For advanced photographers, the GF2 probably won't provide enough features or power. However, for those looking to move from a beginner camera, the GF2 almost certainly should make your short list of contenders. It offers a decent value (at about $700 with a starter lens), and it's available in four different body colors, which is interesting for an advanced model.
I primarily tested the GF2 with a small, fixed 14mm lens. As you know, with an interchangeable lens camera, a large portion of the success of your image quality depends on the quality of your lens.
Still, the GF2 produces extremely sharp, vibrant images with each lens I used. Its autofocus is extremely accurate, and, if the camera cannot quite nail down the focus, it will warn you with a flashing light on the LCD. The GF2 also produces accurate exposures the majority of the time.
You'll have great image quality with this camera, whether you're shooting in fully automatic mode or in a manual-control mode.
With the GF2, you'll have the option of shooting at four aspect ratios -- 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, or 16:9. However, you only can shoot at the camera's maximum 12MP resolution when shooting at the 4:3 ratio.
The GF2 offers some extremely fast response times. It's ready to shoot pretty quickly after pressing the power button. The GF2 has almost no shot to shot delays, and its autofocus works quickly most of the time.
The GF2 is a nice camera for those new to more advanced photography, as it works well in both automatic and manual modes. With the GF2, you have acess to a variety of manual modes, including Program AE, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Manual Exposure.
For beginners, the GF2 excels, too. It has a dedicated "iA" button (intelligent auto), making it easy to jump from any mode into fully automatic. The GF2 contains 17 scene modes, which makes shooting in a variety of lighting conditions an easy process.
It's tough to go wrong with the small DIL camera designs, and the GF2 is another good-looking DIL camera. It is available in black, silver, red, or white camera bodies.
The GF2's 3-inch LCD screen is extremely sharp. It also is a touch screen unit, which makes the GF2 even easier to use. In addition, when shooting in macro mode, the LCD magnifies the image, allowing you to ensure extreme sharpness in your focus. The LCD can be a little tough to see in direct sunlight, although you can adjust the LCD's brightness level to compensate. I also found the GF2's touch screen LCD seemed to collect fingerprints moreso than other touch screen LCDs I've tested, so keep a microfiber cloth handy.
Unfortunately, the GF2 does not contain a viewfinder, which would be handy in certain situations. You will find a hot shoe on the GF2, allowing you to add a few different accessories to the camera, including a flash unit.
Panasonic managed to shrink the GF2's camera body a little bit versus its small DMC-GF1 model. Even though it is a small camera, it should be easy and comfortable to hold for most people. The only problem I experienced occurred when I had the popup flash extended. The sharp edge that is exposed when the flash is in use can make holding the camera with your left hand a little uncomfortable.
Unlike most interchangeable lens cameras, I found the GF2 was easy to use one-handed, especially with the small 14mm fixed lens.
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