Panasonic DMC-L1

Reviewed September 2006

Image Quality

The DMC-L1 uses a sensor developed by Panasonic called Live MOS, the same sensor as is used in the Olympus E-330, a type of sensor that combines the advantages of a CCD with those of a CMOS. In addition, the DMC-L1 is equipped with Olympus' Supersonic Wave Filter, which vibrates off any dust that may have settled on the sensor each time the camera is turned on.

Specific to the DMC-L1, however, images are processed with the new Venus Engine III. This new image processor is able to reduce noise in images by processing luminance and chrominance separately, resulting in much reduced noise levels.

Indeed, with exterior shots, noise-free photos can be captured at up to 400 ISO; while at 800 ISO a bit of noise starts appearing in shadow areas and at 1600 ISO it can be detected in areas of uniform colours.

Moreover, with interior shots captured without flash, when shutter speeds are slower, the noise reduction system seems to be even more effective.

As with outdoor shots, noise starts at 400 ISO, but the noise reduction processing allows for good quality images up to 1600 ISO. At 1600 ISO, images still have random colour pixels, but they retain a high definition and the finest details in the image remain clear, while colours are faithful to reality.

As with all other SLR cameras, the image quality of the DMC-L1 is not only tied to the properties of its sensor, but also to those of the lens mounted on the camera.

At this point in time, although the L1 is compatible with Olympus' line of Zuiko Four-Thirds lenses, the only lens dedicated to the L1 is a Leica D (designed for Digital) Vario-Elmarit 14-50 mm f2.8-3.5. The focal length rage of this lens covers from the equivalent of a 28 mm to 100 mm. While the wide angle end is well suited to landscapes or architecture, the telephoto is a bit more limited, and is best suited to capturing portraits than distant subjects. Indeed, the fact that the lens offers apertures selectable in 1/3 EV increments offers precise control over the depth of field, an important tool for portraiture.

Thanks to its two aspherical lens elements, the Leica zoom is free of distortion. Similarly, the lens is completely free of any chromatic aberration throughout its entire focal length range, whatever the contrast of the subject.

In addition to the excellent optical qualities of the Leica lens, it integrates Panasonic's Mega O.I.S. technology (Optical Image Stabilizer), which is part of all Panasonic digital cameras. The stabilizer is very effective, making it possible to capture sharp images at low shutter speeds that would otherwise guarantee images blurred by camera shake. As with other Panasonic cameras, the stabilization system has two modes, Mode 2 being the most efficient as it only stabilizes the image at the moment of capture, unlike Mode 1, which stabilizes the image continuously. Worth noting here, should the lens be used on a Four Thirds compatible camera, it is indicated that only mode 1 will be available.

Thanks to its Live View system, the DMC-L1 offers a greater flexibility when it comes to framing and previewing a shot than do other dSLR cameras. The shot can be framed using the TTL viewfinder, and using the monitor, which unlike the viewfinder, shows 100% of the image that will be captured.

Moreover, the monitor can show the effect of exposure compensation, and white balance settings. The monitor can even show the changes in the depth of field produced by variations in the aperture setting when the depth of field preview button () is pressed on the back of the camera.

The DMC-L1 is equipped with 2 light metering systems: a 49-segment pattern that operates when the optical TTL viewfinder is in use, and a 256-segment pattern that functions when the Live View mode is in use. Whatever the system, the precision of the metering is excellent, and should a complex lighting situation occur, both systems offer centre-weighted and spot metering.

Generally, the auto white balance of the DMC-L1 yields very natural colours. The DMC-L1 offers a lot of flexibility when it comes to white balance. As noted above, colours can be previewed using the Live View mode, which offers an instant preview of the changes made to the white balance setting. In addition, the DMC-L1 also allows setting the white balance using degrees Kelvin, a feature that is particularly useful in studio photography, and which provides a high degree of control over colour reproduction.

Beyond this, the L1 also offers control over the colour of the image through the Film Mode. The Film Mode gives control over colour, contrast, sharpness, saturation and noise reduction — even with black and white photos — making it possible to recreate the effect of specific film types, and then save these settings.

Another unusual feature for a dSLR, the L1 is able to capture photos with different aspect ratios (4:3, 3:2 and 16:9) as do some compacts from Panasonic, and photos can be saved using any one of three compression ratios. At the highest JPEG image quality, Super Fine, the image quality is nothing short of superb, and images show no trace of the compression. In addition, RAW format images can be saved along with the JPEGs, offering even more flexibility and allowing for very advanced editing.

RAW images have to be opened using the software Panasonic includes with the camera: SILKYPIX Developer Studio 2.0 SE, created by Ichikawa Soft — currently the only program that can open the L1's RAW images — but also the best such program included with a camera that we have seen to date. The image processing program is very powerful and provides precise and in-depth controls over all aspects of the L1's RAW images, which once processed can then be saved as JPEG or TIFF.

The Panasonic DMC-L1 is a camera designed for the experts, and for those who enjoy the process of photography as much as its results, for they are the ones that most likely will appreciate the analog controls of the L1, and its big stabilized Leica lens. The capabilities of the L1 are impressive, and the controls available to obtain specific results are excellent. All that the camera needs now is a greater range of stabilized Leica lenses.