Low-light photography doesn’t have to be frustrating. Here’s our hands-on look at the compact, user-friendly Panasonic Lumix GX8
Skim through your Facebook albums and you’re bound to find scores of photos ruined by poor lighting. Reddish hues, dull colours and of course, awful, awful graininess! But hey, you’ve got a flash right? Unfortunately, there are many situations where using a flash is impossible, like in street and travel photography. After all, you’re not going to get many smiles by setting off a flash in someone’s face, are you?
For times like these, all you can really do is kick up your ISO and hope your camera’s sensor is up to the task. Our photography trip with Panasonic gave us a chance to put the Lumix GX8’s low-light performance to the test in the gloomy monasteries and dingy, labyrinthine markets of Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
The second day of the trip saw us visiting the ancient Wat Ounalom monastery. As we explored the monk’s shadowy dormitories, we were presented with some striking photo opportunities. With some apprehension, we bumped up our ISOs, dropped our shutter speeds (shout-out to the camera’s image stabilisation!) and started snapping. Despite the terrible lighting, we got some brilliant captures that showed off vibrant colours, a great dynamic range and no dreaded graininess. Here, the combination of the GX8’s Digital Live MOS Sensor and the Venus Engine image processor really shine.
Our next low-light challenge presented itself at the bustling Russian Market. Soaking up light with slow shutter speeds wasn’t an option because the constant jostling by the crowds made it near impossible to take a steady shot. All we could do was bump up the ISO again. Despite the darkness of the market, the GX8 once again cut through the gloominess and got us some rather dramatic low-light shots of the maze of stalls.
Our experience shooting in these dim locales really gave us a full appreciation of the GX8’s performance. While the most important end goal of any camera is, undoubtedly, to capture beautiful images, the GX8 reminded us how important the user experience is as well. Ever find yourself repeatedly trying to get a good photo in a dark environment, only to be foiled by a poor image sensor? We have, and we’re done with that! Our weekend with the GX8 was a great reminder of how fun photography can be when your equipment gets out of your way, and does exactly what you need it to do.
The Lumix GX8 with standard lens kit retails at at $1,699 at authorised dealers.
This article is sponsored by Panasonic Singapore.