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Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1 Smartcam Review

Online premium camera. Panasonic's Lumix DMC-CM1 is actually more of a camera with integrated smartphone since the device looks like a compact camera just from its outsides. However, it also has plenty of mobile power with a Full HD screen, LTE, and a Snapdragon 801.

For the original German review, see here.

The camera in Panasonic's Lumix DMC-CM1 not only looks striking, it also has quite a bit to offer according to the spec sheet. With a 1-inch wide sensor, the smartphone has the biggest image sensor in a mobile end device. However, the other equipment is just as impressive. 2 GB of working memory supports the Snapdragon 801. High-speed LTE and a 4.7-inch HD screen round off the bundle. The manufacturer sets up a rather exorbitant price of 899 Euros (~$953).

Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AB 4 x 2.27 GHz, Krait 400
Graphics adapter
Qualcomm Adreno 330, Core: 578 MHz
Memory
2048 MB 
Display
4.70 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel, capacitive touchscreen, 10 multi-touch points, IPS
Storage
16 GB eMMC Flash, 16 GB 
, 10.5 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: combo headphone and microphone jack, Card Reader: microSD max. 128 GB (SD, SDHC, SDXC), Sensors: accelerometer, ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, G sensor, digital compass, barometer, NFC, GPS, Glonass
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.0, GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850, 900, 1800 and 1900 MHz), UMTS/HSPA+ (850, 900, 1700 and 2100 MHz), LTE (800, 850, 900, 1700, 1800, 2100 and 2600 MHz), head-SAR: 0.233 W/kg, body-SAR: 0.302 W/kg
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 21.1 x 135.4 x 68 ( = 0.83 x 5.33 x 2.68 in)
Battery
10 Wh Lithium-Ion, 3.8 V, 2600 mAh, Talk time 2G (according to manufacturer): 11 h, Talk time 3G (according to manufacturer): 12 h, Standby 2G (according to manufacturer): 560 h, Standby 3G (according to manufacturer): 630 h
Operating System
Android 4.4 KitKat
Camera
Webcam: 0.9 MP, primary camera: 20 MP (F 2.8-11, 1 inch, 28 mm)
Additional features
Speakers: mono speaker, Keyboard: v, power supply, quick start guide, Lumix 4k Pre-Burst, Lumix 4k Photo, Photo Search, Timelapse, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
203 g ( = 7.16 oz / 0.45 pounds), Power Supply: 131 g ( = 4.62 oz / 0.29 pounds)
Price
899 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

Panasonic's Lumix DMC-CM1 is a small brick. Its height of 21.1 millimeters is twice that of Nokia's Lumia 1020, which also features a prominent camera. It is also relatively heavy with a weight of 203 grams.

However, the smartphone's mass makes it stiff, and it only crackles a little in corresponding attempts. The review sample is also pressure resistant; at most strong pressure on the screen itself leads to wave formation.

The battery in the Lumix DMC-CM1 is non-removable. Although its interfaces and slots are hidden behind thick flaps, it is not IP certified.

135.4 mm / 5.33 inch 68 mm / 2.68 inch 21.1 mm / 0.831 inch 203 g0.4475 lbs137 mm / 5.39 inch 71 mm / 2.8 inch 9.8 mm / 0.3858 inch 170 g0.3748 lbs138.1 mm / 5.44 inch 67 mm / 2.64 inch 6.9 mm / 0.2717 inch 129 g0.2844 lbs130.4 mm / 5.13 inch 71.4 mm / 2.81 inch 10.4 mm / 0.4094 inch 158 g0.3483 lbs127.3 mm / 5.01 inch 64.9 mm / 2.56 inch 8.64 mm / 0.3402 inch 129 g0.2844 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity

The micro-USB 2.0 port in Panasonic's Lumix DMC-CM1 is only meant for recharging the smartphone and sharing data with a computer. It does not support either MHL or OTG so that the port cannot be used for image output or connecting external peripherals.

The smart-cam can render media via DLNA and Miracast wirelessly. The micro-SD card slot supports memory cards with a capacity of up to 128 GB.

Software

The manufacturer relies on Google's Android 4.4.4 operating system in its Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1. The user interface has only been modified marginally. In addition to a proprietary time-lapse app, there are also multiple applications for camera control. An update to Android 5.0 Lollipop has been announced for May 2015.

GPS Test: Outdoors
GPS Test: Outdoors
GPS Test: Indoors
GPS Test: Indoors

Communication & GPS 

Panasonic's Lumix DMC-CM1 connects to the Internet via HSPA+ (max. 42 Mbps) or LTE Cat. 4 (max. 150 Mbps) on-the-go. The wide-ranging frequency coverage should always enable good reception.

The Wi-Fi module supports the IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac standards and thus transmits in both the 2.4 and 5.0 GHz frequency bands. The range is average and should be enough to get by.

The Lumix utilizes both the GPS and Glonass networks for localization. Tracking took a very long time although there were enough satellites available in the building, and it was not very accurate. It was considerably faster and more accurate outdoors.

Telephone & Voice Quality

The voice quality of Panasonic's Lumix DMC-CM1 is quite decent, but audible losses have to be accepted compared with other smartphones from this price range. Although the contact is well intelligible, the voice is never really clear. The voice of the smart-cam user also sounds slightly distorted.

Multiple setting options
Multiple setting options
The time-lapse shots can also be configured
The time-lapse shots can also be configured

Cameras

The front-facing camera has a maximum resolution of 2 MP and shoots relatively decent pictures. It still manages to capture a surprising amount of residual light in low-light conditions. However, that also leads to minor artifacts and visible noise.

The showpiece of the smart-cam is the primary camera that features 20 MP. It has a 1-inch MOS sensor and a focal length of 28 mm. The aperture can be set from f/2.8 to f/11 manually or it is left up to the automatic settings. The light sensitivity ranges up to ISO 25600. The settings for the Lumix are extremely multiple, but the menus are a bit intricate so that only the fewest features are quick and easy to access. However, they are all the more diverse and offer all features of a first-rate compact camera. The f-stop can be set manually just like the shutter speeds or the selected scene mode. The lens ring is used for quickly switching within the selected mode. Furthermore, the Lumix DMC-CM1 has a panorama feature, a level, a histogram, a semi-automatic, and many more things. The available RAW mode will be interesting for enthusiastic photographers as it promises the lowest possible loss of image material in post-processing.

The image center is extremely focused in pictures, but the sharpness declines slightly toward the edges. Nevertheless, the given image quality is quite amazing for a smartphone and can also convince in terms of color accuracy. The high light sensitivity enables shooting decent pictures in low-light even if the camera loses sharpness toward the edges much sooner. The Lumia 1020 does a considerably better job here. Using the flash is not really advisable here because it strongly distorts the colors.

In addition to a digital x4 zoom, the Lumix DMC-CM1 can also score with an optical zoom (x2). The optical version can be quite useful. However, the pictures are not really focused when using the digital zoom.

No zoom
No zoom
Optical zoom (x2)
Optical zoom (x2)
Digital zoom (x4)
Digital zoom (x4)

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Scene 1Scene 2Scene 3
Warning concerning overheating
Warning concerning overheating

We found the temperature warning from the CM1 a bit strange when we started the camera app the first time. Here, the manufacturer warns about overheating the camera, which would stop the app and require patience until the camera cools down before it is ready for use again. We did not have any problems with that during the test, but it might look very different in the summer.

This will likely primarily apply to Ultra HD video recordings that the smartphone also supports. However, since they are not particularly good, it should rarely cause problems in practice. The high-resolution videos are only recorded with 15 frames per second, which does not allow a smooth playback. The available video quality is acceptable otherwise.

Accessories & Warranty

The Lumix DMC-CM1 is only shipped with a comparatively huge power supply. The manufacturer includes a 24-month warranty on its product.

Input Devices & Controls

The capacitive touchscreen in Panasonic's Lumix DMC-CM1 responds very well and quickly to inputs. The surface's gliding qualities are also good and do not give any reasons for complaint.

The virtual keyboard utilizes the stock Android layout. It is very clearly arranged and has an extra row with word suggestions. Other layouts can be installed when preferred.

It is handy that the Lumix not only has a dedicated camera button but also a small slider to directly open the camera app. That once again makes it obvious that the focus is clearly set on photography.

Portrait mode
Portrait mode
Landscape mode
Landscape mode

Display

The screen in Panasonic's Lumix DMC-CM1 has a size of 4.7-inches and a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels (Full HD). That equals an aspect ratio of 16:9 and a pixel density of approximately 469 ppi, which ensures razor-sharp reproduction of images.

The maximum brightness of 349 cd/m² is not exceptionally high but should suffice for most scenarios. Although the brightness is distributed decently it is not outstanding.

310
cd/m²
332
cd/m²
341
cd/m²
311
cd/m²
337
cd/m²
349
cd/m²
304
cd/m²
328
cd/m²
340
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 349 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 328 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 87 %
Center on Battery: 337 cd/m²
Contrast: 864:1 (Black: 0.39 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.49 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 7.84 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
63% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
Gamma: 2.24
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
Adreno 330, 801 MSM8974AB, 16 GB eMMC Flash
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
Adreno 330, 801 MSM8974AC, 16 GB eMMC Flash
Apple iPhone 6
PowerVR GX6450, A8, 128 GB eMMC Flash
Nokia Lumia 1020
Adreno 225, S4 Plus MSM8960, 32 GB SSD
Nokia Lumia 930
Adreno 330, 800 MSM8974, 32 GB eMMC Flash
LG G3
Adreno 330, 801 MSM8974AC, 16 GB eMMC Flash
Screen
10%
18%
475%
-27%
-16%
Brightness middle
337
513
52%
520
54%
283
-16%
275
-18%
417
24%
Brightness
328
500
52%
511
56%
288
-12%
278
-15%
395
20%
Brightness Distribution
87
94
8%
88
1%
88
1%
89
2%
89
2%
Black Level *
0.39
0.41
-5%
0.61
-56%
0.01
97%
0.96
-146%
Contrast
864
1251
45%
852
-1%
28300
3175%
434
-50%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.49
8.54
-56%
3.92
29%
4.83
12%
10.99
-100%
5.67
-3%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
7.84
9.88
-26%
4.33
45%
2.35
70%
8.29
-6%
5.66
28%
Gamma
2.24 98%
3.03 73%
2.46 89%
2.27 97%
2.16 102%
2.53 87%
CCT
7753 84%
8659 75%
7384 88%
6338 103%
6731 97%
7741 84%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
63
59
-6%

* ... smaller is better

The black level of 0.39 cd/m² of the Lumix DMC-CM1 is quite good, and black areas in fact look black. That leads to a decent contrast of 864:1, which could have been even better in conjunction with a higher screen brightness.

The smart-cam's screen is, unlike that of the camera, unfortunately, not worthy of reference. The color space coverage of 63% is better than that of other flagship smartphones, but far from the standards set by Samsung or Apple premium-range products. The color accuracy is only middling and a visible bluish cast is seen in the grayscale levels.

Color Management (target color space: sRGB)
Color Management (target color space: sRGB)
Saturation Sweeps (target color space: sRGB)
Saturation Sweeps (target color space: sRGB)
Grayscale (target color space: sRGB)
Grayscale (target color space: sRGB)
ColorChecker (target color space: sRGB)
ColorChecker (target color space: sRGB)
ColorChecker (target color space: AdobeRGB)
ColorChecker (target color space: AdobeRGB)
Color space coverage (AdobeRGB 1998)
Color space coverage (AdobeRGB 1998)

Panasonic's Lumix DMC-CM1 looks quite good in outdoor use as long as it is not exposed to direct sunlight. The screen's low brightness is noticed adversely then, and it becomes difficult to recognize anything on the screen. That is particularly annoying when taking pictures outdoors.

The viewing-angle stability is very good. Brightness decreases or color deviations are not visible to the naked eye even in extremely flat viewing angles.

The CM1 outdoors
The CM1 outdoors
Viewing-angle stability: DMC-CM1
Viewing-angle stability: DMC-CM1

Performance

Panasonic's Lumix DMC-CM1 does not have the fastest SoC with the Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AB, but it is still a really swift upper-range product. The system finds support in 2 GB of working memory. The Qualcomm Adreno 330 ensures a decent graphics acceleration. Although the benchmarks show that the review sample cannot compete with present top devices, it still has plenty of computing power. The browser speed is also impressive. There is nothing to complain about seen just subjectively.

The 16 GB storage is sufficiently sized but exhibited slight weaknesses in the read speed tests. It is possible to expand the storage by up to 128 GB should more capacity be required.

Geekbench 3
32 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
877 Points
LG G3
941 Points +7%
HTC One M9
1163 Points +33%
Google Nexus 6
1043 Points +19%
Apple iPhone 6
1619 Points +85%
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
966 Points +10%
32 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
2460 Points
LG G3
2323 Points -6%
HTC One M9
3499 Points +42%
Google Nexus 6
3141 Points +28%
Apple iPhone 6
2889 Points +17%
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
2670 Points +9%
Linpack Android / IOS
Single Thread (sort by value)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
367.7 MFLOPS
LG G3
281.3 MFLOPS -23%
HTC One M9
578 MFLOPS +57%
Apple iPhone 6
768 MFLOPS +109%
Nokia Lumia 930
232.5 MFLOPS -37%
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
300 MFLOPS -18%
Multi Thread (sort by value)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
760 MFLOPS
LG G3
609 MFLOPS -20%
HTC One M9
685 MFLOPS -10%
Apple iPhone 6
1439 MFLOPS +89%
Nokia Lumia 930
930 MFLOPS +22%
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
605 MFLOPS -20%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
17546 Points
LG G3
15911 Points -9%
HTC One M9
22783 (22783min - 23171max) Points +30%
Google Nexus 6
23368 Points +33%
Apple iPhone 6
16985 Points -3%
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
19082 Points +9%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
18492 Points
LG G3
17029 Points -8%
HTC One M9
34429 (34429min - 34485max) Points +86%
Google Nexus 6
25480 Points +38%
Apple iPhone 6
22509 Points +22%
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
21034 Points +14%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
14883 Points
LG G3
12939 Points -13%
HTC One M9
10432 (10432min - 10786max) Points -30%
Google Nexus 6
18113 Points +22%
Apple iPhone 6
9137 Points -39%
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
14404 Points -3%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
12 fps
LG G3
7.3 fps -39%
HTC One M9
24 fps +100%
Google Nexus 6
12 fps 0%
Apple iPhone 6
29.8 fps +148%
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
25.5 fps +113%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
11 fps
LG G3
11.3 fps +3%
HTC One M9
23 fps +109%
Google Nexus 6
19 fps +73%
Apple iPhone 6
17.8 fps +62%
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
11.9 fps +8%
Smartbench 2012
Productivity Index (sort by value)
LG G3
8377 points
HTC One M9
5738 points
Google Nexus 6
7468 points
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
9879 points
Gaming Index (sort by value)
LG G3
3984 points
HTC One M9
4454 points
Google Nexus 6
2108 points
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
4413 points
AnTuTu v5 - Total Score (sort by value)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
41850 Points
LG G3
36792 Points -12%
HTC One M9
55374 Points +32%
Google Nexus 6
51812 Points +24%
Apple iPhone 6
49093 Points +17%
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
40951 Points -2%
AndroBench 3-5
Sequential Read 256KB (sort by value)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
79.8 MB/s
LG G3
167.5 MB/s +110%
HTC One M9
235.1 MB/s +195%
Google Nexus 6
25.78 MB/s -68%
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
133 MB/s +67%
Sequential Write 256KB (sort by value)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
41.68 MB/s
LG G3
23.83 MB/s -43%
HTC One M9
123.8 MB/s +197%
Google Nexus 6
18.46 MB/s -56%
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
17.5 MB/s -58%
Random Read 4KB (sort by value)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
11.68 MB/s
LG G3
20.98 MB/s +80%
HTC One M9
20.66 MB/s +77%
Google Nexus 6
7.85 MB/s -33%
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
14.7 MB/s +26%
Random Write 4KB (sort by value)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
2.36 MB/s
LG G3
1.44 MB/s -39%
HTC One M9
13.91 MB/s +489%
Google Nexus 6
1.49 MB/s -37%
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
1.6 MB/s -32%
BaseMark OS II
Overall (sort by value)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
1062 Points
LG G3
1080 Points +2%
HTC One M9
1410 Points +33%
Google Nexus 6
995 Points -6%
Apple iPhone 6
1374 Points +29%
Nokia Lumia 930
1085 Points +2%
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
1141 Points +7%
System (sort by value)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
1879 Points
LG G3
1387 Points -26%
HTC One M9
1672 Points -11%
Google Nexus 6
1604 Points -15%
Apple iPhone 6
2042 Points +9%
Nokia Lumia 930
1296 Points -31%
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
1326 Points -29%
Memory (sort by value)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
414 Points
LG G3
610 Points +47%
HTC One M9
933 Points +125%
Google Nexus 6
421 Points +2%
Apple iPhone 6
709 Points +71%
Nokia Lumia 930
1500 Points +262%
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
619 Points +50%
Graphics (sort by value)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
2236 Points
LG G3
2530 Points +13%
HTC One M9
3210 Points +44%
Google Nexus 6
2130 Points -5%
Apple iPhone 6
2264 Points +1%
Nokia Lumia 930
1233 Points -45%
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
2633 Points +18%
Web (sort by value)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
732 Points
LG G3
635 Points -13%
HTC One M9
789 Points +8%
Google Nexus 6
682 Points -7%
Apple iPhone 6
1086 Points +48%
Nokia Lumia 930
579 Points -21%
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
785 Points +7%
WebXPRT 2013
Overall (sort by value)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
334 Points
LG G3
314 Points -6%
LG G3
313 Points -6%
HTC One M9
287 Points -14%
Google Nexus 6
340 Points +2%
Apple iPhone 6
570 Points +71%
Nokia Lumia 930
300 Points -10%
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
326 Points -2%
Photo Effects (sort by value)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
827 ms *
LG G3
1202 ms * -45%
LG G3
1107 ms * -34%
HTC One M9
1585 ms * -92%
Google Nexus 6
898 ms * -9%
Apple iPhone 6
965 ms * -17%
Nokia Lumia 930
1004 ms * -21%
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
898 ms * -9%
Face Detection (sort by value)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
1834 ms *
LG G3
2277 ms * -24%
LG G3
1785 ms * +3%
HTC One M9
2237 ms * -22%
Google Nexus 6
1736 ms * +5%
Apple iPhone 6
1685 ms * +8%
Nokia Lumia 930
2515 ms * -37%
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
1917 ms * -5%
Stocks Dashboard (sort by value)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
1205 ms *
LG G3
1183 ms * +2%
LG G3
1078 ms * +11%
HTC One M9
1088 ms * +10%
Google Nexus 6
1231 ms * -2%
Apple iPhone 6
348 ms * +71%
Nokia Lumia 930
1189 ms * +1%
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
1248 ms * -4%
Offline Notes (sort by value)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
1310 ms *
LG G3
1227 ms * +6%
LG G3
1124 ms * +14%
HTC One M9
1132 ms * +14%
Google Nexus 6
1158 ms * +12%
Apple iPhone 6
499.1 ms * +62%
Nokia Lumia 930
1226 ms * +6%
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
1224 ms * +7%
Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
4950 Points
LG G3
4345 Points -12%
LG G3
3892 Points -21%
HTC One M9
6493 Points +31%
Google Nexus 6
5271 Points +6%
Apple iPhone 6
7478 Points +51%
Nokia Lumia 930
2737 Points -45%
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
5294 Points +7%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
6933 ms *
LG G3
7280 ms * -5%
LG G3
7163 ms * -3%
HTC One M9
6508 ms * +6%
Google Nexus 6
6124 ms * +12%
Apple iPhone 6
4597 ms * +34%
Nokia Lumia 930
11108 ms * -60%
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
6528 ms * +6%
Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score (sort by value)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
1107 ms *
LG G3
900 ms * +19%
LG G3
629 ms * +43%
HTC One M9
840 ms * +24%
Google Nexus 6
784 ms * +29%
Apple iPhone 6
340 ms * +69%
Nokia Lumia 930
534 ms * +52%
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
826 ms * +25%

Legend

 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1 Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AB, Qualcomm Adreno 330, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
LG G3 Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AC, Qualcomm Adreno 330, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
HTC One M9 Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 MSM8994, Qualcomm Adreno 430, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Google Nexus 6 Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 APQ8084, Qualcomm Adreno 420, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Apple iPhone 6 Apple A8, PowerVR GX6450, 128 GB eMMC Flash
 
Nokia Lumia 930 Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 MSM8974, Qualcomm Adreno 330, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AC, Qualcomm Adreno 330, 16 GB eMMC Flash

* ... smaller is better

Games

A Full HD screen, a speedy graphics unit, and a superb touchscreen let the hearts of gamers beat faster even in more graphically demanding titles. The Adreno 330 still has a lot of performance potential that only a few games in the Play Store can exhaust. The impeccably working sensors also increase the gaming fun.

Asphalt 8 runs smoothly in the highest detail level
Asphalt 8 runs smoothly in the highest detail level

Emissions

Temperature

Panasonic's Lumix DMC-CM1 reached a maximum of 33.5 °C in idle mode, which is not even lukewarm. That looks different in load, where the surface temperatures reached over 40 °C across the board, and even up to 45.6 °C in some places. Although that is not yet critical, it is pretty high. Thus, it is not surprising that the camera tends to overheat in high temperatures.

Max. Load
 43 °C
109 F
43.2 °C
110 F
41 °C
106 F
 
 43.1 °C
110 F
43.4 °C
110 F
42.1 °C
108 F
 
 43 °C
109 F
43.4 °C
110 F
42 °C
108 F
 
Maximum: 43.4 °C = 110 F
Average: 42.7 °C = 109 F
32.9 °C
91 F
45.5 °C
114 F
43 °C
109 F
34.6 °C
94 F
45.6 °C
114 F
44.9 °C
113 F
35.1 °C
95 F
45.2 °C
113 F
44.1 °C
111 F
Maximum: 45.6 °C = 114 F
Average: 41.2 °C = 106 F
Power Supply (max.)  34.4 °C = 94 F | Room Temperature 22.2 °C = 72 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 42.7 °C / 109 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 43.4 °C / 110 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 45.6 °C / 114 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 31.4 °C / 89 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.

Speaker

The mono speaker in the Lumix does not have an ideal position and is quickly covered in landscape mode. The sound is only mediocre and not really convincing. Mids and bass are barely if at all audible, and the trebles are tinny and overdrive to such an extent that they hurt the ears in maximum volume. The audio jack makes a good impression. Consequently, headphones or an external speaker should be used when listening to music or watching movies with the smart-cam.

Energy Management

Power Consumption

The power consumption of Panasonic's Lumix DMC-CM1 is quite good when it is in use. However, both the off and standby consumption is slightly increased, and the smartphone depletes itself within a few days without further action.

The power supply's dimensions are gigantic and quite heavy with 131 grams. It supports Quick Charge, but that is not noticed when recharging the Lumix. Over two-and-a-half hours is needed to completely recharge the battery. Furthermore, the battery also discharges during load when the device is connected to the power supply.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.1 / 0.4 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.8 / 1.5 / 1.8 Watt
Load midlight 3.1 / 3.8 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Voltcraft VC 870
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.

Battery Runtime

The 2600 mAh battery in Panasonic's Lumix DMC-CM1 ensures practical runtimes. However, they are not really good. Most contenders last considerably longer in browsing via Wi-Fi. Nevertheless, the battery should manage a day when the camera is not used excessively. It extremely increases the energy requirement, particularly when shooting videos. The time-lapse video in our test depleted 70% of the battery's reserves. Users who want to take the CM1 on a safari should thus have a strong secondary battery in their bag.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing (Chrome 41)
6h 49min
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
Adreno 330, 801 MSM8974AB, 16 GB eMMC Flash
LG G3
Adreno 330, 801 MSM8974AC, 16 GB eMMC Flash
Nokia Lumia 930
Adreno 330, 800 MSM8974, 32 GB eMMC Flash
Apple iPhone 6
PowerVR GX6450, A8, 128 GB eMMC Flash
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
Adreno 330, 801 MSM8974AC, 16 GB eMMC Flash
Battery Runtime
WiFi v1.3
409
WiFi
452
1002
530
1326

Pros

+ Superb camera
+ Swift SoC
+ LTE with wide frequency coverage
+ Expandable storage
+ Decent build
+ Good connectivity
+ Full HD screen...

Cons

- ...that could be a bit brighter
- Temperature development
- Battery life
- Ultra HD videos only with 15 fps

Verdict

Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1. Test model provided by Cyberport.de
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1. Test model provided by Cyberport.de

Panasonic's Lumix DMC-CM1 has a very good camera that is rounded off well with the integrated smartphone. The Full HD screen could surely be a bit brighter but makes a good impression otherwise. High-speed LTE and other, modern transmission standards allow the user to share content or render it on external devices easily and without massive delays.

The review sample's phone qualities are rather mediocre, and the speaker can be used as a torture instrument in single pitches. Furthermore, the Lumix exhibits weaknesses in Ultra HD recordings. Only 15 fps is simply too little.

A strong camera, high-speed LTE and a high-resolution screen turn the Lumix DMC-CM1 into a versatile smart-cam. However, the temperature development and the middling battery life mar the overall impression.

Buyers prepared to spend approximately 900 Euros (~$954) on the Lumix DMC-CM1 will get a very good compact camera that can also be used as a smartphone. Anyone looking for a smartphone with a decent camera should also take a look at the competition. Some are better in low-light conditions and can even record Ultra HD videos smoothly.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1 - 04/01/2015 v4(old)
Daniel Schmidt

Chassis
91%
Keyboard
67 / 75 → 89%
Pointing Device
89%
Connectivity
48 / 60 → 80%
Weight
88%
Battery
90%
Display
83%
Games Performance
64 / 63 → 100%
Application Performance
43 / 70 → 61%
Temperature
80%
Noise
100%
Audio
45 / 91 → 49%
Camera
90%
Average
75%
84%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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Daniel Schmidt, 2015-04- 5 (Update: 2018-05-15)