Measuring roughly 5.0-by-3.0-by-1.5, the DMC-GF1 is smaller than any SLR, but still offers removable lenses, giving you the benefits of an SLR-like lens selection in a camera that's close to pocketable. The DMC-GF1 is a Micro Four Thirds camera, meaning it conforms to a design specification defined by Panasonic, Olympus, and Leica. Micro Four Thirds cameras are built around larger sensors that yield better image quality and less noise than what you'll find in a small point-and-shoot. Because they lack the mirrors and prisms required by an SLR, they can be built much smaller than a SLR while still maintaining the advantages provided by removable lenses. And because they all conform to a specification defined by a consortium of participating companies, you can easily interchange lenses from different Micro Four Thirds vendors. All of these features make the DMC-GF1 a very interesting camera.

The DMC-GF1 is a well-made, sturdy, and very pretty camera. Basically a simple box with a little bit of molding on the front, it's a compact design that is reminiscent of Leica-style rangefinder film cameras of old. Solidly made, the camera feels very good in the hand and is easy to hold.

The top of the camera sports a hot shoe, mode dial, shutter button, and a few other controls, as well as a pop-up flash that closes flush with the top of the camera's body.

On the back, you'll find more controls, as well as a big 3-inch LCD screen. Curiously absent from the camera is any kind of optical viewfinder. While this is not unusual for a point-and-shoot camera, the DMC-GF1 looks so much like a traditional rangefinder camera that one expects to see some kind of viewfinder window. Instead, you use Live View through the LCD to frame your pics, although Panasonic does offer an optional electronic eyepiece viewfinder that clips on to the hot shoe.