"Panasonic G series" Owners Thread

Beautiful shot, the kit lens did not hold you back :)

The mk II version of Panny's 14-42mm is, in my experience, been superb. For stop down landscape work it's difficult to see how any lens could be sharper. Now I know that sharpness isn't the be all and end all, but it is a remarkably good optic for what it is!

Simon
 
Truly excellent shots there Simon :D

There's a thread over at Luminous Landscape that might be of interest to people here. They're talking about MFT and noise...

http://forum.luminous-landscape.com/index.php?topic=108083.0

When I first got into MFT I struggled with my GF1 and ISO 1600 and people here were a help... as was moving away from the IMO awful bundled Silkipix or whatever it's called software. My processing skills are pretty basic but even so I'll now use my G1 at any ISO and although ISO 100-800 are best I'll use up to the max of 3200 if I want the shot :D I'll use my GX7 up to 25,600 too :D

The techniques they're talking about at LL are above my processing skills but the results they're getting and posting as evidence do make me want to look into post capture processing a bit more when / if I get the time and the energy.

Anyway, just thought that some here might like to take a look at that thread at LL.
 
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Just a quick post as I asked about the Panasonic 12-35mm f2.8...

I bought one in the classifieds here from laser8 and I'm impressed with it and one very nice surprise is the relatively close focusing ability :D

I don't know if I'll stick with this lens as I'm not a great zoom user and no doubt using a zoom will be a bit of a challenge for me (primes are so much easier :D) but I got this lens to use as a holiday lens and it might just be very good for that purpose :D
 
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Is it "beach proof"? :) - ie sand, dust, splash etc resistant? Or do you mean sightseeing holidays? For sightseeing hols I found that 14mm is the only length necessary, as I 'm always trying to pack as much scenery as possible into my shots, but for for more action oriented holidays a zoom would be great.

Some panny 14mm from my last trip to italy:


P8120804
 
Is it "beach proof"? :) - ie sand, dust, splash etc resistant? Or do you mean sightseeing holidays? For sightseeing hols I found that 14mm is the only length necessary, as I 'm always trying to pack as much scenery as possible into my shots, but for for more action oriented holidays a zoom would be great.

Some panny 14mm from my last trip to italy:..

I have that lens :D

I take all of my cameras into quite extreme conditions and so far I've been lucky :D

Left to my own devices and out for the day by myself I'd take a camera and one, 2 or 3 primes depending on my mood but when with other people I want to spend less time fiddling with gear. When out with my GF I usually take a CSC and just the one standard prime and / or a compact for when even a CSC is too much but I want to spend even less time fiddling with gear... when I'm with other people.

I bought the zoom as I'm very conscious of trying not to be the geek with the camera spending too much time shooting (when with other people) and to be honest I'd mostly forego the photography but my GF used to snap away like crazy with her iphone until she decided that my camera takes lovely pictures :D and now she doesn't shoot at all and instead pesters me to take pictures as she sends them to friends and family back home (she's from overseas.) So, I thought that a zoom might let me reduce the time I spend wandering about and snapping whilst she waits for me but will still let me get both me and the other half good enough pictures.

I'll still enjoy my days out by myself with my primes but when with my GF the zoom should come in handy. We're off to the Eden Project so the close focus ability of the zoom should come in handy for flower shots and the 12-35mm range should be perfectly adequate for both wider scenery and tighter shots too. And no lens changes and faffing :D

Nice shots of Italy. I had the chance to go there a few years ago but commitments meant I couldn't and I've not had the chance since, would love to go one day though.
 
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Might need a bit more help...

I'm impressed with the 12-35mm f2.8 but maybe it should be mounted on a better body than my old G1. I have a GX7 but I think I'd like a mini DSLR style camera for zooms but I'm not up on spec and quality so I wondered if someone could give me a quick run down and tell me if there are any major quality differences between the G5, 6 and 7? I expect all will be a step up from my old G1 but if they're all about the same as each other I'll probably just go for the oldest and therefore probably cheapest. I'm not into video so it's stills only for me and I don't use focus tracking or wifi or anything. I just point and press the shutter...

Any strong views on which to go for?
 
Might need a bit more help...

I'm impressed with the 12-35mm f2.8 but maybe it should be mounted on a better body than my old G1. I have a GX7 but I think I'd like a mini DSLR style camera for zooms but I'm not up on spec and quality so I wondered if someone could give me a quick run down and tell me if there are any major quality differences between the G5, 6 and 7? I expect all will be a step up from my old G1 but if they're all about the same as each other I'll probably just go for the oldest and therefore probably cheapest. I'm not into video so it's stills only for me and I don't use focus tracking or wifi or anything. I just point and press the shutter...

Any strong views on which to go for?
Definitely the G7 IMHO. The sensor is significantly better (G5/G6 are much the same as each other) for noise and, especially, dynamic range, the focusing is better/faster and the viewfinder is much better.
 
Might need a bit more help...

I'm impressed with the 12-35mm f2.8 but maybe it should be mounted on a better body than my old G1. I have a GX7 but I think I'd like a mini DSLR style camera for zooms but I'm not up on spec and quality so I wondered if someone could give me a quick run down and tell me if there are any major quality differences between the G5, 6 and 7? I expect all will be a step up from my old G1 but if they're all about the same as each other I'll probably just go for the oldest and therefore probably cheapest. I'm not into video so it's stills only for me and I don't use focus tracking or wifi or anything. I just point and press the shutter...

Any strong views on which to go for?

Oddly enough, I had use of all 3 over the past few weeks. The G5 is showing it's age now, the EVF is very poor by todays standards - shows tearing, pushed blacks, lag, very small mag., I'd say it's not much difference from the G1, or it feels like it's from that era. The G6 EVF is lovely, the G7 adds to it by being slightly larger. In terms of feel I think they've got worse - the G5 has more weight, heavier plastic. The g6 is very light and very hollow, but a good grip. The G7 is somewhere inbetween the G5 and G6 for me. My friends had his G5 since it came out, I had a G6 on release and now the G7 and i've had no issues (as oppose to my 2 olympus' which have been fixed 3 times in a year). I think you'd like the G7 for the buttons, I read your post recently about wanting more dials and the G7 lets you assigned the two dials by pressing a button on the dial, so in A mode it'll do the usual (front dial exp comp and rear dial aperture) but pressing down on the dial button changes it to ; front - ISO and rear - WB.

In terms of image quality, I agree with gcogger. The G5 and G6 just don't have the same ease of editing as the newer 16mp m43 cameras. Highlights are hard to bring back, shadows get noiser with slightly raising, always felt like there was blue cast on the images which was hard to remove in LR, and the jpeg editing was always a little poor and finally, long exposures always had extreme digital noise . The G7 gives much nicer Raw files to play with, the blue cast has been replaced with a more saturated blue which is easier to deal with, the shadows are clean, the highlights are tameable and the jpeg engine is punchier. On the topic of jpegs, you can now adjust the shadows/highlights with an interactive curve tool, so if you're just wanting a snapshot with jpeg, one button and you can give it some more dynamic range.

Another issue I know you have is exposure simulation in the EVF. Both the G5 and G6 are terrible for it, giving a good 2 second delay between changing a setting and seeing it appear. I've just tried my G7 there and it's a lot snappier (unless you go to f22 and 15" on a bright day, for example). With the G7 it's instant and no lag at normal settings.

It's hard to say the G5 and G6 are poor cameras, as they're not and I loved my G6 for years. It's simply, the G7 added to the things I liked and they are noticeable upgrades. For me, the extra £100 was completely worth it after I sold my G6 for the G7. I've even found myself using the new added things I swore I'd never use, like post focus, 4k burst and even continuous AF.
 
Thanks.

How do these cameras compare to the GX7? I've noticed that the GX7 has quite a significant advantage over the G1 in dynamic range so I'd like to keep that advantage with a newer mini SLR style body.
 
Oddly enough, I had use of all 3 over the past few weeks...

Thanks for that.

Just on apertures, I tend to use smaller apertures very rarely and spend most of my time between wide open and f8 probably at the smallest going on the belief that the crop factor works and for MFT f4 and be there is the equivalent of f8 and be there :D

Actually with my 5D and 50mm I used to take a lot of shots at f5 to f8 so with MFT I'm happy at f1.8 to f5 or so with occasional shots at f8 and few at smaller.

Looks like the G7 is the one to go for, is it about the equivalent of the GX7?
 
Looks like the G7 is the one to go for, is it about the equivalent of the GX7?

Same sensor, but tweaked a little for things like 4k, write times and speed. The g5/6 sensor is from an older era (the G6 was from the GH2). All i could find about the processing difference between the Gx7 and G7 were from Panasonic saying "the best image quality we've made", so that's err reassuring,.
 
I would say thank you but as all this is leading me towards the more expensive camera I wont :D

But I will... thanks for your help, looks like if I want a mini SLR camera the G7 is the one to go for. I'm currently giving the zoom a try on my GX7.
 
The G7 is most impressive on features and power, with a nice modern 16mpx sensor and some tricks like 4K captures.
The GH3 would also be an option if (like me) you wanted a different but equally modern sensor.
G6 is too ugly to buy...
 
I think the GH3 is a bit big for me. I'll take a long hard look at the G7 and cry into my wallet.
 
Or just save some cash and stick it on the GX7, slightly improved handling can't be worth £400 right?

GAS is GAS, so it may be an itch you need to scratch though :D
 
Or just save some cash and stick it on the GX7, slightly improved handling can't be worth £400 right?

GAS is GAS, so it may be an itch you need to scratch though :D

I have a love hate relationship with my GX7. I love the compact size but I don't get on with the EVF. I don't know if what I see is the rainbow effect that some see and I wouldn't describe it as that. To me the display just never looks sharp so I have to trust the camera has achieved focus. It's not the dioptre, that's adjusted ok for me but the view from the EVF just looks shimmery, mushy and unsharp to me. I'm hoping that the G7's OLED is better for me than the sequential display in the GX7, I've just never been happy with it and I prefer my G1 and Sony A7 EVF's.

Apart from that personally I do think that the mini SLR style cameras are better for zooms, handling wise. I suppose if it's worth it or not is relative. I think a mini SLR style camera with a zoom will make me more likely to take pictures when with other people so maybe it's worth it.

I could have made do with my A7 and 28-70mm f3.5-5.6 or got a f2.8 zoom for the A7 but the combination of A7 plus zoom would be too big for me and I know I'd never bother with it. I haven't used the 28-70mm outside of the house and garden since I got it.
 
"When Will Micro 4/3 Equal Medium-Format Film? We Have the Definitive Answer"

Read all about it...

http://theonlinephotographer.typepa...ormat-film-we-have-the-definitive-answer.html

And if you don't want to click the link the answer is... 6 years ago.

"My overall subjective evaluation is that the aggregate image quality of Micro 4/3 today, in film terms, falls midway between 6x7 medium format and 4x5-inch large format."

Ctein is an artist and he's a person who's views should carry weight so it's nice that he views MFT in such a good light.

Looking at my own pictures which I rarely print I think I can see a clear lead for my Sony A7 files over my GX7 and G1 files when I pixel peep on screen but I don't know how they'd compare if processed for best effect and printed by someone who really knows what they're doing. That's where Ctein's view interest me, and he thinks MFT is pretty good :D

I have to say that that bridge moon picture looks meh to me and maybe I'm missing something but if I'd taken that picture I'd have to have tried very hard to convince myself it was worth keeping. It may make a technically lovely print but when setting out to make a technically lovely print why not start out with a better subject? That picture just does nothing for me and I have to say that it's not the first time I've felt that about prints offered for sale on that site. I like the blog, but sometimes I wonder if I'm missing something when I look at their sale offerings.
 
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Just received my new G7 today and I'm very impressed.

I think the image quality is better than my GX7 but I may do some side by side testing one day just to clarify this in my own mind. I'm particularly impressed with the amount of highlight recovery that's possible when the graph has gone off the right hand side of the histogram and dynamic range and high ISO performance seems very good too.

How have they got it better than the GX7 if it's the same chip? Voodoo?

Has anyone else got both the G7 and GX7?

Less impressed that it was delivered with two dust bunnies. Bad form! Easy fix though.

PS.
The EVF is a vast improvement on the GX7 for me :D
 
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That was very fast work Alan!
Buying it?

We're off on a little mini holiday in April to see the Eden project and I thought I'd like to take a decent camera with a zoom rather than primes. I'm impressed with the performance of both the G7 and the 12-35mm and although a little on the large size as a combination it's just about acceptable. The zooms seems very good and the close focus ability is better than I expected and should enable me to get all the shots we want including some flower shots.

I'm also impressed with the 14-42mm kit lens that came with the camera. It's very compact and just like the larger first generation 14-42mm that I have it seems perfectly adequate as a f3.5-5.6 zoom. Unfortunately these are things that I hardly ever use but this new lens is so compact it's really just about the bulk of a prime and I could end up taking it out in my pocket just in case.
 
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Anyone seen the rumour of a GX80? From the specification they're guessing at and the look of it I can't say that I see the point of it but I hope for a pleasant surprise :D Announcement due soon, so they say...
 
I'm much more interested in the Panny Leica 12mm being announced at the same time if I'm honest Alan
 
i find the GM5 to be a great general purpose camera. I have one fitted with the 12-32 and another fitted with the 45-150. They live in my bag alongside an E-PL5 fitted with the 9-18mm lens and there's very little I can't cover with that lot. Wish I'd had an outfit like this when I was earning the daily bread from photography, especially from the point of view of my shoulder!

This is a 45-150 shot of Exeter's Cathedral Close...

26165649881_ea102467ec_b.jpg
 
Anyone seen the rumour of a GX80? From the specification they're guessing at and the look of it I can't say that I see the point of it but I hope for a pleasant surprise :D Announcement due soon, so they say...
The impending release of this new model seems to be a big hit within the M43 User Base
GX80 Includes
5 Axis Inbuilt IS in addition to Dual IS combined O.I.S and I.S
A completely New Shutter Design with lightweight carbon shutter assembly actuated by Electro Magnets rather than springs - said by Panasonic to reduce Shutter Shock by 90% - great news !
5 Axis Stabilisation Available in Video Mode - again great news and a very popular move by Panasonic
AA filter removed from sensor for a claimed 10% increase in resolution
A popular size very close to that of the very popular GX7 ( the GX80 is to be called GX7 Mk2 in Japan (and GX85 in US)
 
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Am I right that the GX80 is the first Panasonic m4/3rds body with decent in-body stabilisation for video?
If so it makes a lot of sense for manual-lens videographers.
Something to expect in any new GH camera ...
 
I used to think IS was essential but now I don't think I care much as much of the time for me anyway IS wont help and what's needed is a faster shutter speed.

I think it's a shame that the new model keeps the GX7 evf as I think that's the GX7's biggest problem.

PS.
I used the tiny 14-42mm kit lens that came with the G7 today on my GX7. It's a bit soft wide open and the aperture range is pedestrian but other than that I was rather impressed.
 
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A couple of shots.

This was taken with my GX7 and the tiny 14-42mm kit lens. f6.3, 1/200, ISO 640.



I put this lens up for sale and got no interest what so ever but I've decided that I'm not bothered and actually I'll keep it :D It's tiny and although a bit soft wide open it performs well enough when stopped down a bit and I think I'll use it now and again when I want a tiny zoom. It's a shame that the aperture range is so limiting but, there you go...

This was taken with my G7 and 12-35mm f2.8. f2.8, 1/1600, ISO 200.



I've taken a few shots with this lens now that I'm really happy with and I think that being able to shoot at f2.8 to f4 and get a good and sharp picture gives a real advantage over a f3.5 - 5.6 zoom and gives a much more 35mm look that the kit zooms really can't match as with 35mm or a FF DSLR I'd probably be shooting between f4 or f5 to f8.
 
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Been asking a few questions in various threads but i need to make a decision,age is forcing me down the lighter road and i do bird photography.
The GX8 and 80/85 interest me with the Panasonic 100-400,i can handle these cameras in a local shop but the one thing i cant really check is the EVF refresh time between shots and the AFC in tracking as i like to do a bit of BIF,i know we are not talking DSLR speed.The new 80/85 sounds interesting with 5fps and AFC one review said the EVF refresh is good.
To check just how i would get on i have been using my Nikon V2 with FT-1 and Sigma 50-500,this is less than ideal as you only get the center focus point no AFC and a very poor EVF refresh rate,however my results poor as they are lead me to think a bit better response from the camera should make BIF a possibility.
Any and all thoughts would be appreciated,just add the Panasonic set up is winning with me because of the stabilisation of body and lens together,just including a Duck in flight i caught with the V2 set up to show how close ime already getting.

DSC_6140.jpg
 
There's a guy in a Facebook group I'm in who has been using the GX8 & 100-400 with some awesome results for BIF photography. His name is Johan Sorenson if you want to drop him a message. Unfortunately the pictures he posted into the group aren't on his profile page
 
There's a guy in a Facebook group I'm in who has been using the GX8 & 100-400 with some awesome results for BIF photography. His name is Johan Sorenson if you want to drop him a message. Unfortunately the pictures he posted into the group aren't on his profile page

Thanks,unfortunately i dont do face book
 
Been asking a few questions in various threads but i need to make a decision,age is forcing me down the lighter road and i do bird photography.
The GX8 and 80/85 interest me with the Panasonic 100-400,i can handle these cameras in a local shop but the one thing i cant really check is the EVF refresh time between shots and the AFC in tracking as i like to do a bit of BIF,i know we are not talking DSLR speed.The new 80/85 sounds interesting with 5fps and AFC one review said the EVF refresh is good.
To check just how i would get on i have been using my Nikon V2 with FT-1 and Sigma 50-500,this is less than ideal as you only get the center focus point no AFC and a very poor EVF refresh rate,however my results poor as they are lead me to think a bit better response from the camera should make BIF a possibility.
Any and all thoughts would be appreciated,just add the Panasonic set up is winning with me because of the stabilisation of body and lens together,just including a Duck in flight i caught with the V2 set up to show how close ime already getting.

View attachment 62128

Mike, have a read and watch of this

http://www.mirrorlessons.com/2016/03/09/panasonic-100-400mm-review/

I think it covers a lot of the information / answers that you're trying to find out.

Simon.
 
Pretty much decided to choose between the G8 and the G80 a few things though, i understand a fix of sorts was released for the shutter shock on the G8 to switch it to electronic shutter in the iffy speeds, any one know if this works and if my main subjects are wildlife and nature will i see the shutter roll effect in my images.
The G80 has no low pass filter,i dont think the Moire ? effect will show in my type of images as the D7200 i use now doesn't have one,so its the need to decide if 20mp with a filter is better than 16mp without and will there be less noise on the 16mp to balance against the more resolution on 20mp.

I know no one can tell me which to buy but if you have any thoughts on the above i would like to hear them.
mike
 
Just a thought but maybe shutter shock wont be too much of an issue no matter what you choose? I can't say that it's ever been an issue for me with any camera and on some including these Panasonics there's the option of shooting with an electronic shutter. I could be wrong but I think my G7 chooses electronic shutter to counteract shutter shock. I leave mine on auto and it chooses between electronic or mechanical shutter as it pleases and it seems to do a good job. I suppose the only issues could be rolling shutter which I've never personally had a problem with and banding under some artificial lighting which certainly is an issue with my GX7 but you can always select mechanical shutter or a different shutter speed if you think banding is possible
 
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Just a thought but maybe shutter shock wont be too much of an issue no matter what you choose? I can't say that it's ever been an issue for me with any camera and on some including these Panasonics there's the option of shooting with an electronic shutter. I could be wrong but I think my G7 chooses electronic shutter to counteract shutter shock. I leave mine on auto and it chooses between electronic or mechanical shutter as it pleases and it seems to do a good job. I suppose the only issues could be rolling shutter which I've never personally had a problem with and banding under some artificial lighting which certainly is an issue with my GX7 but you can always select mechanical shutter or a different shutter speed if you think banding is possible

I was getting around to thinking the same with my interest being wild life.it would seam though when the update is applied if the camera detects you panning ie BIF it will revert back to the normal shutter and you then risk shutter shock,only seen this about the GX8 though.
 
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