A Newbie's inquiry on Panasonic GX1

[nicekit]

My previous post on EP3 experience below which i have also include comparison on autofocusing I have since sold my EP3

-----------------------------

Let me recite my experience of using my EP-3 verses my friends experience on GX1

Both of us have just came back from Harbin 2 days back. I bought an EP-3 just for this trip based on advice in this forum. My friend bought a GX1. He was an upgrader from Gf1.

The weather in Harbin was freezing cold...as long as -30 degree. At such cold weather, it was impoosible to remove my gloves to use the touch screen. EP3's screen being capacitive will not respond to a gloved hand. The GX-1 had no such problem since it's screen is resistive.

Autofocusing for both camera was fast under good light. Unfortuantely, I find that the EP-3 had was very much slower in focusing under dimly lited condition and many times I had misfocused shots as well. The GX1 fared significantly better, almost spot on and still pretty fast under such conditions. Sad to say, I missed several shots....e.g when I was trying to shoot a monkey up on Chang-Bai Shan. I missed the shot as the EP-3 focused too slowly. My friend got the shot with his Gx1.

We were comparing our shots yesterday, and to no suprise, the GX-1 high ISO shots had significantly less noise as compared to EP-3. Under wintry conditions less light conditions in Harbin, my high ISO slides were quit grainy comapred to my friends.

Though the Jpegs from the EP3 had punchier colours, I found to my suprise that the Gx-1 JPEGS were very good as well. My friend told me that he had said sharpness to +1 and some resoultion feature to be on as well. Occassionly he will set to vivid colour as well. To say honestly, I could hardly detect the differences between the 2 Jpegs........

Not here to cause a flame war....but even though I am a EP-3 user, I must say the GX1 is a damn good camera.....

ooo u just came back from Harbin? is the ice festival is still on?
when we went there 2 months back.. it was HELL COLD
i think it went around -30 constantly..
and yes with capacitive screen u can use normal gloves
u will need a conductive gloves for it
but most of the conductive gloves cant keep warm in Harbin :O

do ur camera locked up or battery drain 3 times faster?
i havent try the GX1 in such condition
but NEX-5N fair well in these condition
no shutter lock up and a single battery can last 1 day

 

[wallet]

If you can get the GX1+14-42+25f1.4 at RM2400 (about S$1,030), this is a super good price as the 25f1.4 is already about S$800 in Singapore.

The 25f1.4 is a fabulous lens but it is not wide enough for interior shots. The best m43 wideangle would be the Panny 7-14 (very expensive), but alternatives include the Oly 9-18, and the 12mm, also the Panny 14 f2.5. All should be good enough. The image quality from the GX1 is as good as the entry point DSLRs up to ISO 800 and the whole package will still be lighter and smaller than a Canon 600Dw/18-55mm lens.

hi friends, while reading this thread, i am more or less decided for GX1 now.

But i understand there are generally 2 packages of similar prices available in Spore: 1) X lens 14-42 2) 2 kit lens (14-42+25f1.4)

So before i jump into the wagon for GX1, I would deeply appreciate some advice and views on which package is generally more popular and why.

cheerios

 

[Oly5050]

hi friends, while reading this thread, i am more or less decided for GX1 now.

But i understand there are generally 2 packages of similar prices available in Spore: 1) X lens 14-42 2) 2 kit lens (14-42+25f1.4)

So before i jump into the wagon for GX1, I would deeply appreciate some advice and views on which package is generally more popular and why.

cheerios

I would get the twin lens set simply because it has the 25 f1.4.

 

[rasdeep]

I would get the twin lens set simply because it has the 25 f1.4.

There is no such combo, he got all the numbers except the positioning of the numbers are wrong

 

[wonglp]

There is no such combo, he got all the numbers except the positioning of the numbers are wrong

Haha ya, I think it's pancake 14/2.5...

 

[nicekit]

There is no such combo, he got all the numbers except the positioning of the numbers are wrong

wahhaha like buy 4D.. kanna number but dun kanna prize

 

[nicekit]

this is what i will suggest
just get the single X lens 14-42

with this lens
set it to 14mm or 20 or 25mm
see which FL that u use most often and most comfortable with

then only decide to get that prime lens
because each of them serve a different purpose

 

[Oly5050]

There is no such combo, he got all the numbers except the positioning of the numbers are wrong

Haha ya, I think it's pancake 14/2.5...

wahhaha like buy 4D.. kanna number but dun kanna prize

Oh OK. Well....the incentive is less then, but I would still get the twin lens set just to get that prime. Its a very nice compact wide angle prime. The other way to get it is to buy it second hand at about $250 or to buy it on its own which costs more than twice the price.

 

[wallet]

hi sorry for confusing info. Just found out from HN:

Two combo sets
1) X lens 14-42
2) 45-150 + 14 f2.5

So before i jump into the wagon for GX1, I would deeply appreciate some advice and views on which package is generally more popular and why.

 

[Agrivar]

But the nex5n AF indoors/low light is so bad as compared to GX1/EP3?

IMHO, having tried my friend's NEX 5N. The answer to me is yes. My GF3 with the 14-42 PZ or even with the slower 20mm/f1.7 is able to lock on to the subject more consistantly. dont even talk about the GH2 which has not let me down yet.. even yesterday shooting at Chingay with all the different lighting conditions.. As I say this is my opinion.

 

[elgkh]

hi sorry for confusing info. Just found out from HN:

Two combo sets
1) X lens 14-42
2) 45-150 + 14 f2.5

So before i jump into the wagon for GX1, I would deeply appreciate some advice and views on which package is generally more popular and why.

It depends on your usage. The 14-42 will be more useful as a general purpose lens, while the other combo is slightly better value.

 

[nicekit]

It depends on your usage. The 14-42 will be more useful as a general purpose lens, while the other combo is slightly better value.

well he lose out the FL between 15-44

somemore he always shoot indoor. so
45-150 doesnt really make sense

 

[weaver46]

If you can get the GX1+14-42+25f1.4 at RM2400 (about S$1,030), this is a super good price as the 25f1.4 is already about S$800 in Singapore.

The 25f1.4 is a fabulous lens but it is not wide enough for interior shots. The best m43 wideangle would be the Panny 7-14 (very expensive), but alternatives include the Oly 9-18, and the 12mm, also the Panny 14 f2.5. All should be good enough. The image quality from the GX1 is as good as the entry point DSLRs up to ISO 800 and the whole package will still be lighter and smaller than a Canon 600Dw/18-55mm lens.

Hi Ziggy,

I think you misunderstood my post here.

The RM 2400 is GX1 + 14-42 and 14mm f2.5... (not 25 mm with f 1.4
Thanks for your valuable input anyway....,...direct and clear...

Anyway....I found that Olympus lense are normally cheaper than Panasonic lense...
I had been advised that Olympus 45mm with f1.8 is a superb potrait lense with nice bokeh.

But GX1 do not have in-body stabiliser,...will that be a difficulty when using 45mm Olympus lense? Shooting potrait should be no problem right:?

 

[weaver46]

Agrivar –
A simple thanks is not enough to appreciate your effort in responding to each and every of my questions in great details and good explanations.
Let me put it this way,… I wished I found this forum earlier.
Just a good post from you is equivalent and info is more solid than my past few weeks’ internet research.
You are the biggest help to my decision making!! Thanks.


Aaahua –
Thanks for your input, I particularly find your comment of GX1 having a good raw to my preference,….even though I am a total clueless newbie on cameras,…but I have the intention to learn Photoshop….so I guess GX1 suits me just fine.

Well in terms of your question about what kind of photography I prefer,… I guess you would shake your head when you read my response below …hehe –
- I would love to take potraits,…mainly for my baby
- I like interior designs as well
- I love outdoor street photography,.
- I also love Black and White photography
- Candid shots
- Love bokeh photography as well..
Looking at my answers,…must be too demanding for a 35 years old who had never owned a camera in his life???????

 

[jim khoo]

since you have decided; GX1 is indeed a good choice (for the price range, the G3 and E-P3 are not bad either).
i suggest that you take a step at a time. shoot first with the twin lens and slowly add lenses to what you need.
from what i see, you'll probably ended up with the PL 25mm/f1.4; M Zuiko 45/f1.8 and maybe a UWA (Lumix 7-14
or M Zuiko 9-18) for interiors. you might later want a zoom up to 150mm or 200mm, unless you want to do birds
then, 300mm. and who knows, you might want to do macro too... hahaha!

anyway 2400 is cheap; what else is included in the price - bag, 8gb card and screen protector?

remember to register online; you'll get 1+1 yr warranty.

btw 35 is young; i started m4/3 at a much later age than that...

 

[spidey89]

Since TS has started a new thread, shall close this one