Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic GF-1

[mark-b]

I'm trying to decide which one to get; the Panasonic GF1 or Oly EP1. I plan on using my M & LTM lenses on it, primarily. Plus, I have some Rokkors, M42's, Prakticas, and Yashinons that I'm hoping would be adaptable to one of them.

 

[mark-b]

ahhhh, T C C S.

 

[seakayaker1]

I'm trying to decide which one to get; the Panasonic GF1 or Oly EP1. I plan on using my M & LTM lenses on it, primarily. Plus, I have some Rokkors, M42's, Prakticas, and Yashinons that I'm hoping would be adaptable to one of them.

. . . . . fyi, I use a GF1 with adaptor for the following lenses.

Voigtlander Color Heliar 75mm f/2.5 (screw mount)
Voigtlander Nokton ASPH. 50mm f/1.5 (screw mount)
Voigtlander Color Skopar 25mm f/4 (M mount)
Carl Zeiss Distagon 35mm f/2.8 (C/Y mount)
Yashica 50mm f/1.7 (C/Y mount)
Carl Zeiss Contax G Planar T* 45mm f/2 (Custom Adaptor)
Carl Zeiss Contax G Sonnar T* 90mm f/2.8 (Custom Adaptor)
LEICA D VARIO-ELMAR 14-50mm f/3.8 - 5.6 (Panasonic 4/3 Adaptor)

They all produce wonderful photographs!


There are plenty of sample shots on flickr and GetDPI.com forum of both the GF1 and EP1 with adaptor lens.

They work great and you will not be disappointed.

Life is Grand!

Dan
~ 😉

 

[jtzordon]

Just received my GF1. I bought it over the Olympus mostly because of the 20mm lens, though the better focus speed is a plus. And it looks sleeker. And here is a first shot from tonight after the battery charged.

 

[januaryman]

Since there was no option for the EP2, I voted EP1, which I ordered after reading all the comments here, and all the reviews at DPReview. The EVF, IS and price point on the Oly sold me. Under $900 for camera, zoom and finder at Amazon.

Quirks about the interfaces I discounted. Menus on photo gear all annoy me, regardless of set up and I figure I'll learn to live with shooting something that works more like an iPod than a camera. Oh well. At least an adapter will let me use my LTM glass!

Now I sit and wait....

 

[januaryman]

Update-

I'm just getting used to it, but I like the results so far. Heere is a shot I took with the kit zoom:


and here is a (lame) test shot using my Jupiter 8:



I like my E-P2 for the instant results, but the fact is, when there are highlights involved in my shot, it's a 50-50 chance at best that there will be any retrievable detail involved, and I do shoot RAW 100% of the time. But I can't run out of film, the quality is decent and using my old lens I'm pretty happy. Shooting with the kit zoom, I can't get the control I want. A recent trip to a carousel resulted in a very flat two dimensional shot with amazing colors. No bokeh, no matter how I tried. Below, an unretouched snap:


Verdict - I really enjoy the E-P2 and the fact that I have so many lenses available in my collection that I can use. The kit lens makes it more of a prosumer camera, for me. It seems to drain me of creative and lure me into taking too many so-so photos of stuff I should be ignoring. THAT is my fault, however.

 

[Gary Sandhu]

Ep-1: it was $480 USD at B&H refurbished with 14-42.

 

[sfaust]

I was looking at both of these cameras in the store and for the life of me could not figure out if there was a way to pre-set focus to let's say 2.5m or 5m for zone focusing (using the 17 or 20mm lens). I really need this feature for street photography. Basically I am looking ....

Harry Lime, I had the same question, and after playing around with the Olympus E-P1 I found a very workable solution (other than using manual focus lenses 🙂 ). This should work on the Panasonic as well, and in fact works on all my DSLRs as well.

In the menu, you can toggle a setting to reset the focus to infinity when the lens retracts, you set this off. Another setting will allow you to set the AF function to the AFL/AEL button, or the FN function button. Lastly, there is another setting that will disallow manual focus from the manual focus ring.

With these settings done, you can use the AFL/AEL button to have the camera focus automatically, and once released the lens will stay at that setting regardless if you press the shutter button, manipulate the front manual focus ring, or turn off/on the camera. Basically, the lens sits at that focus point until you press the AFL/AEL button again. It decouples the shutter release from the AF function, and allows you to use the AF only when desired by pressing the AFL/AEL button. Quite handy for this purpose actually.

In practice, I will find an appropriate distance that I want to pre-focus on, say across the street, 10', or whatever, then press the AFL/AEL button and allow it to focus. I'll shoot typical street fashion without worrying about the AF refocusing when you press the shutter button, or even if you cycle power to the camera. If the conditions change and I want a new focus point, I just aim the camera at something at the desired distance, press the AFL/AEL button, and continue on using that new focus point. Its simple, fast, reliable, and even better than a manual focus lens since you can't change the focus by accidentally bumping the lens. You need to press the AFL/AEL button specifically.

Oh, and for what its worth, I ended up going with the E-P1 (like the looks better, don't need the EVF), the panasonic 20mm 1.7, kit 14mm-42mm, and put on order a 40mm 1.4 Nokton, already have a 75mm 2.5 Heliar, and will be ordering a 9mm-18mm for the wides.

 

[zvos1]

My "subjective" vote goes to Olympus E-P1. I owned both, GF1 first which I sold and now E-P1.
For some reason I just did not like GF1. It just didn't feel right. Do not get me wrong it is very capable camera but I just couldn't "get attached" to it so I sold it.
Decided to give micro 4/3 another go and bought EP1 with 17mm few weeks ago. I experienced bit of a buyer remorse and really did not want to like the camera, and wanted to sell it. However, I have been using it every day and cannot put the sucker down. I love the sturdy feel in my hands, love the interface and the way you can set it up for menu free shooting. The jpegs that come out it are fine and combined with LR3 noise reduction I can shoot up to 3200 if needed comfortably. I haven't tested it yet in a really, really dark conditions but AF is performing very well for me so far. I think this one is a keeper, if I could only get my hands on that Panny 20mm......

 

[merciless49]

I went back-and-forth between the E-P1 and GF1 for several months, mostly due to cost. I liked what I saw from the E-P1, image-wise, from folks that posted here on the forum. GF1, though, seemed to be better in terms of AF and perhaps easier to use as a replacement for my digital P&S (as well as letting me have more control while using M-lenses).

In the end I bought a gently used GF1 from a fellow member here, and also acquired the 20mm f1.7 lens. Still trying to figure out how to set things up through the menus as this is my first "serious" digital camera. So far, so good. Here's my favorite picture from a recent camping trip. Default JPG out of the camera, no manipulations whatsoever except for rotating the image.

 

[sfaust]

Nice shot merciless!

 

[merciless49]

Nice shot merciless!

Thanks Stephen, I think this shot really showed how good the 20mm pancake lens is, in addition to being able to use the setup as a P&S for convenience!

 

[CHRONOZEN]

THE 2 ARE GOOD, so Go with your feeling, ,mine was E-P1 and I am really happy even after 3 months I discovers everyday something new, and with the 14/41 and 17mm I starting to buy some old lenses like ELMAR 50MM,SUMMARON 35MM,HEKTOR 135MM,..ect and CANON SERENAR 35MM F2.8,135 F4..ect, now I can play for the next century, maybe ..not but for the next 5 years I have inoff to be happy, Art pictures,family,works,
I am happy E.PEN shooter.
Is arround 10 years or more I stop to make photo,And with my E-P1 I restart to be a photogrph lover ,like when at 17 yeras old I get my first CANON FTb. A NEW WORLD and not the same of MR BUSH

 

[febreeze-showered]

What works for me on the E-P1 for me is to . . .

A) Have the regular top-right wheel controlling it's default whatever. (aperture, if you're in A; shutter if you're in S)
B) Turning off all the directional buttons on the black wheel so it controls exposure compensation only--that way it's not sensitive to changing anything else by mistake. (If I need to switch ISO, ratio, or anything else, I just push the OK-button, scroll the wheel, and change whatever needs to be changed.)
C) Turn the live histogram on.
D) Set the FN button to where it switches between SAF or MF.
E) Turn "Lens Reset" to OFF.
F) Set the max tolerable auto-ISO, so I won't be fiddling around with it.

Everything was a borderline nightmare with the E-P1 at first (or for met at least), but once it's set right, the controls are really intuitive and makes shooting painless and fun.

 

[januaryman]

Great tips! How does one (your B) re-set all directional buttons? Do you recall? I'm baffled.

Thanks!

What works for me on the E-P1 for me is to . . .

A) Have the regular top-right wheel controlling it's default whatever. (aperture, if you're in A; shutter if you're in S)
B) Turning off all the directional buttons on the black wheel so it controls exposure compensation only--that way it's not sensitive to changing anything else by mistake. (If I need to switch ISO, ratio, or anything else, I just push the OK-button, scroll the wheel, and change whatever needs to be changed.)
C) Turn the live histogram on.
D) Set the FN button to where it switches between SAF or MF.
E) Turn "Lens Reset" to OFF.
F) Set the max tolerable auto-ISO, so I won't be fiddling around with it.

Everything was a borderline nightmare with the E-P1 at first (or for met at least), but once it's set right, the controls are really intuitive and makes shooting painless and fun.

 

[febreeze-showered]

Great tips! How does one (your B) re-set all directional buttons? Do you recall? I'm baffled.

Thanks!

1) Dive into the menu (They couldn't make it any deeper, could they. 🙄)
2) Next go to Button/Dial Section
3) Scroll past FN Function, Button-Timer, etc until you see the four-way arrow function (It'll be a four-way arrow icon/picture.)
4) Once there, set the function of the arrow pad to OFF and you're done. Presto.

If you don't like my set-up, you can always fine tune it to your liking or reset it quite easily. But I find that by simplifying things, I can always adjust the exposure accurately or to my liking without a fuss just by using the little wheel only as an exposure compensation button.

Edit: Oh, and I'm sure you probably figured this out already, but to set the dial for exposure compensation in A/S mode, just go to Button/Dial and Dial Function. Then set it to your preference.

I also have a GH1, but I find (again, for me) that this set-up makes the E-P1 more intuitive than the GH1 with one dial and all it's knobs and stuff. (You gotta' push the front dial to switch exposure-comp.)

 

[spiderfrank]

I have an E-PL1, and i use it with Voigtlander lenses (my favs are 50/1.5 and 90/3.5) and EVF: it's really amazing how well it works, and how simple is to play with it. IBIS and jpeg quality are a great plus, i'm really enjoying it.

 

[januaryman]

febreeze-showered, THANKS! I changed a few things on my own, but your latest was the best. Appreciate it.

 

[mh2000]

just got a new E-P1 + zoom off ebay for ~$400 (after discount) and love the camera. The AF is fine IMO, if that's what it took to get in-body IS it is worth it... wow! IBIS is remarkable... usable results with a shutter speed of 1/4th!!! Got a Pentax 110 adapter and LTM. Focus is not an issue... I'm surprised... don't even use the 7X much... anyway, the GF1 is a nice camera as well, but at least a few hundred more than current E-P1 prices...

 

[Darshan]

GF1.

I don't care about the colors on the oly as I shoot RAW.

dan.