Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1 ($799.99 direct with 14-42mm lens) is the camera that many people wanted the Lumix DMC-GF3 ($599.99, 3.5 stars) to be—a compact Micro Four Thirds body with plenty of physical controls, an accessory port, and a hot shoe. The 16-megapixel camera does a better job in lower light than other Micro Four Thirds bodies, but not as well as mirrorless cameras with large APS-C sensors such as the Samsung NX200 ($899.99, 3.5 stars) or our Editors' Choice Sony Alpha NEX-C3 ($649.95, 4.5 stars), and its kit lens can't match the sharpness of the one included with a competing Micro Four Thirds camera, the Olympus E-PL3 ($699.99, 3.5 stars)—of course, there's nothing stopping you from using the Olympus lens on the Panasonic camera, thanks to the interoperability of the Micro Four Thirds system.