Pany G1 w 20mm - Experiences?

[principe azul]

+1 on the heavystar/american_eagle hood. Some makes of step-up ring can interfere with the lens when it retracts as you switch the camera off. The hood is no problem.

It makes a great, fast, compact kit just taking the 20mm and no gewgaws - just a spare battery.

Nice to dick around with old M lenses from time to time, as below with a 90mm, manually focusing on squirrels with a 180mm equivalent lens! But the 20mm is a very versatile lens that keeps it a small rig, which is why I bought the lens and camera in the first place.

 

[shadowfox]

With my E-P2 and 20mm lens combo, I have created two photo-books from my trip to Asia this summer.

The kit is so versatile even in low-light situations that makes street-type phtoography a breeze. Add to that the non-existent weight and bulk that let me just blend in on the streets.

 

[back alley]

peas in a pod...i use the g1 and 20 also, with a heavystar hood.
if you have this combo, the terraclime 30 bag, from lowepro fits it perectly, has room for another battery and a few sd cards too.

i could live with just this kit if i had to, esspecially with the new 14 coming out (soon?)

joe

 

[RayPA]

What exactly is a "legacy" lens?

Raid, For RFF, I think most people who use the term with regard to m4/3 are referring to lenses that are older or that are native to a different mount, so it would refer to any non-native m4/3 lens (M-mount, F-mount, etc.). Another example: I might refer to my collection of Nikon AIS lenses as legacy lenses with regard to a newer Nikon DSLR. It's kind of a silly term, really.


/

 

[Yashi]

Can I use other lens mounts too or only the lenses designed for this camera?

Raid, as said above there exists adapters for almost any lens. L-Mount, M42, Pentax 110, C-Mount, Contax G, Minolta, Yashica Contax.....

One thing you should think about before you buy a camera is the focusing with manual (or legacy) lenses. What I read the Oly EP-2 with optional electronic viewfinder is the best or easiest for focusing. I bought a EP-1 because EP-2 was twice the price but has the same sensor. I am happy with the camera. You focus via the display on the back of your camera which give you a live preview and pressing a button two times will give you a 10x magnification, and makes it quite easy to focus, but is best used in a combination with tripod. A bonus is that these cameras capture also very nice videos. So no need for a video camera anymore. And you can film with your old lenses, too....

The 20mm Panasonic becomes a 40mm lens (in 35mm standarts). This lens is really really nice. Well built, sharp, fast AF.
I use it in combination with a Voiglander Viewfinder mounted on the hotshoe and have a super modern "classic camera". There is also 17mm from Olympus F2.8 for half the price. Most people prefer the Pana but the Oly is not bad at all. (Also when you buy a camera check if there is an update of the firmware. On some cameras newer firmware will improve Autofocus - especially on the E-P1)

Also, the Panasonic cameras are nice and worth to have a look. Especially the G1 sells for a good price atm.

In my eyes there is nothing you can do wrong here, especially if you have a nice collection of good glass.

 

[Frank Petronio]

Yep I just bought Mr. tortilla's outfit. I like changing cameras every six months -- I hope it helps prevent Alzheimer's. I'll miss the D300's heft and auto-focus performance but I should pick up some spontaneity and have an easier everyday-carry. And while the highlights do clip faster than a Nikon or Canon, I like to punch the contrast with the G1 files and they seem to have a really nice color for skintones, preferable to the Nikon actually.

I was watching the various rumor sites and I will be surprised if any manufacturer releases a competitive camera at Photokina next week. Perhaps a $2000 X1 or Ricoh might be a better camera but not value-wise.

Now if only they had a Pany autofocus 30-40mm f/1.4 for portraits... but I'm going to use that 20mm like crazy!

 

[raid]

Thanks for the clarifications. I am interested.

 

[ampguy]

Can someone demo what the 2 baby modes do?

 

[willie_901]

• Any caveats from real-world users?

Nope, I will mention that manual focus with the G1 works really well in concert with the 20/1.7. I use MF 90% of the time.

I rarely use apertures above f 4.

Lightroom and other programs automatically correct for barrel distortion and CA. This is a real time saver.

I have no complaints whatsoever about this lens. I particularly like B&W from RAW in Lightroom. ISO 800 works well for B&W but requires careful exposure for color. The shadows are muddy compared to my D200/300/700 bodies. I would use a D200 before I'd use the G1, but I the G1 with the 20/1.7 is a perfect compromise for a camera I take with me wherever I go.

I usually use MF and shoot a three-bracketed exposures (+ 1/2 , 0 and - 1/2 stop) in AE mode. With a competent SDHC card the speed is fine for my purposes.


• Lenshade options?

I too went the Heavystar/E-Bay route. I doubt a shade is does anything for flare, but I like to use one to protect the front element (I don't use filters).

• Does anything even come close in the same category? Any of these APS-C sensor cameras like the Samsung with its pancake?

Other lenses will work with the G1/GH1/GF1, but I doubt they will give significantly superior results and other lenses will not be integrated into the convenient Panasonic manual focusing system. However other lenses may be less expensive. Other EVIL camera/lens combos give nice results too. I find the Panasonic system very easy to use.

 

[febreeze-showered]

I know you already bought it, but if anyone else is looking, you can get the G1/14-45 kit off of amazon for $395 in used but "very good" condition directly from them; not a third party seller. You gotta' live with a red body though.

 

[Frank Petronio]

Sheeeet that is a great price....

I am actually thinking about getting a second body once I get settled in with the first one.

 

[PCB_RF]

Baby Mode Rocks, Baby!

Baby Mode Rocks, Baby!

Can someone demo what the 2 baby modes do?

Baby Mode is totally gimmicky and totally AWESOME! Sugei!!

You can register one birthday in each mode, and if you preselect the mode before photographing that individual, the EXIF data will include the "baby's" age to the second. Not something I would use all the time, but I'd take a shot or two at birthdays, graduations, etc.

Worked well for me with two kids and one wife. The boyz were the two babies, my wife went under pet mode, with her knowledge, understanding and permission. Meow~!

I'm using a GF1 now, doesn't seem to have Baby Mode...😡

 

[Dogman]

Lenshood? Amazon has Fotodiox hoods that closely resemble the Leica 12585 hoods of old (round, vented, metal). They are screw-in instead of snap-on, however. I don't own a 20mm so I don't know the attachment size but there's a butt-load of them listed in various sizes for around 12 bucks. I bought one for my Olympus 17mm and like it a lot. Or, you can go with a B&W rubber hood for about the same money. They're not a cool looking but serve the purpose.

 

[Warren T.]

hi folks, I'm a bit late in replying because I just came back from a ten day vacation (Alaska cruise 🙂 ). Anyway, I have a G1 and I bought the 20mm back when they were selling for full price and in short supply. I do not regret the purchase at all. The 20mm is a very, very excellent lens, and together with the G1, it creates a very compact, camera.

There is one caveat though, I find that the lens flares terribly when a filter is used (or actually, it's more like reflections from the glass surfaces) and there is any sort of light source in the frame. Whenever such a situation occurs, I remove the filter, and the flare disappears.

Frank, I can't wait to see your work with the G1/20mm combo 🙂.

As an aside, the reason that I went for M4/3 is for a compact travel kit. I was very satisfied with the performance of the kit that I put together for my recent trip:

G1, GF1, 14-45mm, 45-200mm, 20mm

--Warren

 

[ampguy]

Hi Warren

Hi Warren

Can't wait to see your photos.

In my experience, most lenses do flare more with filters.

I'd like to go to AK sometime with a guide to specifically study the brown bear.

Some friends and relatives went and got flown with a guide to a secluded place and got great shots using velvia (film SLRs, tripods, and normal to 70-300 zooms), which were processed by K&S, the pro side, before they went digital.

This was the same place near where Timothy Treadwell later went and, umm, got eaten, so it's not the type of thing for everyone...

hi folks, I'm a bit late in replying because I just came back from a ten day vacation (Alaska cruise 🙂 ). Anyway, I have a G1 and I bought the 20mm back when they were selling for full price and in short supply. I do not regret the purchase at all. The 20mm is a very, very excellent lens, and together with the G1, it creates a very compact, camera.

There is one caveat though, I find that the lens flares terribly when a filter is used (or actually, it's more like reflections from the glass surfaces) and there is any sort of light source in the frame. Whenever such a situation occurs, I remove the filter, and the flare disappears.

Frank, I can't wait to see your work with the G1/20mm combo 🙂.

As an aside, the reason that I went for M4/3 is for a compact travel kit. I was very satisfied with the performance of the kit that I put together for my recent trip:

G1, GF1, 14-45mm, 45-200mm, 20mm

--Warren

 

[Dogman]

Warren---Are you using multi-coated filters? I became a believer in MC filters after getting reflections from my standard Tiffen UV filters when shooting under conditions where light sources were in the photo. I tried Hoya and B&W MC filters and haven't had the problem again. 'Course, multi-coating is not a miracle worker either and there are some cases where you simply must remove the filter to avoid flare/reflections.

 

[kdemas]

Warren- Interesting issue with the filters. I actually don't use them in the Pany outfit but in everything else I find that the Heliopans are the most resistant. They have the greatest number of layer coatings on both sides to my knowledge. B+W uses the same glass but has less rear coating.

 

[Warren T.]

Thanks for the replies, and sorry to hijack this thread 🙂

Ted: Funny you should mention brown bears because our brown bear sightings were the highlight of our whole trip. We saw them in Haines, AK., at the Chilkoot River. In the morning, we saw a mother and two cubs salmon fishing, and then later at dusk we went back and saw a different mother with three cubs. I was glad that I bought the Lumix 45-200mm to take with me on the trip.

re filters: After I ordered my 20mm, I purchased (in haste) a "multicoated" filter from Ebay that I have my doubts about. It is labeled "Vivitar Series 1", but nowhere on the filter does it mention multicoating or MC, or anything like that, and the glass itself does not have the look of multicoating on it. Until I have a chance to buy a Heliopan or B&W, I will just remove the filter when the situation calls for it.

--Warren

 

[Frank Petronio]

Personally I stopped using filters. A good B&W or Heliopan filter is almost $50 and their flare can still degrade the image. Plus I think most modern lenses have pretty decent coatings that can take a proper light cleaning when needed, so outside of salt spray or industrial chemicals, I think the lenses are safe with a little common sense -- I'm willing to take the risk, at least with a $300 lens.

One thing that I like about lenshades is that they help keep the lens clean from falling ashes or pressing itself into something or fingertips -- I try to leave a metal shade on the lens all the time, even if it doesn't do much with regards to flare protection.

 

[porktaco]

i'm going to miss the kit, but i'm glad it's found a good home