Rewind: Lumix GM Series

In an era where "compact" cameras keep growing larger, it's worth remembering Panasonic's achievement with the Lumix GM1 and GM5. Released in 2013-2014, these cameras packed a Micro Four Thirds sensor into a body smaller than many point-and-shoots of their time.

The Micro Four Thirds system hit a sweet spot that made the GM series possible. Its sensor size offered excellent image quality while allowing for significantly smaller lenses compared to APS-C or full-frame systems. The GM cameras took full advantage of this, creating a truly pocketable system that worked beautifully with compact primes and zooms.

Today's camera manufacturers chase ever-increasing specifications, often at the expense of portability. While sensors and processors have improved dramatically, no one has attempted anything as ambitious as the GM series in terms of miniaturization. As smartphones dominate casual photography, perhaps it's time to revisit this philosophy – creating cameras that offer superior image quality while maintaining true portability.

The GM series wasn't just ahead of its time; it showed us that serious cameras don't need to be serious in size. Maybe that's the revolution we need to rediscover.