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What is the best Panasonic body for stills?
- Thread starter kit laughlin
- Start date
tribal-warrior
Member
The G1 - bargain of the century? I guess that depends on whereabouts you're looking! I do see some good bargains overseas (like in the US). Though someone recently warned me about warranties from overseas and how tricky it can be to get your money back if something breaks down. Meanwhile, Ive been searching extensively for the G1 here in Australia and very few places have them anymore and those that do usually ask just over $1000 for them. I wish we had the bargains here.
kit laughlin
Subscriber Member
Just a habit; I had my Nikons and the present Sony set up aperture priority, and use the thumb to adjust; some jobs exp. comp. on the same wheel.
I did, but holding a camera at arm's length doesn't work for me—I'd be better off with an LX-3 (which I have)—the GF-1 plus prime and no EVF is too close to a P&S in performance and use because of that, for me.
No problem if you are buying from B&S, in my experience: just send it back after getting a number from them. They are excellent to deal with, in my experience, and faster than getting a warranty claim from the local dealers.
More later; cheers
tribal-warrior
Member
Ah cool. Very tempting. Now the only thing that's worrying me about overseas transactions is Customs. Even if I buy something across the pond at a bargain price, Customs will no doubt demand some extra $$$ from me.
A few years ago, I had bought a pro 3CCD analogue video camera from the US via eBay. Customs wanted their fair share from me, even though it was second hand and without any accessories and no lens, not brand new. I can't remember how much they wanted but it was a fair bit - over $50 or something like that, maybe even close to $100 or over - but I can't recall. And they were pretty vague about why they requested this amount. On the Customs label, after the tax and similar stuff, there is an additional $-grabber that simply reads: "Other charges." And apparently, if it was a digital video camera, I would have had to pay even more.
kit laughlin
Subscriber Member
@ tribal: no worries there, if under $1,000 AUD: it will simply sail in unencumbered. I do this on a weekly basis.
@ Amin: that's what I'm hoping, and the price (as mentioned above) makes this a lot of camera, if you already have all the primes, as I do. I will take the G2 to a workshop I am presenting in Piacenza, and hopefully bring back a nice image or two. The G1 and the three primes fits in a tiny bag—imagine if I was taking the big Sony and the equivalent lenses! Cheers, KL
@ Amin: that's what I'm hoping, and the price (as mentioned above) makes this a lot of camera, if you already have all the primes, as I do. I will take the G2 to a workshop I am presenting in Piacenza, and hopefully bring back a nice image or two. The G1 and the three primes fits in a tiny bag—imagine if I was taking the big Sony and the equivalent lenses! Cheers, KL
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tribal-warrior
Member
Ah cool.
My interest is also invested in the G2. Out of curiosity, do you still have the option of controlling / setting everything with the EVF (rather than the LCD screen) with the G2? If it retains that sort of flexibility from the G1, it looks like I'll probably be happy with the G2, along with it's image quality, from what Ive seen from samples.
My interest is also invested in the G2. Out of curiosity, do you still have the option of controlling / setting everything with the EVF (rather than the LCD screen) with the G2? If it retains that sort of flexibility from the G1, it looks like I'll probably be happy with the G2, along with it's image quality, from what Ive seen from samples.
davemillier
Member
Ebay? I just picked up a mint used body here in the UK for £150. There are lots available, I was watching about 6 at the same time and there are still more going on. One of them went for £112.
tribal-warrior
Member
Yea, Ive been scanning eBay for G1s but for a while, there was only one second hand one on Australia eBay. And with that particular auction, it stated ' No Returns Accepted.' Though another one has popped up now.
Yea, not as common over here but with the second hand market, I guess it's a bit of a waiting game. I have bought heaps and heaps of film gear second hand but I'm a bit cautious with buying used digital equipment (something Ive never actually done before.)
Anyhow, now I am tempted to bite the bullet and buy a brand new G2.
Back to the topic at hand - it seems that many people on this forum are looking for improvements in high iso performance. That seems to be the driving focus of many individuals here. Whereas for my uses (mainly tripod-mounted time lapse of nature / landscapes) I'm more than happy with the sort of image quality that can be obtained at 'base iso.' There would likely be some occasions of course where I need to bump the iso up but for the most part, good IQ at 100iso is the keeper for me.
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I have a G2 and I find the IQ to be terrific. When it comes to IQ, I see the test results and clearly the GH1 and GH1 are better but in practical terms how much better are they? Despite being told that the G2 is inferior image wise to the GF1, GH1 and GH2 I have to say that I find the images to be quite good and I print my work up to 13x19 and I have never had an image come out that I thought was problematic because of the G2's lack of IQ (because of my lack of skill yes but not the camera's fault).
FWIW, when I bought I was choosing between the GH1 and the G2 and the difference for me was the ergonomics. I really liked the way the G2 felt in my hand and it was little things like the thumbwheel that made a big difference for me.
FWIW, when I bought I was choosing between the GH1 and the G2 and the difference for me was the ergonomics. I really liked the way the G2 felt in my hand and it was little things like the thumbwheel that made a big difference for me.
kit laughlin
Subscriber Member
Diane, on the eve of my return from Italy (with less shots than I wanted; Vivek's charger is lost in the Italian system, somewhere...), please post here when you get the G3, even if you start a thread elsewhere!
And that new Leica 25/1.4 looks good...
And that new Leica 25/1.4 looks good...
Tesselator
New member
Just to jump in at the middle, I'd say the GH2 was the best as well. It is hair splitting but most comparisons between photo gear are. People typically pay huge amounts of money for those hairs. It's like the difference between the Macro-Elmarit-R 60/2.8 and the Micro-Nikkor 55/2.8 The differences are perhaps even less than hairs but the people will pay $1,400 more for the Elmarit. Conclusion: hairs are expensive? 
Or maybe those slight differences are pretty much all anyone is ever talking about when they say this or that bit of photo gear is "superior", exceptional, or better? In any case, judging from the results I've seen on-line I think the GH2 has enough hairs to justify the recommendation and the purchase. I keep bidding on them myself but they always go over the $500 mark and I'm too cheap to bid any higher. The last one I bid on sold at $550... I'm kicking myself for that... I should have gone for it!
Or maybe those slight differences are pretty much all anyone is ever talking about when they say this or that bit of photo gear is "superior", exceptional, or better? In any case, judging from the results I've seen on-line I think the GH2 has enough hairs to justify the recommendation and the purchase. I keep bidding on them myself but they always go over the $500 mark and I'm too cheap to bid any higher. The last one I bid on sold at $550... I'm kicking myself for that... I should have gone for it!Forgot about this thread, Kit. Several of us have G3, Terri, Uwe and myself I know for sure. Very happy with mine. I'm considering the 25/1.4 as well. I've been shooting with my FD or Nikkor 24/2.8 just to be sure the FL is one I'll use a lot. I do know my 50/1.4 is on my 5D quite a lot so I don't know why I wouldn't feel I would use the FL a lot LOL.
Diane
Diane
m3photo
New member
Re: 25/1.4
My 50/1.4 Nikkor is on my D700 most of the time. Would really appreciate your opinions on the 25/1.4 when you get it. Thanks.
J
Jim88
Guest
For the money, you can't beat the G1. I had the G2 for a while and sold it. The touch screen actually slowed me down because I would accidentally touch it and set a focus point I didn't want and there is no way to disable that. G3 has the same problem. Also, I thought I would like the the rear dial but I found it to be harder and more awkward to use than the front one. The GH-* models are nice for vacation and family shots (and video) but I found having your eye up to the built-in EVF of the G1 essential to reducing camera shake.
kit laughlin
Subscriber Member
Jim, I have the G1, and the 20/1.7 is on it most of the time. And I agree completely re. EVF, and that's what I use most of the time, too.
I will be interested in reports on the 25/1.4, though. It will have to be very good to be better than the 20/1.7!
Cheers to all, KL
I will be interested in reports on the 25/1.4, though. It will have to be very good to be better than the 20/1.7!
Cheers to all, KL
J
Jim88
Guest
Oops. I meant GF-* not GH-*.
DHart
New member
Even with the G3 out now, I believe the GH2 may still reign as the m4/3 body with the highest quality still image and the lowest noise at higher ISOs. I have the GH2 and the G3 and the G3 is very close to the performance of the GH2, but if high ISO and low noise is your desire, the GH2 probably is still the king. At ISO 800 and below, and web use primarily, you probably won't see much if any difference between the RAWs from the G3 and the GH2. As for OOC JPGs (which I prefer not to use), the G3 may edge out the GH2 for colors.