"Panasonic G series" Owners Thread

Looks like it's try Harding to be an XT-2 crossed with a D90 :confused: nothing original about it's design at least.
 
Stumpy said:
I think the G9 is an ugly camera. Nice sharp edges on the pentaprism hump to get rubbed and add de-value to the unit. Good for bringing it down to my price leval I suppose.
On the plus side there seems to be lots of different ways to change the focus method. I must be missing something as that's one of the least altered settings on my G6!
And a seperate white balance button? Really? I set mine ONCE dependant upon location and unless that changes or there's a MAJOR chage of light, that's it for the session.
Now a dedicated shooting speed button or even better a lever for instant show, that would be usefull especialy with the super high 20 and 60 fps modes on this model.
Figures on paper might be better, but the way it interfaces with us hasn't got any better since the old Canon T90 days! (Or even my old SpottyF). Progress eh?
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Where do you see lots of ways to change the focus method? From the photos in the 43 Rumours I can see one switch on the back of the camera that swaps between the 3 focus modes. My GX8 already has that. My GX8 also has a dedicated WB button. It's the right arrow on the rear dial that directly accesses WB settings, so it's just providing the same functionality in a slightly different way. I'd argue that no camera design has really changed fundamentally since the Canon T90.

I think I'll wait until the real thing is announced and actual photos appear (not computer renders) before passing final judgement. For me, the likely killer is going to be price. It's now rumoured to be up at the 2000 Euro level which will probably equate directly into GBP. At that price, it's up against a whole range of top end gear, and assuming I could afford it (I can't), then I would be looking very closely at other alternatives.

Simon.
 
srhmoto said:
Styling perhaps, let's see the actual specs before saying its design isn't original.
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I'm specifically talking about the cosmetic design, clearly. It doesn't interest me no matter the specs, because I can't afford it :D I am pondering on a used G80 though. More in my price range and has about all I'd need technically.
 
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Cagey75 said:
I'm specifically talking about the cosmetic design, clearly. It doesn't interest me no matter the specs, because I can't afford it :D I am pondering on a used G80 though. More in my price range and has about all I'd need technically.
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Me neither at the rumoured price, unless you have a spare kidney I can sell LOL. You could do a lot, lot worse than get a G80. Panasonic are doing £100 cashback on them just now, so you might find that pushes the price a lot closer to used levels.

Simon.
 
srhmoto said:
Me neither at the rumoured price, unless you have a spare kidney I can sell LOL. You could do a lot, lot worse than get a G80. Panasonic are doing £100 cashback on them just now, so you might find that pushes the price a lot closer to used levels.

Simon.
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I'm torn between the G80 and the Oly em10 mk II [which would allow me an extra lens] - didn't think it would be such a hard decision so I'm taking my time with it. The articulating screen and 4K vid are tempting, I also like to have a more pronounced grip. But the main reason for me looking to M43 at all is the stabilization, and afaik it'll be as good in either.
 
Cagey75 said:
I'm torn between the G80 and the Oly em10 mk II [which would allow me an extra lens] - didn't think it would be such a hard decision so I'm taking my time with it. The articulating screen and 4K vid are tempting, I also like to have a more pronounced grip. But the main reason for me looking to M43 at all is the stabilization, and afaik it'll be as good in either.
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Do you do any thing that needs AFC,if so it has to be the G80 preferably with Panasonic lenses, i have had both so i know its true, just bought back in though and don't need AFC so bought the EM10MK11.
 
mikew said:
Do you do any thing that needs AFC,if so it has to be the G80 preferably with Panasonic lenses, i have had both so i know its true, just bought back in though and don't need AFC so bought the EM10MK11.
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I do shoot birds in the garden through the winter, but they will be flying about feeders so not much need to worry about serious tracking. I've been shooting them using manual focus for a long time. I never shoot sports or action really.
 
Cagey75 said:
I do shoot birds in the garden through the winter, but they will be flying about feeders so not much need to worry about serious tracking. I've been shooting them using manual focus for a long time. I never shoot sports or action really.
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I found tracking to be rubbish on both any way, just used single center point in AFS on the Olympus, and with the Panasonic single or a small block in the center and AFC but did my own tracking. One problem area is the slow focus motors in the lenses when it comes to AFC i used the 100-400 it was very fast but the kit lens i have now 40-150 stands no chance of refocusing in time.
The MK11 100-300 i think now has the same speed focus motor as the 100-400 so it should be a lot better.
 
mikew said:
Do you do any thing that needs AFC,if so it has to be the G80 preferably with Panasonic lenses, i have had both so i know its true, just bought back in though and don't need AFC so bought the EM10MK11.
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Went ahead and ordered the G80, I feel it's got enough extra to offer to justify missing out on an extra lens for the moment.

I just ordered the 25mm 1.7 from an Irish store, can't believe how cheap it is atm! €118 inc. delivery with the 70 instant cash-back. A steal, it's actually more expensive used on MPB
 
michael23 said:
So the g9 is official, £1499 at park cameras

200mm f2.8 is £2699 including the 1.4x converter in the box
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I've just had a quick look at it on DPR and one thing I think is a great idea is being able to step the magnification down when using the EVF, this is a great idea for people wearing glasses and I wonder if this is the first time this feature has been offered?

It looks like they've redesigned the grip and I hope it's more comfortable than I found the G7 which was the most uncomfortable SLR style camera I've ever used.

The G9 does look like a lovely camera but I doubt very much that I'll buy one as I have a GX7 (mainly because it seems unsellable) and a GX80 and from what I've seen of the 20mp cameras so far any image quality improvement over the later 16mp ones is IMO negligible. Good luck to Panny though, I hope the camera sells well.

Just on that top display though... I can't see the point of it and TBH I'd rather it wasn't there at all. Is anyone happy to see it and desperate for a top display?
 
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woof woof said:
I've just had a quick look at it on DPR and one thing I think is a great idea is being able to step the magnification down when using the EVF, this is a great idea for people wearing glasses and I wonder if this is the first time this feature has been offered?
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Interesting. What do you think this might offer over a diopter?
 
jakeblu said:
Interesting. What do you think this might offer over a diopter?
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They're different things.

The diopter gets it in focus but if it's a BIG EVF and you're wearing glasses as you're further away from the EVF you may not be able to see it all. With the G9 you can reduce the magnification so that you've got more chance of seeing the whole EVF when wearing glasses.
 
woof woof said:
I've just had a quick look at it on DPR and one thing I think is a great idea is being able to step the magnification down when using the EVF, this is a great idea for people wearing glasses and I wonder if this is the first time this feature has been offered?

It looks like they've redesigned the grip and I hope it's more comfortable than I found the G7 which was the most uncomfortable SLR style camera I've ever used.

The G9 does look like a lovely camera but I doubt very much that I'll buy one as I have a GX7 (mainly because it seems unsellable) and a GX80 and from what I've seen of the 20mp cameras so far any image quality improvement over the later 16mp ones is IMO negligible. Good luck to Panny though, I hope the camera sells well.

Just on that top display though... I can't see the point of it and TBH I'd rather it wasn't there at all. Is anyone happy to see it and desperate for a top display?
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I dont recall an evf with the ability to change magnification, it's a great addition. Listening to the comments on the grip, I would expect it to feel more comfortable than the gh5, I liked the grip on the gh5, but did feel it could be improved.

The is sounds amazing, I would be interested to see how well it works with say a 150-600 sigma adapted.

Top lcd display, yes that is a very welcome addition in my eyes, seeing the exosure info straight away making sure you get that shot, not quite nailing it because your shutter speed was to slow, plus I really have got used to it on my 7d2.

Autofocus, sounds like panasonic have made some bold statements that haven't come to light yet because of the nda.

I do think this will go down a very well indeed,
 
Just seen the price of the 200mm!! A lot more than I was hoping it would be, but it does include the 1.4 TC. Nevertheless, way out of my price range! I think I'd better start doing the lottery!
 
michael23 said:
I dont recall an evf with the ability to change magnification, it's a great addition. Listening to the comments on the grip, I would expect it to feel more comfortable than the gh5, I liked the grip on the gh5, but did feel it could be improved.
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Yes. I don't remember reading about another camera with it. One thing that may have not been given quite enough thought in the past is the effect of ever larger VF's on people who wear glasses and want to keep them on whilst using the camera.

PS.
My old G1 was probably my favorite camera for it's mix of handing, ease of use and image quality and whilst the G7 moved a lot of things on and was a real sports car of a camera the grip and shutter shock spoilt it for me. If this new camera fixes the grip and shutter shock that would be great but I doubt I'll get one as I have two RF style bodies which are responsive enough and I'd be surprised if the G9 moves image quality on enough to get me interested. I honestly think that the later 16mp cameras are good enough for me.

I think that the G9 could be very attractive though if people can see past the fact that it's a Panny and not an Oly :D
 
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woof woof said:
Just on that top display though... I can't see the point of it and TBH I'd rather it wasn't there at all. Is anyone happy to see it and desperate for a top display?
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I quite like the top display. It means I can keep the rear screen fairly uncluttered, but still see the shooting settings (and presumably battery level, shots remaining etc.) at a glance.
 
I am not keen on the top display. Also the size of it looks big as something like a Nikon D5500 or possibly bigger.

Glad I didn't wait for this and went for a G80 instead.

Also I find the G80 size and weight to be just about right for a camera to want to take anywhere and anytime. Never found my G7 to be a burden to walk around London for a day shooting think the only time it went back in the bag was when I got some lunch
 
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It doesn't do anything for me either. The G80 will be more than I actually need right now. If I was currently doing paid shoots I would probably be excited for this, but I'm not. I don't need more fps, I use single shot mode 99.9% of the time! I don't need an 80mp image mode either, I'm not planning on printing any billboards anytime soon :D and if 4-5 stops of stabilization didn't help me get steady shots I'd see a doctor.
 
Back with Panasonic and Olympus. just picked a G80 up and should get a 100-400 again on Friday or Saturday, just missed m4/3 too much.
 
I’ll preface what follows by saying I’ve no funds to spend on cameras just now, so an upgrade in any direction is currently out on the question for me.

On paper, the G9 looks like a serious bit of kit. However, it’s clear it’s targeted at sports and wildlife photographers (it’s all about speed after all), and these are two areas I shoot the least of all. I still remain to be convinced about how well it will perform using AF-C in the real world (ie not stage managed tests). The dual pixel high res mode also appears limited to a minimum shutter speed of 1 second, which makes it next to useless for 80-90% of the landscape stuff I shoot before considering any limitations of movement in the frame. There seems to have been significant improvement in JPEG output (another nod to its intended market?) but it remains to be seen how much better dynamic range, noise and IQ is in raw. It’s also priced at £1500 body only, and is on the large side for a m4/3 body. I don’t mind the size per se, but it does bring it closer to equivalent DSLRs, and in that price bracket it has serious competition from both DSLRs and other mirrorless offerings.

So for me, my upgrade path from my current GX8 is anything but clear and it would be remiss of me not to look at other systems (EM1 mk II, A7 mk II, Fuji XT-2, D750, D500, 80D, 6D, 6D mk II etc.). I’ve not mentioned the G80, as it is limited in bulb exposure mode to 2 minutes. Having said that, I love my GX8 and the Panasonic UI which makes the camera a joy to use, and my current Olympus lenses are just stellar. I also am fully aware of the potential weight gain in lenses for some of those systems.

The upgrade path will be a tough choice. Thankfully, I have time on my hands which will be particularly useful to see actual real world use of the G9 in the coming weeks and months.

Simon.
 
srhmoto said:
I’ll preface what follows by saying I’ve no funds to spend on cameras just now, so an upgrade in any direction is currently out on the question for me.

On paper, the G9 looks like a serious bit of kit. However, it’s clear it’s targeted at sports and wildlife photographers (it’s all about speed after all), and these are two areas I shoot the least of all. I still remain to be convinced about how well it will perform using AF-C in the real world (ie not stage managed tests). The dual pixel high res mode also appears limited to a minimum shutter speed of 1 second, which makes it next to useless for 80-90% of the landscape stuff I shoot before considering any limitations of movement in the frame. There seems to have been significant improvement in JPEG output (another nod to its intended market?) but it remains to be seen how much better dynamic range, noise and IQ is in raw. It’s also priced at £1500 body only, and is on the large side for a m4/3 body. I don’t mind the size per se, but it does bring it closer to equivalent DSLRs, and in that price bracket it has serious competition from both DSLRs and other mirrorless offerings.

So for me, my upgrade path from my current GX8 is anything but clear and it would be remiss of me not to look at other systems (EM1 mk II, A7 mk II, Fuji XT-2, D750, D500, 80D, 6D, 6D mk II etc.). I’ve not mentioned the G80, as it is limited in bulb exposure mode to 2 minutes. Having said that, I love my GX8 and the Panasonic UI which makes the camera a joy to use, and my current Olympus lenses are just stellar. I also am fully aware of the potential weight gain in lenses for some of those systems.

The upgrade path will be a tough choice. Thankfully, I have time on my hands which will be particularly useful to see actual real world use of the G9 in the coming weeks and months.

Simon.
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Do you think we will see a upgraded GX9, for me if i had the money i would jump at the G9, well after i see some reports and have handled one, i dont expect it to live up to the hype after all what does.
Not too bothered about it being larger so long as its not too heavy.
 
mikew said:
Do you think we will see a upgraded GX9, for me if i had the money i would jump at the G9, well after i see some reports and have handled one, i dont expect it to live up to the hype after all what does.
Not too bothered about it being larger so long as its not too heavy.
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Sure I read somewhere that body + battery was in the region of 700g, maybe a little heavier.

Simon.
 
I enjoy wildlife photography, so was quite excited ready the specs (I also can't afford one!!), but then I saw the weight!!! The G9 is 658g compared to the 505g of the G80. I know 153g doesn't sound a heck of a lot, but when you have RA it really will make a huge difference and so it really won't be for me. As you say Simon, we are talking more DSLR size and weight, which isn't why I went down the m4/3 route.
Having said all of that I am perfectly happy with my G80 and have learned to accept any compromises which isn't easy when your husband has a Nikon D500 which is stellar! However, with a little bit of PP if I need to use higher ISO's my output is great in my eyes!!
 
I know there will be a market for the G9 but surely the whole point of micro four thirds was just that, you know, micro, less weight, small etc, i know for me if it's not a job then i much prefer to grab my small camera's when i head out than lug my full size kite around, looking at the specs of that, plus when you add a few lenses, imo you may as well get a DSLR.
 
Swissy said:
I know there will be a market for the G9 but surely the whole point of micro four thirds was just that, you know, micro, less weight, small etc, i know for me if it's not a job then i much prefer to grab my small camera's when i head out than lug my full size kite around, looking at the specs of that, plus when you add a few lenses, imo you may as well get a DSLR.
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Yes and no, Giovanni. The bulk of size and weight savings are in the lenses not the camera body per se. Even with the larger G9 and GH5, if you compared the total weight with direct lens equivalents with a DSLR system, I'm sure you would have significant weight and size savings (compare the Oly 40-150mm f2.8 to its nearest equivalent the Sigma 120-300mm f2.8). It is a bit of a dilemma though. I can not afford to run two systems, so I am happy to sacrifice some size and weight for performance / functionality of m4/3 cameras. Within reason of course!

The biggest thing as far as I am concerned is price. I don't mean the fact that it is £1500 and only m4/3 - the top of the line of anything is always going to be relatively expensive - it's what it brings it in to direct cost competition with. It then becomes a balance of functionality, performance and ergonomics. I'm pretty certain that the G9 won't out perform say a D500 or 7D mk II when it comes to AF-C re sports and wildlife. I'm also pretty sure it won't have the IQ and dynamic range of an A7 mk II or D750. For sure, the G9 will do things they can't but how important is that to me? Also, shooting at 20 fps or 60 fps is no good to me if little is in focus.

It's all a moot point for me right now, as I'm just not in a position to upgrade to anything for some time to come.

Simon.
 
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@mikew - I really don't know about the GX9. By many accounts, the GX8 hasn't sold as well as expected. With the release of the G9, I would be surprised if we saw a GX9 any time soon.

Simon.
 
wellyboot said:
I enjoy wildlife photography, so was quite excited ready the specs (I also can't afford one!!), but then I saw the weight!!! The G9 is 658g compared to the 505g of the G80. I know 153g doesn't sound a heck of a lot, but when you have RA it really will make a huge difference and so it really won't be for me. As you say Simon, we are talking more DSLR size and weight, which isn't why I went down the m4/3 route.
Having said all of that I am perfectly happy with my G80 and have learned to accept any compromises which isn't easy when your husband has a Nikon D500 which is stellar! However, with a little bit of PP if I need to use higher ISO's my output is great in my eyes!!
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Compared with Nikon D300 at 820g and a D500 at 860g. Still seems significantly lighter to me and has already been stated the lenses make a big difference?
 
Very poor light today but took the G80 with the Olympus 40-150 kit lens just to play

P1080091_DxO.jpg

This one was a bit daft but ime trying DXO same gear as above but 100% crop @ ISO 2000

P1080090_DxO.jpg
 
GaryLaird said:
Compared with Nikon D300 at 820g and a D500 at 860g. Still seems significantly lighter to me and has already been stated the lenses make a big difference?
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Fair point Gary, but what I was saying is that for me what with having Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus, the extra weight of the G9 in comparison to the G80 will make a big difference to me with regard to pain, and actually being able to handle. My husband has a D500 and I struggle to be able to lift it with no lens on.
I must apologise for writing a post thinking only of myself and health issues when for a normal healthy person the small weight difference would be incosequential. I'm sorry if my post upset anyone, but I really wasn't, and I am still not, moaning about my health, but just stating something factual.
As always I have put my foot in it! Sorry again.
 
wellyboot said:
Fair point Gary, but what I was saying is that for me what with having Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus, the extra weight of the G9 in comparison to the G80 will make a big difference to me with regard to pain, and actually being able to handle. My husband has a D500 and I struggle to be able to lift it with no lens on.
I must apologise for writing a post thinking only of myself and health issues when for a normal healthy person the small weight difference would be incosequential. I'm sorry if my post upset anyone, but I really wasn't, and I am still not, moaning about my health, but just stating something factual.
As always I have put my foot in it! Sorry again.
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lol is that why your nick is wellyboot :D
 
wellyboot said:
Fair point Gary, but what I was saying is that for me what with having Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus, the extra weight of the G9 in comparison to the G80 will make a big difference to me with regard to pain, and actually being able to handle. My husband has a D500 and I struggle to be able to lift it with no lens on.
I must apologise for writing a post thinking only of myself and health issues when for a normal healthy person the small weight difference would be incosequential. I'm sorry if my post upset anyone, but I really wasn't, and I am still not, moaning about my health, but just stating something factual.
As always I have put my foot in it! Sorry again.
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I agree as a fellow sufferer. I sold my Nikon D7000 for the same reason. I now use a Panasonic GX7, GX80, GM5 (my hiking camera) and an Olympus Em10 Mk 2 (nice big dials when my hands are really bad). M4/3 brings back the enjoyment of photography. Incidentally I don't see why you should have upset anyone - It was a very valid point.
 
Choice of camera is always a personal thing. I find the bigger heavier bodies ok to start with but after a while the weight for me becomes too much and the the enthusiasm goes out of wanting to use the camera.

To me the G9 loses the essence of what micro four thirds is all about. It's losing the compactness and portability of the system.
 
I haven't even checked specs, is it much bigger than a G80? I used a D800E for 4 years and some hefty lenses, like a 150mm macro that was 1.2KG alone! I have a duffed back, and would get sore on longer outings carrying 10kg or so in a back pack. I switched to Fuji over a year back and have never missed the bulky camera or the hefty lenses.

Towards the end with the Nikon I was rarely heading out with the gear, I even bought compacts like the X100s [which kind of led to me looking into Fuji] and the rx100, just so i would have something small and light when out and about on the bike. It was actually getting me down looking at the camera and the lovely lenses I had, gathering dust pretty much. I had a 35 1.4, an 85 1.8, the 150 2.8 macro, I had the 24-70 and 70-200 2.8 combo etc ... none of it any good if I had zero motivation and wasn't enjoying shooting. Sold it all over time, paid off some big bills and decided to go small, light and casual.

Got me an X-T1 and a couple of cheap and cheerful lenses and I've been having fun shooting again since. Now I'm looking to m43 for another side venture, I want some of that 5-axis stab, I want that 4K and articulating touch screen, looks fun and I know I'll benefit from it. I'll still have the Fuji, for now! I'm never tied to any system. It's about what I want to use 'now'. I don't need excuses to chop and change, I just .... decide, and go with it :) The G80 + Fuji X-T1 + lenses I'll have will weigh about quarter of what the FX system i used to drag around did. And tbh, after using full fram for a long while, and suddenly switching to APSC, I never really noticed any massive change in image quality, bar the reduction in overall raw file sizes. I PP all my images no matter the format, I maybe can't push them quite as much, and can't crop in near as much, but that's actually a good thing.
 
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