Panny GF3 - flash compatible?

<p>The dpreview preview of this camera makes a statement at the bottom about compatibility with the rest of the m4/3 gear including external flashes. Maybe I'm missing something but I don't see a shoe for mounting a flash.</p>

<p>http://dpreview.com/news/1106/11061310panasonicGF3preview.asp</p>

<p>Dunno, I like the faster focus on this camera and the smaller body (well... maybe I like the smaller body) but I'm rather disappointed that Panny is moving the GF series closer to a NEX competitor and less towards making a camera that competes with a dSLR for speed, functionality, and IQ, but with a smaller footprint.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>You're right, that doesn't make much sense. I don't think Panasonic bodies are even capable of using the wireless TTL flash control like the Oly (and most other DSLR bodies) --already a big enough drawback. Anyway, this would be a dealbreaker for me, I'd have to get a model with hotshoe.</p>

<p>Even better, out of the box, the GF3 has this amazing feature:</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>The GF3 may have lost its hot shoe but does at least retain a built-in flash.<br /><br /> It's a typically low-powered unit but, despite the elaborate pop-up stalk it emerges on, can't get high enough from the camera to light its way clear of the lens.<strong><em> As a result, it's Panasonic warns that the kit zoom will cast a shadow across photos taken at its wide-angle settings (up to about 18mm).</em></strong></p>

</blockquote>

<p>(emphasis mine)</p>

<p>That's Value-Added right there!</p>

Seem like bad marketing (going for the wrong niche, of course the word wrong being mho) and perhaps just plain bad design.

 

My next m4/3 body may be an Oly or one of the other G series, preferably without that stupid touch screen. Maybe they'll just take

the dials off all the m4/3 cameras and replace them with a button that says "take a good picture for me." Of course the mystery is

what it's doing when you *don't* have that selected.

 

I think they make this too much like a P&S but people wanting that level of simplicity don't usually understand or appreciate or make

use of an interchangeable lens camera. Maybe they should make a large sensor P&S with a 10x zoom and quit screwing up a good

thing.

<p>NOTHING REAL ABOUT DESIGN,BENT UPPER BODY LIKE TOILET SEAT WITHOUT ANY GOOD ADITION TO RESPOND(design wise for young kids).PANASONIC GO DOWN!</p>

<p>It looks terrible!!!</p>

<p>It makes my GF1 look good though. A disappointment, but there seems to be lots of interesting Olympus and Panasonic cameras and lenses in the pipeline.</p>

<p>No hot shoe at all. Thus rendering the 220 flash and the EVF useless in the next model. <br>

I actually like the GF2 - while the touch screen is a gimmick, you do get what for me is a carry-able responsive camera - when you push the shutter, the camera takes a fricking picture, unlike my experience with a Canon G12, and anything else except Canon DSLRs. <br>

In comparison to the GF3, the GF2 is a gem. I picked up a second GF2 body as a spare today, since once these wear out I'll have to go with Olympus or GH2 - a fine camera, but it lacks the almost rangefinder/Leica aesthetic of the gf1/2. <br>

I have a 60D and L glass from Canon and I use that stuff regularly - but I can't find a way to have the DSLR in my hands each and every day - the GF2 I do have, all the time. </p>

<p>GF3 should be more comfortable to hand-hold thanks to a slightly larger grip compared to that of GF2. I don't think mounting any external flash (or even an external EVF) on such a compact camera is a good idea. I've discarded the idea after using FL-50 on G1 for a while.</p>

<p>If you need more powerful flash, you can just crank up ISO to 400 or 800.</p>

Akira, you're right that these cameras are a bit small for handholding with hotshoe-mounted accessory flash but the

hotshoe also allows for lighter items like TTL cables or radio triggers.

 

Maybe this is outside the purview of what is supposed to be a highly portable device but extensibility is part of what

makes it a system rather than just a camera.

 

It's my opinion that the ability to make good use of bounced flash is a big differentiator between run-of-the-mill

compacts and better cameras. Makes a much bigger difference than a couple of stops of light-gathering capability.

 

With these latest, more compact cameras it's clear that Panasonic & Sony believe that most of their expected

customers aren't likely to go to the trouble (or even have the notion/know-how) to do this and will be satisfied with

improved high ISO capability, possibly coupled with faster glass than the average digicam. I guess the camera doesn't have to be for everyone, more enthusiast models will likely be offered as well...but it can be a little frustrating watching the basic models (that will probably gain new customers and sell in far greater numbers) getting refreshed first.

<p>Andrew, I use the TTL cable to connect FL-50 and GH2 now. GH2 is light enough to hold comfortably with my right hand while holding FL-50 with my left hand. This way I can direct the flash independently of the orientation and the direction of the camera.</p>

<p>Maybe Panasonic has started to consider GF line as a tool to guide P&S people into their m4/3 world. To me, the unique beauty of the first generation (GH1, G1 and GF1) was that they shared the same batteries (and the hotshoes!), which enabled us to build a nice multiple camera system including flashes in any combinations of the bodies for different applications. The second generation models, on the other hand, didn't share the same batteris anymore. The third generation bodies don't seem to, and now that GF3 dropped the hotshoe, the system has totally lost the unique beauty.</p>

<p>Ironically, LX5 seems to be more capable second body to backup my GH2 (even though the batteries are different). :(</p>