The DMC-GH1 is essentially the same camera as the G1, with one big difference: it records movies in high definition, with its new 14 – 140 mm kit lens allowing for continuous autofocus while you’re doing so. For those of you who have tried taking video on a digital SLR, you know how big of an advancement this is. While both the G1 and GH1 have 12.1 effective Megapixel Live MOS sensors, the one on the GH1 is newer, and supports shooting in multiple aspect ratios without affecting the angle-of-view. The GH1 also has a few other minor changes that I’ll tough on throughout this review.
Some things that haven’t changed: the GH1 supports Micro Four Thirds lenses (of which there are now four), plus legacy Four Thirds lenses via an optional adapter. Since it doesn’t have a mirror, the GH1 is live view only — and it really shines in that regard. You can compose your photos on a flip-out, rotating, high resolution LCD, or a very nice electronic viewfinder. As you’d expect from a camera with this price, the GH1 has full manual controls, and it has a surprising amount of point-and-shoot features, as well. And, as I mentioned, it records movies in full HD (with stereo sound) using the AVCHD codec. You can zoom in and out to your heart’s content, and the camera will refocus appropriately.
