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GX8 shutter shock

biglouis

Well-known member
My mediocre Sony lens line up is limited to (fine samples) 28/2, 35/2.8 and 55/1.8. Rest are adapted lenses.

My experience with their zoomz (blue labelled ones, in particular) mirrors yours.
My best lenses were the 28/2 and 55/1.8. I found the 35/2.8 a bit characterless which is why I sold it and got the 35 'cron. My problem with Sony arose because I needed a UWA zoom for some work. I just could not bring myself to pay over a grand in the UK for the 16-35 and take the chance it would be a good lens as I had been so disappointed with other blue-labels. I took a chance and bought the Olympus 7-14/2.8 for my GX8 and I have never looked back. Now that I've developed an interest in bird photography, the crop factor and the lightweight 100-400 have locked me into Panasonic. Of course the Sony bodies are attractive - actually the crop sensor ones even more so - but I learned long ago that a man with more that one camera system is forever subject to anxieties about which one to use!

It must be said that despite the shutter shock problem, the GX8 is still a great camera, and if I didn't make money from selling photos, I could have lived with the situation for a while more. The ideal camera would have been a GX9, close to the specs of the G9, but with the form factor of the GX8. With the launch of the G9, I don't see that coming until at least Photokina, maybe not at all.
Jorgen, having played with a G9 I would argue that it is as comfortable in size and form factor as the GX rangefinder factor. It felt smaller than the GH5, it is 100g lighter and the grip is amazing. Like you, I prefer the GX form factor but I will give houseroom to the G9 in the future, even if I have to dispose of the GX8.

LouisB
 

4711

Member
My best lenses were the 28/2 and 55/1.8. I found the 35/2.8 a bit characterless which is why I sold it and got the 35 'cron. My problem with Sony arose because I needed a UWA zoom for some work. I just could not bring myself to pay over a grand in the UK for the 16-35 and take the chance it would be a good lens as I had been so disappointed with other blue-labels. I took a chance and bought the Olympus 7-14/2.8 for my GX8 and I have never looked back. Now that I've developed an interest in bird photography, the crop factor and the lightweight 100-400 have locked me into Panasonic. Of course the Sony bodies are attractive - actually the crop sensor ones even more so - but I learned long ago that a man with more that one camera system is forever subject to anxieties about which one to use!



Jorgen, having played with a G9 I would argue that it is as comfortable in size and form factor as the GX rangefinder factor. It felt smaller than the GH5, it is 100g lighter and the grip is amazing. Like you, I prefer the GX form factor but I will give houseroom to the G9 in the future, even if I have to dispose of the GX8.

LouisB
I find the GX8 too big in comparison to the GX85. I find the GX80/85 the best compromise between GM5 and GX8
 

bensonga

Well-known member
I am almost certainly an outlier here, but last night I made some 11x14 and 13x19 inch prints of motorsport racing images taken with an old GH3 and the 100-300 lens and a GX8 with the 35-100 lens. The prints looked good to me and to the friends I gave them to. With a better camera/lens I probably could have made larger and sharper prints...but these prints were pretty good. If I had been examining the digital images at 100% (pixel peeping), I might have never bothered to print these images, but I'm glad I did.

Gary
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Jorgen, having played with a G9 I would argue that it is as comfortable in size and form factor as the GX rangefinder factor. It felt smaller than the GH5, it is 100g lighter and the grip is amazing. Like you, I prefer the GX form factor but I will give houseroom to the G9 in the future, even if I have to dispose of the GX8.

LouisB
It will be very hard to find good reasons not to buy the G9. The viewfinder, which is a very important part of the device for me, seems to be top notch in every way, and the grip, apart from taking up some extra space in the bag, is often a big advantage too. My decision is more or less made, and the GX8 will most probably have to go. It won't see much use with the G9 in the house. The GM5 will stay though. It's a great point and shoot and a fine backup.
 

bensonga

Well-known member
Any one here have experience with the G85? Hopefully, there are no shutter shock problems with that camera. There are some good prices on the G85 now. I realize it doesn't have the latest 20mp sensor etc that the G9 does, but the G85 does have IBIS, which I find useful when I want to mount my longer Leica R lenses on the GX8. The G85 would be a nice upgrade to my GH3 and I too like having a small DSLR form factor MFT camera with the battery grip attached when using larger lenses (like the 100-300 etc).

Gary
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Any one here have experience with the G85? Hopefully, there are no shutter shock problems with that camera. There are some good prices on the G85 now. I realize it doesn't have the latest 20mp sensor etc that the G9 does, but the G85 does have IBIS, which I find useful when I want to mount my longer Leica R lenses on the GX8. The G85 would be a nice upgrade to my GH3 and I too like having a small DSLR form factor MFT camera with the battery grip attached when using larger lenses (like the 100-300 etc).

Gary
I had the G85 for a couple of months earlier this year, and only sold it to a friend of mine because he needed a camera in a hurry. His son found it good too, and "borrowed" it permanently, so I bought another one for him. Both of the cameras have the PL 12-60mm more or less permanently mounted. His previous camera was an E-MD10, and he found the G85 to be an enormous upgrade in every way.

My opinion about it from the limited experience I have is that it's the best bargain anywhere. The image quality is very close to that of the GX8 due to the lack of AA filter. It has a proper grip, and a vertical grip can be added. Body shape is very similar to the GH1/2, with more or less the same (good) ergonomics, plus some added features and much better build quality. It has a fully articulated LCD and a proper (3.5mm) microphone jack for those who make video. There's a battery saving mode that makes the batteries last like forever. All in all, I think it's one of the most likeable cameras around, and a real bargain. It's kind of a GX85 on steroids.

What's not to like?
- The viewfinder is similar to that of the GX85, although much better protected against stray light.
- For heavy use, the battery is too small.
- It lacks all the cool new features of the G9 that are probably important for something like 1% of my photography.
- If I bought it again, I know I would ask myself frequently "I wonder what the G9 is like" :ROTFL:

You can buy two of it for the price of one G9. That in itself is a pretty good reason to buy it. Two bodies means fewer lens changes and access to two lenses at the same time. So as I'm writing this, I start to see why I thought having the GX8 and the G85 was a good idea. Food for thought :)

Oh, and as far as I know, there's no shutter shock. It has the shutter of the GX85.
 

bensonga

Well-known member
Thanks for your thoughts/insights on the G85! If I buy one (with the vertical battery grip), it will be to replace my GH3 and serve the same function...the preferred platform for my 100-300 and longer Leica R lenses. It is very tempting, for sure. For my purposes, I can live without the G9 upgrades, at least until there is a G10 and the price of a G9 falls into the sub-$1k range. :)

Gary
 

biglouis

Well-known member
I'm told by my local camera store that they cannot get enough G80s (as they are in the UK) to satisfy demand. They literally fly off the shelves - and no wonder. They are keenly priced, come with a very good kit lens and have video features which really appeal to younger more with it users (than me, I am just an old fogey!).

Good luck to Panasonic, is all I say.

LouisB
 
I had the G85 for a couple of months earlier this year, and only sold it to a friend of mine because he needed a camera in a hurry. His son found it good too, and "borrowed" it permanently, so I bought another one for him. Both of the cameras have the PL 12-60mm more or less permanently mounted. His previous camera was an E-MD10, and he found the G85 to be an enormous upgrade in every way.

My opinion about it from the limited experience I have is that it's the best bargain anywhere. The image quality is very close to that of the GX8 due to the lack of AA filter. It has a proper grip, and a vertical grip can be added. Body shape is very similar to the GH1/2, with more or less the same (good) ergonomics, plus some added features and much better build quality. It has a fully articulated LCD and a proper (3.5mm) microphone jack for those who make video. There's a battery saving mode that makes the batteries last like forever. All in all, I think it's one of the most likeable cameras around, and a real bargain. It's kind of a GX85 on steroids.

What's not to like?
- The viewfinder is similar to that of the GX85, although much better protected against stray light.
- For heavy use, the battery is too small.
- It lacks all the cool new features of the G9 that are probably important for something like 1% of my photography.
- If I bought it again, I know I would ask myself frequently "I wonder what the G9 is like" :ROTFL:

You can buy two of it for the price of one G9. That in itself is a pretty good reason to buy it. Two bodies means fewer lens changes and access to two lenses at the same time. So as I'm writing this, I start to see why I thought having the GX8 and the G85 was a good idea. Food for thought :)

Oh, and as far as I know, there's no shutter shock. It has the shutter of the GX85.

I agree that it is a very nice all around camera. I have a G85 and the only serious negative is the lack of third party L-plates due to the location of the mounting hole.
 

drofnad

Member
Oh, and as far as I know, there's no shutter shock. It has the shutter of the GX85.
AND, unlike the G-X-85/80, but like the GX8,
it's weatherproofed.
(FM.com's Buy&Sell doesn't see many listed, btw;
that might be an indicator. I often see them listed
retail but w/12-60 (non-PL, the 3.5-5.6 one) in tow.)

((Buttttt, it's not a contender in the mpixel race; only 16,
and how yesterday THAT is and all ... . :p ))

IIRC, though, there's something about having only
10bit vs. 12 if using full electronic shutter; but there's another
first-curtain mode that retains 12?
(The GX7's elec. shutter has 12, I think.)


-d

ps:
There's a thread on DPR's m4/3 forum with much discussion re the
pros/cons (the haves/lacks) of G7 vs. G8 vs. E-M1.1,
here: www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4085043?page=2


And here's a big snip:
I think some of what you have read is a little bit misleading. The situation is currently that the G7 and GX8 ONLY have the 4K/8MP Post-Focus feature, where they use multipoint AF to fire a burst using all the available, focusable AF points. You can then step through the results and pick your favourite one to save separately, if desired. They CANNOT do full-resolution focus bracketing at all - the only types of bracketing they allow is exposure bracketing and white balance bracketing. For both models, the 4K Post Focus feature was added in a firmware update well after they were launched, after the GX80/85 hit the market.

For real focus bracketing you require either a GX80/GX85/GX7 Mark II or a G80/G85/G8 (henceforward I will call them the GX80 and G80, as per my geographical region). These offer highly configurable full-resolution focus bracketing; you can choose either electronic or mechanical shutter, the number of shots in the sequence, and the size of the focus differential between each shot. Since the G80 launched, its additional feature of selecting whether to do the GX80's original only choice of a sort of "interlaced" distance stepping or an alternative more Olympus-like sequence of near to far has been added to the GX80 via a firmware update. It can be done with both jpg and RAW output.

Similarly, since the G80 launch, the GX80 has gained (via firmware update) a refinement that was introduced with the G80, which is to effectively allow automated (or selective) stacking of the 4K/8MP Post Focus shot sequence, instead of just extracting a favourite frame. You can auto-merge all the shots or pick a range of them to be merged for you, in-camera.

The G80 and GX80 additionally offer aperture bracketing, and have an easier-to-access/understand bracketing setup than the earlier models, with the settings collected together more.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Thank you for that, drofnad. Atfter reading halfway through your post, I concluded that buying a G9, which hopefully solves all of this, is faster as well as simpler than trying to understand all of it :ROTFL:
 

drofnad

Member
... buying a G9, which hopefully solves all of this, is faster as well as simpler than trying to understand all of it :ROTFL:
Unless it doesn't (as the G8's elect.shut. lost bits vs GX7...),
and then you have to understand both what changed
and why it cost you twice as much for its absence! :wtf: :angry:

:ROTFL:
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Did some new tests today. As expected, auto e-shutter didn't work with the 35-100mm f/2.8. Same thing with the Samyang 50mm, and probably all adapted lenses. The big shock though was that today, it didn't work with the 12-35mm f/2.8. I don't know if my camera is defective or if the firmware is buggy, but I'm putting it up for sale locally and wait for the G9.
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
Did some new tests today. As expected, auto e-shutter didn't work with the 35-100mm f/2.8. Same thing with the Samyang 50mm, and probably all adapted lenses. The big shock though was that today, it didn't work with the 12-35mm f/2.8. I don't know if my camera is defective or if the firmware is buggy, but I'm putting it up for sale locally and wait for the G9.
Actually the best decision you could ever take!😄
 

biglouis

Well-known member
Did some new tests today. As expected, auto e-shutter didn't work with the 35-100mm f/2.8. Same thing with the Samyang 50mm, and probably all adapted lenses. The big shock though was that today, it didn't work with the 12-35mm f/2.8. I don't know if my camera is defective or if the firmware is buggy, but I'm putting it up for sale locally and wait for the G9.
I normally only work in eshutter - obviously, I am only shooting buildings and landscapes where the chance of rolling shutter is minimal.

I can't honestly say I've seen shutter shock, or if I have I don't recognise it.

Perhaps, you do have a defective camera.

Louis
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
I normally only work in eshutter - obviously, I am only shooting buildings and landscapes where the chance of rolling shutter is minimal.

I can't honestly say I've seen shutter shock, or if I have I don't recognise it.

Perhaps, you do have a defective camera.

Louis
I've used the GX8 for an assignment today, e-shutter only, and that worked fin. I might actually keep it as backup for the G9.

I hadn't noticed shutter shock until recently either, but now when I know what to look for (and have had to discard some nice photos), it has become something that I worry about. No shutter shock with e-shutter.
 

msadat

Member
one thing is for sure, the gx8 does not support dual is, u can either use the lens or the camera and the other must be turned off, do u remember how u were using the camera lens combo?
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member

bensonga

Well-known member
I decided to go with the G85 as an upgrade from my GH3 (which I will keep). Price of the body only was $699 and with the $500 gift card that my wonderful wife gave me for Christmas, handing over $199 for this camera felt like a real bargain. I picked it up today from my local shop (Stewarts Photo). I also ordered the vertical battery grip, which might be here later next week. I like the way the GH3 with the battery grip feels in my hand when the 100-300 lens is attached.

First impressions of the G85 are good and it certainly has a quiet mechanical shutter. I haven't tried the electronic shutter. I'm looking forward to trying the G85 out with my 100-300 v2 lens this weekend. If the G85 performs as I hope it will, the 100-300 will be more or less permanently attached to it, although I will give the 35-100/2.8 lens a try on it also. I'll be curious to see if I can find any differences between that lens when mounted on the GX8 vs G85.

Gary
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
I decided to go with the G85 as an upgrade from my GH3 (which I will keep). Price of the body only was $699 and with the $500 gift card that my wonderful wife gave me for Christmas, handing over $199 for this camera felt like a real bargain. I picked it up today from my local shop (Stewarts Photo). I also ordered the vertical battery grip, which might be here later next week. I like the way the GH3 with the battery grip feels in my hand when the 100-300 lens is attached.

First impressions of the G85 are good and it certainly has a quiet mechanical shutter. I haven't tried the electronic shutter. I'm looking forward to trying the G85 out with my 100-300 v2 lens this weekend. If the G85 performs as I hope it will, the 100-300 will be more or less permanently attached to it, although I will give the 35-100/2.8 lens a try on it also. I'll be curious to see if I can find any differences between that lens when mounted on the GX8 vs G85.

Gary
Good choice. The image quality of the G85 is certainly a step up from the GH3. I did actually buy the G85 earlier this year, but sold it again when offered a good price from someone who needed a camera there and then. Since it uses the same battery as the GX8, it's still a camera I consider.
 
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