At the end of 2013, Panasonic was shocking the photographic
industry by releasing the smallest mirrorless camera called Lumix GM1. The size
of this camera was even more compact than a standard pocket camera when the
lens was not mounted on its body, and it also brought a large Micro Four Thirds
sensor.
After two years later, the record is likely to be broken by
a company from China, Z Camera. Through Kickstarter, they introduce the Z Camera E1, which is smaller than the Lumix GM1.
Statistically, the dimension of Z Camera E1 is about 75 x 56
mm, with a thickness of about 27.5 mm without lens fitted. The empty weight is
about 167 grams, or 209 grams when loaded with 2000mAh battery.
From the outside, the magnesium frame seems taking the
design of GoPro action camera, complete with top panel, where there is only
shutter button and a small indicator display. At the rear, there is an LCD
measuring 2.5 inch with a resolution of 320 x 240.
But what makes this camera even more interesting is the
component inside, where there is a Four Thirds sensor in a resolution of 16
megapixels. The physical dimension of this sensor is about 4/3 inch, even
slightly larger than that's contained on Micro Four Thirds system of Panasonic
and Olympus cameras. For additional information, the Z Camera E1 sensor is also
supplied by Panasonic.
Accompanying the sensor is the A9 processor of Ambarella.
This combination allows the Z Camera E1 to record 4096 x 2160 resolution video
at 24 fps, or 3840 x 2160 at 30 fps. Yup, this little mirrorless camera can
record 4K video, and in the MOV format by using the H.264 codec.
If seen from its shape, this camera seems less ergonomic.
The developer also explains that the Z Camera E1 is designed for use with a
tripod when recording a video. And since it's devoted for video, its ISO
sensitivity level can be set up to 102,400 - ideal for documentary filmmakers
who often deal with dark locations.
About the connectivity, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi features are
also pinned so that the camera can be controlled via companion app on the
smartphone. Interestingly, a firmware update for the camera will be passed
through the application, not via the installation using a memory card like in
general.
Speaking about memory card, because of limited space, the Z
Camera E1 prefers to wear microSD rather than the SD Card, with a maximum
capacity up to 128 GB.
Z Camera E1 now can be ordered on Kickstarter with the
lowest pledge of $ 599, body only. It is compatible with all Micro Four Thirds
lenses on the market, whether produced by Panasonic, Olympus, Sigma and other
brands.