Review: Panasonic DMC-GF1

[Guest]

The DMC-GF1 is Panasonic's latest creation for the Micro Four-Thirds camera market. Will it fall flat or rise above the competition?

Review: Panasonic DMC-GF1 : Read more

 

[Guest]

"In the golden days of film, compacts with interchangeable lenses were much more common--the Contax Zeiss Ikon was one great example, for instance."

WHAT?!?!? Are you talking about classic rangefinder Contax models such as the IIa? These were hardly "compacts"; they were professional system cameras that competed with the Leicas of the same era.

The later Contax compacts such as the T and T2 were terrific little cameras -- but they were made by Kyocera, not Zeiss-Ikon, and did NOT have interchangeable lenses.

Just trying to understand what you are trying to say here...

 

[Guest]

"The 20 mm f/1.7 captures enough light without needing any stabilization"

Not really shure what you mean here...... If the lens had been equipped with stabilization it would have been even more useful, i my opinion.

 

[ontwerp]

"who's ready to try the Micro Four-Thirds format ", not really positive huh?
Olympus E-p2 is out so now we have 3 micro four thirds in the shop in Jan '10.
So I'll what another 6 months to see if Panasonic will kill Olympus' Pen2 with a gf2!
Panasonic : why not go Full HD, external stereo mic [including non panasonic!], even smaller
body ??

 

[ontwerp]

[citation][nom]ontwerp[/nom]"who's ready to try the Micro Four-Thirds format ", not really positive huh?Olympus E-p2 is out so now we have 3 micro four thirds in the shop in Jan '10.So I'll wait another 6 months to see if Panasonic will kill Olympus' Pen2 with a gf2!Panasonic : why not go Full HD, external stereo mic [including non panasonic!], even smallerbody ??[/citation]

 

[sailfish]

It would have been helpful to rate them with their full grown cousins in terms of features and picture quality.

 

[Guest]

"Panasonic has instead included stabilization in the lenses themselves, while Olympus kept it in the camera. Apart from a few specific cases, then, you won't be able to use Olympus lenses on this Panasonic camera--which is a shame, because Panasonic's lenses aren't the cheapest."

That is completely wrong. You can use the Olympus Micro Four Thirds lenses on the GF1. You won't have image stabilization, but other than that, they work perfectly.

You can also use the regular (i.e., non-Micro) Olympus Four Thirds lenses on the GF1 is you use the special adapter that's sold separately, but autofocus is only supported with a small subset of them.

 

[Guest]

"Apart from a few specific cases, then, you won't be able to use Olympus lenses on this Panasonic camera"

Huh? You mean people ONLY take photos when the light is so low that photos require stabilization? The Oly 14-42 @14mm can't be used to take pix in Death Valley at noon? C'mon - sure, the mismatch (lens vs body) in stabilization favors the Oly body, but it doesn't preclude using Oly lenses on the Panny in most cases.

Looking like the E-P1 is the indoor camera and the GF-1 the outdoor camera.

Oly better step up the lens offerings, though. What with the noted blurring using the collapsible 14-42 (only on the E-P1) and the poor performance of their 17 (esp. compared to the Panny 20mm).

It's hard to work up much enthusiasm for Oly's m4/3 lenses. Panasonic already offers the excellent 7-14mm and fast 20mm and a decent kit zoom. Olympus's "road map" for lenses is promising Johnny-come-lately Oly versions of the same.

And what's the demand for an 8mm fisheye when we already have a 7mm rectilinear? How about a fast prime normal/portrait?

Olympus offered some great lenses in regular 4/3 mount, but they obviously have lagged behind Panasonic (Leica?) in smaller designs for m4/3.

 

[Guest]

Re: the Contax comments - If there was an adapter for the GF1 to take my Contax G prime lenses that would be a winner- JT

 

[jackplug]

Herds of Wilderbeast rampaging across the plains, unquestioningly hurtling onwards ever onwards. Until one stands still and says, "What is the point of video in a still camera, or have I missed something?"