"Panasonic G series" Owners Thread

My Lightroom3 arrived this morning, it comes 2nd Class Signed for post.

Now I have to learn how to use it !!

Should be fun
 
Yay, mine finally arrived yesterday as well! Well I have to go to the post office because I wasn't home...
 
Hello all,

I've read through most of this thread as I'm considering switching from a DSLR setup to M43.

It seems the GF1 is the camera of choice but it seems very expensive on the second hand market. There doesn't seem to be too much love for the GF2 or GF3 which can both be had for approx £400 with the 14mm and 14-42mm lenses. Am I missing something or is it entirely down to ergonomics? Can I expect the same image quality out of each camera?

The only other problem is I would prefer the 20mm to the 14mm but there doesn't seem to be a kit for it.

Any suggestions?
 
If you are buying a used GF1 they generally come with a 20mm lens as it was the best combo.but expect to pay £300 plus for the kit.
 
sound_system said:
Hello all,

I've read through most of this thread as I'm considering switching from a DSLR setup to M43.

It seems the GF1 is the camera of choice but it seems very expensive on the second hand market. There doesn't seem to be too much love for the GF2 or GF3 which can both be had for approx £400 with the 14mm and 14-42mm lenses. Am I missing something or is it entirely down to ergonomics? Can I expect the same image quality out of each camera?

The only other problem is I would prefer the 20mm to the 14mm but there doesn't seem to be a kit for it.

Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

I came to my GF2 for slightly different reasons, I didn't want to replace my DLSR setup, but found even with my D40 it was getting too cumbersome to carry around the kit I wanted. I bought an Olly PEN EP1 when they came out, loved the image quality but hated the handling, so sold it and decided to wait until Nikon brought out their CSC's. When the V1 and J1 came out I balked at the price, but also the smaller sensor, so decided to give the GF2 a go, as it was going for a good price and seemed to get decent reviews. Haven't looked back!

Bought it with the 14mm lens (love it!) and then bought a white-boxed 14-42, a very small Metz flash, and the whole lot takes up very little space in my (non-camera) rucksack for those times when I wish I had a decent camera with me, liberating me from my DSLR's when I'm not out shooting specifically :) The total cost was around £430, less than the price of my beloved 16-85VR Nikkor, although this will go up when I inevitably buy a 45-200!

With regards image quality, I'm happy to be corrected but I believe the GF1, GF2 and GF3 share the same sensor, although the GF3 has processing tweaks mainly to increase speed of use. I've little experience of the GF1 or GF3 but I've seen nothing to suggest either makes any better images than the GF2, again I'm happy to stand corrected! Also while I like the size of the GF3, the lack of a hotshoe was a big no-no for me.

If handling is a big issue and you intend replacing a DSLR setup, what about looking at the G-series? The G3 looks like a cracker, but I guess this is the problem with CSC's at present tho: the technology is moving far faster than that of DSLR's, so camera's don't remain current for long.

Regarding the 20mm, pretty sure there's no kit available including this lens, but they do seem to come up used from time to time, I'd definitely like to give one a bash.

The new GX1 looks like a return to GF1-style handling, but is pricy. I can see it being a roaring success with those unimpressed with the direction Panasonic took the GF-series.

HTH :)
 
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Only disappointment I have with my GF2 is the lack of a remote shutter release port. But that's a small price to pay for the improved handling over the GF3 (on the GF2 they took off the aperture/shutter and EC clicky wheel, leaving you with only the dreadful vertical dial the Pen Lite series are also cursed with).

I can live without the mode dial of the GF1 (I shoot Av mode 95% or more). The lack of drive mode switch (single/burst/timer) on the GF2 isn't great, but on my SLR when I change drive mode I'll often change focus mode/points as well, so there'll always be fiddling about unless you have custom setups.

In short, I think the GF2 is a good balance of size, controls and price. The G3 is also excellent, but as I already have an SLR, I wanted a small ILS/CSC (whatever you choose to call them).
 
LR3 came today :) from an order submission of 05/09/11. Is that a record ?! No warranty yet though?
 
Think I've decided to go for the GF3 w/14mm prime and the 20mm prime. I was tempted to get the 14-42mm kit but I think my photography would be vastly improved by fixed focal length. It kind of beats the lazyness out of you.

I presume the 14 and the 20 aren't too similar to have together in a setup?
 
I have the 14mm and was thinking of getting the 20mm but thinking of going for the Olympus 45mm instead for the extra reach
 
sound_system said:
Think I've decided to go for the GF3 w/14mm prime and the 20mm prime. I was tempted to get the 14-42mm kit but I think my photography would be vastly improved by fixed focal length. It kind of beats the lazyness out of you.

I presume the 14 and the 20 aren't too similar to have together in a setup?
Click to expand...

I have both the 14mm and the 20mm and find I use them both quite a lot, they are both so tiny its not a problem carrying them both around all the time.
 
sgott said:
LR3 came today :) from an order submission of 05/09/11. Is that a record ?! No warranty yet though?
Click to expand...

I posted mine on the 03/09 and received my lightroom today, like you, i'm still waiting for the warranty as well.
 
Ref. zooms v primes.

I use a 20mm f1.7 on my GF1 and a 25mm f0.95 on my G1. I originally got a 14-42mm and although I don't use it now I did when I first got it and it's in the drawer if ever I want it. It's an unsexy / rather pedestrian design but competent enough and cheap enough on the used market to buy just to keep for occasional use IMVHO. So I'd get one if you can get a good deal as if you aren't bothered by the lack of distance markings and the average aperture range it's a competent general purpose zoom for when you want one.
 
woof woof said:
Ref. zooms v primes.

I use a 20mm f1.7 on my GF1 and a 25mm f0.95 on my G1. I originally got a 14-42mm and although I don't use it now I did when I first got it and it's in the drawer if ever I want it. It's an unsexy / rather pedestrian design but competent enough and cheap enough on the used market to buy just to keep for occasional use IMVHO. So I'd get one if you can get a good deal as if you aren't bothered by the lack of distance markings and the average aperture range it's a competent general purpose zoom for when you want one.
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I agree with this, mines there if I need it but hardly ever comes out.

I think srsmicrosystems are still doing white boxed 14-42's for £79 if you do fancy one, I got mine on their eBay store...
 
Right, GF3 with 14mm lens kit on it's way and I may have accidentally ordered the 20mm prime as well. :LOL:

Anyone point me in the direction of an ND filter to fit the primes? I'm also after a gorillapod. Tried one many moons back in my DSLR days but it was a bit crap. Will the basic one cope with the GF3 and a prime?

Is it here yet, is it here yet, is it here yet????
 
You need to know the thread diameter of each lens, soz if you already know this :D Once you know that you can order the right sized filters. They're everywhere so you shouldn't have a problem finding any. I bought two ND4's from Seven day shop for my f0.95. As you're limited to 1/4000 sec you need at least one otherwise in good light you may be limited to something like f2.8.
 
sound_system said:
Do you have a zoom as well? I'm considering going solely prime.
Click to expand...

I still have the 14-42 kit lens, but I don't use it often, i'm keeping it just for video as the OIS is nice, when I"m just shooting stills and want to travel light I just take the Panasonic 14mm and 20mm and the Olympus 45mm.

If I think I might need more versatility and range I take my full kit, which includes the above, the Samyang 7.5mm, Olympus 9-18mm and Panasonic 100-300mm.
 
sound_system said:
Right, GF3 with 14mm lens kit on it's way and I may have accidentally ordered the 20mm prime as well. :LOL:

Anyone point me in the direction of an ND filter to fit the primes? I'm also after a gorillapod. Tried one many moons back in my DSLR days but it was a bit crap. Will the basic one cope with the GF3 and a prime?

Is it here yet, is it here yet, is it here yet????
Click to expand...
I have what used to be called the large Gorillapod (think its now the SLR model) and it's been fine right up to my D40 with 55-200 attached. The compact camera Gorillapod I've used is genuinely tiny so it may struggle with the GF3, but I suspect it'd manage assuming you were wrapping it round something solid, not sure about freestanding...
 
Well I've got the GF3. First impressions are that the screen is terrible compared to my S90 and that high ISO pictures are really noisy.

Need to try and get out in some decent light.
 
If it's anything like my MFT's it might be over exposing in low light. I find that initially pictures can look noisy but once I drop the exposure down a bit to something more realistic things improve a lot.
 
sound_system said:
Well I've got the GF3. First impressions are that the screen is terrible compared to my S90 and that high ISO pictures are really noisy.

Need to try and get out in some decent light.
Click to expand...
I've never used an S90 but the internets reckon the GF3 and S90 have similar screen resolution, be curious to hear more about the differences in the screen? Only asking as I thought seriously about an S95 before going panny...

And yeah, if it's anything like my GF2 the high ISO performance isn't as good as a DSLR, but its certainly better than any compact I've ever owned... that said it's been years since I had a new compact! :)
 
The screen is just a bit fuzzy. I'm guessing it's an anti-reflective coating.

Need to get out in some decent light to shoot at a low ISO.
 
sound_system said:
The screen is just a bit fuzzy. I'm guessing it's an anti-reflective coating.

Need to get out in some decent light to shoot at a low ISO.
Click to expand...
I hear that, my best comparison is with my D90 screen and the GF2 display looks terrible next to it! I've learned not to make "keeper" decisions based on the screen alone, unless the pic is an obvious howler :) Inconvenient, but the screens will improve I'm sure.
 
Yeah - the thing with the s90 is the screen is so good that pictures disappoint when back on the computer but with the GF3 it's the other way around.

Now just trying to figure out what to do with these bloody AVCHD videos. Any software on a mac to catalogue them? Aperture says no.
 
sound_system said:
Now just trying to figure out what to do with these bloody AVCHD videos. Any software on a mac to catalogue them? Aperture says no.
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Its a proprietary format annoyingly, batch conversion might be the least painful option, still another workflow step tho :(
 
Try VLC media player. Its about the best programme I found yet to play the G2 video files.

Allan
 
allanm said:
Try VLC media player. Its about the best programme I found yet to play the G2 video files.

Allan
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Agreed, VLC (and mplayer) are excellent and between them will play pretty much anything, but the prob here appears to be catalogue-ing :) AFAIK LightRoom doesn't like the format either, but that may have changed, I've yet to try LR3 with Panny video files...
 
Strange isn't it? I've found something called clipwrap which wraps the AVCHD in a .mov format but it's $50.

Went out this morning and took my first decent pics with the GF3 and I love it already. The system felt clunky to get used to at first but once I had my head around it it was great.

One thing I was really impressed with was the touch to focus feature on the screen. When the camera was set up on a tripod with framing perfect it's great to be able to just touch where you want. Great feature. The pics are still not a patch on a DSLR but if it means I get some enthusiasm back then I'm in.

Has anyone found a case for a GF3 with 14/20mm? Ideally something neoprene or something. I'm not bothered about drop protection, just scratch.
 
sound_system said:
Strange isn't it? I've found something called clipwrap which wraps the AVCHD in a .mov format but it's $50.

Went out this morning and took my first decent pics with the GF3 and I love it already. The system felt clunky to get used to at first but once I had my head around it it was great.

One thing I was really impressed with was the touch to focus feature on the screen. When the camera was set up on a tripod with framing perfect it's great to be able to just touch where you want. Great feature. The pics are still not a patch on a DSLR but if it means I get some enthusiasm back then I'm in
Has anyone found a case for a GF3 with 14/20mm? Ideally something neoprene or something. I'm not bothered about drop protection, just scratch.
Click to expand...
I'll no doubt have to figure out conversion if I ever archive my GF2 vids, fortunately its not an issue at present, but I'd look to find something free/copyleft/beerfree :)

Touch focus is about the only great touchscreen feature! Did you have a go with touch shutter? Awful! However I'm slowly but surely getting used to my touchscreen... Would rather have buttons tho ;)

Not sure about GF3, but srs (promise I'm not being sponsored!) had the official Panny GF2 leather ever-ready case for £30 recently, I snaffled one, was the one to fit the 14 or 20 too, not that I'm planning to buy the 20mm. This week at least ;)
 
ronnus said:
I'll no doubt have to figure out conversion if I ever archive my GF2 vids, fortunately its not an issue at present, but I'd look to find something free/copyleft/beerfree :)

Touch focus is about the only great touchscreen feature! Did you have a go with touch shutter? Awful! However I'm slowly but surely getting used to my touchscreen... Would rather have buttons tho ;)

Not sure about GF3, but srs (promise I'm not being sponsored!) had the official Panny GF2 leather ever-ready case for £30 recently, I snaffled one, was the one to fit the 14 or 20 too, not that I'm planning to buy the 20mm. This week at least ;)
Click to expand...

I did use touch shutter but I was using a tripod and a 2 sec delay. Managed to take a load of shots while carrying my camera from place to place though.

I really don't get people's complaints about the touch screen. You don't need to use it if you don't want. It's not too bad imho.
 
Had a first play with G3+gorilla pod+remote shutter this is 7 exposures merged in Photomatix and then a bit of a play with Topaz Adjust. This was taken in near darkness.

6365519255_0ece16c493_z_d.jpg
 
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