"Panasonic G series" Owners Thread

Richard, On the Lx3 just press the display button to reset, On the Gf1 just press the Delete/preview button @ bottom right

Toonie

Excellent stuff! :LOL: However, I'm not a great fan of enabling focus point movement as you lose access to ISO, WB and the rest of the directional buttons.
 
Excellent stuff! :LOL: However, I'm not a great fan of enabling focus point movement as you lose access to ISO, WB and the rest of the directional buttons.

It's still pretty quick to get to the focus point adjust. Press the left direction arrow to bring up the focus choices and the down arrow to activate the point adjust. (y)
 
Got it. I think.

With the option enabled in the menu I lose access to the functions of the direction buttons but with the option turned off in the menu I can activate it by pressing left and then down and a half press on the shutter button restores the direction button fuctions and allows access to ISO and WB.

So, it seems to work best with the option turned off in the menu.
 
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Well I managed to talk myself into it - just ordered a GF1, 20mm, 14-45mm and EVF. Can't wait! Just hope we get some decent weather now so I can get out and use it :)
 
Well I managed to talk myself into it - just ordered a GF1, 20mm, 14-45mm and EVF. Can't wait! Just hope we get some decent weather now so I can get out and use it :)

Nice one Brian. You won't regret it!!

I have just ordered a load of NG filters and adapter rings so I can do long exposures and other trick stuff.......when we get some decent weather!! :)
 
So, it seems to work best with the option turned off in the menu.

That's certainly how it works best for me but then I don't move the spot around much anyway.

Nice one Brian. You won't regret it

Well there's fair chance you might wonder if the EVF was a great idea but the rest is pure joy to shoot with.
 
Cheers Andy - filters will be quite high on the list of extras I want - polarising and NDs specifically. And the fact they are so much cheaper for these lenses as opposed to my Canon lenses is a major advantage :)

Darren - know what you mean, wasn't sure about the viewfinder but as I just sold a couple of bits and had the cash thought I might as well! Time will tell how much it gets used :)
 
guys I just tried some expensive lenses today in the search for good sharp images and I look here and the MFT seem to have had that for ages:eek:
DSLR's and no doubt my crappy technique are getting me down, maybe its time to start enjoying togs again with something in my pocket that doesnt let me down, a GF1 or GF2 or LX5? whats recommended for family and scenic pics?
 
Well I managed to talk myself into it - just ordered a GF1, 20mm, 14-45mm and EVF. Can't wait! Just hope we get some decent weather now so I can get out and use it :)

Half decent weather with GF1 + 20mm thats all you need.

This was taken very quickly this evening in the kitchen, no flash was used just flourescent light on the ceiling and was hand held...

 
Hi Alan and welcome. Nice pics - I like the second one, whereabouts is that?

Gwynfryn Plas - a burnt down victorian mini mansion just outside Llanystumdwy. (y)

Chers guys - this little corner moves fast, seems theres a lot of Panasonic love going around. :D
 
seems theres a lot of Panasonic love going around. :D

And rightly so IMVHO.

It's the first digital non DSLR that I've had that can give DSLR quality and manual control. I couldn't take snaps like this with a compact... off centre focus, lowish light...

dk1.jpg
 
I am thinking of getting the 45-200 for my GF1. If anyone has this combo, whats it like to hold at 200mm? Would an EVF help to keep it steady?
I fancy a longer lens and thought of getting another DSLR with zoom, but if its practical with my GF1 and longer lens, I would rather do that.
Allan
 
The 45-200 is a totally remarkable lens for the money but that's not the same as a remarkable lens. It's pretty sharp but like all cheap tele zooms, gets a little soft at the long end.

You can hand hold it at 200 but it doesn't feel natural to me and the EVF is a great help with balancing this combo. Sadly it means that you lose the great quality LCD for the three pixels in the EVF.
 
The 45-200 is a totally remarkable lens for the money but that's not the same as a remarkable lens. It's pretty sharp but like all cheap tele zooms, gets a little soft at the long end.

You can hand hold it at 200 but it doesn't feel natural to me and the EVF is a great help with balancing this combo. Sadly it means that you lose the great quality LCD for the three pixels in the EVF.

After a lot of thinking, using the 3 pixel evf with the GF1 and a 45-200 seems to detract from the idea of the GF1 being small and pocketable ( at least in my jacket pocket it fits in with the 14-45)
Looking at the price of the evf and a used G1, there didnt seem a lot of difference....so i just bought a used G1!
I will get the 45-200 next week then I can have a dedicated camera for that lens and keep using my GF1 with the 14-45.
I dont know what I am going to do if I decide on the 20mm pancake lens in the future though, GF2?

Allan
 
Richard, On the Lx3 just press the display button to reset, On the Gf1 just press the Delete/preview button @ bottom right

Toonie

Nice tip (y)

Allan the 45-200 makes a lot more sense on the G1 than the GF1. It's not amazing but quite sharp up to around 100mm, and worth having I would say. The funny thing is it is possible to get reasonably sharp shots on occasion at 200mm, I don't know if the problem is focussing or the IS as well as just general softness from that focal length. I've played around with tripods and shutter speeds etc so I don't think it's just that I'm not using a fast enough shutter speed.
 
guys I just tried some expensive lenses today in the search for good sharp images and I look here and the MFT seem to have had that for ages:eek:
DSLR's and no doubt my crappy technique are getting me down, maybe its time to start enjoying togs again with something in my pocket that doesnt let me down, a GF1 or GF2 or LX5? whats recommended for family and scenic pics?

anyone? I need help;):D
 
:agree:
or GF1 and 14-45 ( cos I havent got a 20mm.....yet)

Allan
 
:agree:
or GF1 and 14-45 ( cos I havent got a 20mm.....yet)

Allan

I'd say that's the better bet too. The 20mm is a lovely lens but if you're wanting a small package that's a versatile as possible and will go from kids in the garden to dawn raids for landscapes, the zoom is great.

I would have added a vote for the LX, as it's such a great little bit of kit and can punch far far above it's weight but the one place it will frustrate is in the time lag from press to shoot when shooting fast moving things, like kids.
 
I'd say that's the better bet too. The 20mm is a lovely lens but if you're wanting a small package that's a versatile as possible and will go from kids in the garden to dawn raids for landscapes, the zoom is great.

The 14-45 is very nice (I should know, I've bought one twice :LOL:) but if you want to be able to take indoor pics of family the 14-45 isn't really fast enough, and you won't get the nice arty shallow DOF.

You might say the 20mm isn't wide enough for landscapes, but I've got some really nice scenic pics with mine.
 
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The time lag is probably while it does focus and metering.

If you put it in manual or set it up for the shot shutter lag should be imperceptible, at least it is with my LX2, when set up for the shot or in manual I press the shutter and it takes the shot with no lag that I can detect at all.
 
You might say the 20mm isn't wide enough for landscapes, but I've got some really nice scenic pics with mine.

Don't we all know it, some really fab stuff. (y)

Actually for me it would be 30-45 range that I'd really miss for landscapes.

Well there you have it Cherokee, the brethren feel you need a 20mm AND the 14-45. ;)

Guess you need a thread asking "do I get the 20 or the zoom first?" ;)
 
The time lag is probably while it does focus and metering.

If you put it in manual or set it up for the shot shutter lag should be imperceptible, at least it is with my LX2, when set up for the shot or in manual I press the shutter and it takes the shot with no lag that I can detect at all.

It's exactly as you say Alan, just the focusing that's a step behind the G series cameras.

It's no secret that I love the LX cameras and work aside, if I could only have one camera it would be one of these. There are times however that you just want to point your camera at your kids running past and get a frame that has them in it.
 
It is a problem but can't you get away with using auto focus and setting the exposure manually? That should speed things up while keeping auto focus. With so much DoF I think you'll get a good keeper rate even if someone moves after focus is locked.
 
Looking at the price of the evf and a used G1, there didnt seem a lot of difference....so i just bought a used G1!

Allan

Cheers guys, that's a thought that I really needed. :LOL: The cost of a used body really does make it an attractive part of a G kit doesn't it.


It is a problem but can't you get away with using auto focus and setting the exposure manually? That should speed things up while keeping auto focus. With so much DoF I think you'll get a good keeper rate even if someone moves after focus is locked.


Just been having a play with the LX to see how much you can get away with fixing the focus. Which if you do, it's very fast to shoot a frame. At the wide end of the lens i think it gives plenty of scope, 1m to infinity at f3.5 and even closed into the equivalent of the 20mm on the GF you still get 2m to infinity. Not the same of course as being able to whip your camera out of the bag at a blinks notice and fire off a frame but very usable non the less. (y)
 
Cheers guys, that's a thought that I really needed. :LOL: The cost of a used body really does make it an attractive part

I just paid £160 for a used G1. Not a bad saving on a new body and a real bargain when you consider an EVF is £130+
Allan
 
cheers guys so a GF1 and 20mm and 14-45, probably cheaper than my dslr current set up so could be quite do-able.
What about the GF2 or LX5?:thinking: or Canon G12? don't mind spending to get decent quality pics
 
I just paid £160 for a used G1. Not a bad saving on a new body and a real bargain when you consider an EVF is £130+
Allan

That's a bargain! my GH1 body was £400 and is basiclaly the same camera!
 
I like the idea of a LX5 to replace my LX2 but I doubt that it could match the speed and responsiveness of the GF1. If you could be happy with just one lens I think that a GF1 with the 20mm f1.7 makes a very good argument for itself. I think it's a very good modern interpretation of the quality 35mm film cameras we had years ago especially as many of us only had either a fixed lens or one lens with them.

People say that the GF1 is bulky, but compared to a those old 35mm film cameras it's actually smaller than most.
 
cheers guys so a GF1 and 20mm and 14-45, probably cheaper than my dslr current set up so could be quite do-able.
What about the GF2 or LX5?:thinking: or Canon G12? don't mind spending to get decent quality pics

What about the Canon S95, ISO is remarkable, looked at the dpreview and its better than the G12 . . . :thinking:

CJS
 
cheers guys so a GF1 and 20mm and 14-45, probably cheaper than my dslr current set up so could be quite do-able.
What about the GF2 or LX5?:thinking: or Canon G12? don't mind spending to get decent quality pics

Or consider a G1 - same features as GF1 but with an EVF built in and not a huge amount bigger.
I'm considering getting one in addition to the GF1
 
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What about a Nikon Coolpix P7000? Images are superb and sharp, if you can live with the slowish menus( didnt really notice till the review mentioned it) , no RAW buffer ( I dont use RAW, jpegs are great and no messing about for hours on the computer) and sometimes unpredictable AF. ( hopefully, a firmware update will address most issues).

I havent really sold it very well have I :coat: !!

But, I can live with all those for the images it gives and the 28-200 zoom and ease of handling.
Saying that, I dont think any 1/1.7 inch ccd sensor will ever come near to the resolution of an APS-c or MFT sensor.
Allan
 
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This is one of the other bands, called Orphans - from a gig I played on Friday night.

GF1/20mm 1.7

Excellent shots, esp. No.2 - but why does everyone always go for the guitarist? (Guess what I play! :D)
 
Excellent shots, esp. No.2 - but why does everyone always go for the guitarist? (Guess what I play! :D)

Well, in my experience the singer usually looks like they are gurning like an idiot in 80% of the shots and the drummer has those infernal untidy drums in the way of the shot. That said, when singer/drummer shots do work out I am always far happier.

Guitarists are the easy target.
 
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