Panasonic Lumix DMC GF2

The Panasonic Lumix DMC GF2 is a compact mirrorless camera from 2010. It is built around the Micro Four Thirds system, so you can swap between lenses while keeping the body genuinely small.

At 310 g and 113 x 68 x 33 mm, it slips into a small bag or a large pocket. That makes it a good match for travel and everyday photography, where size and weight count for more than specialist controls.

Photography happens at arm's length: you compose on the 3-inch touchscreen, and a built-in flash covers dim rooms. The camera also records Full HD video when you want clips alongside stills.

The Optics score of 39 reflects a limited set of stills capabilities, and the camera sits in the bottom 4% of cameras in our database for Optics. Its 12.1 megapixel Micro Four Thirds CMOS sensor keeps resolution modest, so heavy cropping has little headroom.

The ISO range runs from 100 to 6400. Base ISO 100 suits bright daylight work, while the higher settings give you room to keep shooting as light fades. Shutter speed tops out at 1/4000 s, which caps how short your exposures can be in bright scenes or fast action.

Continuous shooting runs at 2.6 fps, comfortable for posed portraits and static subjects but limiting for sport or running children. The 23 autofocus points handle focusing, though a point count alone says nothing about focus speed or coverage.

There is no in-body stabilisation, so the body provides no shake reduction of its own. Steadier handheld technique, faster shutter speeds or a tripod can help control camera shake instead.

Video is a modest strength, reflected in its score of 56. The GF2 records Full HD footage, enough for casual clips and sharing online, and its fastest frame rate is 60 fps for smoother motion. These are separate maximums, and no recording mode combining both is listed.

The camera records in AVCHD or Motion JPG, with PAL also listed among its video formats, giving you a choice of file types for movie work. Recording length and quality differences between them are not detailed in our specifications.

There is no built-in timelapse function, so the camera cannot automate interval shooting on its own. Interval projects would need another way to trigger frames, a limitation casual movie makers are unlikely to hit.

Handling centres on the 3-inch TFT LCD. The screen is touch-sensitive, so taps can replace menu trips when you change settings. Its 460,000 dots are adequate for framing, though the panel resolution is unremarkable.

The screen is fixed, with no tilt or flip, and there is no viewfinder. The LCD is therefore your only window on the scene, which takes some getting used to at awkward angles or in bright light.

Both flash options are supported. A built-in unit travels with the camera, and an external flash can also be fitted when you want additional lighting.

Weather sealing is absent, so keep the camera dry. There is also no Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or GPS, which means getting images off the camera involves the memory card rather than a wireless transfer.

Storage and battery is the weakest area, with a limited score of 16. The DMW-BLD10 battery is rated for 300 shots per charge. No test conditions are stated for that figure, so treat it as a rough guide rather than a promise of real-world endurance.

Given the 300-shot rating, a charged spare battery belongs in your kit from day one.

There is no USB charging, so you cannot top up the battery via USB from a laptop or power bank.

A single card slot accepts SD, SDHC and SDXC cards, so high-capacity storage is available. With no second slot you cannot record to two cards at once, so download your images and back them up promptly after a shoot.