4/3 Camera?

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AndyJC

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A mate is off to the states in a few days and is wondering what to buy when he's out there. Anyone got recommendations for a good 4/3s camera?

He's played with my 7D and he thinks the DSLR type of body is a little to big for general use.
 
Depends if he wants compact style camera: Panasonic GX1

or

mini DSLR: Panasonic G3

Olympus do the PEN series, but I don't know much about their range.

Slightly larger is the Sony NEX-5N.
 
4/3 Cameras are all DSLRs!

You must mean Micro 4/3, in which case Panasonic G/GH are DSLR style but a lot smaller.
GF/GX are compact style but bigger

Olympus you can have a Pen whcich are again compact style (although actually based on the old Pen film range which were actually SLRs) or if you can hang on a bit you can have the EM5, which is based on the old OM series film SLRs, and would certainly be my pick if I was to go for a digital system again.

Sony don't make any 4/3 cameras, never have!
 
Alan Clogwyn said:
Sony don't make any 4/3 cameras, never have!
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Sorry, I didn't make that clear - but I knew that - they are mini APS-C bodies. By larger, I mean they are physically a little bit larger than the u4/3s from Panasonic & Oly, but similar idea. Image quality appears to be slightly better too.

I bought a GX1 quite recently BTW...
 
arad85 said:
Sorry, I didn't make that clear - but I knew that - they are mini APS-C bodies. By larger, I mean they are physically a little bit larger than the u4/3s from Panasonic & Oly, but similar idea. Image quality appears to be slightly better too.

I bought a GX1 quite recently BTW...
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What are your impressions of the GX1 if I may ask Andy?

If I do indeed venture down the compact route I'm likely to go for the X10 but the GX1 and Canon's G bodies occasionally keep reminding me of their presence.
 
Houston1863 said:
What are your impressions of the GX1 if I may ask Andy?
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I've had it a whole week now! I really like it. It, with the standard 14-42, 14mm pancake and 7.5mm Samyang fisheye are smaller and lighter than my 5D2 body and grip (let alone with a lens attached). I have a wrist strap on it and will be taking it to Japan next weekend for 10 days. Hoping to get some good pics of Tokyo and Osaka. Straight out of camera, you have to pixel peep to see the differences between it and the (now sadly sold) 7D. The 5D2 is a little easier to see, but then any of the lenses I regularly use on the 5D2 cost more than the whole GX1 setup.

I really like the touch screen - especially the focusing and shutter which both appear quite quick. Has all the manual controls you'd want and with a pancake lens attached is pocketable. What more could you want for touring photography where the ultimate image quality isn't the be all and end all...
 
PS. My mate (a photographer for GCHQ) has just bought an X10. He really likes it (and his day job is using full frame Nikons).
 
Thanks Andy.

Glad you're enjoying your GX Uno. While it isn't over till the fat lady sings as they say, I think I'm beginning to lean towards the X10. Most of my work will be done via my DSLRs and I doubt if I will have a need to change lenses on my compact, assuming I do go down that route.

Have a Gr-8 time in Japan :thumbs:
 
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So the Panasonic ranges are good then? Would you say that it's worth getting one over say a Canon PowerShot G1 X (can't change the lens but the images are good)
 
I actually highly rate the Sony NEX-5N. My housemate has one and it really surprised me with how nice it actually is to use. With its various adapters it is truly a fantastic body, especially if you want to use manual lenses with focus peaking doing all the hard work for you. I would get one myself, but the NEX-7 is really what I would want.
 
The 4/3 lineup is growing fast, and the available lenses are becoming quite impressive. Tamron, and I think Tokina, have recently announced they will start making 4/3 lenses. Most folks in that whole field are waiting for next month's release of the Olympus OMD, which looks to be the best 4/3 camera yet released. It will be expensive, but the cadillac of the line, I think.
 
AndyJC said:
So the Panasonic ranges are good then? Would you say that it's worth getting one over say a Canon PowerShot G1 X (can't change the lens but the images are good)
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Well the G1X does produce wonderful images so if you have no need to change lenses then this may be the way to go. It also has a vari-angle screen which could come in handy.
 
thanks for all the comments :) I think with the views of this thread + reading on review sites etc he's gonna go for the Panasonic
 
I've never seen a new owner of the Lumix GX1 be anything but delighted, that camera pleases the customer!
Personally I like the new little Olympuses e-pL3 & e-pM1 and the 40-150 lens is good.
 
Bought a GX1 recently (upgrade from GF1) and love it, cracking camera and a nice range of lenses for most budgets. It's hard to buy a bad micro 4/3 though, a lot of it is just personal preference for looks, handling, brand rather than there actually being a definitive "best" option.
 
Sony NEX is nice, but don't forget the very limited range of lenses, and also how large and unwieldy they are in comparison to the camera bodies..... the range and quality of m43 lenses is very good now.
 
I had a look at the Canon GX1 images on DPR and the very edges of the frame seem quite bad. It may not be an issue in real world images but pixel peepers and anyone who tends to have the main subject towards the edge of the frame might want to take a look before buying.
 
woof woof said:
I had a look at the Canon GX1 images on DPR and the very edges of the frame seem quite bad.
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Wouldn't this be the resolving power of the lens at the frame edges?
 
As you can't change the lens does it really matter what causes it? All that matters is if it's a real world issue or not for the user.

Take a look at the samples on DPR, it's easy to see.
 
woof woof said:
As you can't change the lens does it really matter what causes it?
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Ahh... you mean Canon G1X not Panasonic GX1. Given the fact you didn't quote the post you were replying to was 3 days old and the two posts above yours were referencing the Pana GX1, it's a pretty safe assumption that people will miss the Canon bit and think you meant the GX1 ;)
 
From Luminous Landscape...

"Just a few months ago when I reviewed the Panasonic GX1 I joked about the number of new cameras with X in their names. This then included the Leica X1, Canon 1DX, Samsung NX200, Fujifilm X-10, Ricoh GXR, Casio EX15, Olympus XZ1, Sigma DP2X, Sony HX9V – and that's with just one model from each company. Since then, in addition to the Panasonic GX1 and the new Panasonic X series lenses we have had the Fuji X1 Pro and now the Canon G1X.

For some reason the camera industry has embraced the letter X of late, but really guys... having both Panasonic and Canon with almost identical cameras called GX1 and G1X, while Fuji also uses X1, but with Pro added, is just plain nuts. Stop the madness!

Ps: This is my excuse for any typos you may read on these pages. Please don't write to me if I call Canon's new camera a GX1 instead of a G1X. Or is it the other way round? I give up."
 
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