"Panasonic G series" Owners Thread

simonblue said:
Got the Panasonic 20mm MK11 do i need the 25mm F1.4 as well :)
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I have the 20mm f1.7 but I'm sort of addicted to a 35mm/FF 50mm FoV. The Panny 20mm isn't far off and indeed it's probably just a step forward or backward so maybe it's a psychological thing... but I prefer 25mm on MFT. I keep the 20mm for when I want the most compact package and just a tad wider but I do prefer the Olympus 25mm f1.8.

Another issue is very high ISO noise banding with the 20mm, it's just not present with the 25mm. This was never an issue for me when I only had my G1 as its high ISO isn't all that high and I never saw the banding but the GX7 produces usable images at much higher ISO's and the banding becomes visible particularly under artificial lighting.
 
woof woof said:
I have the 20mm f1.7 but I'm sort of addicted to a 35mm/FF 50mm FoV. The Panny 20mm isn't far off and indeed it's probably just a step forward or backward so maybe it's a psychological thing... but I prefer 25mm on MFT. I keep the 20mm for when I want the most compact package and just a tad wider but I do prefer the Olympus 25mm f1.8.

Another issue is very high ISO noise banding with the 20mm, it's just not present with the 25mm. This was never an issue for me when I only had my G1 as its high ISO isn't all that high and I never saw the banding but the GX7 produces usable images at much higher ISO's and the banding becomes visible particularly under artificial lighting.
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Thanks is this with the MK1 or MK11 or both,i like the 35mm length also the 50mm,what iso are we talking about :)
 
I've had the MK1 and now have the MK2 as it came as a package with the GX7. Can't really see any difference between them.

Can't remember what ISO the banding starts at with the 20mm but if you'd like to know I'll rattle off some test shots under artificial light and let you know once it gets a bit darker. It's not a problem with the Oly 25mm f1.8 though. I went for the Oly rather than the Panny f1.4 because it's a smaller lens and cheaper and from what I've read a tad quicker to focus, maybe.

Just to clarify the FoV thing, a 25mm lens will give the equivalent FoV of a 50mm lens on a FF digital camera or 35mm film camera.
 
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Thanks, just got into micro 4/3 got a couple of zooms,and the 20mm,just looking to add a couple of fast primes for when the light really low,and you can't push the ISO above 3200 on M 4/3 ?.

The three lengths I like are around on 35mm are 35/50/and a short tele maybe 45 or 75mm :)
 
simonblue said:
Thanks, just got into micro 4/3 got a couple of zooms,and the 20mm,just looking to add a couple of fast primes for when the light really low,and you can't push the ISO above 3200 on M 4/3 ?.

The three lengths I like are around on 35mm are 35/50/and a short tele maybe 45 or 75mm :)
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Yes, of course you can shoot higher than ISO 3200 if your camera can do it. My G1 only goes to ISO 3200 and the higher ISO's are a bit rough unless you take care to get the best out of them. My GX7 however goes to ISO 25,600 and IMVHO all ISO's are usable.

I've just shot a series of test shots off with my GX7 and 20mm f1.7 in a dimly lit room, lit only by one energy saving bulb and a TV (I know from experience that higher ISO shots of the family and friends can look rough under this lighting) and I haven't managed to capture the banding. I've seen it before so it must depend on the lighting.... anyway, all ISO's up to and including ISO 25,600 are usable IMVHO, depending upon your own standards of what's acceptable and what isn't and how large you want to display the image.

I don't file my pictures by ISO or camera or lens type but I do keep some test shots and this is a little test shot I took some time ago when looking at the higher ISO capabilities of my humble little G1, again it's under artificial light which seems to give the worst results...

Whole image at ISO 3200.



100% crop.



This picture didn't need any excessive noise reduction and all I did was expose to the right and back it off post capture which is what I'd usually do if at all possible. I don't think that noise is an issue and there's plenty of detail and IMVHO no significant evidence of noise reduction / smearing / loss of detail.

For real world pictures I'll use any ISO available and IMVHO the old G1 is capable of getting reasonable pictures at ISO 3200 and the GX7 does a lot better. These cameras may not match full frame cameras or even the best APS-C cameras but I think that they're perfectly usable for picture taking :D
 
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You shouldn't have any real problems with a GX7 :D IMVHO they're good cameras.

I don't know how experienced you are and I may be trying to teach you to suck eggs :D but if I may... I get my best results by watching the histogram and exposing to the right if at all possible and I do try to avoid boosting the exposure post capture if at all possible. So, it's an exposure cursor smack in the middle of the range for me at the very least or if at all possible I expose to the right and back it off post capture.

Good luck with your kit :D

PS. Forgot to add... I think it's worth shooting raw :D

Jeans shot with my GX7 at ISO 25,600 under artificial light, one energy saving bulb and light from the TV. There seems to be plenty of detail and noise isn't really an issue. 100% crop...

 
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I am interested in the 15mm Panaleica and just wondered if anyone has recently bought one and how they find the focal length and quality. Thanks in advance.
 
I have the Panasonic Leica 25mm F1.4 and it's fantastic in my opinion so the 15mm should be good too!
 
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A few pictures taken with my GX7 and 14mm. The light was so flat I nearly didn't bother and to be honest there are no real keepers but the last was rather pleasing in that I just fancied a shot of the underside of the pier and had to shoot at ISO 26,500 and the picture is ok and in fact better than I expected and all with no heroic noise reduction :D Anyway, oh for some free time and some nice light...







 
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It's not too often that I get time to myself and when I do it's by coincidence a dull flat light day in northern England... today I almost didn't bother taking any pictures such was the light. Anyway, I was glad I did as I quite like the seaweed, GX7 with 20mm f1.7...











 
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New happy owner of a GF6 after selling up my 40D
I look forward to using this camera and getting the most out of it
 
I am interested in real life experience of low light performance of LX100, GM5, and GX7 cameras. I have a G6 and my wife has a G3, I was toying with the idea of buying my wife a new camera. Improved low light performance over the G3 would allow her to do more indoor photography without flash & maybe get some shots of the Northern Lights when we go to Norway next month.
 
broc said:
I am interested in real life experience of low light performance of LX100, GM5, and GX7 cameras. I have a G6 and my wife has a G3, I was toying with the idea of buying my wife a new camera. Improved low light performance over the G3 would allow her to do more indoor photography without flash & maybe get some shots of the Northern Lights when we go to Norway next month.
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I suppose a big question is will you be printing your pictures and if so how big or will you just be viewing on screen and on social media? The next question is will you be cropping or mostly using whole images?

IMVHO at low to even quite high ISO's MFT cameras are pretty good and even the very highest ISO's are ok for on screen viewing. For example a few posts above there's a shot I took under a pier at ISO 25,600 and although I just took it because I liked the beams I realise it may not be to everyones taste :D but even so, I think it's ok for screen viewing or even for quite largish printing :D It's better than my Canon 20D could have done.

I don't think whole prints are much of an issue and I find that I can even get useable 100% crops which are fine for screen viewing and even largish prints when viewed normally.
 
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woof woof said:
I suppose a big question is will you be printing your pictures and if so how big or will you just be viewing on screen and on social media? The next question is will you be cropping or mostly using whole images?

IMVHO at low to even quite high ISO's MFT cameras are pretty good and even the very highest ISO's are ok for on screen viewing. For example a few posts above there's a shot I took under a pier at ISO 25,600 and although I just took it because I liked the beams I realise it may not be to everyones taste :D but even so, I think it's ok for screen viewing or even for quite largish printing :D It's better than my Canon 20D could have done.

I don't think whole prints are much of an issue and I find that I can even get useable 100% crops which are fine for screen viewing and even largish prints when viewed normally.
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I doubt many images will be printed, I suspect most will be viewed on a big flatscreen TV. I could see her printing the occasional 7"x5" or 10"x8" image, we have often discussed poster sized prints but I suspect I would more likely use my Nikon D750 for that. I would be happy to have results like your earlier pier image.

I had thought I would buy her a GX7 but the GM5 looks smaller. She still prefers a viewfinder so anything without one is ruled out.
 
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Hi All

I have just bought a Panasonic G3 as a backup for my OMD EM5, I need to find my way round the menus, so some silly questions;

Can you reduce the shutter noise?

How do you set the file format i.e. P1030384 what does this mean and can I reset the numbers?

How do you check the firmware version?

Thanks
 
As usual that's a lovely picture from you Edwin :D

Can anyone answer a couple of questions????

Lenses with an aperture ring...
I noticed that the Panny 15mm has an aperture ring and I wonder if this means that you get a stopped down view or not in modes other than manual? One feature that I love on my A7 is that I get a stopped down view in aperture and shutter modes as well as manual and I find it wonderful when assessing the scene and depth of field. I really miss this feature when using my Panny cameras with native lenses, but of course I can have it with a manual lens.

Also does anyone know what other lenses have aperture rings?

And another question...
Another feature of my A7 that I'm addicted to is auto ISO even in manual mode. Does anyone know if this is available with any MFT camera? Maybe Olympus?

To be honest I've been spoilt by my A7's auto ISO and constant DoF preview, so much so that I'm actually thinking of ditching MFT and getting an A6000 and although my love affair with MFT has been a bit on/off I would like to stay with the system so I'd love auto ISO in manual mode and constant DoF preview in a MFT body... Do these things exist in MFT?
 
right need the help of you guys. Decided to trade in my bulky dslr and go csc. Torn between a G6 or GX1. Which would you guys recommend? Mostly going to be used for days out with the family and on holiday. Going to do some landscape/urban landscape when time allows. Probably going to get the14-42 lens to get started.
 
ian-83 said:
right need the help of you guys. Decided to trade in my bulky dslr and go csc. Torn between a G6 or GX1. Which would you guys recommend? Mostly going to be used for days out with the family and on holiday. Going to do some landscape/urban landscape when time allows. Probably going to get the14-42 lens to get started.
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http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Panasonic...e-Lens-Mirrorless-Camera-16-0MP-/321573745200 @ £349 with the 14-42

Grab yourself the G6 as it is newer tech than the older GX1 sensor. The articulated screen and OLED LVF along with the wifi features handy for family and holiday trips.
 
Also would people recommend the 14-45 over the 14-42? Only seems to be £40 more second hand. Was going to pair it with the 45-200.
 
My first CSC was a GF1 and I loved it until I decided I needed a VF so my advice is to be sure before you buy.

Lens wise I prefer primes and personally I don't see enough between f3.5-5.6 zooms to matter as they all seem ok once stopped down a bit so I normally just buy on specification and handling.
 
So finally got rid of my Nikon d7000 and brought myself a secondhand G6 and 14-45 just waiting for them to turn up in the post now. Hopefully it's not a choice i'll regret making.
 
A new sensor coming for video???...

http://www.43rumors.com/ft4-new-af1...-show-has-brand-new-mft-sensor/#disqus_thread

What they say...

"I had a conversation with a Panasonic Rep here in Japan.He told me in the near future there will be an upgrade of the AF 101 camera announced. Newly designed sensor will have an immense dynamic range of up to 15 stops and 4K. Sensor will be a big surprise in unexpected ways. Not shure about the price tag though."

If this is true... put this sensor in new compact SLR and RF style cameras please and give them both top quality EVF's and fully articulated rear screens. Oh, and give them a max shutter speed of at least 1/8000.
 
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ian-83 said:
So finally got rid of my Nikon d7000 and brought myself a secondhand G6 and 14-45 just waiting for them to turn up in the post now. Hopefully it's not a choice i'll regret making.
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You won't regret it. My D7000 rarely sees the light of day. The G6 and my GX7 are so much lighter, far better screen, and do everything I need. The biggest plus point is I have the strength to carry them and so they actually get used!
 
hillwalkinggirl said:
You won't regret it. My D7000 rarely sees the light of day. The G6 and my GX7 are so much lighter, far better screen, and do everything I need. The biggest plus point is I have the strength to carry them and so they actually get used!
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That's been the biggest draw for me to go for a CSC system is the lack of weight which makes carrying it all around so much easier. I tend to only have a small zoom and maybe a longer telephoto zoom I don't ever feel I have to cover every mm of focal length.
 
After a short time without a camera i've joined the Panasonic fold and bought an LX100, I realise it's not a G series but does have close ties. Anyone mind if I post in here (unless there's a relevant thread that i've missed)?
 
I'm sure that you'll be very welcome here :D and I'm also sure that I'm not the only one who'd like to know what you think of it.
 
cheers Alan :)

Only had the LX100 a few days after making the conscious decision to leave interchangeable lens cameras alone for a while. Back to basics (sort of). I wanted an advanced compact, preferably with an EVF and definitely with a hot shoe. I was last with Fuji and it was with a heavy heart that I sold up as I loved the Xpro and how intuitive the fuji's are to use. I pained for a good while which route to take. RX100 had no hotshoe so wasn't even in contention, I loved the X30 but the small sensor begrudgingly put me off and although there were a few others in the mix I went for the LX100. I wasn't quite expecting it to be so small but it's solid and very well put together. I also like the way you set shutter priority, aperture priority or manual via the lens and exposure dials, very similar to the fuji's. It's going to take a little getting used to but I think once i've customised the buttons a little it will be awesomely quick and easy to use. The EVF isnt bad at all considering i'd heard it wasn't fantastic, but I suppose it depends on your style of shooting.

I really think I made the right choice and did a little portrait shoot with my daughter today with off camera flash. No issues to report and very happy with the quality. Will post again soon.....todays effort;

monkeypants.jpg
 
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