I'm back in the 4/3rds fold... well sorta...

[roger h]

Hi everyone! Well... I'm sorta back. A little. In m4/3rds. With a mega p&s.

I continue to be thrilled and amazed with my digi M-Leicas, but there are times when I just don't want to take them out. I recently bought a sailboat, and I'm not too keen on taking the Ms out on the water, but I want to make images. I've always liked Panasonic digi p&s cameras. I have a Panny FX-30 that went for a swim in the ocean with my youngest son in Costa Rica a few years ago... it's a great paperweight now. I figure that if, when I'm sailing, that a camera needs to go swimming, I'd rather have it be a $250 camera than a $5k camera. So, I found a Panny GX1 with the kit 14-42 for a little over $250 shipped. Not a bad deal I thought. I'll get an M adapter, and the live-view will be useful in the studio with the M lenses as well. I still really can't do EVFs, so I doubt I'll ever be fully back in the fold, even as nice as that new E-M1 looks! But for a low-cost, high-image-quality camera, I figured it'd be hard to beat the GX1. I looked at the Canon M, the Sony NEX series, and the Oly Pens... but the GX1 had more of the features I wanted and fewer of them I don't need. I considered the E-PL3 very seriously for it's rotating back, but decided I just don't need it that often. And for the price of the camera I bought, I just couldn't beat it. Craigslist is our friend!




Anyway, I'll be checking back in a little more often. It's good to be back!

[tomsi42]

Congrats on the purchase of a GX1 - I think you will like it. You could always look out for the EVF, that is tilt-able.

[darkesha]

You just wait until gx-7 comes out

...and welcome back.

[roger h]

You just wait until gx-7 comes out

...and welcome back.

Thanks! And I'd probably grab one if I could get it for what I paid for the GX1!

[Godfrey]

Hey Roger!

yeah, I picked up an E-PL1 pretty cheap recently, and it's motivating me to be interested in the GX7 and E-M1 ... Dang it. :-) they're just darn good cameras.

I might just trade the M9 for an MM, and move my color work back to mFT...

G

[tomsi42]

I have the G3 (same innards as the GX1), and was contemplating the GX1, now that it is sold cheap. But then was able to play around with an engineering sample GX7 for about 20 minutes last week. That is one sweet camera. So now I am saving up for the GX7 instead ...

[roger h]

Sweet!!! My initial impression of the MM was that it was kind of silly, but after seeing what the M8 produces in native b&w, I've better come to understand what the MM is all about. I'm sticking with my M8/M9 tho. I mostly wanted the GX1 to use on the sailboat and other places that would expose my M bodies to more risk than I'm willing to take with them. My concern is mostly about the length of time I'd be without a second body if I did something stupid to one of them.

The GX1 came this afternoon, and it's a pretty amazing little camera, at least so far.

Hey Roger!

yeah, I picked up an E-PL1 pretty cheap recently, and it's motivating me to be interested in the GX7 and E-M1 ... Dang it. :-) they're just darn good cameras.

I might just trade the M9 for an MM, and move my color work back to mFT...

G

[roger h]

The GX7 looks pretty amazing, but it's really overkill for my purposes and that doesn't even consider that it is going to be $800 more than I paid for the GX1!

I have the G3 (same innards as the GX1), and was contemplating the GX1, now that it is sold cheap. But then was able to play around with an engineering sample GX7 for about 20 minutes last week. That is one sweet camera. So now I am saving up for the GX7 instead ...

[tomsi42]

The GX7 looks pretty amazing, but it's really overkill for my purposes and that doesn't even consider that it is going to be $800 more than I paid for the GX1!

Of course. I think it makes more sense for me who are moving 100% to µ-4/3. There are a few benefits compared to GX1 are important to me - built in EVF, 1 stop better high-ISO performance, and higher build quality.

[roger h]

For me, for serious work, the EVF is a deal-breaker. The potential of Olympus going EVF-only in their next "pro" offering was what caused me to jump ship. The build quality on the GX7 must be incredible 'cause the build quality of the GX1 is better than anything I've seen in a long time. The fit and finish are beautiful. The kit lens (not unexpectedly) is pretty ordinary, but the body is quite nicely done.

[laingjd]

[tomsi42]

For me, for serious work, the EVF is a deal-breaker. The potential of Olympus going EVF-only in their next "pro" offering was what caused me to jump ship. The build quality on the GX7 must be incredible 'cause the build quality of the GX1 is better than anything I've seen in a long time. The fit and finish are beautiful. The kit lens (not unexpectedly) is pretty ordinary, but the body is quite nicely done.

I agree that the GX1 is well build. But the GX7 is even better.

Olympus going EVF-only is fine by me; I find that EVF are more useful for me than OVF's. But I know other people are very OVF-oriented.

[Godfrey]

For me, for serious work, the EVF is a deal-breaker. The potential of Olympus going EVF-only in their next "pro" offering was what caused me to jump ship. ...

I'm fine with optical reflex, quality EVF, or RF optical. They all work great, they are all useful in different circumstances. Smallish format cameras like FourThirds format, EVFs generally work better for me. 6x6 ... I love both my Hassy 500CM and SWC. 35mm format ... RF is best. :-)

G