G1 or G2

[Klif570]

Hi,

I'm currently selling my photo equipment to raise the money for the Panasonic G1, which I intend to used with either M42 or Leica lenses.

Now, I can get a good deal on the G1 with a cashback and a 3 year extended warranty, but I'm thinking about the new G2 as well. And I can't decide whether I should pay extra for the G2 or go for the G1.

Anyone of you guys in the same boat? Or thinking of upgrading your G1?

The video recording is really nice, and I've also checked image samples at imaging-recourse, and the G2 does seem to have a slightly better high ISO performance, and is even a tad sharper at low ISOs.

The only thing I don't like about the G2 is the touch screen, which I think only makes the camera less durable or maybe more prone to breaking. The viewfinder which I really like seems to be the same as on the G1.

So, what do you say? The G2 or the cheaper G1 and maybe some nice legacy glass with it?

Thanks

 

[Vivek]

Why not pick an used G1? (for example: Amin had one for sale for $275/-.)

It all depends on what you intend to use it for.

For me, the G1 is fine. IF (the big if) the G2 happens to have a better sensor, then it would be useful for some of my uses.

I also don't care about the touch screem or the video. If I touch the LCD screen on the G1, it needs to be cleaned up so that it will be useful for viewing and composing. Touch screem and finger grease in a camera do not go well, in my use.

 

[Klif570]

Why not pick an used G1? (for example: Amin had one for sale for $275/-.)

Sounds like a top bargain, but I'd much rather buy a new camera complete with warranty.

It all depends on what you intend to use it for.

I mostly shoot flowers, macro, and some portraiture

For me, the G1 is fine. IF (the big if) the G2 happens to have a better sensor, then it would be useful for some of my uses.

I also don't care about the touch screem or the video. If I touch the LCD screen on the G1, it needs to be cleaned up so that it will be useful for viewing and composing. Touch screem and finger grease in a camera do not go well, in my use.

Yeah, I do agree with you - I would just keep the LCD closed. Best for protection, saves the battery, and it just feels more retro when I don't use it.

The G2 does however have an improved processor, which seems to produce better rusults..

 

[photoSmart42]

Sounds like a top bargain, but I'd much rather buy a new camera complete with warranty.

Sounds like you've already made up your mind. I'm sure the G2 will be a nice camera, but consider that for the price of a G2 you can get a nice, quality used G1 and an extra lens or two. You can always upgrade to a better camera later and convert your G1 to IR or something (my plan once I upgrade to the GH1 successor).

 

[bruce1s]

I was planning to hold off until the G2 is available. However, I prefer the G1 kit lens (14-45) over the new G2 kit 14-42. So, I'm beginning to think I should just buy the G1 with the 14-45 and wait until Panasonic or Oly puts out a G1/G2/GH1 body that blows us all away (and that sells body-only!).


I welcome any comments by the OP or others on this way of looking at the current situation. Thank you.

 

[photoSmart42]

I was planning to hold off until the G2 is available. However, I prefer the G1 kit lens (14-45) over the new G2 kit 14-42. So, I'm beginning to think I should just buy the G1 with the 14-45 and wait until Panasonic or Oly puts out a G1/G2/GH1 body that blows us all away (and that sells body-only!).


I welcome any comments by the OP or others on this way of looking at the current situation. Thank you.

AFAIK the G2 will still come with the 14-45 kit lens. The G10 will ship with the new, cheaper 14-42 lens.

 

[Klif570]

I was planning to hold off until the G2 is available. However, I prefer the G1 kit lens (14-45) over the new G2 kit 14-42. So, I'm beginning to think I should just buy the G1 with the 14-45 and wait until Panasonic or Oly puts out a G1/G2/GH1 body that blows us all away (and that sells body-only!).

I welcome any comments by the OP or others on this way of looking at the current situation. Thank you.

Same here, I also prefer the 14-45 kit lens.

I'm not 100% sure yet, but I think I'll just get the G1 and spend more on lenses instead. Camera bodies never hold their value, but lenses do so if I was to sell my gear, I'd get more of my money back.

I'd love the Leica R adapter and a mid-prised Leica lens with it. The Panasonic adapter is quite expensive though, but seems to be the only one that locks on the infinity.

 

[M5-Guy]

to OP
I am in a similar place...
I have nice K20D/BG-2 3 lens kit, but, I really want to be able to use my Glass I have for my Leica on a digital format also. Have photos of it, just haven't posted for sale yet..I want weight to sell it close to the G2 release date, unless I get a hot buyer

The G2 is what I am weighting for, I do want the HD video (my wife would like it )

The pluses are that the touch screen may make it faster with MF lenses to focus.. Wish the Contrast auto focus could work with MF lenses though.
Plenty of adapters for Canon (EOS/FD), Nikon, Pentax (M42/K), Leica M, and others from 3rd party makers. I'd carry it around more than the K20d too. Now I take the Leica as my take with me camera in the truck, just in case, I can find time after work for a few snaps.
Glad to hear it may ship with the 14-45!

 

[DavidB]

According to the preview at DPReview both the G2 and G10 will ship with the new 14-42mm kit lens. Look at the nice big photo at the top of the page...
Where have you heard anything different?

M5-Guy, how could it be that "the touch screen may make it faster with MF lenses to focus"? Doesn't make sense to me.
The advantages of the G2 over the G1 seem to be: video, and hopefully lower noise.
As a G1 owner I'm not feeling that the touch screen is something I'll miss. There are a bunch of other tweaks (e.g. SDXC cards, internal 1:1 crop option, controls moved around a bit) but none of them seem significant (at least for me).

 

[M5-Guy]

According to the preview at DPReview both the G2 and G10 will ship with the new 14-42mm kit lens. Look at the nice big photo at the top of the page...
Where have you heard anything different?

M5-Guy, how could it be that "the touch screen may make it faster with MF lenses to focus"? Doesn't make sense to me.
The advantages of the G2 over the G1 seem to be: video, and hopefully lower noise.
As a G1 owner I'm not feeling that the touch screen is something I'll miss. There are a bunch of other tweaks (e.g. SDXC cards, internal 1:1 crop option, controls moved around a bit) but none of them seem significant (at least for me).

I guess I'm thinking you can touch the screen in lieu of the 4way to move the focus point around, still has the 5x or 10x focus aid. Could be faster than the 4way I guess.

 

[Vivek]

I see an excellent market opportunity for finger grease removers, if the G2 sales take off. :ROTFL:

 

[bruce1s]

AFAIK the G2 will still come with the 14-45 kit lens. The G10 will ship with the new, cheaper 14-42 lens.

I would love for that to be true. However, all the info I've seen from Panasonic implies it will be the 14-42 for both the G2 and G10. For instance, on their web site Pany's press release shows the 14-42 mounted on the G2. And the PDF brochure lists the 14-42 as the kit lens.

http://panasonic.net/avc/lumix/popup/pressrelease/g2g10.html#1

http://panasonic.net/avc/lumix/systemcamera/gms/g2/mainparts.html

If anyone has the time, click over to the Pany site and let us know what you make of it.

Thank you.:salute:

 

[Godfrey]

I'm currently selling my photo equipment to raise the money for the Panasonic G1, which I intend to used with either M42 or Leica lenses.

Now, I can get a good deal on the G1 with a cashback and a 3 year extended warranty, but I'm thinking about the new G2 as well. And I can't decide whether I should pay extra for the G2 or go for the G1.

I'm still quite happy with the G1. It does an excellent job for a body that ultimately cost me a little less than $300 after I sold the kit lens, and it's still working well.

I intend to acquire a G2 body when they're out. I still don't need the kit lens, just want the body. Why?

• improved lens support ... more FourThirds SLR lenses will autofocus on the G2
• improved control layout ... I like the control dial on the back where I can reach it with my thumb
• potential of HD capture ... haven't done motion work in years, it might prove fun
• the rest left mostly well enough alone ... I like the G1 enough that I have no desire to see the design changed too much

If the G2 has cleaner capture quality or other advantages, that will be nice too. The touch screen might be neat, but I don't know yet having not used one. I doubt it will be a problem, it might prove a plus.

 

[photoSmart42]

According to the preview at DPReview both the G2 and G10 will ship with the new 14-42mm kit lens. Look at the nice big photo at the top of the page...
Where have you heard anything different?

I'd read it in one of the early reviews of the G2 vs. the G10. Not sure how much it was based on speculation at the time, or actual fact. If the official literature has the G2 with the 14-42, then that's likely the kit lens for both. We'll see for sure when it actually starts selling.

 

[Klif570]

I don't know where this came from, but the G2 and G10 will definitelly sell with 14-42 kit lenses. It's been officially announced and there are photos on Panasonic website.

I've made my mind up and will get the G1 Really, what I was after is HD video, but the price and the touch screen put me off. The touch screen might be an advantage in some way, but I think it makes the camera look less professional and more of a beginners choice. It's a bit like the Pentax K-m that I sold - it had ''Help'' button!

I was considering the G10 as well, but since I'm going to use manual lenses most of the time, it's not such a good choice due to a smaller viewfinder in the G10. Also, it hasn't got the swivel LCD, which I like and would mostly keep turned inwards so that I don't scratch it.

I do however prefer the design of the new bodies, and they have a new processor too, with somewhat better high ISO control and slighly sharper images at low ISOs (samples on imaging-resource website), but..I can live without it, and G1 already looks like a very capable camera.

M5-Guy, how do you find the performance of your 90mm Summicron? It looks like it has a very short focusing distance, is that true?

 

[M5-Guy]

I don't know where this came from, but the G2 and G10 will definitelly sell with 14-42 kit lenses. It's been officially announced and there are photos on Panasonic website.

I've made my mind up and will get the G1 Really, what I was after is HD video, but the price and the touch screen put me off. The touch screen might be an advantage in some way, but I think it makes the camera look less professional and more of a beginners choice. It's a bit like the Pentax K-m that I sold - it had ''Help'' button!

I was considering the G10 as well, but since I'm going to use manual lenses most of the time, it's not such a good choice due to a smaller viewfinder in the G10. Also, it hasn't got the swivel LCD, which I like and would mostly keep turned inwards so that I don't scratch it.

I do however prefer the design of the new bodies, and they have a new processor too, with somewhat better high ISO control and slighly sharper images at low ISOs (samples on imaging-resource website), but..I can live without it, and G1 already looks like a very capable camera.

M5-Guy, how do you find the performance of your 90mm Summicron? It looks like it has a very short focusing distance, is that true?

@Klif570
I like the 90mm Cron. It is Ver 2, with a 48mm filter and built in two stage hood. It does focus to about 3.3 feet (1m)..I just got it at a good price a few weeks ago, and haven't had a lot of time with it yet.. working more with the 35mm f/1.4 SC Nokton and the 50mm f/1.1 Nokton. but it does have a very nice sharpness and pleasant smooth boken too. I don't like crazy looking boken, some Leica fans do though, just not me.

The GH1 with the 14-140 lens looks yummy... My Pentax system should bring close this in used value...

 

[Klif570]

@Klif570
I like the 90mm Cron. It is Ver 2, with a 48mm filter and built in two stage hood. It does focus to about 3.3 feet (1m)..I just got it at a good price a few weeks ago, and haven't had a lot of time with it yet.. working more with the 35mm f/1.4 SC Nokton and the 50mm f/1.1 Nokton. but it does have a very nice sharpness and pleasant smooth boken too. I don't like crazy looking boken, some Leica fans do though, just not me.

The GH1 with the 14-140 lens looks yummy... My Pentax system should bring close this in used value...

That's interesting. 1 meter isn't that close, I had Zeiss Jena 135mm and it was pretty much the same, but judging from the 90mm Leica photos it looks like it's a nice lens for flower shots too. Maybe it has a better magnification than most teles.. Lovely lens anyway, I did think of getting one, but decided I'll first get the 60mm Macro.

As for the 14-140, it's perhaps the only lens you will ever need - very universal and compact. I don't know how it compares though.

 

[Klif570]

If anyone is interested, dcresource has now posted G2 sample photos. The scenes were shot at a different time, but I compared them with the G1 samples anway, and I must say I'm more impressed with the G2 output.

Does anyone know if the new G2 processor will output better RAW images, or does it impreve JPEGs only?

 

[larryk]

For the price, the G2 just didn't seem like a big enough improvement over the G1. I agree that it would be better to invest in say the 20mm f1.7 fixed lens instead and then wait for a more substantially improved (esp. the sensor) G3. The lens you bought will still be exactly what you want to use on the G3, while the G2 will be sitting on the shelf with your old G1. Ah, the digital age.

 

[wonderer]

dpreview lists G2 as being heavier than G1 (428g versus 360g). If this istrue then for me this is a disadvantage for G2. It starts bringing it closer to regular DSLRs.

Though I am not sure why G2 needs to be heavier than even GH1 (385g as per dpreview).