Panasonic G2 or G3, wich Gift to buy?

<p>Hello , I have a question and even tho I know much on the subject I want to solicit opinions from others.<br /> My brother-in-law wants me to help him buy a good used camera for my sister who loves to take photos. I am thinking i should get here into µ4/3 like I am. I found a good used G2 body for $180 and a used kit lens for $80 Or someones selling a G3 kit for $290</p>

<p>Well, how about a little background. Here is the situation, My sister had been using an old Nikon D40 DSLR 2 lens Kit, for years (she got it when it came out) and a JVC Digital camcorder which I think is a little older too. It used little tapes. This past year shes been complaining about a black dot on all her photos which is a dead pixel, and they lost the cables and charger to the camcorder when a relative of my brother-in-law borrowed it, so that has not been used in almost a year. So we (brother-in-law and I) thought it was time to get her a nicer camera that does both video as-well as photos.<br /> A few weeks ago I spent what I had left in savings on a GH2 that I picked up the black Friday Amazon deal, before they ran out. When my sister was over a little while ago and seen it she loved it and wanted one. She likes that its not too small and has the flip out screen and can hold it like she did her Nikon, but I can't afford to just give it to her, (plus what would I use) and I know my brother-in-law right now cant spend the money for a GH2. SO I started to look for some good used DSLR-like µ4/3 cameras for her. And here we are after what I found...</p>

<p>Hi Dan. I've been through a similar set of circumstances - I currently drive a Nikon D300 (too heavy as a walkabout camera for me) & Nikon D5100 (lighter, but inadequate video & relatively poor live view focusing). I deliberated between a used GH2, used/refurb G3, used G2 and used GH1.</p>

<p>My conclusions were as follows:</p>

<ul>

<li>G3 - too small and fewer control buttons (I like direct controls) & grip too small; no eternal mic capability</li>

<li>GH2 - too expensive for budget</li>

<li>G2 - no external mic for video, not full HD video</li>

<li>GH1 - better dynamic range than G1 / G2 & supposedly slightly better high ISO performance</li>

</ul>

<p>In the end I found a used GH1 with 14-140mm lens for £350 (It's not arriving until Tuesday, so I cannot definitely say I have a bargain). However, provided the lens is decent, I've effectively got the body for free.</p>

<p>Conventional wisdom is that one should invest in decent lenses while upgrading the body as needed. The Kit 14-45mm is reckoned to be better than the 14-42mm. Therefore, if you can find a G2 + 14-45mm combination, that would probably be the best bet. I think your sister will find the G3 too small with too small a grip coming as she does from a D40. Of course, a GH1 + 14-45mm would be even better!</p>

<blockquote>

<ul>

<li>G2 - no external mic for video, not full HD video</li>

</ul>

</blockquote>

<p>Incorrect.<br /> May not have the built in Stereo Mic but it has the Stereo mic Port and a built in Mono mic.<br /> T<a href="http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/PanasonicDMCG2/2">he G2 does have a stereo Mic port.</a> It's the G3 that does not have it, but the <a href="http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicdmcg3/4">G3 has a built in stereo mic</a> where the G2 has a mono mic. Yes the G2 can not do Full HD but the G3 can. And there is a hack for both that help the video preform better.<br /> But I don't know if my sister wants to tote around an extra Mic anyway, just for when ever she wants to make a video, which she says is not often.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Of course, a GH1 + 14-45mm would be even better!</p>

</blockquote>

<p>And more expensive. We want to spend under $300 with a lens shipped. Also I have both lenses and the difference is hardly noticeable unless your really scrutinizing the Jpegs side by side or they are being blown up to 11x17 or larger (like I do). My sister is not a photographer or aspire to be (not anymore), but just takes lots of photos of her family and would like to do videos of them too.<br /> I cant seem to find a GH1 with lens for under $300 shipped.</p>

<p>Sounds like the G2 + whatever kit lens it comes with is the way to go then, or a G3 if you think the handling is OK. I must have missed the G2 mic thing.</p>

<p>They frequently say the 14-42 is not as good as the 14-45 but I was very happy with mine except coming from a bridge camera the short zoom was very frustrating until I got the 14-140 which is also depreciated, but I am not sure why, it focuses very fast which is a plus point for me. That was with the G3 until I put it on the GH2. The ability to AF with a very small target area also appealed to me with the G3.<br>

I think one can get carried away with 'good' and 'better' and I wonder just how much 'better' is above an already good lens :-) We are not talking about a bottle bottom versus a photographic lens after all, but two of the latter and Lumix's at that.<br>

I would caution you to check what sort of video file each camera uses becuase I shot some video with my FZ50, an excellent camera in its class and period, and got MOV files and it took me quite some time before I found a programme to even just assemble them let alone a proper editing job [The AVS Video Editor ] ... I was rather discouraged after spending quite a bit of money in a false trail [ no names no pack drill for a good editor but it doesn't do MOVs ] and didn't pursue the matter energetically. Current Video I have found is very different from the Hi-8 and Digital 8 video I had used previously from Sony and transfering to VHS for playing after the edit. Rather discouraging to me :-)</p>

<blockquote>

<p><a href="../photodb/user?user_id=1491497">Simon Hickie - Melbourne, Derbyshire, UK</a>, Dec 17, 2012; 06:23 a.m.<br /> Sounds like the G2 + whatever kit lens it comes with is the way to go then, or a G3 if you think the handling is OK. I must have missed the G2 mic thing. ....</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Like I said in my 1st post. I would be buying the lens separately. The used G2 body for $180 and a used kit lens for $80. So the only down side getting the G2 is that it is Red in Color and its 12mp sensor as opposed to the 16mp sensor of the Black G3.</p>

<p> </p>

<blockquote>

<p><a href="../photodb/user?user_id=1521325">JC Uknz</a> <a href="../member-status-icons"><img title="Subscriber" src="../v3graphics/member-status-icons/sub8.gif" alt="" /><img title="Frequent poster" src="../v3graphics/member-status-icons/2rolls.gif" alt="" /></a>, Dec 17, 2012; 01:54 p.m.<br /> They frequently say the 14-42 is not as good as the 14-45mm ....</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Yes that is true, but its like the difference between a 9.9 and a 10. Like I said, I have both of them and it's very hard to tell the difference between them. Most comparisons say, unless you were studding images on a large high res monitor you would not easily be able to see the difference , like i said, i feel side by side prints from the lenses would not show a difference unless you printed at 11x17 or larger.</p>

<p>...</p>

<p>So I think I might ask my sister what she would like to do more , Video or photograph. Because I think the G3 is better for photographs, maybe only slightly tho. The G2 is better handling and better for video.</p>

<p>Hi dan Mar - have you considered the G10? Same 12.1MP sensor as the G2, but with a fixed non-touchscreen LCD. <a href="http://www.adorama.com/US%20%20%20%20522141.html?kbid=66297">Used, with the 14-42 lens for $269 at Adorama</a>. I would also buy her a Nikon to m4/3 adapter so she can use her legacy lenses.<br>

Hope this is helpful and best of the holidays,<br>

Bill<br>

<a href="http://hybridcamerarevolution.blogspot.com">Hybrid Camera Revolution</a></p>

<p>The G3 with lens is on sale new at B&H for $299.95 with free shipping until the end of the month. Only black.</p>

<p>Thanks for the suggestion <a href="../photodb/user?user_id=1803173">Bill Bruner</a>. But I know my sister would absolutely hate to have to manually focus a lens. Shes a Point and shoot, leave it on P kinda gal. Also I would not pay $269 for the inferior G10 when I can get a G2 and a lens for the same price or less.<br>

<br /> Yes <a href="../photodb/user?user_id=550912">Ron Hartman</a>, I know about the B&H deal. When the sail started I was contemplating getting one and when I finally got the OK from my brother inlaw and talked my sister into liking the µ4/3 system, I tried to get it last week but they were out of stock and I couldn't buy one.</p>