Getting to know the G3

[ustein]

Was mainly shooting video today at Point Lobos: http://vimeo.com/26652729

The video with the AF100 worked fine while the G3 was rattled too much by the wind (on a sturdy video tripod).

But this still was worth it:

G3 + 14-140mm zoom, handheld.

 

[Toccata]

In large part, these images make me forget they've been shot with a 4/3's camera.

 

[RonSmith]

I just got my G3 yesterday and have been getting acquainted with it and the manual on CD. I have a couple questions that someone may have already figured out.

1. When you press the playback button for the first time after the camera has been turned on you get a screen overlay explaining how to touch the screen to enlarge and/or scroll the image. It goes away after a few seconds, or if you press the playback button again. Is there any way to get rid of the overlay altogether?

2. To put images on my computer I always use a card reader and Windows Scanner and Camera Wizard. With the G1 and GF1, you cannot rotate images in the Wizard, however I was surprised to see that with the GH2 you can. Apparently, you cannot rotate images with the G3 either. Anyone know why that is or if there is some setting that will allow rotation?

Thanks for any help.

Ron

 

[Diane B]

Ron, you can turn that off in menu. Custom, touch and dial guides, on and off. Mine are off.

I use Lightroom with card reader so can't address your second question.

Dianr

 

[DHart]

Hey Ron.... are you loving that G3 yet?

Thanks to all this forum chatter on the G3, I'm about to get on the horn and reel one in myself. My GF1 will feel very unappreciated and my GH2 will feel a bit unappreciated as well, but I have a sense that the G3 will be my first choice m4/3 camera for most situations.

Great tips and tricks shared on this thread... thanks everyone!

 

[RonSmith]

Ron, you can turn that off in menu. Custom, touch and dial guides, on and off. Mine are off.

Thanks Diane. I have the other touch controls turned off, but can't seem to get rid of the playback overlay ... other than to press the playback button twice.

Hey Ron.... are you loving that G3 yet?

Hi Don! I really like the G3. It seems like it will be a good companion to my GH2 and the logical replacement for the GF1, the only drawback to which was the lack of a built-in EVF.

I'm waiting impatiently for Adobe to upgrade ACR so I can start working RAW files. I really don't like Silkypix.

 

[RonSmith]

20110729 018a by Ronald S. Smith, on Flickr

 

[Diane B]

I didn't explain sufficiently. Don't go to the touch settings but rather look for Touch Guide, the one after the Touch settings on pg 6 Custom settings and then Dial Guide, two after that on same page.

I'm just dumping my RAW+ jpegs in my external drive and then importing in Lightroom, add at location. LR shows my jpegs right now so I can work a bit with them and not bother with Silkypix and will have folders in place with RAW when LR supports the G3.

Hope you are enjoying your G3 as much as I am mine.

Diane

 

[RonSmith]

Thank you, Diane. That's it. :thumbup:

Don't know how many times I scrolled past that and even saw it in the manual.

 

[Diane B]

LOL. I understand that. I've had to go back and reread plus try things to really understand what they are getting to in the manual plus for those of us using a touch screen on a camera for the first time some of the options in the menu seem a little foreign.

 

[RonSmith]

From my first outing with my new G3, at a local art show. Taken with my 20/1.7. Sure do miss ACR. This is a mildly adjusted JPEG.



20110730 015a by Ronald S. Smith, on Flickr

 

[DHart]

Hi Don! I really like the G3. It seems like it will be a good companion to my GH2 and the logical replacement for the GF1, the only drawback to which was the lack of a built-in EVF.

Right now I've got a GH2 and GF1, both of which I love. But I would very much like a camera that is smaller than the GH2 but with similar features, more of a blend between the GH2 and the GF1 and it seems the G3 is the best candidate.

I might have a hard time giving up either of the other bodies in favor of the G3. I guess I could live with the three bodies and then decide if one of them is dispensible.

The GF1 was my first m4/3 camera and is still such a great camera that I don't know if I could let it go without an updated direct replacement. I'm almost thinking I could live without the GH2... if I had the G3. Then again, how well would the 14-140 work with the small G3 body? And then keep the GF1 until the (rumored) GF-Pro materializes... then I might be able to let go of the GF1. G3 and GF-Pro might make a nice pairing of bodies.

 

[Terry]

Right now I've got a GH2 and GF1, both of which I love. But I would very much like a camera that is smaller than the GH2 but with similar features, more of a blend between the GH2 and the GF1 and it seems the G3 is the best candidate.

I might have a hard time giving up either of the other bodies in favor of the G3. I guess I could live with the three bodies and then decide if one of them is dispensible.

The GF1 was my first m4/3 camera and is still such a great camera that I don't know if I could let it go without an updated direct replacement. I'm almost thinking I could live without the GH2... if I had the G3. Then again, how well would the 14-140 work with the small G3 body? And then keep the GF1 until the (rumored) GF-Pro materializes... then I might be able to let go of the GF1. G3 and GF-Pro might make a nice pairing of bodies.

I've had no problem with the G3 and 14-140.
I actually think you will find that the G3 would replace your GF1 without a lot of regret and remorse. It is smaller than you think.


From this thread. Lens on camera Voigtlander 25mm

http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28097

 

[DHart]

Thanks for that insight Terry... I'm tempted to pick up a G3 at one of my local shops tomorrow. I was thinking it *might* replace the GH2, but perhaps it would be the GF1 to go. It's nice to see your images of the little camera.

When you mount a legacy lens on the G3, can you just tap the wheel to bring up a magnified manual focus like you can with the GF1? Another feature I love with the GF1 is the top mounted switch to go to bracketed exposures automatically. Is it quick to do that on the G3?

Some folks complain about large lenses on small bodies, as if the body is what supports the lens. When hand held, I would support the camera mostly by holding the lens, with the right hand giving additional stability and operating the controls. Does it seem that the G3 can work ok this way with large, heavy lenses. I would think it would be ill advised to mount a large heavy lens on a tripod mounted G3 due to increased likelihood of the weight of the lens damaging the lens mount or tripod mount. Perhaps the 14-140 might be the heaviest lens one would attach to a tripod mounted G3?

 

[Terry]

Thanks for that insight Terry... I'm tempted to pick up a G3 at one of my local shops tomorrow. I was thinking it *might* replace the GH2, but perhaps it would be the GF1 to go. It's nice to see your images of the little camera.

When you mount a legacy lens on the G3, can you just tap the wheel to bring up a magnified manual focus like you can with the GF1? Another feature I love with the GF1 is the top mounted switch to go to bracketed exposures automatically. Is it quick to do that on the G3?

Some folks complain about large lenses on small bodies, as if the body is what supports the lens. When hand held, I would support the camera mostly by holding the lens, with the right hand giving additional stability and operating the controls. Does it seem that the G3 can work ok this way with large, heavy lenses. I would think it would be ill advised to mount a large heavy lens on a tripod mounted G3 due to increased likelihood of the weight of the lens damaging the lens mount or tripod mount. Perhaps the 14-140 might be the heaviest lens one would attach to a tripod mounted G3?

Legacy Lens - yes works the same with push of wheel

Brackets are bottom button of 4 way controller - more flexibility in brackets than GF1

I've used 14-140 on the G3 carrying it a around with no issue. I wouldn't hesitate with that lens or the 100-300 on a tripod.

 

[Pelao]

Thanks for that insight Terry... I'm tempted to pick up a G3 at one of my local shops tomorrow. I was thinking it *might* replace the GH2, but perhaps it would be the GF1 to go. It's nice to see your images of the little camera.

When you mount a legacy lens on the G3, can you just tap the wheel to bring up a magnified manual focus like you can with the GF1? Another feature I love with the GF1 is the top mounted switch to go to bracketed exposures automatically. Is it quick to do that on the G3?

Some folks complain about large lenses on small bodies, as if the body is what supports the lens. When hand held, I would support the camera mostly by holding the lens, with the right hand giving additional stability and operating the controls. Does it seem that the G3 can work ok this way with large, heavy lenses. I would think it would be ill advised to mount a large heavy lens on a tripod mounted G3 due to increased likelihood of the weight of the lens damaging the lens mount or tripod mount. Perhaps the 14-140 might be the heaviest lens one would attach to a tripod mounted G3?

Hi Don

Yes, if you press the wheel you will go to magnification.

I don't have a G3, but did spend quite a while with one. While I prefer the manual drive switch as per the GF1, I found the G3 control pretty quick to manage: hit the assigned button on the 4-way and navigate quickly with button, wheel or touch to the preferred drive: all easy to do using LCD or EVF.

One thing that I think is only understood when you actually hold a G3 is just how well thought out is the shape and the controls. it is not simply a shrunken DSLR shaped camera or shrunken G2. They really have worked the design. I tried it with the kit lens, and with a prime. It handles really nicely. I see no issues managing it with a larger lens such as the 14-140 or larger.

Terry's pictures really help to show how tiny yet well-shaped is this camera - and yet so full featured.

I want to see how the rumoured new GF pans out before upgrading. My bet is that it will have an external EVF, and I really want one integrated, but we'll see. But if I were buying today, the G3 would be it.

 

[DHart]

OK guys... you're really enabling me now! Thanks for the input.

So... hmmmm, chocolate, silver, black.. black makes the most sense in minimizing reflections back from shiny subjects but its so common, chocolate would be cool and still not very reflective, but silver is so cool and beautifully brilliant! Hmmmmmm.

I'll probably go chocolate as a compromise of low reflectivity and the cool/different factor.

 

[RonSmith]

Go for it Don. I think buying all three might be excessive, but certainly two makes sense. Perhaps silver and either black or brown. Yeah, that's it.


I really think the G3 is the camera I had wished the GF1 had been. The one feature I always missed was the integral EVF. Also, for some reason I don't know, the G3 has a much more satisfying shutter sound.

 

[Pelao]

So... hmmmm, chocolate, silver, black.. black makes the most sense in minimizing reflections back from shiny subjects but its so common, chocolate would be cool and still not very reflective, but silver is so cool and beautifully brilliant! Hmmmmmm.

Well, at the risk of getting in to some of the stuff on another forum ( !), the chocolate is perhaps kinda sexy... Yes, panasonic cameras can be sexy too!

I really think the G3 is the camera I had wished the GF1 had been. The one feature I always missed was the integral EVF. Also, for some reason I don't know, the G3 has a much more satisfying shutter sound.

In some ways I feel the same. I only played with one for a while, but in general it kept the stuff I love in my GF1, and added the EVF, articulating screen and an even better sensor. It's a great price too. I am a bit disappointed in the change in some of the controls, but really, I can live with those changes.

I am curious about your mention of the shutter sound. When I played with the G3 it was at a trade show ( my impressions are here: http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showthread.php?t=26463&highlight=Pelao+G3 ) and it was too noisy to hear the shutter properly. Is it less noisy, or at least of a different enough sound that it is less intrusive?

 

[DHart]

Becoming ever more enabled by the moment... you guys (generic useage, Terry!) are great. I just needed some support of my buddies to really push me over the edge.

Pelao... funny, yes, I like sexy cameras too! I do think the G3 is a sexy camera... with a sexiness that goes well beyond form into function. :thumbs:

Ron... I already have the GF1 and GH2, so I would just be buying the G3 this week. And you're right, I don't see any need for 3 m4/3 bodies. I guess my GF1 should be getting a bit apprehensive this coming week as a careful comparison to it will be made and we all know which side the big check marks are going to fall on. We love our venerable GF1's don't we, but...

If choosing to keep two of the three: GH2, G3, GF1, I know I'd be losing the most in features and capability if I let the GH2 or the G3 go, so I guess the GF1 is pretty much guaranteed to draw the short straw.