The Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1 is a digital SLR compatible with Olympus’ Four Thirds lens mount standard.
The L1 is an interesting SLR at that, with a traditional - perhaps retro - styling aesthetic.
It is based around the same 7.5 effective megapixel Live MOS image sensor that debuted in Olympus’ EVOLT E-330 digital SLR, along with the mirror box unit from that camera (which combines a quick-return mirror, viewfinder, and AE sensor). Panasonic’s proprietary Venus Engine III LSI handles the image processing, and Olympus’ Supersonic Wave Filter makes its first debut in a non-Olympus branded camera.
The Lumix DMC-L1 has a shutter speed dial on the top of the body, while a simultaneously announced Leica 14-50mm lens offers rings to control aperture, focus and lens zoom. As with the EVOLT E-330, the L1 offers a Live View function that allows images to be framed using the LCD display, regardless of whether you’re focusing automatically or manually. In addition, you can use the LCD display as a handy confirmation of focus via an enlarged view when focusing manually.
The L1 offers a 2.5″ LCD display with 207,000 pixels, at the high end of what’s available on digital SLRs at the current time. One other feature worthy of note is that the Panasonic DMC-L1 offers a Secure Digital card slot, and is compatible with the FAT32 file system - meaning that Secure Digital cards larger than 2GB are supported.
Amazon’s offer slashes by 35% the Lumix L1 its list price, from US$ 1.499 down to $968.96 with a gorgeus Leica 14-50mm Mega O.I.S. Lens!
