Picked up my new camera today....a GF1

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As far as I'm concerned as a recent GF1 owner and lover of, you are more than welcome all the way from Afghanistan to visit us anytime ....please pop in from time to time with a pic or two , ok, so they won't be GF1 Standards but who cares;).

Take care of yourself mate..(y)
 
Arkady said:
Not being a GF-1 owner I've not bothered with this thread til I noticed the post count still rising...
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Would be interesting to see how well it would stand up the hammer you give the Nikons, not that you abuse them, just use them as intended ;)

Love my GF1, as said many times its got my interest back in taking pics, just a pity those ruffians from STW follow you every where ;)
 
If anyone is local to Mathers i.e greater manchester you can get a bit of a bargain on the GF1

Get a GF1 14-45mm for 539.00 + 50 cash back and 3 years warranty so you pay like 490 eventually which is really good.

Also even if your not buy from them Panasonic will give you 50 quid and 3 years warranty if you have an instore demo but it excludes currys, dixons and comet but includes jessops and independent stores

http://www.panasonic.co.uk/html/en_...aler+Locator/1748083/index.html#anker_1748086

So good time to buy. Not seen cheaper then Mathers at any reputable store anyway.
 
What other post on here has attracted 1171 replies?

The GF1 certainly has stirred up interest
 
What other post on here has attracted 1171 replies?
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Sorry, but I do go on a bit., it's an age thing.

Anyway, just driven over to Mathers and picked up a 14-45mm. Pleasantly surprised re build quality, seems just like the 20mm and nothing wobbles around...........O.K. I do but it's the lens I'm on about.

Also the IS malarky.....................does anyone still use such language? Well the IS does seem to work.

Only thing I haven't worked out is if you take a snap portrait style on display it turns around to match. Bit silly, I bet there's a button or something to twiddle, any clever people reading this rubbish. What a pointless question when you think about it. :)

Brian.
 
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I'll be interested to hear how the 14-45mm affects bag / case choice.

Brian, if that's some sort of auto rotation thing - landscape to portrait - I hate that and I always turn it off.
 
BrianT said:
Only thing I haven't worked out is if you take a snap portrait style on display it turns around to match. Bit silly, I bet there's a button or something to twiddle, any clever people reading this rubbish. What a pointless question when you think about it. :)

Brian.
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There is a menu option somewhere called "Rotate". You can turn it off.
The 20mm lens doesnt tell the camera when you have it in portrait mode, most of the other lenses(probably those with IS) tell the camera you have it in portrait mode and thats why its putting the pics right way round.
Hope that makes sense.
 
grum said:
Hey Zoidberg, how did you find mountain biking with the GF1? What case are you using/where did you have it on you most of the time?
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No case, it was wrapped in a beanie hat that was wrapped in my Lancaster Cycling Club long sleeve top. It was near the top of my rucksack so easy to get to. Saying that, didnt have much time to take pics. 32kms in a little over 4hrs.
Was paranoid about taking a dive and squashing the camera though.
 
Thanks guys, Playback menu " Auto Rotate" Yes, it must switch on with IS lenses. You know this IS thing makes this little lens a bit tasty.

Re cases, never found any use for them. Even the smallest is an incumberance. Slung under the left armpit is good enough, travel light, keep it simple, is always good advice.

Brian.
 
At the moment mine goes in a coat pocket. That might need to change when / if the weather gets any warmer and I don't need a coat.

I haven't used the little camcorder bag I bought for it yet.
 
What about one of these.

greatoutdoorsdepot_2084_6620184.jpg
 
Not another camera book to read....and of course understand.



Taken with 20mm on Auto
 
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You may read that book, but you'll never understand it. I think your photo shows the two authors with their handywork
 
"What about one of these."

Lovely, but you don't go out in just that...do you...:naughty:

Oh, and a true man never ever reads the instructions...if you can't figure something out you ask another man on an internet forum.
 
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Personally I wouldn't be seen dead in one but I'm not a " serious" photographer. But I have a Barbour Skeet jacket.
 
zoidberg said:
No case, it was wrapped in a beanie hat that was wrapped in my Lancaster Cycling Club long sleeve top. It was near the top of my rucksack so easy to get to. Saying that, didnt have much time to take pics. 32kms in a little over 4hrs.
Was paranoid about taking a dive and squashing the camera though.
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Cheers. That's pretty good going in the Lakes - it's fairly hilly! Love Grizedale/Parkamoor - hopefully one day I will be up to riding round there again.
 
grum said:
Cheers. That's pretty good going in the Lakes - it's fairly hilly! Love Grizedale/Parkamoor - hopefully one day I will be up to riding round there again.
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I probably shouldnt have done that much distance. Didnt know how far we were going, i just said yes to going with the lads from work, fool that i am.
Feeling every single mile today, the joys of being ill. But im not letting that stop me. going to enjoy things now. Will suffer afterwards but need to live life, not wrap my self from things.

If you're every after going out on an easy ride, let us know.
 
brian - how do you find the 'wide' end of the 14-45? is it wide enough (considering the 2x crop) for a decent landscape shot or do you feel too closed in?

i have found the lowepro lc1n to be the perfect case for the gf1+20mm - has been in my 'man bag' since i got it and means the camera is poised and ready to go!

just wish the weather was a bit better - oh and i'm keeping the 7d (couldn't really be parted from it due to 3 reasons - fast action, low light and uwa)

the gf1 is being used for everything else though (y)
 
Obviously I haven't tried it yet. In fact if the weather doesn't improve soon I think I shall go up the wall. But from full frame experience I think a 28mm is fine for landscape. Alan, in spite of sounding like an old fart ( which I am) don't forget it's not what you've got, it's the way you use it that counts ( always been my excuse) My old favourite was the Leica 19 and 21mm lenses but their equivalent in Micro are just not available. But I ain't a landscape snapper, enviromental portraiture is my thing ( pretensious way of saying taking snaps in the pub)

I enquired re the Sigma 10-20mm but it isn't fully compatable which kicked that into touch. The Olympus 11- ?mm is due out some time soon, although the guy in Mathers doesn't rate Olympus...........maybe an axe to grind, I don't know.

The 7-14mm is just too OTT and slow for my taste, I had a full frame 14mm once, I think the only time I used it was to photograph Alan Dale in his shop at the time of purchase.

But I reckon I'm going to enjoy the new lens, after all I only bought it to provide a 28mm and with f3.5 and IS, plus very usable 400 ISO it's going to beat my old 28mm f2.8 Elmarit and FP4 rated at 200ASA.:)



All in all a worthwhile purchase.

Maybe the Thread name should be GF1 owners etc like they have for other cameras
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Why not.
 
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"28mm and with f3.5 and IS"

You make a convincing case for it.
 
bl0at3r said:
brian - how do you find the 'wide' end of the 14-45? is it wide enough (considering the 2x crop) for a decent landscape shot or do you feel too closed in?
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I find the 14mm nice and wide and the quality is pretty good. To go much wider you're talking BIG dosh! which is a shame.

Wide angle lenses are usually designed for tripod/landscape/architecture etc so the fact that it's f3.5 is pretty good.

I did do a quality comparison for the 14-45 and the 20mm f1.7 and at f5.6 there was not much difference at all.

And........When's the weather going to improve? :bang: It's driving me nuts all this poor weather. Hey Ho
 
Random question - does anyone also have a GH1 (or is thinking about it)?
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I think at the price the GH1 has too much competition, the D90 Nikon isn't a lot bigger, better viewfinder, higher performance and about the same price bracket...



In fact I have been considering a G1 but the D90 is the favourite, but then, what will the G2 be ?

Andy I would agree your comparison test. But it is a nice little package and until they produce a sensible wide angle it will do.

Incidentally I use it at 14mm for casual portraiture.

Who mentioned the weather.....well don't, although in Leeds at the moment the sun is trying to break through....

Brian.
 
BrianT said:
I think at the price the GH1 has too much competition, the D90 Nikon isn't a lot bigger, better viewfinder, higher performance and about the same price bracket...
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But the D90 (or any other dSLR) isn't as compelling if you have no Nikon glass, which I no longer have.
 
Still got D200, D300, 12-24mm, 18-50mm, 20mm, 28mm, 35mm,50mm and 85mm. So that's no problem, I don't think I shall be getting rid of anything until I am sure Micro/ Macro 4/3 knows where it is going, Oh and that I agree the destination is somewhere that I want to be.

Brian.
 
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AndyWest said:
I find the 14mm nice and wide and the quality is pretty good. To go much wider you're talking BIG dosh! which is a shame.

Wide angle lenses are usually designed for tripod/landscape/architecture etc so the fact that it's f3.5 is pretty good.

I did do a quality comparison for the 14-45 and the 20mm f1.7 and at f5.6 there was not much difference at all.

And........When's the weather going to improve? :bang: It's driving me nuts all this poor weather. Hey Ho
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Agreed - I'm not that worried about it being fast as it sits on a tripod for most landscape stuff - 3.5 is not bad I spose, is it a constant f3.5?

Please can we have some sunny/warmer weather I think i've got that SAD thing - got no enthusiasm to leave the armchair :puke:

Glenn Surtees said:
bl0at3r

Here's a pic, taken on a rare sunny day this year, with the 14-45 at 14mm:
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Thanks - stunning photo - i love the blue sky

BrianT said:
Andy I would agree your comparison test. But it is a nice little package and until they produce a sensible wide angle it will do.

Incidentally I use it at 14mm for casual portraiture.

Who mentioned the weather.....well don't, although in Leeds at the moment the sun is trying to break through....

Brian.
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Looks like my lens collection - that I wasn't going to have - has just expanded to include the 14-45

Must - resist - collecting - camera - equipment :help:
 
py6km said:
Random question - does anyone also have a GH1 (or is thinking about it)?
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I have the G1 which is the non video version of the GH1, it's a very nice camera, if you don't want video there are some great deals about on the G1 at the moment & £50 cashback, although there are reports that the G2 is being revealed soon so you might want to wait and see what that has to offer.

I bought the G1 to see if I could get decent results without lugging a huge weight of kit around, the long and short of it was that I ended up selling my 5D and all the L glass, Sure the panasonic will never quite live up to the 5D in some areas but it ain't that far short and in fact has some aspects that are better, although it's not really fair to compare the G1 to a pro quality camera anyway imo.
I initially ordered a GF1 but I like to use a viewfinder too much to go without one, I just find it so hard to compose a shot when my eyes have the distraction of whats going on around an LCD, so I sent it back and got the G1 instead, although I suppose it's something you can get use to, I personally also prefered the feel of the G1, I know you can buy an EVF for the GF1 but by the time you add the price of it to the body it starts working out quite pricey, also from what I have heard the optical quality of the after maket EVF's does not come close the that of the G/GH1.

The one thing I will say about the system is I am amazed how good the IQ is from both the 14-45 & 45-200 for a £200-£250 lens they are increadibly good value for money, however I think some of the other glass is rather overpriced for what it is ie: the 7-14mm f4 being a prime example.

Go find yourself a dealer who has the GH1/G1 and compare it to the GF1, btw the GH1 also has a higher quality video mode than the GF1, my local curry's had both the GH/GF1 which was handy, put them side by side and you will notice that the size difference isn't really that huge.

Oh my god this turned into a mini review :)

Hope that helps.
 
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14mmf35.jpg

14mm at F3.5

14mmf35crop.jpg


14mm at F3.5 100% crop


14mmf8crop.jpg






14mm at F8 100% crop

50mmf5.jpg


25mm at f5.6


45mmf8-1.jpg


45mm at f8
45mmf8crop-1.jpg


45mm at f8100% crop

Don't forget the lettering is from an ink jet on semi matt paper. Also the size of the files etc and my incompetance.. I reckon this little kit lens has nothing to be ashamed of.

For the technos. 100ISO. everything set to Default/Auto apart from contrast +1 and sharpening ditto. And bear in mind this is the lens at minimum focussing distance.

What you think?

Brian
 
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I reckon this little kit lens has nothing to be ashamed of.
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We did tell you. :whistle:;)

It's never going to isolate a subject like really fast lens but for anything else, it's an impressive little beastie. (y)
 
As this current thread has become quite top heavy, so to speak, I though I'd take the liberty of starting a dedicated G1/GH1/GF1 thread here to accommodate our musings. I've kicked it off, with a shameful admission considering the brilliance of the GF1 :nuts:
 
py6km said:
As this current thread has become quite top heavy, so to speak, I though I'd take the liberty of starting a dedicated G1/GH1/GF1 thread here to accommodate our musings. I've kicked it off, with a shameful admission considering the brilliance of the GF1 :nuts:
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Splitter. :razz:
 
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