL7 16.0MP - Four Thirds 357g 34g heavier 38mm equal thickness
    Panasonic GM1 16.0MP - Four Thirds 204g 119g lighter 30mm 8mm thinner

    Panasonic GF6 doesn't have any environmental sealings on its body so you got to be extra careful to protect it against water and dust. If you shoot under these conditions very often, consider checking Top Mirrorless Cameras with Weather Sealing page.

    Panasonic GF6 Other Features
    LCD and Viewfinder

    Panasonic GF6 has a Tilting 3″ LCD screen with a resolution of 1,040k dots. Both the screen size and the screen resolution is up to the standards of this class.

    LCD is Touch screen type, so you can change the settings and set the focus point with your fingertips.

    Panasonic GF6 back view and LCD

    GF6 doesn't have a viewfinder and no option for external viewfinder. Lack of a viewfinder can be problematic especially under strong light where visibility of LCD screens goes down dramatically. If you need a Mirrorless camera with a built-in viewfinder in a similar price range, consider Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7 (Compare) or Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 (Compare).
    If the price is not an issue, take a look at our Top Rated Cameras with Viewfinders.

    Max Shutter speed
    Panasonic GF6 can shoot continuously at max speed of 4 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/4000 sec.

    Flash
    Unfortunately GF6 doesn't have an external flash shoe so you are limited with the built-in flash.

    Focusing
    Panasonic GF6 features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system.

    Panasonic GF6 also features Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.

    Video Features
    With Panasonic GF6, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 60i,30p fps and save in MPEG-4 and AVCHD formats. Full HD resolution of Panasonic GF6 will be adequate in most of the situations. But if you are after the highest resolution videos available, see our list of Top Cameras with 4K (Ultra-HD) Video.

    GF6 has a built-in Stereo microphone and a Mono speaker.
    Panasonic GF6 doesn't have any connections for external microphones and headphones. If you need a Mirrorless camera with external microphone connectivity, consider or in a similar price range.

    Connectivity and Storage
    Panasonic GF6 features built-in wireless (Wi-Fi) connectivity ( with NFC (Near Field Communication) capabilities) which lets you transfer your photos directly to compatible devices without any physical connection. With its NFC feature, GF6 can communicate with devices such as smartphones which are also equipped with this technology by simply touching each other.

    You can connect GF6 to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port.

    Battery Panasonic GF6 is powered by a proprietary battery which provides a shooting life of 340 according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of Mirrorless type cameras is 353 shots, its battery life is about average in its class but it would still be wise to invest in some spare batteries for long photo trips.

    Battery Life Comparison in Entry-Level Mirrorless Cameras

    Panasonic GF6
    Min
    Average
    Max

    Samsung NX mini with its 650shots is the model with longest battery life among Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras. Check the comparison of Panasonic GF6 vs Samsung NX mini or take a look at Longest Battery Life Mirrorless cameras list.

    Panasonic GF6 Features Compared to Main Competitors
    Model Max Video Battery Life Wi-fi Bluetooth NFC
    Panasonic GF7
    >>Compare to GF6
    1920 x 1080 230shots Yes No Yes
    Sony a5000
    >>Compare to GF6
    1920 x 1080 420shots Yes No Yes
    Panasonic GF5
    >>Compare to GF6
    1920 x 1080 360shots No No No
    Panasonic GX7
    >>Compare to GF6
    1920 x 1080 350shots Yes No Yes
    Olympus E-PL5
    >>Compare to GF6
    1920 x 1080 360shots No No No
    Sony a5100
    >>Compare to GF6
    1920 x 1080 400shots Yes No Yes
    Olympus E-PL7
    >>Compare to GF6
    1920 x 1080 350shots Yes No No
    Panasonic GM1
    >>Compare to GF6
    1920 x 1080 230shots Yes No No

    Lowest Price
    Current Lowest price for Panasonic GF6 is $325.54

    $325.54

    What type of Photography is Panasonic GF6 Good for?
    In this section, we review and score Panasonic GF6 in 5 different photography areas. This first spider web graph shows how the GF6 compares with the average Mirrorless camera.
    Hover your mouse over the points to see the score details for each photography type.

    Panasonic GF6 for Portrait Photography

    Panasonic GF6 has a score of 50 for Portrait Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Mirrorless Cameras for Portrait Photography list.
    Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
    Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
    Average Ergonomics&Handling
    No Image Stabilization
    No Built-in Viewfinder

    Read the details of how we scored Panasonic GF6 for Portrait Photography

    Panasonic GF6 for Street Photography

    Panasonic GF6 has a score of 60 for Street Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Street Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Mirrorless Cameras for Street Photography list.
    Live-view
    Face-Detection Focusing
    Tilting LCD Screen
    Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
    Medium sized Body
    No Built-in Viewfinder
    No Image Stabilization

    Read the details of how we scored Panasonic GF6 for Street Photography

    Panasonic GF6 for Sports Photography

    Panasonic GF6 has a score of 59 for Sports Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Sports is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Mirrorless Cameras for Sports Photography list.
    Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
    Wireless Connection
    Average Continuous Shooting: 4.0fps
    Average Ergonomics&Handling
    Environmental Sealings
    Unknown Focus Points
    No Built-in Viewfinder
    No Image Stabilization

    Read the details of how we scored Panasonic GF6 for Sports Photography

    Panasonic GF6 for Daily Photography

    Panasonic GF6 has a score of 60 for Daily Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Daily Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Mirrorless Cameras for Daily Photography list.
    Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
    Medium size Body
    323g

    Read the details of how we scored Panasonic GF6 for Daily Photography

    Panasonic GF6 for Landscape Photography

    Panasonic GF6 has a score of 50 for Landscape Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Mirrorless Cameras for Landscape Photography list.
    Live-view
    Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
    Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
    No Environmental Sealings

    Read the details of how we scored Panasonic GF6 for Landscape Photography

    Panasonic GF6 Alternatives
    In this section, we analyse how Panasonic GF6 compares with other Mirrorless cameras within a similar price range. In the Bubble chart below, you can see Overall Score vs Price comparison of GF6 and the top 10 contenders in the same range. Hover your mouse on the bubbles to see the details of the cameras.
    Read a more detailed analysis of Panasonic GF6 alternatives.
    Popular Comparisons of Panasonic GF6
    Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Panasonic GF6 amongst Camera Decision readers.

    Panasonic GF7
    Panasonic GF7
    Compare
    Sony a5000
    Sony a5000
    Compare
    Panasonic GF5
    Panasonic GF5
    Compare
    Panasonic GX7
    Panasonic GX7
    Compare
    Olympus E-PL5
    Olympus E-PL5
    Compare
    Sony a5100
    Sony a5100
    Compare
    Olympus E-PL7
    Olympus E-PL7
    Compare
    Panasonic GM1
    Panasonic GM1
    Compare
    Panasonic GF6 Alternatives in DSLR Cameras
    It would also be interesting to compare Panasonic GF6 with DSLR Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked DSLR cameras in Panasonic GF6's price range.

    Nikon D5300
    Nikon D5300
    Compare
    Sony A33
    Sony A33
    Compare
    Nikon D5100
    Nikon D5100
    Compare
    Pentax K-S1
    Pentax K-S1
    Compare
    Pentax K-50
    Pentax K-50
    Compare
    Canon 700D
    Canon 700D
    Compare
    Canon 100D
    Canon 100D
    Compare
    Sony A900
    Sony A900
    Compare
    Frequently Asked Questions about Panasonic GF6
    Does the Panasonic GF6 have Image Stabilization?
    Does the Panasonic GF6 have RAW support?
    Does the Panasonic GF6 have Weather Sealing?
    Does the Panasonic GF6 have built-in GPS?
    What is the Max ISO of Panasonic GF6?
    What is the Sensor Size of Panasonic GF6?
    is the Panasonic GF6 a Full Frame (FF) camera?
    Does the Panasonic GF6 have Touch Screen?
    Does the Panasonic GF6 have built-in Wireless?
    What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Panasonic GF6?
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 Detailed Specifications

    General
    Brand Panasonic
    Model Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6
    Announced 2013-04-08
    Body Type Rangefinder-style mirrorless
    Price $325.54
    Lens
    Manual Focus
    Lens Mount Micro Four Thirds
    Number of Lenses 92
    Focal Length Multiplier 2×
    Macro Focus Range n/a
    Screen
    Screen Type Tilting
    Screen Technology TFT Color LCD with wide-viewing angle
    Screen Size 3″
    Screen Resolution 1,040k dots
    Live View
    Touch Screen
    Viewfinder
    Viewfinder None
    Viewfinder Resolution no electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Coverage n/a
    Viewfinder Magnification n/a
    Photography Features
    Min Shutter Speed 60s
    Max Shutter Speed 1/4000s
    Continuous Shooting 4.0 fps
    Shutter Priority
    Aperture Priority
    Manual Exposure Mode
    Exposure Compensation Yes
    Custom White Balance
    Image Stabilization
    Built-in Flash
    Flash Range 6.30 m
    Max Flash Sync 1/160s
    Flash Modes Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync
    External Flash
    AE Bracketing
    WB Bracketing
    Exposure Modes
    Multi-Segment
    Average
    Spot
    Partial
    AF-Area
    Center Weighted
    DxO Sensor Scores
    DxO Overall Score 54
    DxO Color Depth 20.7
    DxO Dynamic Range 10.6
    DxO Low Light ISO 622
    Report a correction

    Sensor
    Sensor Type CMOS
    Sensor Size Four Thirds
    Sensor Dimensions 17.3 x 13 mm
    Sensor Area 224.90mm2
    Sensor Resolution 16 megapixels
    Max Image Resolution 4592 x 3448
    Max Native ISO 12,800
    Max Boosted ISO 25600
    Min Native ISO 160
    RAW Support
    Autofocus
    AF Touch
    AF Continuous
    AF Single
    AF Tracking
    AF Selective
    AF Center
    AF Multi Area
    AF Live View
    AF Face Detection
    AF Contrast Detection
    AF Phase Detection
    Number of Focus Points Unknown
    Number of Cross Focus Points 0
    Video Features
    Video Resolutions 1920 x 1080 (60i PsF/30p in NTSC models, 50i PsF/25p on PAL), 1280 x 720p (60i PsF/30p in NTSC models, 50i PsF/25p on PAL), 640 x 480 (30/25fps)
    Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080
    Video Formats MPEG-4, AVCHD
    Microphone Port
    Headphone Port
    Connectivity
    Wireless Connectivity Built-In
    HDMI
    USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
    Physical
    Environmental Sealing
    Water Proof
    Dust Proof
    Shock Proof
    Crush Proof
    Freeze Proof
    Weight 323g
    Physical Dimensions 111 x 65 x 38mm
    Battery Life 340 shots
    Battery Type Battery Pack
    Other Features
    Self Timer Yes (2 or 10 sec, 10 sec (3 images))
    Timelapse Recording
    GPS None
    Storage Type SD/SDHC/SDXC
    Storage Slots 1
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