What Made you choose the Panasonic GF1 or Olympus Pen?

[Ninja23XX]

The price does holds me back, I was considering to buy but was worried if there will be a better system released few months later like the EP-1 which launched about 6 months ago only. This will be my first upgrade from PnS. Any suggestions?

As for me, i already have a DSLR. I intend to get something for mid range. Thus the EP-2. The EP1 is not bad too. If you don't like using the viewfinder, than EP1 should suffice your needs. Plus. At RRP of $1.5k you can get both lenses.

For me, i want to use this camera as a rangefinder. I don't think Olympus will come out with the EP-3 so fast. The EP-2 was launched due to that Olympus wanted to fix some of the features they left out. It would be more appropriate that if they had the time in the market, the EP-2 would have been Olympus's first m4/3 camera. But due to competetion, everyone has to rush. Thus EP-1 was out.

Come to see about it, EP1/EP2, Olympus gives you a choice. You like using a viewfinder, get the EP-2, but we bundle it with just 1 lens each. You don't need the viewfinder, we'd replace that part of the money with the EP-1 and 2 lenses.

Seems like i'm marketing for them. Haha. Don't worry i don't work for them. :bsmilie:

 

[eow]

Hello bro microcosm

Actually I find that you do tend to be biased towards Oly and you do put down the other brands (more towards Panasonic maybe coz that's the only "competitor" to Oly at the moment). You may not even realize you're doing it but sometimes I find you may not be as objective as you mean to be. It could be an unconscious thingie, but if you find that sometimes I post really pro-Pana posts, it could be in response to a bad Pana-bashing posting you did.

I have some gripes about G1 that I own but I also think it has it's good points; yes the problems you mentioned about Pana are there, but whilst I am willing to use workarounds to make it work (namely coz I don't really have a choice - although I almost got a E520 recently for 4/3 lens choices and try out in-body stabilization).

Do remember, Pana may NOT be the competition; it is more of an ally. My list of lenses include an Oly 14-54MkII. So will Samsung when they join m4/3. The competition may not even be Canon, Nikon (or it may be; I may soon be a Nikon convert). Maybe the competition are all the PnS users who are not moving to DSLR. Maybe the competition are every person who do not own a camera.

When Coke started thinking out of the box and put a vending machine in every publically accessible corner, Pepsi didn't matter anymore.

funny thing instead of welcoming it as an ally, it was been treated more as a unwanted stepchild/
classic case of the 吃不到葡萄說葡萄酸 if the gf1 is a flop , it wouldn't attract such animosity in the first place alas too bad even it receive less pushing from the local premium website for m4/3. Gf1 miracluously still manage to sell very well (unlike olympus m4/3 which hd a strong following of the existing 4/3 users who live and wean off their first oly dslr ). As a 4/3 user myself, i have often praised the 4/3 oly dslr for their intutative menu and their superb quality zuiko lenses to my friends using other systems despite some underlyng problem it had mainly with af and low light usability. i had at least find way and means to overcome the problems instead of lamenting.
The point is credit are to be given when is it due Was it really that damaging to give credit to an ally, who provide u the sensor and participate in this 4/3 venture where others dun dare?

 

[aryanto]

Oly & Pana in 4/3 and m4/3 have a strange relationship because the standard is not just for a manufacturer (not the same as 3rd party lense manufacturer who just license the mount from other brand).
My point of view is that even if it is partnership, are we going to whitewash and overlook the cons when comparing in the review?
I wont like that kind of review. I would rather have an honest review.

It is like some advertise (not panasonic brand) and say has very fast focus. I will just smile, because fast focus yes, does it say fast accurate focus? Or they hope people will imply accurate and thus only later found out after buying not so good at all.

By the way I own 3CCD panasonic video camera. It was wonderful (I own it for 9+ yrs already). It is using tape (no HD system yet that time).

 

[hookonclassic]

As for me, i already have a DSLR. I intend to get something for mid range. Thus the EP-2. The EP1 is not bad too. If you don't like using the viewfinder, than EP1 should suffice your needs. Plus. At RRP of $1.5k you can get both lenses.

For me, i want to use this camera as a rangefinder. I don't think Olympus will come out with the EP-3 so fast. The EP-2 was launched due to that Olympus wanted to fix some of the features they left out. It would be more appropriate that if they had the time in the market, the EP-2 would have been Olympus's first m4/3 camera. But due to competetion, everyone has to rush. Thus EP-1 was out.

Come to see about it, EP1/EP2, Olympus gives you a choice. You like using a viewfinder, get the EP-2, but we bundle it with just 1 lens each. You don't need the viewfinder, we'd replace that part of the money with the EP-1 and 2 lenses.

Seems like i'm marketing for them. Haha. Don't worry i don't work for them. :bsmilie:

EP-1 is NOT a rangefinder. If you are talking about using EP-1 with manual M or LTM lens with M-to-M4/3 adaptor, get the EP-2 or GF1 with digital viewfinder for better manual focusing pleasure.

 

[Ninja23XX]

EP-1 is NOT a rangefinder. If you are talking about using EP-1 with manual M or LTM lens with M-to-M4/3 adaptor, get the EP-2 or GF1 with digital viewfinder for better manual focusing pleasure.

I classified, them as the modern day range finders.

 

[ziggy]

I always had a soft spot for Olympus. Long time ago, I had a OM1n together with a Nikkormat (Nikon's entry level), 35RC compact and a XA-1 clamshell. All great cameras. I helped my brother buy a OM4Ti as well.

After owning many camera systems over the years, the camera has become a tool with little sentiments attached to it, especially in the age of digital where a camera's shelf life is 2 - 3 years vs 35mm film camera bodies. My focus is now on camera systems that can use the lenses I like.

For me the 4/3 and m4/3 formats seemed perfect. I could fit in old Leica R and M lenses, as well as Nikon, Canon FD, etc. However I was not impressed by the Oly bodies E-1 especially the handling, etc, while the Pana 4/3 bodies were just too large.

I had sold all my film cameras some years back except my Nikkormat (bought 1970) but never bought a DSLR. Instead I was relying on small compacts from Panasonic (I was initially unsure if they could actually make a decent camera but their Leica lens won me over) and Canons, while waiting for a compact with a large sensor.

Then along came the G1. It was still too big. The EP-1 looked like the one but after fiddling with in, I was disappointed. The BIS was a big plus but the lack of flash and the fiddly interface was a dealbreaker. For someone brought up using SLRs with bouncing mirrors shooting at low speeds, the lack of IS was just an inconvenience. I bought the GF1 the day it was launched and never regretted it.

To me, the camera is just a tool. A brand may be good today but no assurance it will be good the next. Or vice versa. I'll be happy with any brand of camera as long as I can use the lenses I like, with handling that suits my style of shooting.

I am disappointed with Olympus' current range of m4/3. All they had to do was squeeze in a flash like the GF1, and I would have been a happy Oly user again (good memories of the old Oly cameras).

I am impressed with Panasonic. From nowhere and in spite of their reputation for noisy sensors in their compacts, they really understood the photographer, like me and have rightly gained market share. Their lens line-up, and surprisingly their lens quality is really as good as the big boys. Panasonic deserved my business because they really worked at it, made a camera that though not perfect is one that I can accept and use. Not bad for a brand that makes washing machines to massage chairs.

 

[Hitman]

I chose the E-P1 because I don't want to be a tourist...

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0912/09121102spaceyvid.asp

Excellent Ad by Olympus...

 

[bernards]

I have no emotional attachments to my digital cameras except for the M8. I buy them, play with them, then sell them away.

I've got the EP-1 with a Targus flash that is small, bounce and does TTL. I've been considering the GF-1 for about two weeks now. If I do go for it, it's because of the built-in flash, AF, menu system and better LCD screen. Previous good experience with the L1 also helps. Only problem is what I feel to be a big depreciation in such a short time. This makes me want to use up the 'value' first before dropping the EP-1.

 

[tomcat]

My experience with Panasonic has been quite the opposite. To those who said that their Leica lenses are great, I have to disagree... they were great once. Their absolute best Leica lens was the Leica Vario-Summicron 28-90mm f/2.0-2.4 on the DMC-LC1 (which I loved so much that I still kept it even though it has been completely eclipsed functionality wise by the newer digicams) and they went downhill from then on. The Vario-Summicron was a critically acclaimed lens that is truely worthy of the Leica badge.

The most disappointing Panasonic 'Leica' lens to me is the Leica Vario-Summicron lens on the LX3 and Leica D-Lux4. It was a lens of mediocre optical quality with tons of optical and chromatic aberrations which show up in all their inglorious details when shot in RAW and developed using third party RAW converters. Panasonic/Leica had produced a slip-shod lens and tried to hide the optical flaws by correcting for them digitally in their jpeg engine and proprietory RAW converter. Leica wouldn't have gotten away with it if they had produced lenses of such quality for their film cameras. In any case, the jpeg images produced out-of-camera or converted from RAW were noisy and blotchy even at low ISOs. I was so sick of the image quality produced that I had shelved my D-Lux 4 permanently and absolutely refused to take any more photos with it any more.

It is unfortunate that this same complacent design philosophy has been carried over to the m43 system and now 'officially' some more. 'Officially', it is now acceptable for m43 lenses to be shoddily designed so long as the optical flaws are corrected for in the built-in jpeg engine or during RAW conversion with the respective proprietory RAW convertors.

The only blessing in disguise so far is that most of the m43 lenses do not have that much of chromatic aberrations as that so-called 'Leica' lens on the LX3 and D-Lux4. Because of this aspect of m43 lens design philosophy, it would be expected that Panasonic m43 lenses should give the best results on Panasonic m43 bodies and Olympus m43 lenses on Olympus m43 bodies.

 

[gongong]

I choose the m43 coz i want a small size camera (small as in a step up from point&shoot but still smaller than a standard DSLR).
Choose GF1 over EP1/2 coz of the f/1.7 on the pancake and built in flash.

 

[wildcat]

My point of view is that even if it is partnership, are we going to whitewash and overlook the cons when comparing in the review?
I wont like that kind of review. I would rather have an honest review.

I think it's not so much as overlooking the pros and cons, but rather, to be objective about things. An example I can give you on this thread has to do with some discussion on Samsung's yet to be release m43 cam. Some people are already laughing at it before even seeing a sample cam. If that isn't bashing, then a lot of other posts considered bashing shouldn't be considered so.

 

[drakon09]

People,

When all else fails, just agree to disagree.

No opinion is completely objective (that's why they are opinions!), nobody is completely impartial.

 

[Oly5050]

I think it's not so much as overlooking the pros and cons, but rather, to be objective about things. An example I can give you on this thread has to do with some discussion on Samsung's yet to be release m43 cam. Some people are already laughing at it before even seeing a sample cam. If that isn't bashing, then a lot of other posts considered bashing shouldn't be considered so.

Take it easy lar. I din consider tat bashing at all. Samsung made a claim abt fastest af, of course there are some who take it with some skepticism.

The problem with all these forum discussions is tat people like to read a lot more into the implied meaning than the explicit meaning.

Juz look at the thread in general reviews abt olympus saying that the future is mirrorless. The implication is tat olympus is a leader to say something like tat. People are not interested to discuss the statement. Instead they are more intetested in putting down the company in response to the implied content. Wat followed was a series of sarcastic remarks about olympus, how it is in the dust, how they dare tell the big canon and nikons wat the future is, and how anyone in the right mind would listen to a company like olympus. Now it has degenerated to the famous full frame discussion all because of the implied meaning tat FF is better and dun u dare, olympus with their tiny sensor and cheap dslr, come near the word FF which is reserved for the high and mighty, and expensive nikons, sony and canons.

 

[nokkieg]

I have to say this Pana Vs Oly is starting to make us look like the C Vs N goonies!!!!


BORING AND POINTLESS!!!!

Maybe you didn't get the reason behind this thread.

We are not talking about cameras that are full fledged DSLRs or have differences world's apart.

We are talking about cameras so similar. Thus i would want to know why you bought either one of the camera. Doesn't matter if you had compared the PEN over the GF1 or the GF1 over the PEN1. Maybe someone never even considered the PEN in the first place. He/she just went out to get the GF1. I just asking why they chose the camera.

You can always base the comparision over so many other models. Maybe why the GF1 instead of the GH1 or the Canon 500D or the Nikon 5000D.


Your rationale is just biased. See the other side of the story.

In conclusion, this is not a brand bashing thread.

But something that is.


Tacky + logical & Useful!

The question was why you chose that camera. Not why you chose either one of the cameras over the other. Read before you comment. See the other side of the picture.

How can I be bias when I don't even own an Olympus Pen or a Panasonic GF1? I do however, own cameras from Apple, Canon, Holgas, Nikon, Nokia, Olympus, Panasonic and Sony-Ericsson (in alphabetical order).

Since I don't own these 2 subject cameras, I am neither bias nor am I brand bashing.

I said that the comparison of these 2 cameras is pointless because these 2 "cameras so similar" (TS's own words) that the advantages or disadvantages are immaterial. What I would consider a material point is whether you captured the image or not and had the image to show for it. What I would consider a good camera is the camera you had in your hand when you captured that image.

I said that the comparison of these 2 cameras is boring because the technical differences between these 2 cameras are so minute, I am wondering how many people in the world are actually really interested? Are the differences really that critical? Well, it maybe critical, but is it critical enough to hold a convention at Suntec and invite speakers to come present papers and debate over it? Not likely and I'd rather be outside making pictures than discussing the technicalities which is so boring.

In this respect, I point to art2d3d's post (reproduced below) which I fully agree and would help elaborate my point more in detail. Thanks art2d3d.

JUst buy both brands and use. Both lenses can be used on their bodies.
They are from the same family.

They compliment each other.

One have this feature, One don't have... etc.

Never ending comparing this features....

Over the years, I have come to know some of the 4/3s community members reasonably well and that they (or can I say we?) know how to avoid being an ugly fanboy of any camera brand (nothing wrong in being a fanboy, just don't be an ugly one) so much so as to the exclusion of other brands or other form factors. This is a wonderful trait of the 4/3 community which we must maintain and be aware and guard against threads that start out seemingly innocuous but can unexpectedly turn incendiary and burn alot of people and do alot of collateral damage.

Again, I point to Oly5050's post below which helps to put my point across in another way very well. Thanks Oly5050.

No matter how u try to hide it, the nature of this thread by the TS will bring about this kind of responses. Why? Because this is the way we make our decisions....by being judgemental. Even if a fault is not directly mentioned, the implication of it, will be there in the statement. U can see it in every post. Let me give an example using cars eg Audi and VW. I chose Audi because it is more powerful. What is the implication? VW less powerful. I choose Audi because it is more refined. What is the implication? VW is less refined. To some people, they may agree with my statements, but there are others who disagree, or may even feel slighted that their VW cars are not as refined or as powerful.

And moving on, because, most of the reasons for choice, are personal, with no objective comparisons, it is again open to disagreements by others who do not feel the same about that point. Some more, he is asking people who have already owned and bought the cameras. These owners have already made their choice, and also their stand, by putting their money down on the equipment after weighing the pros and cons. Obviously, there will be an argument. The way I see it, so far it is good, cos it appears that we are agreeing to disagree.

 

[arrowtown]

I choose the m43 coz i want a small size camera (small as in a step up from point&shoot but still smaller than a standard DSLR).
Choose GF1 over EP1/2 coz of the f/1.7 on the pancake and built in flash.

yes, count me in.

 

[dreamyz715]

Agree with nokkieg :thumbsup:

The topic sounds like comparing oly vs pana, which is better so you chose that cam? If anyone needs a suggestion on either buy GF1 or E-P1/2, I recommend go to any shop that allows you to hands-on these models. Test it for yourself. Nothing's seen until you have seen it with your own eyes.

To TS, this topic is meant to be a friendly discussion talk. But some forummers might tend to be more bias towards a brand (i.e. ugly fanboys as nokkieg said) and this thread will unseemingly become a comparison thread. We do not want to draw a line between pana vs oly right? Sometimes its the choice of words that made people think otherwise. "what factors that made you chose m4/3" is definitely better than "what made you choose pana or oly"

 

[major_tom]

Well said, Oly5050. I couldnt have put it better in words.

I have been using Oly since the E1 days and just last year, decided to join the N-camp.
Anyway, have sold off my DSLR stuff and accessories becos my frequent hand tremors made it almost impossible to pursue this hobby.
If given a 2nd chance, I will rejoin the Oly camp with my eyes closed. Bought the GF1 for my daughter 2 weeks back and though it's a great cam, the 'Oly colors' were still missing. :bsmilie:
I tried taking a couple of snaps and I was able to minimise the shakes.
So, till the docs are able to diagnose the condition, I may seriously consider a EP2....or a E4..nah, that's wishful thinking.
The turth of the matter is, I'm coming home.

There can be no greater compliment for what you have just said.

To me, I think Olympus is a courageous company. They are not afraid to make the RIGHT decision when crunch time comes. And to me, CRUNCH time for Olympus was when the abandoned OM and went on to the 4/3 sensor - to build a digital SLR from the ground up. Instead of doing what all the other companies did, which was to shoehorn a digital sensor into their pre-exising film DSLR bodies. The cost to Olympus was truely great. But, that is the leadership and the courage that I admire. Short term loss for long term gain.

And yes, I really feel that they innovate for photography. Not for marketing gimmicks. All the innovations which they have introduced so far, are really of practical relevance, and helps bring photography down to the masses. ie. makes photography easier and less hassle free.

Take for example, when Olympus said 10-12 MP is enough ..... that statement stirred up a storm among those megapixel chasers. But I have come to realize, to me, 10-12 MP is more than enough. Why do we want to shoot at 15 or 20 MP? HDD space is indeed quite cheap now, but the issue really is handling, not of storage. A large image file takes longer to open, slows ur slideshow down, slows down PS, slows down picasa, and is slower to edit. I dun need that. In fact, I have learnt, 5MP is really sufficient. 10MP, is more than sufficient for me with a lot of redundancy.

The other point is that to most people, they all think that Canon and Nikons are the leaders. But really, does selling the most cameras, or spending the most money on marketing, make u a REAL leader?? For eg. Toyota is the #1 selling car brand in Singapore. Are they really the leader? Canon and Nikon has got like a million lenses to choose from. Does that make them a leader in photography?

I learnt this from microcosm recently, but Olympus Camera is truely a photographic company....by photographers, FOR photographers. This is also the company, where the more well known camera companies pay (microcosm edit : $$$ quite alot of) a year in licensing fees, to use the patents which Olympus has produced. People who use Canon and Nikon RAVE about TTL flash. They din know, and until recently, I also din know that TTL is technology that Olympus invented decades ago! Is this clear enough who the leader is?? So you are right, Olympus does not care about what Canon and Nikon does. In fact, Canon and Nikon has been following Olympus, and in recent years, u can see how many times Canikon have been made to swallow their words and implement innovations which they have initially boohooed. (Dust removal system, live view, etc.)

But dun get the idea that Olympus is fighting against Canon or Nikon for market share. I think, Olympus actually wants Canon and Nikon to do well. Because, in reality, in every Canon or Nikon sold, Olympus is making money at the same time through licensing fees. Maybe that is why, Olympus is focused so much on R&D and so weak in marketing. Perhaps it feels that its money is best spent in R&D, and let Canon and Nikon, which are really GOOD in marketing, do the selling. LOL!!

 

[freezehell]

size does matter! in this case the smaller the better.

 

[alvinchuan]

Hi I like to share my reason why I buy a GF1 instead of the beautiful Pen to combine with my Dlux 4 for travelling purpose.

When I choose a camera, I would always look at the disadvantage first and then the advantage. I will weight the disadvantage and then decide.

I felt that the disadvantage will always have a bigger impact on the user than the advantage.

Coming back to my choice, at that time it was only EP1 and GF1. IF you look at the disadvantage of the both camera you will notice that the disadvantage of the either camera is the advantage of the other! Maybe this is what the manufacturer have wanted it all along buy both if you cannot decide.:bsmilie:

Finally, I choose the GF1 over the EP1, because the disadvantage of GF1 did not impact on me too much, I prefer to shoot in B&W, the Jpeg color tone does not bother me; even if I shoot in color it will be raw and process in Lightroom and color eflex. The ergonomics and feel of the camera looks like the big brother of LX3 since I own the DLux 4, I am have no problem with it.

The slow focus in low light is minus for me. Without the fill flash is also a minus for me as I do not want to carry too much accessories.

With this in mind I choose the GF1. I am happy with it.


Alvin

 

[hydroburn249]

IF you look at the disadvantage of the both camera you will notice that the disadvantage of the either camera is the advantage of the other! Maybe this is what the manufacturer have wanted it all along buy both if you cannot decide.:bsmilie:

CORRECT. they seem to complement each other in that way.

With this in mind I choose the GF1. I am happy with it.

and all in all, that is the most important part.