The Panasonic GF8 appears to sit squarely in the world of selfies, according to a translation of a Japanese press release (see below).
The 3in monitor, 1,040,000-dot monitor is designed to tilt 180°, with the camera switching on the selfie mode once the monitor is flipped.
Selfie-friendly effects include soft skin, defocusing and slimming.
Translation of Japanese press release
Introducing the new LUMIX GF8, for the Best-Ever attractive Selfie shots featuring Advanced Beauty Retouch mode
Panasonic is introducing a new CSC Camera – the LUMIX GF8 from LUMIX G. The new LUMIX GF8 offers high capability for shooting selfies with a host of options such as the newly integrated beauty function.
The 3.0-inch 1040K-dot rear monitor with touch control tilts up by approx.180-degree and the camera goes into Self Shot Mode automatically once the monitor is flipped. In the Self Shot Mode, a variety of functions for selfie are available on the LUMIX GF8.
The beauty functions enables users – especially ladies – to shoot portraits more attractively with its Soft Skin, Defocusing and Slimming effects. After shooting, you can even put on make-up or retouch in camera with the Beauty Retouch function.
The LUMIX GF8 integrates Wi-Fi® connectivity to offer more flexible shooting experience and instant image sharing with easy operation.
Taking full advantage of 16.00-megapixel Digital Live MOS Sensor and Venus Engine, high quality images are produced with a sharp resolution, even when shot in low-light situations and max. ISO 25600. The Contrast AF System of LUMIX GF8 excels in both speed and accuracy by exchanging digital signals between the camera and the lens at max. 240 fps. A variety of extensive AF functions including Face/Eye Detection AF or Low Light AF assures in-focus shots, even in difficult shooting conditions.
The LUMIX GF8 also features full HD 1920 x 1080, 60p (60 Hz) / 50p (50 Hz) high quality video recording in AVCHD progressive and MP4 with stereo sound. The practical full-time AF and tracking AF is available in video recording, too. The LUMIX GF8 features a unique video recording option called Snap Movie Mode which lets users record video in a designated short period of time (2/4/6/8 sec) as they shoot “moving photos”.
Last but not least, the iA (Intelligent Auto) mode and the Scene Guide make the LUMIX GF8 easy to use. Portrait, Child and Scenery modes, which are used often, have respective shortcuts on the dial with the most appropriate parameters for each scene being automatically.
Enjoy Selfies in a More Flexible Way
The new LUMIX GF8 is a perfect camera for selfies. A rich variety of beauty functions enables uses to shoot more attractive portraits with Soft Skin, which makes skin look smoother while Slimming looks the subject sharpened up in 10 fine steps.
After shooting, you can even put on a virtual make-up in the playback mode with the newly added Beauty Retouch function. In Aesthetic Retouch, various effects can be applied to the face including clearing the skin texture, lifting up the face, whitening of teeth and so on.
In conventional selfie pictures, users have to stretch their arms to hold the camera, which makes the selfie pictures all-too-common. However, the hands-free selfie allows users to use their hands as they like, resulting in free, expressive posing. However, Face Shutter and Buddy Shutter functions are integrated for a trigger of shutter release in the LUMIX GF8. They work when the face is once covered with a waving hand or when two faces come closer in a frame.
High Performance Digital Single Lens Mirrorless with High Speed Response
The LUMIX GF8 incorporates 16.00-megapixel, large Digital Live MOS Sensor complying with the Micro Four Thirds system standard that achieves both higher resolution and higher sensitivity image recording with less noise. The image processor Venus Engine features its advanced noise reduction systems. This makes it possible to remove large block of noise which was hard to detect and helps produce clear, smooth images.
The combination of the Digital Live MOS Sensor and the Venus Engine achieves fine detail reproduction, making it possible to capture clear images – even in low light situations.
The LUMIX GF8 features high-speed Light Speed AF, making it possible to capture even the fast-moving subject clearly. The camera and the lens exchange the digital signal at max. 240 fps to minimize the time to focus.
The LUMIX GF8 realizes the high speed burst shooting at approx.5.8 fps (AFS) / approx.5 fps (AFC, 1-area AF) in 16.00-megapixel and max. 40 fps using an electronic shutter. Also, AF Tracking enables consecutive shooting to capture moving subject in sharp focus at approx.4 fps*.
The Low Light AF helps users to get a shot in focus, even in extremely low-lit situations. Sharp focus can be set on the target subject even when you cannot use an AF assist lamp.
In addition to the conventional Face Recognition AF, the LUMIX GF8 incorporates Face / Eye Detection AF which automatically sets focus right on the eye of human face. With the Pinpoint AF, users can magnify the target area to set focus by 5x by just touching it on the monitor. The One-shot AF enables using AF even in MF mode by just touching the icon on the screen to set rough focus on the subject and you can go back to MF just to adjust precise focus.
The LUMIX GF8 records stunningly smooth, high-resolution full-HD 1,920 x 1,080 60p (60 Hz) / 50p (50 Hz) videos in AVCHD Progressive or MP4 (MPEG-4 / H.264) format. High quality sound can be recorded with Dolby® Digital. A Wind Cut function is also available to block out most of the noise from background wind.
* In 1-area-focusing AF mode.
• Maximum time to record motion pictures continuously with [AVCHD] is 29 minutes 59 seconds in Europe and some Asian areas.
• Maximum time to record motion pictures continuously with [MP4] is 29 minutes 59 seconds or up to 4 GB.
• You can check the recordable time on the monitor. (For [FHD] in [MP4] format, the file size is large and so the recordable time will drop below 29 minutes 59 seconds.)
