"Panasonic G series" Owners Thread

G1 shots before and after fiddling :)

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:)
 
I can't see anything!!!
 
Hmmm, anyone wanna buy some DSLR kit? Just back from 2 weeks in Macedonia and all I took was my GF1, 14mm lens and a circular polariser. Rarely did I yearn for anything else. Brilliant travel kit which, coupled with a bumbag from a local market stall for 2 quid, was a pleasure to cart around everywhere with me. Some pics here for those interested:

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=331896

with more here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/the57cartwrights/sets/72157626933477035/
 
Dudie said:
Hmmm, anyone wanna buy some DSLR kit? Just back from 2 weeks in Macedonia and all I took was my GF1, 14mm lens and a circular polariser. Rarely did I yearn for anything else. Brilliant travel kit which, coupled with a bumbag from a local market stall for 2 quid, was a pleasure to cart around everywhere with me. Some pics here for those interested:

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=331896

with more here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/the57cartwrights/sets/72157626933477035/
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That's how I feel too. My D80 gets used less and less.
 
I feel an urge to buy one of them there Voigtlander 25mm f0.95's.

Should I?

Reasons why...

It has a wide aperture and LENS MARKINGS.

Reasons not to...

It costs a lot.

Ref. Polar coordinates...correct! :) Best turn the picture upside down first. This is my fav done like that but it's not a MFT shot...

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t16-E-pc.jpg
 
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Dudie said:
Hmmm, anyone wanna buy some DSLR kit? Just back from 2 weeks in Macedonia and all I took was my GF1, 14mm lens and a circular polariser. Rarely did I yearn for anything else.
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Yup. I feel (almost) the same but for me there are too many slow "standard" zooms. I see that Olympus has just brought yet another one out! WHY? Haven't we got enough already...?...

If there was a good 14-45mm f2.8 I'd be a lot happier and then all I'd need is something like the Siggy 50mm f1.4 and 150mm f2.8 macro but smaller and specifically designed for MFT. Oh, and a top shutter speed of 1/8000 too please.
 
M4/3's USP is small size, and low weight. Fast constant aperture zooms are neither.

If you need them, get a DSLR.
 
woof woof said:
Yup. I feel (almost) the same but for me there are too many slow "standard" zooms. I see that Olympus has just brought yet another one out! WHY? Haven't we got enough already...?...

If there was a good 14-45mm f2.8 I'd be a lot happier and then all I'd need is something like the Siggy 50mm f1.4 and 150mm f2.8 macro but smaller and specifically designed for MFT. Oh, and a top shutter speed of 1/8000 too please.
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I was wondering why I still had a DSLR but after taking my D80 out today with my Sigma 105 macro lens I now know why I am keeping it. Horses for courses I think.
 
mid_gen said:
M4/3's USP is small size, and low weight. Fast constant aperture zooms are neither.

If you need them, get a DSLR.
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I have a DSLR thanks.

My gripe is that I was hoping that MFT could replace my DSLR system and although it can if slow kit zooms are all you use if you want to go beyond something like f3.5-5.6 at any length zoom you have to go to existing manual lenses with adapters or full frame, APS-C or FT lenses with a MFT fit grafted too it, or an adapter. Would a constant aperture zoom be neither small or light? It would be smaller and lighter than an APS-C lens and probably smaller and lighter than some of the existing longish MFT zooms and that would make it worth a very close look for me.

Generally I think, in my little innocent mind, that MFT is still missing a niche opportunity. There's obviously a market for well made and expensive niche lenses as Voigtlander can't make theirs fast enough (hehe, gettit?) and if someone would make a premium 14-42mm f2.8 instead of yet another and another and yet another f3.5-5.6 I'm sure it'd sell out.
 
hillwalkinggirl said:
I was wondering why I still had a DSLR but after taking my D80 out today with my Sigma 105 macro lens I now know why I am keeping it. Horses for courses I think.
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Yup. Same here. My MFT can't match the quality I get from my 20D + 50mm f1.4 and it can't match my 150mm f2.8 macro either, and I'm not interested in using either lens on MFT with an adapter :thumbsdown:

Come on Panasonic!!!!!! Make some decent lenses (er... with lens markings,) not yet more "kit" zooms!
 
woof woof said:
Come on Panasonic!!!!!! Make some decent lenses (er... with lens markings,) not yet more "kit" zooms!
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What's with the yet mor ekit zooms business? The last lens they released was a fast prime, Olympus' next lenses are fast primes (one with distance scale) as well as a redesigned kit zoom - of necessity since they've changed the focussing mechanism.

Olympus have been saying all along they are in no rush to develop a pro m4/3 camera, when they do there will no doubt be pro lenses to match the outstanding SWD 4/3 lenses.

Panasonic has never mentioned Pros, or pro features. In fact every Panasonic camera has been very consumer orientated with it's features, it just so happens that they've been good enough at the same time to attract serious photography use too, They are very much proper Bridge cameras.
 
I'd hardly call the lenses I'd like to see pro. Lots of amateurs have a standard f2.8 zoom and the seriously affected amateurs like us lot are likely to want a few fast primes and macros, but they're thin on the ground at least in from the outset MFT fit.

As to kit zooms, I think that there are too many of them. The latest Oly lens release that I've read about is the (to me) stupefyingly boring 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 IIR :thumbsdown: How many more kit zooms do I need, exactly none. The 12mm f2, 45mm f1.8 are sounding better but forgive me for getting so bored that I might not notice them amongst the latest avalanche of kit zoom announcements. I'm just peed off that there's nothing I actually want to buy at the moment in either the Canon or MFT worlds.
 
M4/3 is a compromise providing compact size and low weight, at the expense of sensor performance and IQ. Admittedly the downsides are improving, but they will always be behind larger sensor systems. The G1, even with the 20mm is not even in the same league as the X100.

If you want a fast constant zoom, get a 24-70 for your 20D. I think you'll be waiting a veeeery long time to get an equivalent on M4/3.

If you really really really want top-grade zoom glass on M4/3, get a GH2 and this http://www.amazon.com/Olympus-35-100mm-Zuiko-Lens-Cameras/dp/B000BKP1JE
 
I would be interested to see this huge leap in IQ that is always mentioned in mft and dslr comparisons for amateur photography.
Is your average photo hosted on flickr or such really far superior when shot on a dslr compared to a mft camera?

Genuine question, not trying to antagonistic.
 
I'd be interested in this too. I'm doing the City and Guild route at the minute and wondering about whether my G1 can get me the pics that I will need or whether I should be looking towards selling and buying a DSLR. Oh the worries!

And while we are at it, which is the better pancake lens - just incase I find the money behind the settee. ;)

Thanks xxx
 
Danny_Two said:
I would be interested to see this huge leap in IQ that is always mentioned in mft and dslr comparisons .....
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From my point of view, there is no huge leap. However, I predominantly use my cameras for landscapes, so rarely push them beyond ISO 100 and f8-f11.

If I compare my GF1 and 14mm or 14-45mm kit zoom to my EOS 50D and 17-40mm L lens, the 50D is clearly better when viewing at 100%, as you'd probably expect. However, while being clearly better, it is not hugely better. I recently looked back at some stuff I took with my EOS 450D and 18-55mm IS kit lens and the results I'm getting from the GF1 are superior - I put this down to the optics.

It's true that the dynamic range of the GF1 is a little less than modern SLRs but, as far as landscapes go there's rarely enough anyway so either carry on using ND grads or prepare to up the recovery slider a little more than usual - not great issue either way.

As I say, I rarely go beyond ISO 100 so am hardly pushing the technology. What I can say is since buying the GF1, nearly a year ago, I have barely touched the 50D. The little Panasonic is the one that now comes out with me on hill walks, which is the reason I took up photography in the first place.

As an aside, I've now submitted dozens of GF1 images to Alamy and not had any rejections. The quality obviously ain't that bad!!!
 
mid_gen said:
If you want a fast constant zoom, get a 24-70 for your 20D. I think you'll be waiting a veeeery long time to get an equivalent on M4/3.
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I wouldn't consider a 24-70mm for my 20D thanks. I already have a 17-50mm f2.8 and f1.4-1.8 primes. Long wait? It'll probably never happen so giving up seems more appropriate.

There seems to be a belief that big and heavy = best and that small and light = consumer grade crap, that's stupid marketing drivel IMVHO but unfortunately that view seems to be shared by many buyers which is a shame as it wasn't always quite common.
 
fidsey79 said:
I'd be interested in this too. I'm doing the City and Guild route at the minute and wondering about whether my G1 can get me the pics that I will need or whether I should be looking towards selling and buying a DSLR. Oh the worries!

And while we are at it, which is the better pancake lens - just incase I find the money behind the settee. ;)

Thanks xxx
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After this very post I'm giving up on my lens rants as I'll almost certainly never see the lenses I want.

I'm not ecstatic with the 14-42mm kit lens, the range, IS, full time manual focus and lack of CA are good but it's slow, lacks a distance scale and isn't impressively sharp. I was tempted to get the Cosina 25mm f0.95 but I don't like the look of the bokeh. Oh well, apart from lens winges other big winges against MFT seem to be noise and dynamic range...

At lower ISO's I think that MFT is perfectly fine. As the ISO goes beyond 1000 I think that it gets easier to say that bigger sensors give a less noisy image but I often think that too much is made of noise as in whole images it's often not that noticeable even at the highest ISO's and in prints it's probably even less noticeable.

A lack of DR could be a problem but I believe that the gap to APS-C is closing a little and any current issues could possibly be eased with care and filters.

As a still and moving image capture device MFT could be said to make more sense than the competition as by all accounts the best video to be found on a SLR style camera is on the GH2.

So I suppose the question of if MFT is good enough for up and coming you will depend upon what and how you shoot and what lenses and accessories you want / need, for example if you are going to shoot stills of sport I'd guess you'd be better off looking elsewhere but if you want to shoot reportage using old Leica lenses you'll be able to do so with a relatively cheap camera.

Maybe you could have a look at what they're showing over at Luminous Landscape? There are a lot of really good MFT images over there on the main page and in articles and features.
 
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Dudie said:
I recently looked back at some stuff I took with my EOS 450D and 18-55mm IS kit lens and the results I'm getting from the GF1 are superior - I put this down to the optics.
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...or the amount of processing for CA and lens correction these cameras reportedly do on the images?
 
If you shoot JPEG or process with the supplied software then yup, your shots will be nice and corrected but if you shoot RAW and process with a 3rd party package like CS5 as I do there's no built in auto correction. There's nothing unique here, Canon are as guilty as anyone of auto corrections, they have their lenses all programmed in to a menu and their RAW software is sneaky in that it applies noise reduction and lies about it.

I have two MFT lenses and although I've been slagging the Panny 14-42mm kit lens off to a degree one thing that it has going for it is a total lack of CA, and I haven't noticed any with the 20mm f1.7 either.
 
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What does everyone think of the new Olympus offerings?

12mm wide prime, and the 45 f1.8 look good.

Olympus said:
New Olympus® Micro Four Thirds® Lenses And Accesories Unleash Creative Power Of The PEN Family

High-Speed, Silent and Beautifully Designed, Two New Lenses Complement Latest Generation of PEN Cameras; New Flash and Grip Expand Creative Horizons.


New High-Speed and Near-Silent MICRO Four Thirds Lenses;
M. Zuiko Digital ED 12mm f2.0 lens: This high-speed, single-focal-length, wide-angle lens is ideal for shooting high-quality, dramatic landscapes and street scenes in low-light conditions. It has a beautiful full-metal body and a snap ring that enables photographers to pan focus with a distance indicator.

M. Zuiko Digital ED 45mm f1.8 lens: This single-focal-length portrait lens has a beautiful shallow depth of field which allows for background blurring effects that are not possible with the 14-42mm kit zoom lens. The MSC mechanism is great for tracking a moving child or pet, and provides a quick and silent focus mechanism for movies and still photography.

These two lenses join the new movie & still compatible (MSC) ED m14-42mm II R f3.5/5.6 zoom lens (28mm-84mm equivalent) which comes standard with the new PEN kit as well as the M. Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm II R f4.0-5.6 lens, an extremely light, wide-zoom range with a 35mm equivalent to 80-300mm lens that offers versatility and portability. Both have been designed to match the body design of the new generation of PEN cameras.

New Accessories for a Variety of Shooting Challenges
FL-300R Compact Flash: It functions as a bounce flash and wireless remote flash with enough power for snapshots. Photographers can use it in tandem with the camera’s built--in, pop-up flash, or as an alternative to it. It is designed in silver to match the new PEN lineup. Additionally, it has the ability to function wirelessly through a remote control function on the new E-P3, E-PL3 and E-PM1.

MCG-2 Exchangeable Camera Grip: Available exclusively for the PEN E-P3, this accessory easily and comfortably extends the camera’s grip area to fit any photographer’s hands perfectly. It is available in black and beige.

U.S. Pricing and Availability

M. Zuiko Digital ED 12mm f2.0 lens: Available Now
Estimated Street Price: $799.99

MCG-2 Exchangeable Camera Grip: Available Now
Estimated Street Price: $19.99

FL-300R Compact Flash: Available Now
Estimated Street Price: $169.99

M. Zuiko Digital ED 45mm f1.8 lens: Available in September 2011
Estimated Street Price: $399.99

ABOUT OLYMPUS IMAGING AMERICA INC.
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think my White balance was slightly off, as playing with the image in snapseed & moving the WB slider the sky comes back to blue with the foliage colours looking washed out.
Not done real processing on it, just ran it through an action in CS5 that swapped the channels round & that was it.

Might also look at getting an 850nm or 950nm filter. This one is only a 720nm.
 
zoidberg said:
think my White balance was slightly off, as playing with the image in snapseed & moving the WB slider the sky comes back to blue with the foliage colours looking washed out.
Not done real processing on it, just ran it through an action in CS5 that swapped the channels round & that was it.

Might also look at getting an 850nm or 950nm filter. This one is only a 720nm.
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It s all down to photoshop, I just moved the "Hue" slider.

I love infra red and I have a 40D fully converted with a 650NM filter take a look at mine
 
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That 12mm f2 sounds extremely interesting, bit too pricy for me though really.

Took my GF1, 20mm and 45-200mm on a 3 day stag trip to the south of France recently - hand luggage only so not much room for anything else. Did the job perfectly though.

Here's a few from the last day in Bordeaux (not posting any of the more messy ones!)


Bordeaux-4 by Grum Wynne, on Flickr


Bordeaux-2 by Grum Wynne, on Flickr



Bordeaux-9 by Grum Wynne, on Flickr


Bordeaux-12 by Grum Wynne, on Flickr


Bordeaux-13 by Grum Wynne, on Flickr


Bordeaux-10 by Grum Wynne, on Flickr
 
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Thanks Rich :)

I've not been using my GF1 that much recently but I actually really enjoyed it again. I still think if I was only allowed one of my cameras/lenses it would be the GF1 and 20mm.
 
chrism_scotland said:
Nice collection!
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There's a couple more been added with some cheap eBay purchases lately - a 50mm f/3.5 Macro (I've never been into macro and it was a low cost way in) and a 135mm f/2.5 which I reckon edges out the New FD 135mm f/2.8 but it's significantly larger and heavier.

took this this evening with the 135 f/2.8 on my way home from work. I wouldn't have had my 5D in my work bag, but the G2 fits the bill.


Up, up and away by cybertect, on Flickr

One other bonus that I can take a film body, a digital body and one set of lenses out with me and switch between them as the mood takes me.

@ grum: that first shot in particular ticks the boxes for me. :cool:
 
Musicman said:
There's a couple more been added with some cheap eBay purchases lately - a 50mm f/3.5 Macro (I've never been into macro and it was a low cost way in) and a 135mm f/2.5 which I reckon edges out the New FD 135mm f/2.8 but it's significantly larger and heavier.

took this this evening with the 135 f/2.8 on my way home from work. I wouldn't have had my 5D in my work bag, but the G2 fits the bill.


Up, up and away by cybertect, on Flickr

One other bonus that I can take a film body, a digital body and one set of lenses out with me and switch between them as the mood takes me.

@ grum: that first shot in particular ticks the boxes for me. :cool:
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Lovely shot!
I've just received my first manual lens, a Konica Hexanon 135mm f3.5 as a very cheap telephoto to play with, looking to add a fast 50mm and I know that the Canon FD lenses seem to be plentiful and cheap so I'm contemplating picking up a few.

It helps that I've been given my partners mum's Canon A1 with a 50mm f1.8 to sell and I'm really impressed with the lens having played about with that!
 
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