The GX7 Thread - Images and Observations

[Matix]

Well I have had the GX7 now for nearly 3 weeks, not much time to spend a day shooting with it until yesterday, and I have decided it is a keeper.

Handling, it is a great body and in some ways better than the GH3, feels like a sibling for sure, quite a bit lighter and a much better viewfinder with accurate colour and exposure display is a bonus. The GH3 certainly does not display WYSIWYG as accurately as the rear display screen. Ok for composing but not even close for colour or exposure.

Ergonomics, a good feel in the hand, enough buttons in a familiar location for users of the GX1 and LX7 works for me. I find I am using the Custom settings more to save time, work well. The focus peaking while not as good as the Sony A77 is a help for manual focusing, and being able to control the enlargment area while leaving the background as viewed is great.

I opted for the Panasonic eye cup add on, this reduces the flashes of peripheral sunlight when using the EVF, an excellent addition which will stay on the camera permanently.

Here are a couple of samples and link to the gallery, shot in JPG, all quickly and hand held, from the Brisbane Open Buildlings day yesterday. I spent the day in the hazy sun with the GX7, 12-35mm and 7-14mm Panasonic lenses. A small bag easy on the shoulder, and at no time did I wish for the GH3, A77 or any of my past Nikons. No special attention to settings, all on the fly while walking with a group of people mostly

Brisbane city, viewed from the patio of the Gallery of Modern Art building on the river precinct.

The Hotel on The Park, a heritage building now part of the Treasury Casino

The rest of the series... http://photos.photo-matix.com.au/p1004082109

 

[Friedel]

Re: The GX7 Thread - Images and Opinions

I continue this thread. For me the GX7 also seems to be a keeper. Next week I go to Lisboa for some days, after that I know more. Only thing I miss is the highlight/shadow blinking and the IBIS of the E-M5. I'll see how important this is.
Here some pics:
12-35 at 12mm, ISO 1600

12-35 at 12mm, ISO 3200

12-35 at 32mm, ISO 800

Best regards, Karl

 

[Vivek]

Re: The GX7 Thread - Images and Opinions

Matix, I wish you would change the title to drop the "opinions". The web is awash with that.

 

[Matix]

Re: The GX7 Thread - Images and Opinions

Nice shots Friedel, I have found the GX7 to feel like evolution of the GHx cameras. I have had all the GHx cameras, still would likely have the GH2 if I could have turned off the touchscreen which drove me bonkers on a trip to India... (touching the rear panel for example, kept changing the focus point inadvertantly), to be like my GH3 in a rangefinder form factor. I see no reason to carry the GH3 with me except when shooting wildlife and the rare time I would shoot a video needing a microphone input. Other than that, I believe it will do the job with a little less fuss and be my travel camera of choice.

I feel the colour rendition is closer to reality in the JPG's as well, although like any other of the recent Panasonic m4/3 cameras, stopping down -1/3 or -2/3 helps in bright sunlight helps.

Phil

As I said earlier, the DMW-EC1 Eyecup, which is a necessary addition to those of us who live in a bright, sunny environment. It is easy to install, a tight fit and is not likely to be knocked loose.

A couple of other images shot with the GX7 first with the 25mm f1.4

Panasonic 12-35mm f2.8

Also with the 12-35mm

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Thank you, this was useful. I'm picking up my GH3 next week, which will mostly be used for work related photography, and plan to buy the GX7 in a few months as a travel camera. I've put the GH2 up for sale, but I've started wondering if I should rather keep it since it's a useful camera that won't get me a fortune when I sell it. On the other hand, I will buy the E-M1 as well... dilemmas, dilemmas

 

[Matix]

Thank you, this was useful. I'm picking up my GH3 next week, which will mostly be used for work related photography, and plan to buy the GX7 in a few months as a travel camera. I've put the GH2 up for sale, but I've started wondering if I should rather keep it since it's a useful camera that won't get me a fortune when I sell it. On the other hand, I will buy the E-M1 as well... dilemmas, dilemmas

Thanks Jorgen, I really like the GH3 and find it a great camera to use, disappointed in the size, accuracy and quality of the EVF somewhat, it is a great and reliable camera to use. While the GH3 has a fully articulated screen, and the GX7 a tiltable up and down one, I rarely find a need for the GH3 flexibility as I very rarely use video, it is there when and if I need it for a tricky shot.

Certainly the GH3 has more features easily to hand, but now I have the GX7 set up the way I want it with the Custom setting, only minimal adjustments are needed.

I am waiting for Capture One 7 to support the GX7 RAW, but for now the out of camera JPG's can easily be tweaked by either of my tools, ACDSee Pro 7, which has the absolute best cataloging and quick adjust capabilies, and Captcure One Pro 7 for the tough and more critical adjustments.

Phil

 

[Sapphie]

Is the DMW-EC1 eyecup available in the UK?

Lee

 

[DaveS]

Here is one from tonight. GX7 with Canon FD 500mm Mirror lens, iso 400 hand held braced on my deck, with shake reduction on. It is hard to focus the mirror lens, but with the magnify view I used a star to get infinity focus correct, then shot the moon. (click to enlarge)

Dave

 

[Matix]

That is a really good shot Dave, and with a mirror lens no less. They are supposed not to have sharp as a quality. You seem to have nailed that on this shot, well done.

Phil

 

[DaveS]

Thanks Phil,

Yes, the mirror is hard to focus and unless you get it just right it is blurry and looks bad, also jitter is also a problem with this focal length. Even a bit off and the whole image is soft. Also, if you shoot long distances which is the temptation with a 20x magnified view, haze in the distance is a real impact too. Lastly, it seems to have a slightly 'clumpy detail' softness in some shots, which is probably part of the mirror optical resolution. But when it all comes together, it is kind of fun.

all the best,
Dave

 

[jotloob]

Some fun with the GX7 and the 14-42 PZ
View attachment 77888

 

[Matix]

Another week has gone by, I am still working with the GX7 and it has not disappointed me yet, I am really enjoying the camera and the shots are in keeping with my needs. While I really like the GH3 body ergonomics, the lighter more compact benefits with no loss of IQ or general performance, I am sure this will mean the GH3 spends more time at home while I travel.

A few shots from our garden this weekend. P/L 25mm 1.4, check of exposure and flash on one shot, all hand held and varying light.

Phil

GX7, f/3.5 @ 25 mm, 1/640, ISO 200

GX7, f/5 @ 25 mm, 1/1000, ISO 200

GX7, f/4 @ 25 mm, 1/320, ISO 200, Flash

GX7, f/1.6 @ 25 mm, 1/100, ISO 200

 

[jotloob]

LUMIX GX7 + 14-42 PZ at 20mm f8

 

[Friedel]

A smile in the rain. Enjoy.

Karl

 

[tribal-warrior]

I'm very interested in the GX7 and I have one query. According to one review, the JPEGs are a bit soft when they come out of the camera and need to be sharpened in post. However, another review claims that the camera produces quite sharp JPEGs without the need for post processing. Which would you say is true, according to your experiences?

 

[Matix]

I'm very interested in the GX7 and I have one query. According to one review, the JPEGs are a bit soft when they come out of the camera and need to be sharpened in post. However, another review claims that the camera produces quite sharp JPEGs without the need for post processing. Which would you say is true, according to your experiences?

Well there are a lot of factors that can affect 'sharpness', lens quality, exposure settings, shutter speed, light, focus, are just a few.

This shot, taken last night is an out of camera JPG with the default sharpness. What do you think?

Phil

GX7, f/2.5 @ 20 mm, f1.7 lens 1/200, ISO 200

or this one

GX7, f/4.5 @ 25 mm f1.4, 1/320, ISO 200

 

[kit laughlin]

After trying the EM-1 side-by-side with the GX7, I sold it and bought a second GX7, so I have voted, so to speak.

Aperture recognises the Raw files now, so that's me covered on the stills side, and Final Cut Pro X handles the video output perfectly, so I am set. I found the JPEGs SOOC to be fine, and that was at the standard sharpening setting which may be made sharper in camera if you wish.

 

[mazor]

Kit, please do tell what made you favor the GX7 over the EM1?

 

[kit laughlin]

Hello mazor,

I started a thread over at our friends at Fred's, HERE.

That first post pretty much says it all, though I did buy then sell an EM-1 in the weeks following and, as mentioned, bought a second GX7.

µ4/3rds, as many here have noted, is more-or-less a mature standalone format now, and with Sony bringing out the two A7s, I think that the end of APS-C is nigh—not to say that some of these cameras aren't fantastic (for me, the NEX 6 was the pinnacle).

Why GX7 over EM-1? Not so simple; and the fact that IBIS works in movie mode definitely would have been a big plus for me. But the Panny video is truly excellent, and not limited to less than 30', as is the Oly's. For my work, this is important.

Stills-wise, I could see no ready or obvious difference between the files, personally. Colour is a matter of taste, and if you shoot Raw, can be whatever you want. I found the files out of both cameras to be excellent. Sure, not as much headroom as a FF file (my old Sony A850 and 900 were truly excellent in this regard) but if you know what you are doing on the PP front, good enough.

In the end, I wanted two identical bodies: in the field, you need to be able to reach either and know how to use them by feel. I have used pairs of different bodies, and when needing to work quickly, problems or confusion can arise, even if momentarily, that interrupt the flow. I could not see enough, or or indeed, any advantage of the Oly over the Panny, and was able to use both side-by-side, so I sold the EM-1.

Depending on how the new Sonys pan out in real life, I could see myself getting an A7; using a µ4/3rds body alongside a FF one does make sense, especially if you have a bunch of CV and Oly glass, as I do—now I have an interesting range of focal lengths. I can see myself using the Sony with an Oly 40/2 as my 'walk-around' body, and the GX-7 as my main video camera. Another factor that may push me in this direction is Final Cut Pro X; after using all the other iterations of FCP since FCP2, the flexibility in FCPX's capacity to freely mix all frame sizes and frame rates on the same timeline means that I could use the Sony as a Bcam if I had to—this is liberating.

A bit OT, perhaps, but these factors played into my decision. As others have noted here, the camera bodies are the disposable part of the equation now. When I think of what I paid for my first 1Ds, then D3 and D3s, bought new... and the $899 GX7 makes WAY better video and decent-enough images. Well, glass is where I am putting my money now.

The GX7 is a very good camera in its own right; I just could not see that the EM-1 was a better camera, apart from its weather-sealing and its dual function IBIS.

 

[mazor]

thanks kit, for that

Yes for video, Panny is very hard to beat. I think the GH2 started the presidence after the hacks came out for it that allowed higher bit rate recording.

Also I do like how the EVF can articulate vertically. It reminds me of how I use my FDA-EV1s on my Sony Nex 5n.

Do you notice the difference in resolution when using the GX7 EVF vs the EM1 when you had an EM1?