"Panasonic G series" Owners Thread

When i hold my G2 up to my eye i can hear an electric whirring noise coming from the camera. Is this normal guys? I dont have to touch anything on the camera to get this noise. Just put it on and hold it up to eye or the ear and it makes this noise. Normal?
 
Is it an IS lens? Could be the IS working.

I had a free morning so got up all excited at the thought of going for a walk with my camera but it was pouring down again :'(

So instead I shot these artificial flowers...

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I actually like this shot but it would be nice if it'd stop raining.
 
samems said:
When i hold my G2 up to my eye i can hear an electric whirring noise coming from the camera. Is this normal guys? I dont have to touch anything on the camera to get this noise. Just put it on and hold it up to eye or the ear and it makes this noise. Normal?
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Is it not the lens IS
 
Any of the G-series lot shot with an X100. I've had the GX1 all of 5 minutes and I'm getting tempted to stray.

I love the images the camera produces. I have severe reservations about it in bright sunlight as I couldn't see a bloody thing on the screen. In addition I really miss holding a camera to my eye, the screen doesn't cut it for me.

I know the EVF is available but it's expensive and spoils the shape and size of the GX1.

I'm just wondering about the X100 to replace my GX1, 14mm and 20mm.

Anyone with experience of both?
 
sound_system said:
Any of the G-series lot shot with an X100. I've had the GX1 all of 5 minutes and I'm getting tempted to stray.

I love the images the camera produces. I have severe reservations about it in bright sunlight as I couldn't see a bloody thing on the screen. In addition I really miss holding a camera to my eye, the screen doesn't cut it for me.

I know the EVF is available but it's expensive and spoils the shape and size of the GX1.

I'm just wondering about the X100 to replace my GX1, 14mm and 20mm.

Anyone with experience of both?
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I haven't tried them, no stock locally, but I too am tempted by the X100 or more possibly by an X Pro 1 with 35mm f1.4 as I'm not too keen on the lens on the X100. There is a patent on the rumour site which seems to show a Panny GF body with a built in VF and in body IS. I'd buy that in a flash even if there was no IQ or DR improvement over my G1 but my patience with Panny is running out. Those Fuji's are a bit bigger though, size comparison here...

http://camerasize.com/compare/

Incidentally, I personally had no problem with my GF1 even in direct sunlight, but shooting with the screen just isn't for me.
 
Mandoo said:
£30-35 seems to be the going rate for genuine Panasonic ones at the moment, I think.
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seems i did ok...time will tell...i guess the guarantee is 1 year
although my preppy legal daughter tells me that in the eu all electrical items must be guaranteed for 2 years

:|
 
mrtoad said:
seems i did ok...time will tell...i guess the guarantee is 1 year
although my preppy legal daughter tells me that in the eu all electrical items must be guaranteed for 2 years

:|
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In mainland EU the guarantees must be 2 years, but the UK opted out of it as our own Sale of Goods Act is superior.
Of course the issue with SoGA is that although it covers for 6 years, the burden of proof can make claims difficult.

To be honest though I wouldn't be worried. I've got a Panasonic FZ7 that I got in 2006 and its still on its original battery. It still holds almost as good a charge as it did when new, its amazing really.
 
Mandoo said:
In mainland EU the guarantees must be 2 years, but the UK opted out of it as our own Sale of Goods Act is superior.
Of course the issue with SoGA is that although it covers for 6 years, the burden of proof can make claims difficult.

To be honest though I wouldn't be worried. I've got a Panasonic FZ7 that I got in 2006 and its still on its original battery. It still holds almost as good a charge as it did when new, its amazing really.
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cheers...i can pass that onto my daughter...she will still be bitchy with manufacturers if something goes wrong 1-2 year period...in fact she got a replacement recently with that gambit
geof
 
Not a great piece but worth reading if you're bored...

"A Critique of Contemporary Camera Design"

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/camera_design.shtml

All he seems to care about is RF form cameras. I like those too but at least I accept that they're not for everyone and represent a very limited design form. He seems to think that MFT is doomed whilst also critisising the size of Nex lenses, hmmm, I was even less impressed with this...

"Canon has even put an APS-C sensor in a G series Powershot camera."

Maybe I'm just in a bad mood today :D
 
woof woof said:
Not a great piece but worth reading if you're bored...

"A Critique of Contemporary Camera Design"

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/camera_design.shtml

All he seems to care about is RF form cameras. I like those too but at least I accept that they're not for everyone and represent a very limited design form. He seems to think that MFT is doomed whilst also critisising the size of Nex lenses, hmmm, I was even less impressed with this...

"Canon has even put an APS-C sensor in a G series Powershot camera."

Maybe I'm just in a bad mood today :D
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I've not read the whole thing yet and while I certainly don't think MFT is doomed I do wonder how long it can go on without any changes to the sensor size.

We already see Sony with the NEX, Samsung with the NX and the admittedly very pricey Fuji X series with the APS-C sensors how far can the smaller MFT sensor be developed?
 
chrism_scotland said:
I've not read the whole thing yet and while I certainly don't think MFT is doomed I do wonder how long it can go on without any changes to the sensor size.

We already see Sony with the NEX, Samsung with the NX and the admittedly very pricey Fuji X series with the APS-C sensors how far can the smaller MFT sensor be developed?
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I don't think it's as simple as changing the sensor size, bigger sensor equals bigger lenses (look at how stupid the NEX bodies look with their big zoom lenses).

Sensor development will continue in the same way for all sizes, so any advance in APS-C design will also apply to MFT.
 
The reason I have MFT is because the lenses are small and it is an easy walkabout camera. You don't seem to be able to do the same with APS-C.
 
arad85 said:
The reason I have MFT is because the lenses are small and it is an easy walkabout camera. You don't seem to be able to do the same with APS-C.
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Same here, my MFT kit has quickly become my carry kit of choice, primarily because it is small and light (my 3 lens kit is lighter and smaller than an APS-C body and kit lens).
 
Dave1 said:
I don't think it's as simple as changing the sensor size, bigger sensor equals bigger lenses (look at how stupid the NEX bodies look with their big zoom lenses).

Sensor development will continue in the same way for all sizes, so any advance in APS-C design will also apply to MFT.
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My feelings summed up... If the lenses are going to be that size, what difference does the body size make? I'd take an entry level DSLR any day :thumbs:
 
In the past we had small and small-ish lenses and indeed we still have them but of course the chances are that they'll be few and far between pancake lenses or they'll lack AF and/or IS.

I hope that one day in the not too distant future when any possible technical obstacles to small lenses can be overcome with whatever mix of hardware and software is necessary we'll have compact "full frame" cameras with the compact lenses but even then there could be a place for MFT as you get the advantages of deeper DoF for the same FoV at the same shutter speed. That is an advantage if shooting in available light and trying to get decent DoF.
 
Strictly speaking isn't 4/3 an aspect ratio rather than an actual size? Although if it wasn't quite so micro no doubt it wouldn't be quite as compact and neither would the lenses.
 
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woof woof said:
Strictly speaking isn't 4/3 an aspect ratio rather than an actual size? Although if it wasn't quite so micro no doubt it wouldn't be quite as compact and neither would the lenses.
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That was my thinking too, but I've just realised that confuses me.

As long as I know it's half a 35mm sensor my brain will do the appropriate calculations tho :-)
 
Not everything has to be black and white :)

g3.jpg


Excuse the iPhone image

So far, so good. I love it, just a pity the buying experience through tescodirect wasn't as good.

And there is a very good reason why I did't buy a blue one ;)
 
I've been looking into the firmware for the G2 today and it seems that the only update that's been released is to do with the 3D filming. As I know I won't be using that I'm going to stick with the original firmware just in case the update also stops the use of 3rd party batteries.

I sold my G1 this weekend as I need the money more than two bodies at the moment. I got £95 for it which I'm happy with. Its what I paid for it in the first place anyway and £5 more than I paid for the G2 body. :)
 
2blue4u said:
And there is a very good reason why I did't buy a blue one ;)
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Apart from the tripod head, I'm going to assume it's because you prefer the pink one ;)
 
To anyone interested (looks a good deal to me) Panny GF2 + 14mm + 14-42 £249 on currys website
 
joelk2 said:
To anyone interested (looks a good deal to me) Panny GF2 + 14mm + 14-42 £249 on currys website
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Don't check it out if you want it in black because it is in silver ;)
 
joelk2 said:
To anyone interested (looks a good deal to me) Panny GF2 + 14mm + 14-42 £249 on currys website
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Gold star to anyone who can find one in stock. This does seem to happen when Currys runs out of stock, they reduce the price on the website to make them look well-priced. If someone buys one at that price I will soften my cynicism!
 
martsharm said:
Gold star to anyone who can find one in stock. This does seem to happen when Currys runs out of stock, they reduce the price on the website to make them look well-priced. If someone buys one at that price I will soften my cynicism!
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None in Newcastle :lol:
 
None in Gloucester or Cheltenham either. Boo. Crap deal really then.
 
None in Essex so its a really limited deal. I definitely would have grabbed one for that price if anywhere actually had stock near me.
 
ANYONE THERE

my question is about the built in flash
from the menu i can see i can set it at forced or S which suggests the shutter range as being 1-1/4000
which is what i want
i want to do a shot at speeds higher than the 1/30 1/60 1/160 synch speeds so i can do a shot over these speeds and add fill flash...say for just highlighting eyes on low power flash
i dont seem to be able when set at S to get the camera to stay on say 1/250 when i open the flash unit up...the speed drops to the synch speed and so will over expose my shot..
i know i can set on manual the synch speed with a corresponding aperture...but on a bright day and not requiring dof....well what do i do
i use iso 100 all the time so i dont have that as a way out
any advice would be useful
cheers
geof
 
mrtoad said:
ANYONE THERE

my question is about the built in flash
from the menu i can see i can set it at forced or S which suggests the shutter range as being 1-1/4000
which is what i want
i want to do a shot at speeds higher than the 1/30 1/60 1/160 synch speeds so i can do a shot over these speeds and add fill flash...say for just highlighting eyes on low power flash
i dont seem to be able when set at S to get the camera to stay on say 1/250 when i open the flash unit up...the speed drops to the synch speed and so will over expose my shot..
i know i can set on manual the synch speed with a corresponding aperture...but on a bright day and not requiring dof....well what do i do
i use iso 100 all the time so i dont have that as a way out
any advice would be useful
cheers
geof
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You can't use the flash above maximum flash sync speed, so 1/160 is the highest.
 
Dave1 said:
You can't use the flash above maximum flash sync speed, so 1/160 is the highest.
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the manual seems to suggest this...but knowing the restrictions of the focal plane shutter and synchronisation i was asking just to get that confirmation from you
thanks Dave
cheers
geof
 
mrtoad said:
the manual seems to suggest this...but knowing the restrictions of the focal plane shutter and synchronisation i was asking just to get that confirmation from you
thanks Dave
cheers
geof
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I can only surmise it is referring to external High speed flash units for the Panasonic. These would then allow higher shutter speeds.

Quick check, The flashes that support FP-TTL mode are:
Olympus FL-36, FL-36R, FL-50, and FL-50R.
Panasonic DMW FL360 and DMW FL500.
Metz 48 AF-1, 50 AF-1, 58 AF-1, and 58 AF-2.
 
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Dave1 said:
I can only surmise it is referring to external High speed flash units for the Panasonic. These would then allow higher shutter speeds.

Quick check, The flashes that support FP-TTL mode are:
Olympus FL-36, FL-36R, FL-50, and FL-50R.
Panasonic DMW FL360 and DMW FL500.
Metz 48 AF-1, 50 AF-1, 58 AF-1, and 58 AF-2.
Click to expand...

quite..perhaps i need to look into an external strobe light...prefer my on board one though
cheers
geof
 
Guys, need some advice.

I have now sold my G2 and now left with the G3.

I am toying with either getting rid of the G3 and buying a Canon 40D or keeping the G3 and getting a 14mm for it.

I was finding it hard getting on with the Electronic viewfinder but really not sure what to do? 2 different cameras i know. I like the G3 because of its small size. I like the 40D because of the robustness of it and the OVF.

Not sure what to do?

I photograph lots of different things but mainly the kids and holiday stuff. Lots of indoor stuff too.

Any pointers or what would you do given the choice: 40D or G3? (Prob biased answer in this thread. lol)
 
Hi,

I've got both a 40D with associated lenses and a GF1 with a selection of lenses (including the 14mm) so am probably in a good place to comment although the G3 obviously has a better sensor than my GF1 and an EVF.

Obviously, the first consideration is size/weight. The 40D is considerably larger and heavier than a G3/14mm combo so you need to actually want to carry it with you! This will vary according to whatever lens you use on the 40D but an equivalent wide prime won't add much weight to the body but the combo will be more obtrusive than M4/3rds.

With regards to image quality, in good light I find that I can get similar output from both my GF1 and 40D (I use my GF1 as a 3rd video/stills shooter at weddings alongside 2 40Ds). However, in lower light the 40D ISO noide is less obvious than the GF1 but both are recoverable at 1600 in LR4. From reviews I've seen I'd guess that the G3 is as good or better than the 40D in low light.

You say that you want to shoot family/kids. I find the 14mm, although much faster to focus than the 20mm, to be too wide for this so can cause distortion if you're too close for head shots and makes it difficult to pick out specific detail in wider shots (if that makes sense). However, for video it is a good lens due to the silent and constant AF (neither of which the 20mm/1.7 does) but I find myself using either the 14-45 or CCTV lens for videos.

I'm currently in 2 minds as to selling up my M4/3rds kit and move to an NEX-5 for the larger sensor and 1080P video as the majority of work I do with the GF1 is with manual lenses (25mm/1.4 CCTV, 50mm/1.4 OM, 28mm/2.8 OM) and have actually already listed my 14mm on the classified here :)

I hope this helps, if you need anything else let me know.

Cheers
Steve
 
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