"Panasonic G series" Owners Thread

ukaskew said:
Just picked up my G3 (in Jessops, not a nice or helpful experience...especially annoying when London Camera Exchange were so helpful but sadly didn't have stock), geeeez it's tiny, in fact it's so tiny I really can't see any point in keeping my E-PL2, it's actually smaller aside from the EVF bulge.

EVF is superb though, so big and bright, I wasn't expecting much but it's really nice. AF is also much much quicker than my E-PL2.

Probably my first camera where a read of the manual is a requirement, I've never seen so many settings that are not immediately obvious what they even do (Nikon have this nailed with their '?' system in the menu)
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Picked mine up from Jessops in Hull at dinnertime- about to unpack it all now :)
 
My G3 arrived today as well. Very pleased with it (and the spare battery I also ordered). Turned off a lot of the extra features such as touch shutter and stuff. The EVF is really useful this afternoon/evening as well as the sun is out here.

Great tool and really grows on you quickly. I was worried all day that I'd want to keep the GF1 as well, but now I've had a couple of hours with the G3 I think it'll be time to say goodbye to the GF1. I'm even starting to enjoy the touch screen interface.

The G3 is faster to focus even with the 20mm which is known to be pretty slow. I'd love to get hold of the 14mm pancake again and give that a try.
 
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Cheers guys, that just what I needed - you two raving about how fab the G3 is!!! LOL!!! I had convinced myself that all I needed this morning was actually a 20mm to go on the G1 but now....! Certainly not helped either by the G2 being on Amazon for £365 with £30 voucher and lightroom. Just taken some not so low light kitchen pics with G1 sooo unimpressed. Both taken with Auto focus!

6069975625_cd22984666_z.jpg

on aperture priority

6069972323_3318805cf8_z.jpg

using iA

Going for a curry and a few beers, hopefully will persuade Rich!!!
 
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How have Panasonic managed to cram so much into it !! This will take some studying :)
 
Only thing I would say about the G3, (and this is probably me either having a bad day or still getting used to it), is is does seem to show up the 14-42 kit lens a bit.

I seemed to get slightly more pleasing shots with the GF1 and 14-42, than the G3 with 14-42. Put the 20mm on and the G3 knocks spots off the GF1.

Now if only I had the cash for the 7-14 or 45mm Panasonic Leica!!! It's never ending.
 
Lets not overlook the quality of the GF1 and G1, they haven't stopped being capable of producing quality images because the G3 has come along:

G1
IOM22.jpg


GF1
P1040173.jpg
 
Glenn Surtees said:
Lets not overlook the quality of the GF1 and G1, they haven't stopped being capable of producing quality images because the G3 has come along:
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I agree.

I was all set to get the G3, especially with the lightroom deal, but I think I'm going to hold on to my GF1 for a while yet - it's just so much more "hands-on" - that is, it handles brilliantly. And in 95% of images is going to be as good as the G3. And it fits easily in an inside jacket pocket (with the 14/20mm obviously)

When panasonic sort out the G3 niggles on the G4 I may move across - unless of course the Fuji X200 is out by then!:)
 
sgott said:
How have Panasonic managed to cram so much into it !! This will take some studying :)
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And no paper manual (at least not one that explains more than attaching the neck strap or charging the battery), currently going through a convoluted process to put the supplied PDF onto my iPad so I can actually find out what half the settings are (such as how to turn on AFC, which seems to be disabled in my list of focus mode options)
 
ukaskew said:
And no paper manual (at least not one that explains more than attaching the neck strap or charging the battery), currently going through a convoluted process to put the supplied PDF onto my iPad so I can actually find out what half the settings are (such as how to turn on AFC, which seems to be disabled in my list of focus mode options)
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We must be leading double life's that's exactly what I've done half hr ago lol. I seem to be having issues getting a sharply focused image when using the touch screen to set focus and take pictures indoors? More reading to do I think.
 
sgott said:
We must be leading double live's that's exactly what I've done half hr ago lol. I seem to be having issues getting a sharply focused image when using the touch screen to set focus and take pictures indoors? More reading to do I think.
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(Also not good at submitting replies via the iPad !)
 
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Glenn Surtees said:
Lets not overlook the quality of the GF1 and G1, they haven't stopped being capable of producing quality images because the G3 has come along:

GF1
P1040173.jpg
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Singapore River!
 
I've laid off the 'G' thread for a while . . . things ain't changed much, you still think a new super 'G.xyz' will make a you better photographer . . . the phrases 'chasing shadows', and, 'keep throwing money at the problem' comes to mind :shrug: . . . !!!

Take my hat of to you Glenn, grate pictures . . . :thumbs:

CJS
 
GF1 +Pancake lens




G1 + 100mm-300mm Lens




G1 + 100mm-300mm lens


G1 + 100mm-300mm



I was wondering whether this was the guy that used to put a lot of pics up from Micro Lite,
 
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CJS said:
I've laid off the 'G' thread for a while . . . things ain't changed much, you still think a new super 'G.xyz' will make a you better photographer . . . the phrases 'chasing shadows', and, 'keep throwing money at the problem' comes to mind :shrug: . . . !!!

Take my hat of to you Glenn, grate pictures . . . :thumbs:

CJS
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Cheers CJS! You got my drift exactly :D
 
Can anyone assist please in guiding me to reducing photo file sizes to upload onto here? I've taken a few random sample shots with the G3 but file sizes are too big to upload?

Thanks :)
 
Musicman said:
Similar story here. I'm having too much fun with my FD glass on my G2.

...


If Olympus turn out an m4/3 body with a good controls, built in EVF and IS, I'll be seriously tempted, but I could say the same about Sony and their NEX system.
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Well, hello NEX-7 :whistling:
 
If the rumours are correct we're about to get yet another slow kit zoom. This one is from Panasonic and it's a sort of pancake thing with power zoom. I suppose that it'll be useful for anyone looking for a very compact zoom but yet again it's a slow lens and how many of those do we need? Gawd knows how many slow kit zooms there are now... and I can't see zooming in and out with a button being anything other than irritating, gotta try it first though I suppose but at the mo I'm 99.9% disappointed with this as yet again it's yet another slow kit zoom on top of all the other slow kit zooms, there seems to be a new one every week...

Here it is, in all its tediousness...

http://www.43rumors.com/category/rumor/
 
The system does seem to be served in the 14-20mm range more than any I've ever known. Numerous primes and more short slow zooms than I can count.

I've no real complaints though, they are churning out lens at an impressive rate, once the 45mm 1.8 arrives my only real wish would be a longer fast-ish lens, I loved my Sigma 50-150 2.8 on my D90, something remotely similar would be great.
 
woof woof said:
If the rumours are correct we're about to get yet another slow kit zoom. This one is from Panasonic and it's a sort of pancake thing with power zoom. I suppose that it'll be useful for anyone looking for a very compact zoom but yet again it's a slow lens and how many of those do we need? Gawd knows how many slow kit zooms there are now... and I can't see zooming in and out with a button being anything other than irritating, gotta try it first though I suppose but at the mo I'm 99.9% disappointed with this as yet again it's yet another slow kit zoom on top of all the other slow kit zooms, there seems to be a new one every week...

Here it is, in all its tediousness...

http://www.43rumors.com/category/rumor/
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All the while people are gullible enough, they will keep dishing it out . . . if only hobbyists would get behind the camera and learn to use it properly . . . :shrug: . . . I'm still working on that bit :naughty:

CJS
 
fidsey79 said:
How are you finding the G2?? How does it compare to the g1?
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Sorry Sarah for not replying before but been away for a week with only my compact camera. (400 mile journey by train and the dreaded tube, so just reunited with my lovely new camera).

So far I have been really pleased with it and although I wasn't too keen at first of the touch screen I am finding it really easy to use.
The photos I have taken so far appear to me to be less noisy and sharper than those with my G1. I haven't had chance to try any proper videos yet, just people walking up the street, but if they are as good as the ones from my Panasonic TZ10 I will be really pleased.

I'm hoping to get out in the next few days and give it a really try, but so far I am feeling it was worth the upgrade.
 
ukaskew said:
The system does seem to be served in the 14-20mm range more than any I've ever known. Numerous primes and more short slow zooms than I can count.
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I can see the point of this new zoom. It's compact and will be a good size on the smaller GF bodies and no doubt people coming from the point and shoot end wont mind the power zoom, but I doubt it's for me.

With all these kit zooms you'd think they'd sneak a 14-42mm f2.8 out sometime. Maybe they did but no one noticed it amongst the avalanche of slow kit zooms.

I've given up all hope of Panasonic bringing out a lens I'd be happy to buy and live with, zoom or prime.
 
woof woof said:
I can see the point of this new zoom. It's compact and will be a good size on the smaller GF bodies and no doubt people coming from the point and shoot end wont mind the power zoom, but I doubt it's for me.

With all these kit zooms you'd think they'd sneak a 14-42mm f2.8 out sometime. Maybe they did but no one noticed it amongst the avalanche of slow kit zooms.

I've given up all hope of Panasonic bringing out a lens I'd be happy to buy and live with, zoom or prime.
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I thought the 20mm 1.7 was supposed to be a very good lens, looking to buy one.
Do you not agree the 20mm is a good lens?
Thanks
 
nog said:
I thought the 20mm 1.7 was supposed to be a very good lens, looking to buy one.
Do you not agree the 20mm is a good lens?
Thanks
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In my humble opinon it is brilliant
 
nog said:
I thought the 20mm 1.7 was supposed to be a very good lens, looking to buy one.
Do you not agree the 20mm is a good lens?
Thanks
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Yes, I have one and I think it's a good lens but I'm not 100% happy with it... manual focus is a pain and there are no lens markings and these things combine to make zone focusing, manual focusing and focusing in very low light a right PITA if not impossible.

I can't see Panasonic bringing out any lenses with markings which means that you're stuck with AF.
 
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TODAY: Panasonic has announced the Lumix G X Vario PZ 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 OIS collapsible power-zoom lens.Its on dp now
the only reason I would consider it would be for the Power O.I.S.
 
You know for some weird reason I'm finding it a lot harder to make a decent picture on my new g3. Playing with the gf1 again today and I seem to mainly get the shot I'm wanting. But same lens on the g3 and I mainly get a crap shot. I seem to miss the focus a lot more on the g3 even though I'm using spot focus and recomposing as I always did on the old body. When I do nail it with the g3 though the results 'pop' a lot more than the gf1.

I'm hoping this is just a learning curve I need to go through.

Also the battery isn't as bad as I was expecting, yes it's not as good as the gf1, but I think I could have gotten away with not getting the extra battery.

I might post a couple of examples later, felling a bit paranoid at the moment though!

So here's where I missed focus. He wasn't moving toward or away from me. I set spot focus, focused on the eyes and recomposed. Seems the stem of the bike/front wheel is now sharp and eyes not.


Untitled by steelfish, on Flickr

And another one, I must admit I do make the most terrible pictures, but on my GF1 I'd hardly ever miss focus. Seems to be happening a lot on the G3 and I'm not sure why.


Intense concentration by steelfish, on Flickr
 
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fidsey79 said:
Nope, you are absolutely right. The G1 and the GF1 create beautiful quality pictures. I did enjoy my brief play with the G3 and was very impressed with the sharpness of image.
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Did you use the G3 in brighter conditions?

The problem you have with the two low light shots you posted earlier was the slow shutter speed resulting in camera shake/motion blur. If you use the G3 in the same conditions and use the same settings you'll still be fighting against shake/blur.

Spending more time on technique will reap more benefits than spending money on the latest camera.

I still shoot plenty with my GF1 and it serves me well. It helps greatly that I appreciate what it's weaknesses are and work to its strengths. The main issue for me is the minimum shutter speed of 1/30s it tries to maintain with the 20mm pancake, but that doesn't mean it's unworkable.
 
I usually use Aperture but when faced with the 1/30 thing I switch to Shutter or Manual.
 
I think it could be motion blur,I suggest you try it on a fixed object or like woof said shoot shutter/manual
 
Hmm that first one of mine is a 1/4000 exposure, can you really get motion blur at that speed? Generally when handheld I'll usually up the iso until I get at least 1/60 or 1/100 for a person. Thats why I got the the g3 as it's less noisy at high iso.
 
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I did not realise that was your exposure sorry ! I will try a similar pic tomorrow and let you know
 
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