Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 review – Noise, resolution and sensitivity
These images show 72ppi (100% on a computer screen) sections of images of a resolution chart, captured using the 50mm focal length. We show the section of the resolution chart where the camera starts to fail to reproduce the lines separately. The higher the number visible in these images, the better the camera’s detail resolution at the specified sensitivity setting.
There is scant luminance noise at low sensitivities, and colour noise is nowhere to be seen. In fact, the LF1 does a great job of keeping colour noise to a minimum throughout its entire sensitivity range. Unfortunately, though, luminance noise is very apparent in JPEGs at ISO 400 and above, with some reduction having obviously taken place. Images at ISO 400 have a slightly smudged appearance akin to oil paintings, with strong sharp lines along edges but lacking in texture in other areas.
In terms of detail resolution, the LF1 behaves as we would expect a 12.1-million-pixel compact camera sensor to. It reaches around 24 on our chart, with much more detail to be prized from the raw files than the JPEGs. Similarly, noise is far easier to control, with colour noise eradicated at virtually all sensitivity settings.
Luminance noise is actually better left alone, to retain detail in the image, and I would recommend that most photographers keep the LF1 set to between ISO 80 and 400, particularly if shooting JPEGs. Beyond this, quite a lot of detail is lost, though ISO 800 can produce good results from raw files. As usual, the settings beyond this, particularly the highest two, should only be used as a last resort.
