Panasonic GF1 Essentials

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sarajoy

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Sara
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I'm really sorry if this is old hat now - but my searches (I've tried!) have come up with HUGE threads which I can't seem to pull the useful bits out of...

I got myself a GF1 just as they were becoming rare as rocking-horse proverbial (not the bodies, but the kits with the 20mm pancake), a couple of months ago.



So, if you own a GF1, I'd love to know what you got as accessories, what worked, what was rubbish, or whether I should just stop and be happy with the 20mm (is it gorgeous, after all)!

Thanks :)



What I already have/am getting/am considering:
I am finding occasionally I want a wider angle - so I've just ordered a 0.45x adaptor.
Sometimes I want a shallower DoF but for the moment it seems all I can do is get up closer with the 20mm as alternatives are scarce (would love a longer fast prime but seems legacy is my only option?).
I am photographing swing dancers in not-very-bright rooms so it looks like an external flash is next on my list - Nissin di466?
I have a bunch of filters from my last camera including CPL, close-up (X4), and a soft grad filter (cokin A-series). I'd love a harder grad filter but seems Cokin A is rather hard to find too...
I fancied zoom so bought the other kit lens (14-42mm, 3.5-5.6) however it's boring and I'm preferring to crop out the middle of pictures taken with 20mm!
 
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I've had mine + 20mm for about 15 months and haven't bought a great deal for it. I've still got just the one lens but I'm tending towards thinking of getting the 14mm prime.

I did get an adapter to take my Olympus 35 mm lenses - 50mm and 28mm but in all honesty since trying it after first buying it I haven't touched it. It did have the problem of not focusing correctly when the lenses were set to infinity, thus requiring manually focusing via the screen which was a nuisance. I fixed this with a bit of mathematical and engineering experimentation but I still haven't used it. Apparently it's a common problem with these types of cheap adapters that require manual focusing.

I also got a radio controlled remote shutter. Again I haven't used it but it was cheap.

One useful thing that I did get was a half-case that stays permanently attached, for protection. I recently lost the original one I bought a year ago and a replacement was hard to find. I eventually found [ebay] a full case that takes the body + tele lens. The top part of the case is removeable [press studs hold it on], so I just use the lower part. In some ways it's better than the one I lost.

I also got a GGS glass screen protector. The protector cracked early on in its life due to some unknown accident but I left it on as it wasn't really a problem Recently it acquired several more cracks, mainly due to the camera being sat on the passenger seat with other cameras and stuff whilst on a 3 week roadtrip, so I've got a couple of replacements yet to be applied. I don't know if later GGS protectors are more crack resistant, but anyway I'll be more careful in future. They're not that expensive anyway, and last much longer than the thin film ones which start to peel off after just a couple of weeks.

Finding a decent compact case will take some time and I've tried 3 or 4 mostly unknown makes, and one wasn't even a camera case. Currently using a small LowePro one - specific model unknown as it's not on the case itself [maybe a 140?]. It has room for a spare battery +.

Spare battery. Cheap one off ebay. Had it for almost as long as the camera and works well. Get one as there isn't much life left in the battery once the indicator starts to drop. But I've never drained a fully charged battery inside a day, and I've taken maybe 300 or more photos in a day.

16gb card - hold loads of pictures and even though I carry a spare I've never needed it.

A decent wrist strap [or neck strap if that's your choice].

49mm lens protection filter [stand by to read comments from retentive people who will insist that you shouldn't put a filter on to protect the lens then tell them where to shove their advice].

And that is that!
 
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Great - exactly the sort of actual experience I wanted to hear, thank you! :)

I've just ordered a cheap slave flash (NEEWER branding), so it'll be interesting to see how that goes - looks cheap but might do the job!

I don't have a screen protector and already have scratched it. Ah well. One of the reasons I got such a camera was that it fits into my handbag - so the occasional scratch and UV lens-protector it is!
 
I have a couple of wide adapters for mine (currently for sale here... :)) but I found that I wasn't using them and that the "pureness" of the 20mm f1.7 appealed to me :)

A really nice small bag would be nice.
 
1. Gordy's strap - coool as....
2. 46mm protector for my 20mm
3. Spare battery
4. GGS protector
5. SGP skinguard
6. Op/Tech D-compact pouch (edit: perfect fit)

Of course, having just bought all this stuff I'm already thinking of moving the camera on due to the complete lack of usability outside in bright light. That G3 is tempting me......:)

Is it me or does the GGS protector have a really adverse effect on screen visibility? ie completely reflective
 
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Things I've bought.....

Canon FD adapter
Canon 50m f/1.4
Nikon F adapter

Panasonic Electronic Viewfinder
Panasonic Leather case

Black Rapid SnapR bag

Screen protector :naughty:

The Canon lens and adapter went on their way as I wasn't really using them, as did the LVF (viewfinder) as I never really got on with it, even though I don't like using the rear screen.

The leather case is nice, although I don't really use it any more now that I have the SnapR, which is probably my favourite accessory for the GF-1.
 
davek said:
Of course, having just bought all this stuff I'm already thinking of moving the camera on due to the complete lack of usability outside in bright light.
Click to expand...

I've read this complaint several times on the net and I never understand it as I've never had a problem with sunshine and have even tried shooting with strong sunshine shining directly onto my GF1's screen and not had a problem, same with my LX5.
 
Likewise. 15 months and many thousands of pictures later and I've never had a problem using the screen in bright light.
 
14mm f2.5 prime is nice. I have the Olympus 17mm f/2.8 which is again really nice and gives 34mm equiv focal length which is perfect for me.
 
Best accessory for me was a flashgun. Getting some great results with it, dare I say it even better than my d90 and flash.
 
I'm awaiting a cheapo flashgun, might be fun, might be awful!

Had some fun with the 0.45x adaptor yesterday - it's nearly a shame that it goes really soft around the edges when the aperture is wide open - but I quite like the effect anyway :)

Not the most perfect photo but possibly the most charming one:

P1020265 by sarawallen, on Flickr
 
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Question?

those of you who claim to have no problem using the screen in bright light - are you using a screen protector or going naked? If the former, which one? As I said, my GGS makes the screen unseeable.
I'd take mine off to compare the difference but I'm not sure you can stick it back on again.

Thanks!
 
No, nothing on the screen.

I had thought that I wasn't having problems because I live ooop north where the light is weaker than it is darn sarf but I didn't have any problems on the beach in Belgium a few weeks ago either.
 
MisterE said:
49mm lens protection filter [stand by to read comments from retentive people who will insist that you shouldn't put a filter on to ptotect the lens then tell them where to shove their advice].
Click to expand...

It's called personal choice. Some people like it, some people don't. Some people like to ram their assumed correct opinion down everyones throat. Like you just have. :nono:

You are just as bad as the 'retentive people' you refer to.
 
The best thing I bought for my GF1 was a lowepro 1n lens case.

This case take the GF1 and the 20mm lens perfectly and allows me to chuck it in any bag I happen to be carrying. I has an excellent belt loop that will fit to a belt (obviously) but also sits nicely on the shoulder or waist straps of a rucksack.

I have recently started building up a collection of Cokin P filters to go with my 14-45mm lens - so the next thing to buy is a small ballhead and a remote release.
 
I need a case for my GF1 and 20mm pancake.

I like the look of the SnapR and also the Op/Tech D-compact pouch.

I see from a couple of entries some of you have these.

Can you give me a bit more insight to what they are like please?
 
I went for the electronic viewfinder. Found it better for bright sunny conditions, plus you can adjust it so that it works at right angles, great for low angle shots. Plus the camera is a lot lighter than my Normal FF canons
 
TheTyke said:
I need a case for my GF1 and 20mm pancake.

I like the look of the SnapR and also the Op/Tech D-compact pouch.

I see from a couple of entries some of you have these.

Can you give me a bit more insight to what they are like please?
Click to expand...

Op/Tech D-compact pouch is ideal for the GF1 and 14/20mm lens - perfect fit, good protection, easy to get camera in and out - I use it with a wrist strap. Just chuck it in a bag and go!
 
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