Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 is a compact mirrorless camera from 2013 built around the Micro Four Thirds system. That means you get interchangeable lenses in a package closer to a point-and-shoot than a DSLR in bulk.

Portability is the point here. At roughly 111 x 65 x 38 mm and 323 g, it slips into a small bag or a large coat pocket, and a day of carrying it goes unnoticed.

There is no viewfinder, so you compose on the tilting rear screen. The resolution suits everyday photography, travel and family pictures rather than heavy cropping or fast action.

The optics score of 43 is modest, and the GF6 sits in the bottom 12% of cameras in our database for Optics. The shortfall is spread across several specification areas rather than a single one.

The 16-megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor provides resolution to suit everyday prints and web sharing. The mount accepts Micro 4/3 lenses, so you can build a kit gradually and keep it light.

Autofocus relies on a single point, and burst shooting reaches a maximum of 4.2 frames per second. That rate suits unhurried subjects better than rapid action, and being a maximum it is not a sustained-speed promise.

There is no in-body stabilisation, so camera shake is managed by holding steady, choosing a faster shutter speed, or fitting a stabilised lens. The ISO range runs from 160 to 12800 and the maximum shutter speed is 1/16000 of a second.

Video is supported, with a maximum recording resolution of Full HD and a maximum frame rate of 60fps. The two figures are separate maximums rather than a confirmed recording mode, and the modest video score of 56 reflects them.

Recording at up to 60fps gives smooth motion for moving subjects, and the camera records in MP4 or AVCHD file formats.

The ceiling is Full HD, so there is no 4K here. For web and social sharing this is rarely a problem, but if you need to crop heavily into footage or deliver to 4K displays, the resolution limit will show.

There is no built-in intervalometer for timelapse, so sequences require an external remote timer or manual triggering shot by shot.

Composition happens on the 3-inch TFT LCD. With just over a million dots it shows plenty of detail for checking focus, and the touch interface lets you adjust settings by tapping. The screen also flips for framing from high or low angles.

Wi-Fi is built in for wireless connectivity. There is no Bluetooth, so features that rely on it, such as constant background pairing or remote wake, are unavailable.

Lighting options are more flexible than the small body suggests. A built-in flash covers casual indoor shots, and an external flash unit can be fitted when you want more power.

The features score of 57 is modest. Missing weather sealing and Bluetooth account for the lost points, while the touchscreen, screen and live view earned full or near-full marks. There is also no GPS for location tagging.

Storage is straightforward: the GF6 takes SD, SDHC and SDXC cards in a single slot. That covers standard through high-capacity cards, but with one slot you will want to carry a spare rather than count on a backup.

The storage and battery score of 21 is limited, with points lost to the single slot, the battery rating and the missing USB charging. The DMW-BLG10E is rated at 340 shots per charge, enough for an afternoon but short for a full day of heavy shooting.

Planning around this is simple. There is no USB charging, so you recharge the battery in a dedicated charger rather than from a laptop or power bank. A second battery, charged overnight, removes most of the worry for longer outings.