Why is it more than just a smartphone camera?
Its sensor is bigger than that of a smartphone camera, and the lenses are interchangeable, too. The MFT sensor used in this device is roughly five-folds the size of a cutting edge smartphone's camera sensor.
Its advantages are clear (pun intended), particularly in low light situations, where the clarity of the picture and the absence of the noise gets spectacular.
This is in spite of camera phones making revolutionary advances year after year, generation after generation.
The exchangeable lenses will also provide you with a huge advantage, resulting in high-quality pictures and videos
And since the Lumix G100 uses the MFT standard, you will have a broad selection of great lenses, among them some affordable ones, too.
Why would you want to complicate your life with all this?
This is great because when you start out using your camera more often, you usually find yourself limited by the lenses if they are fixed. So that's one off the list with the Panasonic G100.
Although the camera is tiny in size, its design resembles the traditional cameras, with all the manual controls and the real-life viewfinder.
Its usage, however, is much more straightforward than that of a DSLR professional camera, so people who were using smartphones before, will not be threatened by all the options and settings.
It has just enough controls to make its everyday use streamlined, but it also offers touchscreen functionality, that former smartphone users will be more familiar with.
Most of the buttons can be customized, and another five buttons can be accessed using the touchscreen. Most important of all, the user can set the shutter speed and aperture according to their needs in a full manual mode.
The record button's red glare makes it extremely intuitive and easy to start and stop videos, regardless of the shooting direction. Even beginners will easily adapt to using this camera without major obstacles.
The layout and the placement of the controls as well as the usage is self-explanatory enough to avoid a steep learning curve.
Still, you can bring it everywhere you want to
This device is not only tiny, but it is also light: at 303g, we're talking about the weight of two smartphones.
This makes the Lumix G100 perfect for taking it with you wherever you go (especially if you are a vlogger). Be it your wrist or neck, you can wear this camera all day long, without facing any back or neck pain.
The flip-out screen is fully mobile, so you can tilt it, turn it, rotate it as much as you like, in order to create the best composition, even when you are the subject of the picture.
The polycarbonate plastic frame is tough enough and the build seems robust enough to make the G100 a camera that you carry with you day in day out. Best of all, the metal detailings make it also look robust.
Maybe its pop-up flash is the only vulnerable part of this camera (or so it seems). When it comes to endurance, this part seems to be the weakest link.
Although there is no official weather or dust resistance rating accompanying the camera, it is likely to cope with everyday-use situations, like rain.
User experience
The menu structure of the device is very streamlined, especially when it comes to connecting it to your phone, as one of the Fn buttons is readily programmed to do the pairing for you. All you have to do is open the app and tap the button. You'll be done in a few seconds.
After the pairing, you'll be able to sync your images, transfer or share your files as you like - or you can use your phone as a remote controller for your camera.
The flip-out screen is 3.0-inches in size, which is not huge, but considering the overall size of the camera (read: very tiny), this perfectly does the trick, and the 1.84m dot resolution will also satisfy your everyday needs.
Its picture quality is clear enough, and even the contrast ratio is satisfactory to be used outdoors under direct sunlight - although these parameters are nowhere near to that of a smartphone's.
If you compare it to its direct competitors, the G100 is clearly ahead of the pack.
Another nice feat is the red border, that frames the screen when recording - you know, just to let you know it's up and running. It can prove very helpful in certain situations.
The full articulation of the flip-out screen is not just for vlogs or selfies: taking creative shots at exotic angles also becomes a lot easier. A great accompanying feature is that the camera recognizes and remembers the orientations really well. So you don't have to rotate your portrait-mode videos when you upload them to social media as is.
Oh, and it can take photos, too!
The still image quality is almost just a bonus since the camera is primarily targeted at vloggers - but we have to say that the 20.3MP sensor makes a great job capturing photos with great colors and cristal clear details.
Two functions you will very rarely use: the G100 can shoot RAW files as well as burst JPGs 10 pics per second. And then there's Lumix's 4K Photo mode, which will allow you to extract 8MP jpg-s from the 4K videos you previously recorded.
Smaller cameras are usually not very strong in dealing with low-light conditions. But the G100 does a pretty good job even in that scenario.
The ISO sensitivity will go up to ISO 3200, and the slower shutter speeds will result in usable images even in difficult light situations.
If you don't care much about the photographic quality, and you only want the memory, you can always use the pop-up flash, too.
Of course, if you are to beef up flash photo results, you can use an external flash, as the camera has a hot-shoe that is compatible with a range of professional flashes.
Some geeky specs
When it comes to resolution, the Lumix G100 will allow you to record 4K/30p and Full HD/60p videos. The S&Q mode adds 2/4 slow-motion and 2/4/8x quick video to the menu.
These latter modes work with the AF, but there won't be any audio accompanying these recordings.
It's a shame that 4K/60p is not available, especially as it is now the standard for many smartphones, but even with 4K/30p, the result is pretty impressive.
The kit lens (A 12-32mm f3.5-5.6 lens with Optical Image Stabilisation)is great for everyday use: street, travel, and portrait pictures, too. One thing to keep in mind, though: the 12mm wide shot will be substantially cropped when shooting in 4K.
So much so, that the 12mm will practically become more 24mm when used in 4K.
Taking selfies, and selfie videos (like most vloggers do)
So when you use it for selfies, like most vloggers, your face will eat up most of the real estate on your picture. A great workaround could be to use a tripod or a tripod grip.
The tripod grip has the additional benefit of having the controls right at your fingertips even when the camera is technically on the tripod.
We'll have to talk about audio quality, especially as Panasonic takes great pride in the OZO Audio that is offered for the G100 by Nokia.
The technology is in practice a clever 3-way audio recording function that uses some smart technologies to record audio from the direction of the person talking on the picture (yes, it can figure out, where, in the picture that person would be).
This will boost useful audio on the recordings, and reduce additional noise. And it even works when you do a commentary from behind the camera (so technically not on the picture yourself).
The user can control the focus of the audio: it can be directed backwards, frontwards, or in all directions in manual mode. But the camera will also do pretty well picking the correct mode automatically, too.
Of course, an external microphone is still better (and a must-have accessory if you get serious about vlogging), but the audio quality is as good for a built-in mic as it gets.
Oh, well. It's still not perfect
...And this is where we have to mention that while you can have an external microphone, there is no input slot for an external headphone. Weird.
Actually, it's a bit stronger than weird: it's lame.
All in all, the Lumix G100 is for those who are just getting serious about content creation and are leveling up from using a smartphone.
A few reasons to do so: better zoom, exchangeable lenses, and great vlogger-focused features. Of course, as a collateral benefit, you will also get better photos, thanks to the larger sensor, and a great selection of lenses.
Your videos will also be on a different level.
Not to mention the ease of recording, and the better sound quality that will result.
So if you are a social media content creator, who has just outgrown the creativity limits of your smartphone, the Lumix G100 might be your wisest next move.
The Panasonic Lumix G100 might be a great choice for you if you are just starting out as a photographer or videographer, and your main focus is creating content to be used on social media.
The camera was designed with these features in mind, and delivers on its promises, also keeping the high standards of the Lumix and the Panasonic Brands.
No, the Panasonic Lumix G100 doesn't have a mirror in its structure, so it is considered a MILC, a mirrorless camera with interchangeable lenses. While the distinction may seem very technical, in practice - especially if you are not a seasoned photographer -, this latter technology will be easier to use, and in most cases it will yield better results.
Yes. When it comes to photography and videography, both Panasonic and Lumix are brands you can rely on. While the question of brands (especially in comparison with the giants, like Canon, Nikon, and Sony) are more of a "religious" question of personal preference (think Mac vs. PC), but if you see something with Panasonic's logo on it, you can rest assured that it delivers extremely high-quality standards and excellent reliablity.
The camera uses the MFT (micro four thirds) lense standard, that comes with a broad range of compatible lenses to choose from. The complete list of the compatible lenses is accessible at Panasonic's support site.
Well, this is, as always, a tricky one. The most educated answer would be it depends, but you're probably not here to read that. While a more in-depth analysis would be able to give you better advice, the best we can say here is that, if you are just starting out as a photographer in 2021, and if you have to ask Google for camera advice, then Panasonic's Lumix G100 might just be the best place to start.
