Panasonic is proud to announce the year-on-year growth of Digital Single Lens Mirrorless (DSLM) sales in the market officially launched by the release of the LUMIX DMC-G1 in 2008. This positive sales trend is expected to continue, and estimates by Panasonic show that sales of DSLM cameras will capture over half of the global DSLR market by 2015. Most dramatically, this growth is being led by popularity in the tightly contested Japanese market, where DSLM sales achieved over a 50% share of the interchangeable-lens-type digital camera market in January 2012 - surpassing DSLR sales for the first time ever.

Featuring the perfect balance of size, performance, and usability, DSLM cameras have seen increasingly widespread support among entry-level, enthusiast, and professional photographers in the four short years since LUMIX G was revealed to the public. Panasonic is committed to promoting the expansion of this category through further innovations, and the release of additional cutting-edge bodies and interchangeable lenses to an already robust LUMIX G lineup.

Launched by Panasonic in 2008, Digital Single Lens Mirrorless, or DSLM, is the first major advancement in photography following the introduction of consumer-grade digital cameras in the 1990s. This revolutionary structure, developed on the Micro Four Thirds (MFT) system, eliminates the bulky mirror box and pentaprism found in conventional DSLRs, while still maintaining the use of high-quality, interchangeable optical lenses to optimize image rendering and color reproduction.

Among the many benefits provided by DSLM technology, mobility remains one of the major factors in its growing popularity. DSLR owners, in particular, are especially surprised to experience firsthand how light and compact DSLM bodies and lenses really are. With such superior optical performance in a compact format, it’s easier for photographers to keep a camera with them at all times, and more importantly, it keeps photography fun - DSLM makes it much easier to carry a multitude of lenses and quickly change them to capture the perfect shot.

Panasonic has continued to expand the possibilities of digital photography through advanced sensor technology, intelligent image processing, and a wide range of compact, precision lenses. These three key features are rigorously designed by Panasonic to minimize noise - even in low light - and produce beautiful, lifelike still images and HD video complete with Full-time Auto Focus (AF) functionality. Combined with the Optical Image Stabilization (O.I.S.) and Power Zoom in select LUMIX G lenses, photographers can enjoy the truly streamlined start-to-finish process of composing and shooting.

In addition, LUMIX G cameras are built from the ground up, specifically crafted for the digital format. This process not only greatly optimizes LUMIX G performance, it also eliminates the sluggishness of conventional contrast-based AF systems for an overall rapid and quick-response focusing experience. Other features such as the Live Viewfinder and fully-integrated LCD touch panel make real-time scene composition simple and convenient, allowing for complete control of the camera with just the slide or tap of a finger. These digitally-optimized LUMIX G technical innovations are generating huge interest among photographers of all skill levels, including professionals looking for a daily-use camera.

Panasonic has assembled a team of dedicated professionals to develop one of the most precise lens manufacturing standards in the industry. This standard has led to industry-leading advancements in aspherical lens development - preventing distortion and increasing miniaturization - and coating innovations that minimize flaring and ghosts in rendered images. Panasonic also reinforces this commitment to precision by working closely with LEICA to refine production, and by maintaining a strict process of quality assurance to verify all lenses before they are shipped.

On top of precision craftsmanship, the LUMIX G lineup also features the largest selection of interchangeable lenses in the DSLM category. From wide-angle to telephoto zoom lenses, photographers can choose from a great variety of focal lengths and f-number specifications to capture any scene accurately with sharp detail and realistic color.

Panasonic developed the MFT system in partnership with Olympus, creating one of the most flexible specifications for interchangeable-lens-type digital cameras in the industry. MFT has redefined the entire approach to digital photography, enabling a completely new generation of compact bodies and lenses that utilize the incredible potential of a sophisticated image sensor.

By incorporating the MFT system into the LUMIX G lineup, Panasonic delivers uncompromising portability and convenience once considered impossible in DSLR models. This superb balance of compactness, performance, and universal design shines a spotlight on capturing images and video without the physical drawbacks of a bulky DSLR camera.

LUMIX G started the Mirrorless revolution in 2008 and continues to push the boundaries of high-performance digital photography on all fronts. With its wide range of convenient features and striking innovations, on top of an incredibly robust selection of lenses, the LUMIX G lineup is the most impressively balanced way that entry-level, enthusiast, and even professional photographers can capture high-quality still images and HD video.

For entry-level photographers this means a step up in quality from compact digital cameras and smartphones, with a focus on intuitive operation and impressive photography. For dedicated DSLR photographers, the LUMIX G DSLM lineup will turn a tiresome day of shooting into a comfortable and thoroughly satisfactory experience that can make any creative vision a reality.