Panasonic G1 review link

<p>http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicdmcg1/</p>

<p>thank you for posting the link. i am so interested in this setup, although not the first version perhaps. the only inexpensive way to use leitz glass on a digital body!</p>

<p>Curious most owners like the low light automatic gain control that they have said makes the G1 actually easier to use indoors. I heard that sometimes it goes from off to on to off again which seems tempermental but maybe the level of tripping the AGC can be setup a little lower to make sure it does toggle back and forth. Dpreview says its noisy too maybe they are exaggerating here I have been read more satisfied owner reports on the G1 HD lcd VF then those who don't like it to date.</p>

<p>looks great! Interesting that the images showed more detail than the E520. I am really looking forward to the next generation of Olympus bodies.</p>

<p>I liked that they said the images up thru ISO 1600 were usable, that is great because since there is no vibration from a moving mirror there is no reason why we cannot shoot in less light withour camera shake and ISO 1600 and a fast lens is all I need.</p>

<p>I've had the G1 for a month or so and found the dp review accurate. The jpegs right out of the camera look better then I remember the E-510 images looking.</p>

<p>And Harvey, I agree with your point about evf being helpful in low light. It is grainy, but better then a very dim optical finder.</p>

<p>The biggest negative for me is the lack of lenses. I don't want to spend $100+ on a 4/3 adapter and not have IS, and lose AF on some lenses. So for now I'm keeping my Canon setup, but the G1 sure is a fun camera.</p>

<p>If your are buying a first good camera Ron you are right the system has announced products that should already be available and are not which would be very limiting to new photographers.<br>

The wonderful potential of this u4/3 is its making legacy film lenses very adaptable to use and many long time photograhers have a wealth of great Leica, Zeiss, Canon FD, Nikon ais, Pentax k mount lenses.<br>

I easily could peice two full systems mixing with different mount adapters from my Pentax , Nikon and Leica systems.<br>

The main problem is that the wide end can't be covered by our old legacy lenses because nobody was making 7mm lenses for full frame 35mm film cameras. We really need those lenses you are mentioning whether you are just starting a kit or augmenting a bunch of legacy lenses.</p>

<p>Harvey, I have a Canon 5D and a few lenses (including one OM adapted lens). I bought the G1 because of the light weight, for travel and I'm just more likely to carry it with me then the Canon.</p>

<p>The Panasonic 14-140 shown on the roadmap is very interesting to me, if it is sharp and doesn't cost a fortune. I'd also like to see a compact macro. And you're right, they do need to bring out the 7-14 shown on the roadmap to cover the super wide.</p>

<p>The G1 got a better review than the E-3 did I think.<br>

I'm torn I wanted to get another Nikon but the D90 won't work with my MF glass which are real fast and the D700 right now is too much money and Nikon is raising the prices next month.<br>

I have some f/1.2 and f/1.4 glass and a 135mm f/2.3 Pentax lens that would make a real fast 270mm lens and its small.<br>

I think as they improve the image quality of these smaller sensors they become like you have said just so much more attractive to pack a full outfit and walking around with a camera on your shoulders and neck is much more comfortable.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>BIG Q: What does the G1 have over the E-3? Or, is the review of the G1 a matter of opinion?</p>

<p >Does the G1 have a weatherproof body?</p>

<p > </p>

<p >Does the G1 have a remote cable connection?</p>

<p > </p>

<p >Does the G1 have an AF EV of –2 to 18 (ISO 100)?</p>

<p > </p>

<p >Does the G1 sync with flash faster than 1/160 sec.?</p>

<p > </p>

<p >Does the G1 have TTL compatibility with Olympus flash units such as the FL-50R? Or, does one have to purchase another flash specifically for the G1?</p>

<p > </p>

<p >Does the G1 have a shutter speed max of 1/8000 sec.?</p>

<p > </p>

<p >Does the G1 have a wireless remote control?</p>

<p > </p>

<p >Does the G1 have Image Stabilization built into the body?</p>

<p > </p>

<p >Considering all the factors between the G1 and the E3, I’d stay with the E-3. </p>

<p > </p>

<p >The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 has other issues to overcome such as too small of a grip, problems with noise (something of which we can all do without), and limited amount of micro 4/3 lenses.</p>

<p > </p>

<p >Most of my assignments involve weddings and portraits, and the Olympus E-3 is impressive. I simply don’t see the G1 as a DSLR that would compliment my E-3 system, which is almost complete in both lenses and lighting. I have an adapter for my Carl Zeiss Planar f/2.8 Hasselblad lens. One cannot get much better than that. </p>

<p>I've had a G1 for about a month now, and I also think the dpreview article was accurate.<br>

To answer some of the other questions....<br>

The auto gain on the LCD can be turned off in the menus. The auto gain is a bit erratic, but it does work well. If the LCD is in status mode while the camera is in record mode, the amount of gain will vary depending on whether or not you have the lens cap on the lens. I thought it was flaky until I realized what was happening. It's still a bit odd though.... it doesn't happen when the camera is in review mode.</p>

 

<p>Does the G1 have a weatherproof body? ......... no</p>

<p>Does the G1 have a remote cable connection?.... yes, an optional cable release is available</p>

<p>Does the G1 have an AF EV of –2 to 18 (ISO 100)? ... yes, I can attest to this from personal experience. And AF speed is very fast, even in fairly dim light.</p>

<p>Does the G1 sync with flash faster than 1/160 sec.? .... yes, up to 1/4000 sec depending on the flash setting and the exposure mode used.</p>

<p>Does the G1 have TTL compatibility with Olympus flash units such as the FL-50R? Or, does one have to purchase another flash specifically for the G1? .... good question, unfortunately, I don't know. Perhaps one of the other G1 owners can answer this. </p>

<p>Does the G1 have a shutter speed max of 1/8000 sec.? .... the shutter speed range is 60 sec to 1/4000 sec.</p>

<p>Does the G1 have a wireless remote control? ... no</p>

<p>Does the G1 have Image Stabilization built into the body? .... no, as most people already know, Panasonic implements IS in their lenses. As with most Panasonic lenses, the IS in the kit lens is very effective.</p>

<p>The G1 grip is fine unless you have very large hands; it's better than the grip on the E420 and on the Canon XSi; but not as good as on the other Olympus dSLRs.</p>

<p>Image quality is excellent. The out of camera jpegs are surprisingly good, and sharpen up well. The RAWs are better, but the Silkypix software is cumbersome and slow. I haven't tried ACR or RawTherapee yet.</p>

<p>One big attaction with this camera, that wasn't covered in the review, is the potential to use many legacy prime lenses from Leica, Zeiss, Konica etc, manual focus of course, with the proper adaptors. Some third party vendors are beginning to produce these adaptors. </p>

<p>The EVF takes a bit of getting used to, but it's huge with very high resolution. Eye relief is excellent, I wear eyeglasses, and I can see the entire viewfinder image without shifting the camera around. The diopter correction has enough adjustment range to accomodate my vision, something I can't do with any of the Olympus dSLRs. </p>

<p>Because of the high refresh rate, the high resolution, and the 10x magnification, manual focus with the EVF really has to be seen to be appreciated.<br>

For me, this is a great travel/vacation/walk-around camera.<br>

cheers<br>

Santo</p>

 

 

<p>Ken, "better" is always an opinion. The question is not which is better, the question is which is better suited to certain users. A professional level camera rarely meets the needs of the average user who want's something easy to use over any other consideration. Does Honda make a better can than Ferrari? In terms of sales, ease of use and reliability, the Honda wins hands down. In terms of top speed, handling and pure horsepower, the Ferrari wins.... but not every wants to or even knows HOW to drive a Ferrari, and few people can afford one. </p>

<p>We also have to consider that what we are looking at is the very first model of a whole new line of cameras. You really can't judge the entire line of current 4/3's cameras by all manufacturers based on the E-1 alone. It was larger, heavier and lower MP than just about any other 4/3's camera... since M4/3 is brand spanking new, maybe the best thing is to wait and see what Olympus does, and I'm more than a little surprised that Leica hasn't jumped on the M4/3 platform as a way to build a cheap camera that will accept modern M-mount lenses. After all, the more cameras that accept their lenses, the more money they can make selling lenses, which could easily become the cash-cow of the company.</p>

<p >Patrick, why did someone introduce the comparison of the G1 with that of the E-3?</p>

<p > </p>

<p >Some of the information Santo provided is considered misleading. </p>

<p > </p>

<p >I asked about shutter speed sync with electronic flash and the response, “yes, up to 1/4000 sec depending on the flash setting and the exposure mode used.” This is incorrect. The G1 cannot sync faster than 1/160 in any mode; it uses a focal plane shutter, and no production DSLR in the current market can sync at 1/4000 second.</p>

<p > </p>

<p >In response to my question concerning AF EV, Santo stated, “yes, I can attest to this from personal experience. And AF speed is very fast, even in fairly dim light.” Is this opinion or fact? The fact is that the AF EV of the G1 is 0 to 18 and not better than the E-3 with an EV of –2 to 18.</p>

<p > </p>

<p >The image stabilization (IS) in the lens leads to greater cost per lens and the amount of lenses available for this feature. Olympus solved this economic dilemma by incorporating IS within the camera body. Lens cost is kept lower than having to purchase IS for each lens. The E-3 can be mounted with OM (35mm) lenses and still have IS… a great advantage!</p>

<p > </p>

<p >The G1 admittedly does not have a weatherproof body. This has been a concern for many photographers.</p>

<p > </p>

<p >The EVF must be a battery burner. And, let’s not forget the issues the G1 has with noise.</p>

<p > </p>

<p >There is no class comparison of the G1 against the Olympus E-3. In the on-line reviews, it has been compared to the E-420 and the E-520. It’s obvious that the E-3 is a better DSLR overall, especially for professional photographers.</p>

<p > </p>

 

<p>Today, I went to Wolf Camera and held the G1. The EVF is impressive and was told that it's not a battery burner; it can take about 300 shots per charge. That's not bad!<br>

<br />However, the camera seemed small and awkward in handling (I'm average build; medium size hands). Small and less weight is nice if one is traveling throught Europe, But I never complained about the two E-3s strapped around me while in Italy. The lenses weighed more than the bodies. I see the G1 as a glorified point-n-shoot camera with interchangeable lenses.<br>

<br />The "G" can stand for glorified. The market is for those who are not professional or semi-professional. This camera is for the mom who wants to take photos of their soccer playing kids, or a dad taking family photos around the house or on vacation. Even the price (~$700.00) is in the easily affordable price range.<br>

<br />My hope is that Olympus uses the same sensor, with noise and image correction, for the next generation of full 4/3 and using the same lens mount as the E-series DSLRs. Perhaps, an E-5 in the making with 12 mp or better? <br>

</p>

 

<p>Dpreview rated them almost the same both Highly recommended except the E-3 had the (just) next to it and the G1 didn't. The G1 scored a half point higher in image quality, since in the article it said the images were useful to 1600 iso and the E3 was downgraded for having some noise above 400 iso. Also, the rating of the G1 ergonomics was higher.<br>

Your mileage may vary, get what you like its your money, right.</p>

<p>Dpreview rated them almost the same both Highly recommended except the E-3 had the (just) next to it and the G1 didn't. The G1 scored a half point higher in image quality, since in the article it said the images were useful to 1600 iso and the E3 was downgraded for having some noise above 400 iso. Also, the rating of the G1 ergonomics was higher.<br>

Your mileage may vary, get what you like its your money, right.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Dpreview rated them almost the same both Highly recommended</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Dpreview rates a lot of stuff "highly recommended". I don't even know why they bother to have that part of the review.</p>

<p>Just to clairfy a couple of points from one of Ken's postings:</p>

<p>AF EV for the G1 is rated as 0 to 18, but it does AF below that. Without the AF assist light, I can usually get AF at EV -1 and sometimes at -2. At EV 0 and above, AF is both fast and reliable.</p>

<p>Flash sync speed: I was going by the G1 owners manual that stated shutter speed is 30 sec to 1/160 sec when the flash is "Forced On" It also states that the shutter speed is 30 to 1/4000 sec when the flash is in Auto. Then I noticed further down, they state that when the flash is activated, the shutter speed cannot be set faster than 1/160 sec. Not very clear at all. I tried this in manual exposure mode, and couldn't get the shutter speed past 1/160 sec, so it would appear that the fastest sync speed is 1/160 sec. I apologize for any confusion.</p>

<p>About AF speed.... I did a casual comparison with a friends Nikon D40 in bright to moderate light, and couldn't tell any difference in AF speed. The Imaging Resources review stated that AF speed in good to moderate light is about 0.50 sec, or similar to other entry level dSLRs.<br>

At EV 0, I would estimate the AF speed be be just under 1 sec.</p>

<p>About battery life.... not that great, I'm getting around 250 shots per charge. I'm hoping that improves somewhat after a few charge cycles. You will definitely need a spare battery or two if you're a high volume shooter.</p>

<p>I don't believe anyone said the G1 was a pro level camera, but it certainly is better than a glorified P&S. Image quality looks to be on par with the other 4/3 cameras. I think the new Olympus E30 uses a variant of the G1 sensor.</p>

<p>As a travel camera, it can't be beat. Actually, I'm hoping it will be mistaken for a P&S when I'm on holidays in Italy later this year, people are not as self-conscious when they see a small camera pointed at them. I just hope Panasonic releases the 7 - 14 lens before I leave.</p>

<p>cheers<br>

Santo</p>

 

<p>I just want to know when Olympus is going to release their micro four thirds camera.</p>

<p>It appears that Panasonic G1's advantage over Oly is that it's likely to become the father/mother of future 4/3. Oly didn't seem serious until E3's successful viewfinder workaround.<br>

Many pros have used Canon G-series P&S since they were introduced (especially photojournalists)...do many pros use E3?</p>

 

<p >Recently, I went to a meet-up model shoot. Most photographers brought their expensive Nikons and Canons, and I was the lone Olympus user. For the most part, even some of the more expensive DSLRs did not have an external sync connector; they required a hot-shoe adapter. I was surprised. </p>

<p > </p>

<p >I never gave it much thought being that most professional DSLRs have a sync connector. Then it dawned on me, “Does the G1 off a sync connector?” I know it’s not a big deal because one can easily acquire a hot-shoe sync adapter. But, that’s another add-on. </p>

<p > </p>

<p >When handling the G1 at Wolf Camera, I seemed to have overlooked this necessity. So, I had to do basic research on the Internet and low-n-behold, the G1 does not have a sync connector. The sync connector is a very handy feature for off-camera flash or studio strobe. In my model shoot, it was the latter.</p>

<p > </p>

<p >I think this proves the marketing approach for the G1; it was designed for simple family use such as a vacation, the soccer game, and little Jerome’s birthday… and not to be taken seriously in respect to professional DSLRs.</p>

<p>Nobody imagines G1 is targeted at "professionals," but all professionals do seem to carry P&S digitals without sych connections.</p>

<p>My question: how serious is Oly about E3/prosumer DSLR camera business, and has it got plans for anything serious with 4/3? I wonder if they care about producing a serious 4/3 pocket camera.</p>

<p>John, I guess we will see in March! The prototype looked to have a very compact lens. I have regularily carried Olympus Pen viewfinder camera or an Olympus 35RC as pocket cameras, and if this M4/3 camera is similar size to those cameras it may well be very pocketable indeed. The real question is, how serious is "serious"? Does "serious" mean ability to sync with professional flashes? metering ability and AF confirm for legacy lenses? fully manual control options? anti-shake? wide ISO range vs. better noise performance? high MP vs. better noise performance? There seems to be some confusion at this point what features are "serious" professional features and what features are "trivial" consumer features, even on the full-frame models by the Nikon and Canon.</p>

<p>Patrick, you're right. Oly's non-slr half-framers made sense...make more today, given today's higher resolution, lower grain films. Worth noting however, Avedon published grainy Minox images and Max Waldman echoed/replicated them with lovely, grainy 2475 full frame . http://www.masters-of-photography.com/W/waldman/waldman_maratsade.html Half frame had potential when it died.</p>

<p>"Serious" suggests wireless or IR (tho P&S popup strobes work fine with studio strobe slaves). Oly's lack of a Nikon/Canon competitive flash system is a measure of E3's professional seriousness, as it is of Pentax's and Sony's.</p>

<p>Anti-shake is so prevalent that it's not a measure of seriousness. IMO handsome 1600 is a minimum, since it's so useful with DSLRs. There's no "serious" reason IMO to design for "legacy" lenses, or for non-AF for that matter...but fast primes seem crucial...who want's to live with f/3.5?</p>