Updated Panasonic CM1 review and gallery (final part and conclusion)

[Andrew Reid]

Although I've already given my score for the Panasonic CM1 I feel this is such a difficult camera to review it needs to be returned to. So for the past few days I've been using the CM1 as my main phone and have forced myself to get used to Android. I have to say that the charms are starting to grow on me, the frustrations from earlier have been fixed and I'm starting to have a lot more fun with it.

I still don't think it's as good a smartphone as the iPhone and the camera isn't as cleverly implemented in some ways - but let's revisit the review and put some more user experiences down on the page.

Read the full article here

[Andrew Reid]

I can open and edit raw files on the CM1 now. App called Raw Droid enables it. Wonder why Panasonic didn't. Their image editor when launched from Raw Droid now works on the raw files. Grading raw right there on my phone. CM1 suddenly became a lot more attractive :)

[leeys]

Android can be like an anarchist state sometimes. Everyone doing their own thing and not always working together.

 

The sluggishness and all the bit about battery life has lead me to believe the phone is in dire need of proper optimisation. I think Panasonic are hoping the concept sells well enough that they don't need to bring the level of polish seen in other phones.

[Andrew Reid]

It definitely needs polish, and I can't BEEEELLLIIIVE the left out raw photo editing... huge marketing and selling point of the phone that is.

 

I am very happy with it now I have this feature.

 

It's so cool to be able to grade a 20MP 12 stop dynamic range still on a phone and upload it straight away.

[leeys]

One thing about Japanese companies is a very strong NIH syndrome. Very rarely will they partner with external vendors, and usually when they do so their branding takes place front and centre.

[Raul Blanco]

Hi, and thank you for a good review!

I bought my CM1 from FNAC in France. I got a printed manual but no leaflet for ordering a case :(

 

Could you provide me with the ordering info?

 

Best Regards

 

Raul

[Guest 560a4aedcb80685284629074497fdc75]

Nice photos Andrew.

 

I think that instead of making a 'phone that is also a decent camera', they should have made an 'ILC that is also a phone'. :D  Forget the thickness issue. Think GM1, but maybe physically a little longer and thicker, integrating a basic smartphone. It would be an 'internet camera'. It would be aimed squarely at photographers, replacing their need for any other compact. 

[Christina Ava]

the styling i would say 40%...this is a really ugly design, what were they thinking?it looks like a bulldozer run over a camera..

chunky and uneven the camera pops out too much, and looks sensitive to damage as it protrudes, also the stealth....

i love how i can snap photos with my iphone like James Bond! 

 

the quality of the pictures is very good, but too expensive, i d rather the iphone.

[Guest Ebrahim Saadawi]

The thing about this kind of device is that it needs to bring the best of both worlds, but it's the opposite here, it's a weak camera glued to a mediocre phone. There are much better cameras out there and much better phones. Don't bring me the worst of both worlds, a bad 1" camera and a bad smart phone.

[maxotics]

Way to take the high ground and answer the critics by putting more time into the CM1.  You didn't need to do that.  But thanks!!!!  I know I'm an exception, but I don't live through my cell phone.  In fact, I'd go back to "feature" phones if it wasn't for some "corporate" email accounts I have.  So for me, having this kind of a camera on the phone would be nice.  So the comparisons to the iPhone are meaningless to me.  

 

You made a point about the lens sticking out.  I think the bigger blunder is they used a chrome ring.  What street photographer wants that (a good market for phone)?  I guess you can paint it.  Not having 24/25 fps, from Panasonic of all companies, another HUH!.  On the 15fps, I wonder if the camera can do faster photo FPS with the fastest cards available.  I might be wrong, but I think my GF3 will do continuous at a higher rate than published on a faster card.  Something you may want to test in the future.

 

Again, thanks for the review! I'm going to look for the U.S. release.

[Andrew Reid]

Don't bring me the worst of both worlds, a bad 1" camera and a bad smart phone.

 

It's hardly a bad 1" camera. The 1" sensor it uses is the best 1" sensor on the market.

[Guest Ebrahim Saadawi]

It's hardly a bad 1" camera. The 1" sensor it uses is the best 1" sensor on the market.

Compared to the other 899$ 1" cameras.

[Lamartine Cabral]

Much better, after the updates! Thank you for giving more time on it.

 

The impression that I had is that CM1 should be more of a smartphone with a camera (like lumia 1020), than a camera with a smartphone (like galaxy k zoom).

[leeys]

It definitely should be a smartphone first - otherwise I wouldn't carry it!

[Guest Ebrahim Saadawi]

I disagree I think it should have been designed as a great camera first to have an advantage. Compared to every 1" camera out there this is worse, the RX100 mk II and III and G7x and the larger sensor LX100. Especially on the lens front.

I would have preferred an RX100 MK III with a SIM slot!