Which M4/3 or compact?

EMA747

EMA747

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Andy
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I am in the process of a serious downgrade in gear so I can get back to basics and try and get some enjoyment back into my photography.
I was going to get a GH2 but I am holding back in case I decide to get a cheaper DSLR (like a 550D) for my aviation and other fast moving subject use. I still want a M4/3 or decent compact that I can use for all other situations.

I have been trying to work out which is best out of the LX5, G12 and GF2. They are all within about £50 of each other. They all seem to have plus and minus points too.

Can anyone give me some pointers as I am desperately trying to work it out so I can go and buy one tomorrow for my holiday to Spain on Saturday.
 
I can't judge it against the others Andy, but I'm quite impressed with the G12's features and performance. I got one for my wife last year (she was fed up with carrying a 30D around and wanted something pocketable). It's size is a positive when carrying it but a negative when using it for someone more atuned to the bulk of a 1srs body.

Not a great deal of help eh?

Bob
 
not the cameras you're looking at but... I have a Canon G9 which I really like and recently got a Panasonic GF1. The GF1 (with 20mm) is not much bigger than the G9 and the images at anything above ISO200 are significantly better. I reallly like using the GF1 just need to build up the nerve to sell my G9 as it's feeling neglected sitting in the bag.
 
Well I have has two Micro Four Thirds cameras, the GF1 and the EP-1. Sold both of them an I am now on the LX5. this is ideal as its much smaller than the four thirds cameras and the image quality is just as good. if you want somthing compact go for the LX5, only downside I can see with it is the focal length.
 
I'm not so happy with the LX5.

For me the GF1 blitzes it for image quality, it's not even in the same ball park, and I think that my LX2 was actually sharper, a product of the tiny crowded sensor I assume.

I do love my GF1+20mm but there are lots of times when I find that 20mm just isn't wide enough and I therefore tend to use my LX5 for more shots but reach for my GF1 when 20mm is ok or in lower light. Luckily I can carry them both at the same time.
 
The GF2 seems to be £450, the LX5 £350 and the £400. Is the GF2 worth the extra £50?
I think I will leave the GH2 for now because someone in LCE told me Panasonic were bringing out a replacement in a couple of months. Seems a bit silly to blow £700 on a GH2 with that in mind.


Canon Bob said:
I can't judge it against the others Andy, but I'm quite impressed with the G12's features and performance. I got one for my wife last year (she was fed up with carrying a 30D around and wanted something pocketable). It's size is a positive when carrying it but a negative when using it for someone more atuned to the bulk of a 1srs body.

Not a great deal of help eh?

Bob
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Bob I decided I was crazy to dive back in and get another mkIV so soon. Much though I want to I think I will let my head rule my heart on this one. I'm going to get a M4/3 or compact because even if/when I get another SLR I will still have a use for a smaller but good quality camera. For holidays etc I have always found the big DSLRs a hindrance when the main aim isn't photography.
 
What about a Nikon Coolpix P7000 or Canon S95? Both similar in output to the LX5 but with a significantly longer zoom(Nikon) and a much more solid feel.
GF1 is a superb camera too and I think image quality is better than the smaller sensor compacts. The 20mm lens is a great one to keep on the camera all the time although with it being equivalent to a 40mm lens on 35mm, it may not be as wide as you need sometimes.
I had the Nikon and my Dad was so impressed he sold his LX5 to get one. it's a good solid camera and even better with the latest firmware.

Allan
 
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If the GF2 for £450 includes a pancake lens- either 14 or 20mm I would choose that option. If you can't get on with a touch screen, the GF1+20mm is a great piece of kit for £400.

I would say the GF's would be a better choice over the LX5 just for the interchangeable lens facility. Legacy lens are cheap and plentiful.
 
I have a Canon G11 and I cannot complain about the image quality - it's great! I use it all the time for taking out with me when I dont want to take the DSLR out.

I would be wary about a M4/3 if I want a 'small camera' as once you start adding in a lens or 2 you might as well take an entry level DSLR.
 
Thanks for all your help everyone. I ended up getting a GF2 with 14-42 and 14 pancake. If I get into m4/3 then I might get something better. If I get more DSLR kit I will still keep the GF2 for it's small size.
It's charging up now and I will have a play with it later.
 
DaveKing said:
I have a Canon G11 and I cannot complain about the image quality - it's great! I use it all the time for taking out with me when I dont want to take the DSLR out.

I would be wary about a M4/3 if I want a 'small camera' as once you start adding in a lens or 2 you might as well take an entry level DSLR.
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Except that's not true, because an entry level dSLR, despite the m43 smaller sensor, will not give the same level of quality.

This is what DPreview said.


'The higher resolution and better JPEG engine of the E-PL1 puts the baby Nikon to shame - with the Olympus trumping the DSLR in every respect. The Nikon D3000 isn't here because it offers class-leading image quality but because its feature set is most closely comparable to the E-PL1, even so the difference is dramatic.'
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http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/OlympusEPL1/page13.asp

'The E-PL1's JPEG engine is doing an excellent job here - it's retaining a good level of detail and saturation (which are both easily lost to noise reduction), without excessive amounts of noise at all ISOs. Even its highest setting is very good - we're used to cameras boasting higher ISOs than they can deliver to a good standard.

The Panasonic's images have slightly more detail but also more noise, and some of that noise will be giving the impression of detail. Overall, the E-PL1's images are the most natural and convincing here - avoiding the D3000's overly contrasty, noisier images and free from the color smearing that is starting to affect the E-P2 at ISO 3200. Most impressive is the E-PL1's ability to produce results comparable with the EOS 500D and Pentax K-x, despite its smaller sensor.'
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The PL1 has now been replaced with a newer model which further improves the quality to compare to newer dSLR models.
 
Well the sensor in the D3000 though is a rehash of a 4 year old sensor first appearing in the D40x . I doubt it is really relevant today at all. Yes the EPL1 is better than the D3000 but this is not what the EPL2 competes with. It competes with a D5000 and D3100 both with much better sensors than the D3000.
 
...and if you read what I said, the PL1 has been replaced with an improved model...
 
That Pana is a great camera and the pancake is a terrific lens. I get a real kick out of trying old school lenses and find myself using the e-p1 more than the 5d.
 
Yeah perhaps the best thing about m43 is being able to find adaptors for the most obscure and cheap lenses.
 
dd1989 said:
...and if you read what I said, the PL1 has been replaced with an improved model...
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I did and if you read what I said the EPL2 is now competing with much more modern cameras. So how the EPL1 compared to the D3000 is no indication to how the EPL2 compares to the D3100 or the D5000 which is much more close to the EPL1 in regards to when they were released.
 
^ The lens selection for the Nex range is currently quite limited. I played around with a 5 in the Sony store here, it felt nice, but they've simply made no attempt to make the lenses compact.
 
That is probably cause the sensor is larger so the lenses have to be large enough for that. So you wont be able to get much smaller lenses for the NEX than you can for your run of the mill APS-C based DSLR's
 
Not so sure about pointless because it is not as much the size of the lens as it is their shape and if you think how popular the 20mm panasonic one is a 35mm pancake with an NEX will be a great combo.

But agreed if you are after the smallest package you can't be looking at NEX.
 
I'm also in the process of 'downgrading' atm (with my <5500 clicks D300 and other gear soon to be in the Classifieds to join my 70-200mm AF-S currently for-sale). Therefore it seemed better to tag on to this thread as opposed to starting a fresh one.

I like the look of the Pana GF-1 as it has more external buttons than the GF-2; giving me better access control to settings (not keen on almost-everything being via a menu). I also like the looks of the Olympus PEN.

What are your opinions on the above and does anyone have experience with either regards; use, image quality, lens options & availability (esp. fast tele-zooms & Macro lenses).

TIA (y)
 
MScotts said:
I like the look of the Pana GF-1 as it has more external buttons than the GF-2; giving me better access control to settings (not keen on almost-everything being via a menu). I also like the looks of the Olympus PEN.

What are your opinions on the above and does anyone have experience with either regards; use, image quality, lens options & availability (esp. fast tele-zooms & Macro lenses).
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I've got a GF1 and 20mm f1.7 pancake lens - love it to bits. It has its limitations but, that said, continues to amaze me. There are some samples taken with it in my flickr photostream (clicky the link below).

It's a real everyday camera - it'll fit into a jacket pocket - and is far less cumbersome than lugging a DSLR about with you when you're out and about doing other 'stuff'.

Get one while you can - you won't regret it.
 
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