panasonic GX-1

[Range-rover]

Hi all,

I saw a great deal on this camera and could not pass it up
a least it's 16 megapixels, jumping from 12 on the Olympus
E-P3, any opinions?

Range

 

[jesse1dog]

Supposed to be something of a 'classic'!

 

[Range-rover]

Really that's a first time I heard that, I didn't know but the seller is in France
and he shipped it today.

Range

 

[rhl-oregon]

Think of it as an updated GF1--quite compact, excellent AF, best with compact/pancake lenses. Once the GX7 came out, this one became a bargain. I added an EVF because I like 60-90 degree focusing on the street with people. You'll get higher usable iso than with the P3, and less menu redundancy.

 

[Range-rover]

That's what I wanted to hear, comparing the P3 and the GX-1, I already have
a 14mm f2.5 Pana. What's get me annoyed about the P-3 is if I want to change
the ISO or size I have to go thru menu's there's no direct button, I think
there's one on the back of the GX-1 from what I see in the pictures of it.

Range

 

[Bingley]

The GX-1 has much more convenient controls than the older Olympus Pen models, IMO (I'm comparing it to an E-PL1), and faster autofocus than the older Oly models, too. It has improved higher ISO performance, and the iso is a dedicated spot on the back control ring, which I find easy to use. It's a very capable little camera, although I think it's been overtaken in performance by the latest m4/3 cameras like the Oly E-P5. But for the price, the GX1 is a great bargain. When Amazon dropped the price to $250 in anticipation of the release of the GX7, I jumped and got one.

 

[kaiwasoyokaze]

it is a great compact camera, with weak battery life being the main Achilles heel.

 

[Range-rover]

I'll have to get two batteries then just in case, I payed less than that
for mine, it's a great deal for a 16 megapixel camera plus I like the new
15mm f1,7 Leica lens they have for it.

Range

 

[Rick Waldroup]

You know what is weird- I absolutely hated the GX-1. And I have been shooting Panasonic cameras since the great 4/3 L1. I bought a GF-1 when they first came out and loved it, and was first in line for the GX-1, but ergonomically, it sucked compared to the GF-1. I sold it just a few months later. It just goes to show how cameras fit people and vice-versa.

 

[eric rose]

I love mine. My DSLR has been sitting collecting dust since I got the GX-1. It was used (Frank Petronio) and he gave me a great deal. The Panni 20mm f1.7 is a dynamite lens.

 

[Range-rover]

As well I, my DSLR just sits there as well I have a Nikon D300 and it's a
great camera I use it for big jobs but the E-P3 is small and easy to use. I
went to two wedding on the same weekend and used the E-P3 for both
weddings and it worked great.

Range

 

[kaiwasoyokaze]

having 'rented' both a ep3 (long term) and gx1 (short term) i love the ep3 for its handling and its 'feel' (with SCP super control panel enabled) but i like the gx1 for keeping the menu and adjustments relatively easier than the ep3 to get through.

as for performance, the old 16mp lumix sensor developed by panasonic will always be a step behind the 'newer' sony one introduced by Sony in the em5, but compared to the old 12mp sensor the panasonic 16mp is just a marginal step up.

most of all though, i got sick and tired of the inaccurate battery readout that left me high and dry with the olympus. it sometimes went from full to flat in less than a quarter of the day, but the gx1 is not that much better.

 

[Range-rover]

Well It came yesterday, and at the price I got for seems like a great deal,
last night I ordered from B&H a battery and charger and it should be here
tomorrow. First impressions a little more square than the slightly longer
E-P3, reminds me of the E-PL1 I first had and everything seems laid out
nice and I like the grip.

Range

 

[Bingley]

Congrats! Like the E-PL1, the GX-1 sort of seems to me like a digital version of the Leica CL. Happy shooting and post some photos!

 

[Range-rover]

Well this is different, a lot different from the E-P3 one of the first things
is you can adjust the size of the focusing spot smaller than the E-P3. There's
a few other thing but I'll post those later but it works nice.

Range

 

[Range-rover]

It's great to have one button for the ISO and one for WB on the back of the camera
as well, I wish Olympus had that instead of going thru menu's.

Range

 

[Range-rover]

Is it me or does the images from the GX-1 look smoother than the ones
you get out of the Olympus E-P3, the E-P3 has a times a sharper more
digital edge look?

Range

 

[Bingley]

It's great to have one button for the ISO and one for WB on the back of the camera
as well, I wish Olympus had that instead of going thru menu's.

Range

Yes, I really like that too. The E-P5 now has that too, but not the older Oly Pens.

 

[Range-rover]

Problem today went and recharge the battery and put it back in the camera
and nothing works now it's dead, will have to wait till B&H opens and get a
new charger. That's what you get buying a cheap charger, hopefully that's
all it is.


Range

 

[Range-rover]

Just a update, got the new Panasonic charger today and all is well charged
up fast no problems. Lesson learned only buy original chargers.

Range