Panasonic Lumix DMC GX1

The Lumix DMC GX1 arrived in 2011 as Panasonic's take on a compact mirrorless camera. Measuring 116 x 68 x 39 mm and weighing 318 g, it is genuinely small and light.

There is no viewfinder, so every shot is framed on the fixed 3-inch touchscreen. That suits photographers who prefer discreet, casual shooting over eye-level work.

The Micro 4/3 mount accepts interchangeable lenses, and a built-in flash covers dim rooms. This is a practical camera for everyday stills and occasional Full HD clips, with images coming off a standard SD card.

A 16 megapixel Micro Four Thirds CMOS sensor, handled by the Venus Engine FHD processor, gives the GX1 enough resolution for prints, cropping and web sharing. The Micro Four Thirds mount accepts interchangeable lenses, so focal length depends on what you attach.

The Optics score of 42 is modest, placing the camera in the bottom 9% of cameras in our database for Optics. Resolution, sensor format, ISO range and shutter speed all earn partial credit, while the missing in-body stabilisation and modest burst maximum hold the total back.

Autofocus uses 23 points, and the 4.2 fps shooting speed is a maximum rather than a sustained rate. Short bursts suit it better than long action sequences. The shutter tops out at 1/4000s.

There is no stabilisation in the body, so steadiness depends on the lens fitted or your own technique. The ISO range runs from 160 to 12800, which leaves room to keep shooting as the light drops.

Video recording is available, with resolution topping out at Full HD and a maximum frame rate of 30 fps. That suits family clips, holiday footage and web uploads rather than fast-motion or high-frame-rate projects.

You can record in either AVCHD or MP4. Since there is no viewfinder, video is framed on the fixed 3-inch touchscreen, the same panel used for stills.

The Video score of 43 is modest, and the assessment reflects the Full HD resolution ceiling, the 30 fps maximum frame rate and the absence of built-in timelapse. Video here is a useful extra alongside stills.

There is no built-in timelapse function, so time-lapse sequences would need another approach entirely.

Composition relies on the fixed 3-inch TFT touchscreen, with live view showing the scene as it will be captured. The 460,000-dot panel frames shots comfortably and touch control makes settings quick to adjust. Because the screen does not tilt or flip, high and low angles involve some guesswork.

Lighting options are decent for a small body. A built-in flash covers dim rooms, and the camera also accepts an external flash unit when you need stronger, more directional light.

There is no Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or GPS. Images leave the camera via the memory card, there is no remote control from a phone, and locations are not tagged automatically.

The body has no weather sealing, so rain and dust call for care. The Features score of 49 is modest: the touchscreen and live view earn full credit, while the 460,000-dot panel, absent weather sealing and missing Bluetooth hold it back.

Recording goes to a single SD, SDHC or SDXC card. SDXC support means large-capacity cards work fine, so storage is rarely the limit on a day out, but when one card fills you are swapping rather than spilling to a second slot.

The DMW-BLD10 battery is rated at 310 shots. That rating should be treated as a guideline rather than a guarantee for every situation, so a charged spare is sensible for longer shoots.

The battery cannot be charged over USB, so topping up from a computer or other USB source is not an option. Charging relies on other means, which needs planning when travelling.

The Storage & Battery score of 21 is limited, and it traces to the section's practical points: modest battery endurance, no USB charging and a single card slot.