The Panasonic Lumix GX8 is the first dual Image Stabilisation CSC camera from Panasonic and features a new 20.3 megapixel Micro Four Thrids sensor with sensor shift image stabilisation. The sensor shift is designed to work in combination with optical image stabilsation built into Panasonic lenses for improved image stabilisation. The camera records 4K video and photos, features a tilting high resolution electronic viewfinder, a vari-angle touch screen, and 8fps continuous shooting at full resolution. The Panasonic Lumix GX8 will be available at the end of August priced at £1069 body only. 

Panasonic Lumix GX8 Features

The Panasonic Lumix GX8 updates the GX7, which will remain on the market. The GX8 is said to give a 15% improvement in detail, and in Image Quality, with improved dynamic range, along with an improved noise to signal ratio, thanks to the use of a new 20.3 megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor which is used in combination with the latest Panasonic Venus imager processing engine. The GX8 also offers in camera raw processing, highlight shadow control, clear retouch, filters, plus an updated panoramic mode giving an option of a wider view. 

The Dual Image Stabilisation system is a 4-axis in-body sensor shift system, which works in conjunction with the optical image stabilisation in Panasonic lenses, which feature a 2-axis system. In video mode the camera uses a Hybrid image stabilisation system to gives 5-axis image stabilisation. The dual image stabilsation system is said to give comparable image stabilisation performance to Olympus' 5-axis image stabilisation system found in the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II. 

A new exposure compensation dial has been added underneath the mode dial. You can customise the front and rear controls, and there is a switch to alter the way the dials operate. Performance is said to be greatly improved with the camera now offering focus as quick as 0.07 seconds, with the camera also offering 200% improved AF tracking compared to the GX7. The camera will shoot at 8fps in continuous shooting mod3e with fixed AF or 6fps with continuous AF. There is also a 2.5mm mic socket on the side of the camera, which is now weather-sealed. 

4K Photo features: Using the 4K video technology, as featured on the Panasonic Lumix G7, there are various modes to extract 8 megapixel still images, with the option of 3:2, 1:1, 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratios, these are: 

• 4K Burst Shooting - allows up to 29 minutes and 59 seconds of continuous shooting at 30fps
• 4K Burst (Start/Stop) - starts continuous shooting with the press of the shutter button and stops with the second press - suitable for shooting opportunities that require a longer waiting time (up to 29min 59 seconds)
• 4K Pre-burst - records 30 frames the second before and after the shutter is pressed giving you 60 chances to capture the perfect moment.

You can save 4K photos straight from the camera, without having to process the video files on your computer. Lightroom can also be used to select frames from the video. 4K video is useful as it can also be used to create 1080p video, to either crop for a 200% view, digitally stabilised or reframed, amongst other things. 

Panasonic Lumix GX8 Key Features:

• 20.3mp Micro Four Thirds sensor – highest picture quality in Lumix G - 
• Dual IS system – 4-axis in-body and lens (2-axis) stabilisation working together (for first time) – works in both video and stills (video sensor electronic stabilisation plus lens)
• 2360k dot OLED LVF (EVF) Tiltable, 0.77x magnification, high optical quality 
• Splash / dust proof mag alloy body
• 4K photo (8mp, 30fps) / 4K video (3840x2160, 25fpsUHD)
• Time-lapse video recording
• New free-angle monitor 1040k OLED (vari angle), touch screen 
• 8fps continuous shooting / 6fps with AFC
• ISO100 – ISO25600
• Wi-Fi / NFC / QR code 
• USB tethering
• 340 shot battery life

Panasonic Lumix GX8 Handling

The Panasonic Lumix GX8 is noticeably larger than the GX7 it updates, with a larger electronic viewfinder (EVF), that has a high resolution and looks extremely good when in use. The EVF has an eye-detection sensor so that it will automatically switch on and off when held up to the eye, and the EVF is a tilting unit, that can tilt upwards 90 degrees. The screen on the back is a 'vari-angle' touch-screen which can be used to set the focus point, as well as other on screen options. 

There are front and rear control dials to change aperture and shutter speed when in the correct mode. However, it's also possible to customise these so that you can change the function. Pressing the middle button in the rear dial will also let you change the function of the dial to something else. The camera has updated shutter speeds, with 60 to 1/8000s available with the mechanical shutter, and 1/16000s available with an electronic shutter. The camera also has a bulb mode that can take photos with an exposure up to 30 minutes long!

There are a number of scene modes built in, along with several function buttons that can be customised. There is also a new function button that defaults to aperture preview at the front of the camera, that can easily be pressed when holding the camera. On top is a new exposure compensation dial that makes it easy to dial in exposure compensation when needed, giving the camera more external controls.

There is no longer a built in pop-up flash, and a flash is not provided in the box with the camera. There are a vast number of options and settings available in the menus, and the camera has built in help to let you know what the settings do. The camera includes differaction compensation in order to improve image quality when shooting at smaller apertures. Battery life is rated at 340 shots, and the camera uses the same battery as the Panasonic Lumix G7.

Panasonic Lumix GX8 Performance

With an all new 20 megapixel Live MOS micro four thirds sensor, it will be interesting to see how the image quality performs compared to other mirrorless cameras. In Panasonic's own internal testing they found that the GX8 outperforms the Olympus OMD EM1, as well as the Fujifilm X-T1, in areas such as Resolution, Dynamic range, Signal to noise ratio, at ISO100, ISO3200 and ISO25600. 

We were able to take a number of sample photos, on a grey rainy day in Brighton, with a pre-production Panasonic Lumix GX8, and we have resized the images to 8 megapixels at Panasonic's request. Noise performance from the new 20.3 megapixel sensor is impressive, with the camera able to produce usable images at ISO speeds up to ISO6400. Once we have a production camera in for review, we will update this with full size images. 

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8 Other sample images

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Pre Production Resized To 8mp | 1/250 sec | f/5.8 | 140.0 mm | ISO 3200