GF1 v 500D

[keith_anderson7]

<p>I generally dislike judging cameras by magnifying some tiny crop from a photo to say which lens is sharper or which camera has less noise or better color. So I'm sort of embarassed to bring this up... but:</p>

<p>http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/PanasonicGF1/page27.asp</p>

<p>It seems to me a flawed comparison in the sense that the lenses aren't the same, the aperture isn't the same, etc. That said, I DO think it's pretty impressive to see that the GF1 holds its own very nicely compared to other entry dSLRs with respect to color, sharpness, and resolution. I generally think the noise comparisons are useless for most folks, and if you hate noise run the photos through a separate noise reduction package.</p>

<p>Anyway, I guess the question I'm left with is why pick the GF1 versus the E-P1 or E-P2? I only hear the downside of the Olympus mFT being it's slower (shutter lag and focus) and wonder if anyone better versed in the offerings could comment. I'm a Canon 500D owner and I'm still strongly thinking of "converting" [to the dark side].</p>

[phototransformations]

<p>The Olympus has image stabilization built into the body. If that's important to you, which it might be if you are planning to use legacy lenses with the camera, then that's a substantial advantage. That said, I went for the G1 instead of either of the above, since I felt the better EVF and articulating LCD outweighed the importance of movie mode, and the size difference is insignificant unless you're sticking with a pancake lens.</p>

[ronhartman]

<p>I had bought the G1 last year. I never warmed up to the evf, so I sold it and now have a 450D.<br>

Other then the price, the biggest thing that puts me off to the GF1/E-P1 type camera is not having any eye level viewfinder. They are great for having high IQ in a pocket size camera. But I can't give up a dSLR.</p>

[keith_anderson7]

<p>Ron, why can't you give up a dSLR? It's got to be more than you needing the viewfinder. I'm actually quite curious why you feel that way since I'm considering trading in my EOS body for the GF1 or Olympus. I love taking photos during travel and really like the idea of porting a lot less STUFF with me, or at least SMALLER stuff.</p>

[yoshio]

<p>Hello Keith</p>

<p>to answer your first question, I have the G1 and consider its AF to be as fast as any I've used (you can add using Canon EOS since 1990 starting with the 630 which with a USM lens is as fast as any other in the right conditions ... differences between it and other later 'faster' AF require measuring tools). I prefer the rear screen on the G1 to the EP-x and the finder on the 2 looks ... well clunky. IF my deciding factor was to have only the EP then I would pick the 2 due to its plug in EVF which is equal to the panasonic G1.</p>

<p>To answer your question about the EVF vs Optical SLR and why one could not live with it, if you are a motordrive person shooting 5 fps then you really have no choice it must be optical ... even if you are using lesser amounts tracking moving objects using it can be very difficult because you get a sequence of last frames appearing on the screen ... for sports this can be difficult to manage.</p>

<p>For all other things ... my preference is the EVF, the one on the G1 is as good as optical to me, and better because I can more carefully do critical focus which I have never been satisfied with on the optical cameras without resorting to an angle magnifying finder (not cheap). For exacting work the EVF is superior to the optical in almost any way I can think of.</p>

<p>If you wish to find other of my experiences with respect to the G1 please search on my name and G1 in photo.net</p>

<p>:-)</p>

<p> </p>

[ronhartman]

<p>Keith, I like the idea of lighter, smaller stuff too. But I'd much rather be able to put the camera up to my eye and see a good viewfinder, then have to hold the camera away and view a small lcd rear display washed out by bright sunshine,</p>

[yoshio]

<p>So Ron:</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p><em>But I'd much rather be able to put the camera up to my eye and see a good viewfinder, then have to hold the camera away and view a small lcd rear display washed out by bright sunshine,</em></p>

</blockquote>

<p>what was it then about the <strong>EVF</strong> that you didn't warm to? It even has diopter adjustment</p>

[phototransformations]

<p>Overall I, too, prefer the EVF to the optical viewfinder of my D80 (though I still prefer the old film optical viewfinders to both). Especially when combined with an articulating LCD for shots that are hard or impossible to take with an eye-level viewfinder, it seems to combine the best of the DSLR and the P&S cameras in a single package. Except in very dim light (where sometimes the EVF is brighter than the image I will capture; haven't figured out how to correct that or what the pattern is), the EVF gives me an almost perfect sense of what I will be shooting BEFORE I shoot it, even down to how motion blur will affect things. This is great!<br>

I haven't touched my D80 and bag of lenses since I got the G1. I've even bought some old Nikkor MF lenses to attach to it, and was delighted to find that they meter on the G1, even though they don't meter on the Nikon.</p>

[ronhartman]

<p>Yoshio,<br>

The evf just seemed a bit pixeled and grainy to me compared to an slr. But many people seem to be happy with it. But I guess I'm just used to an optical finder.<br>

I think the evf is a great idea. I recently reread the GH1 reviews, thinking about getting it for video and still, but the price is too steep.</p>

[yoshio]

<p>Ron</p>

<p>I envy the sharpness of your vision, I can only identify some 'moire' happening on occasions. Certainly in low light the EVF becomes challenged ... but then I have trouble observing any SLR focusing screen in places such as the theater</p>

[ronhartman]

<p>Don't know if my eye doctor would agree with that!<br>

Maybe there is something wrong with my eyes that makes the evf more difficult.</p>