Panny G1 - the first m4/3 has arrived

[clay stewart]

Not trying to be a fangirl but here is the text and a side by side with the 14-42

"The new smaller lens mount and reduced flange back distance means that Micro Four Thirds lenses are noticeable smaller than their conventional SLR counterparts - even the already diminutive 14-42mm Olympus kit lens."

http://a.img-dpreview.com/previews/PanasonicG1/Images/features/lenses.jpg

also 52mm filter thread vs. 58mm on the Oly

Oh, and by the way, nothing against soccer moms.

Hi Terry, I hadn't seen that side by side comparison, so the 100 mm length must have been for the 40-150 lens then. Still, there isn't much difference in size, not shirt pocketable anyway.

Hi Amin, where did you see the 20 1.7 pic?

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Clay,

1. It's not comparable to an E-420, but to an E-520. Grip, big battery and it even has an articulated LCD, like the E-3.

2. Compare the lens to the PanaLeica 14-50, and you'll see that it's much smaller indeed. Olympus is another story, and we haven't seen what they will come up with yet.

3. You don't have to buy the adapter if you don't want to. The whole point with M4/3 is to use the smaller M4/3 lenses. Being able to use the normal 4/3 lenses (and OM, F-mount, K-mount etc.) is just an added bonus.

If this camera/system is best suited for soccer moms, I'll have to grow a soccer playing little devil as soon as possible and become one myself. It's very well suited for me as well

 

[Terry]

Here is a picture of the 20mm f1.7

Taken from a thread at DPReview
View attachment 7552


http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1000&message=29296181

 

[clay stewart]

Clay,

1. It's not comparable to an E-420, but to an E-520. Grip, big battery and it even has an articulated LCD, like the E-3.

2. Compare the lens to the PanaLeica 14-50, and you'll see that it's much smaller indeed. Olympus is another story, and we haven't seen what they will come up with yet.

3. You don't have to buy the adapter if you don't want to. The whole point with M4/3 is to use the smaller M4/3 lenses. Being able to use the normal 4/3 lenses (and OM, F-mount, K-mount etc.) is just an added bonus.

If this camera/system is best suited for soccer moms, I'll have to grow a soccer playing little devil as soon as possible and become one myself. It's very well suited for me as well

Well, Jorgen, I'm truely happy you got what you wanted. Not to sound too disappointed, but I guess I pictured a GRD with a larger sensor, then when I saw the mock up, with the tiny zoom and prime, it was just about perfect for what I would like. I don't care for the swivel LCD or viewfinder or grip, I just want large sensor small camera, with a 28 mm equiv. focal length, like the GRD.
I guess I can wait though. It sure seems like my life is going by faster, since I'm in such a hurry to get the next perfect thing.:ROTFL: Maybe I won't grow old so fast, if I just use the E420 and pancake and quit reading these forums.

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

I guess I can wait though. It sure seems like my life is going by faster, since I'm in such a hurry to get the next perfect thing.:ROTFL: Maybe I won't grow old so fast, if I just use the E420 and pancake and quit reading these forums.

It's worrying, isn't it? When I was young, active and supposed to jump on every bandwagon, like young people do (or so I've heard), I stayed with the same OM-1 for nearly thirty years (and a couple of OM-10 for backup). Now, at the ripe, old age of fifty-something, I'm turning into a gadget-geek.

My only comfort is, that when reading these forums, it becomes increasingly apparent that I'm not the only one moving in the "wrong" direction :ROTFL:

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

The 20/1.7 sure looks promising. Mounted on an Olympus body with IS (it doesn't seem to have OIS), it will be the "Queen of the Night".

Here's a link to a page with lots of photos, including the 14-140:

http://www.digitalcamera.jp/

Here's an interesting thought from dpreview with regards to the design of the G1:

From the outside it looks for all the world like a conventional SLR (albeit a very small one) - we're told that the design (complete with faux prism 'hump') is deliberately conservative; Panasonic's research has shown that its target market (particularly in Japan) still prefers a camera that looks like a camera is supposed to, and wasn't going to risk falling at the first hurdle by producing something too radical.

 

[clay stewart]

Now that's the ticket.http://www.photographion.com/micro-thirds-m43-camera-body-photos/

 

[Arne Hvaring]

Put a 7mm adapter on and you can use all the small Leica M-lenses, including the diminuitive offerings from CV. Now imagine being able to focus the 90 Apo precisely for once
All this presupposes that the viewfinder and sensor delivers, which remains to be seen.

 

[Arne Hvaring]

Btw., there's an interesting picture at Mike Johnstons TOP site comparing the G1 and Canon G9 for size. The G1 has the zoom lens, but mount the 20 mm and the size should be pretty close.
http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/blog_index.html

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Put a 7mm adapter on and you can use all the small Leica M-lenses, including the diminuitive offerings from CV. Now imagine being able to focus the 90 Apo precisely for once
All this presupposes that the viewfinder and sensor delivers, which remains to be seen.

That 90mm would give the fov of a 180mm. Some concert lens

According to those who have tried it, the viewfinder is great for manual focusing, and big, big. Dim in low light though.

 

[Lars]

Looking at the pic of the G1 with the 20/1.7, those little levers around the mode dial sure looks plasticky and fragile. Mot exectly confidence-inspiring, none of the main SLR makers would design controls like that. Such a small and portable camera will be banged around more (at least in my world), I think perhaps Pana needs another rev to get the controls right.

 

[Vivek]

I am already looking at the possibilities of trying to make use the Olympus Pen F(T) lenses I have.

Any word on the pricing of the camera?

 

[johnastovall]

Yes, Pen! Now that what they should be thinking about for a body design.....

Maybe Olympus pass around a couple to their design team when they start to work.

 

[Arne Hvaring]

I am already looking at the possibilities of trying to make use the Olympus Pen F(T) lenses I have.

Any word on the pricing of the camera?

Yeah, the Olympus lenses for the Pen were small and of excellent optical and mechanical quality, ought to work like a charm on the Panasonic. Let's hope an adapter becomes available. Sadly the only Pen lens I still have is the 38 mm *normal*.
Pricing seems to be EUR 750 with the 14-45mm zoom.

 

[Lili]

Ohhhhh, looked up the Pen F 1/2 frame SLR, that would make a kick-a** M4/3 DSLR!!!!
Very sleek!

 

[Jonathon Delacour]

Here is a picture of the 20mm f1.7

Taken from a thread at DPReview

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1000&message=29296181

Mike Johnston (The Online Photographer) made the following observation about the 20/1.7:

This looks like a mock-up to me, rather than a prototype. The lens has no filter threads and it doesn't look like it has a full complement of actual elements in place. That doesn't mean the final product won't look exactly like this, but for what it's worth I personally don't believe this is an actual prototype.

But, just in passing, bravo to Panasonic for planning this lens!​

If you find his argument persuasive (I do), this *might* mean we have to wait a while longer for the 20/1.7 to ship.

Mike also has some advice for those who are disappointed in the G1's appearance/size/build quality/specs:

Another thing to bear in mind: The Panasonic G1 is the first Micro 4/3 camera, not the last. No need to bemoan the size or the feature choices just yet. There are going to be more cameras in this standard, even if it doesn't take off. If it does take off, there will be a great many more.​

I remain ecstatic about Panasonic's imaginative choice for their first prime -- at least they didn't settle for the safe, boring, predictable choice: a 25mm pancake.

 

[Vivek]

Yeah, the Olympus lenses for the Pen were small and of excellent optical and mechanical quality, ought to work like a charm on the Panasonic. Let's hope an adapter becomes available. Sadly the only Pen lens I still have is the 38 mm *normal*.
Pricing seems to be EUR 750 with the 14-45mm zoom.

Thanks for the price info, Arne. Among the Pen F lenses, I also have the 38/2.8 Pancake!

 

[Joan]

I've been reading everything I can find about the G1 and I am just about sold on it. It fits my needs very well. I just hope there will be enough support for it from the camera buying public for them to really go full steam ahead and flesh out the lens road map with a couple more primes for portrait and macro. The 20mm f1.7 looks sweet!

I think I want a red one. I've never had anything but black cameras, time to live a little!

 

[Ben Rubinstein]

No one else would prefer a fast 50mm equivelent pancake? Like f1.4? 40mm is a neither normal nor wide for all that it will be f1.7.

 

[Terry]

No one else would prefer a fast 50mm equivelent pancake? Like f1.4? 40mm is a neither normal nor wide for all that it will be f1.7.

I think of the combo of G1 and 20mm (40mm) f1.7 as the digital canonet