Customer Reviews
Panasonic GF1
Well built body and lens. The most-used adjustments are readily accessible (ISO, autofocus selection and lock, exposure compensation, aperture, shutter speed, frame rate). The 20/1.7 lens is excellent; I have not tried the 14-45 zoom. AF is fast and accurate. Exposure metering is generally good, although highlights tend to clip, perhaps due to narrow highlight dynamic range of sensor. Image quality is excellent at low ISOs, but noise becomes an issue above ISO 800. New users should spend some time familiarizing themselves with the quirks of the flash, intelligent ISO, and auto ISO, because they do not behave as one expects, nor as they should, IMO. (Tip: do not rely on intelligent ISO or auto ISO when using the flash.) Information is available on the web at sites such as DP Review regarding quirks of this camera. Overall, a really fun camera to use, with generally excellent image quality.
epic camera
combination of image quality, form factor, and ability to change lenses has made this my favourite camera by far. its like a good entry level dslr crammed into a chunky point n shoot.
i dont understand how anyone could rate this lower than 4. before i bought this camera i read the bad reviews first, and i would suggest you do what i did and ignore them.
Solid camera and lens, confusing user manual, poor RAW editor
The Lumix GF1-C (with 20mm lens) is well-made and offers an abundance of features that might be more accessible were it not for its poorly designed user manual and bundled RAW editor. Other reviewers have noted the utility and sharpness of the Panasonic 20mm lens' and the camera's ability -- with this lens -- to focus quickly and accurately even in poor lighting conditions. Still others have complained about the user manual, which is thorough but poorly designed (every feature has at least two reference points in the manual, and you have to read both to understand how to use or apply the feature correctly). And the bundled RAW editor has drawn many complaints for its obtuse user interface and novel use of the English language. All of this, in my experience, is true.
The GF1 may not have the largest sensor, it certainly lacks a big, bright viewfinder, its lenses may exhibit a fairly shallow depth of field and its range of optional lenses may be limited (and overpriced, at least for the moment), but overall, wow.
The RAW editor issue can be overcome at zero cost by downloading the latest version of Picassa, which accepts RAW2 images. The rear view screen isn't as convenient as a viewfinder for composing shots, but it is big enough and bright enough to be used in almost any environment and, after all, you can't have everything. The manual's shortcomings are due, in large part, to the fact that there are so many features to consider -- if you stick to the essentials, the things you'll use over and over again, and become familiar with those before taking on the more exotic features, you'll do fine. [Frankly, I find many features to be just plain gimmicky -- not knowing how to invoke the "Baby" setting isn't likely to diminish my quality of life anytime soon. Old age is taking care of that.]
The 20mm lens is a gem. I've never owned a camera that had a "normal" (50mm 35mm-format equivalent) lens before. I use 35, 90 and 135mm lenses with my old Leica and Contax rangefinders and I really thought I'd be more comfortable using the GF1-K kit's variable zoom. But I bought the GF1-C on the basis of its reviews in Amazon and elsewhere -- and I'm glad I did. The 20mm lens is a fast "wide normal" lens in a relatively flat "pancake" form factor (that also allows fairly close macro compositions -- I haven't tried to measure how close one can get before reaching the close-up focus boundary, but it's pretty close.
I bought a Voigtlander Leica M lens adapter and am very pleased with it. Lenses mounted with a Micro 4/3 adapter operate at double their nominal (35mm camera format) value -- so, for example, my 35mm Leica Summilux lens becomes a 70mm equivalent manual lens on the Lumix. The new v1.2 firmware enables the manual focus assist feature to operate with adapted, manual-focus lenses, and I was surprised at how well this works in practice. Set the camera in the the "No Lens" mode, select Aperture priority, pick an f/stop on the lens, and press the function selector wheel at the back upper right side of the camera and, voila, an enlarged image appears on the rear view screen and you focus using the lens' focus ring. Roll the scroll button to the right and the image magnification increases again. I'm not sure how much magnification is offered by this feature, but it appears to be fairly robust -- say on the order of 4X at each of the two magnification stops.
The SilkPix software was designed for use by someone who is already familiar with complex, RAW-oriented image editors. The capabilities offered by Picassa are more than enough for me. I'd never used a camera that captured RAW mode images before, so I opted to set the Lumix to capture both a RAW and JPEG (Fine) image simultaneously. It's interesting to see them side-by-side in Picassa; one's initial impression is that the JPEG image is much brighter and more punchy. The RAW image looks dull and dark by comparison. I nearly changed the image capture feature to JPEG-only until I noticed how much image detail was lost in the JPEG version. If you play around a bit with RAW images in Picassa you'll see what I mean. Start by increasing the fill light. Also, notice that if you've selected "Dynamic" or some other image editing feature in the GF1, these changes will not be carried out on the RAW image presented by Picassa (maybe these camera settings appear in the SilkyPix editor, but I know for sure that they do not in Picassa). Note also that if you are a Mac user, neither Aperture v2 or the new v3 will support RAW2 image formats. [Thanks Steve.]
If you own older manual focus Leica M lenses, think of the GF1 as a workingman's M9 at about 20% the cost -- value-wise, there's no comparison between the two and, believe me, I'm a big Leica fan (owned them for 35 years now). Get a big, fast SD card, especially if you capture RAW or RAW+JPEG, and absolutely if you intend to bracket RAW images. Take a look at a product called Dynamic Photo HDR (you'll need a tripod to take full advantage of this product). Buy a camera bag (Panasonic doesn't include one in the package -- and at the price they're charging for this camera, shame on them). You'll sooner or later want a telezoom lens -- but prices are going down, and the 20mm is a better starter lens -- and a better lens overall -- than the one offered in the GF1-K kit. I can't recommend the optional electronic viewfinder because I've never used it, but I'd hesitate to buy a 0 accessory that isn't, strictly speaking, necessary for anyone to get a lot out of this camera. The battery life is phenomenal, and I wouldn't invest in a a spare battery unless you are very sure you'll capture more than 350 images/day -- you can always buy one later if it turns out you really need it.
compared with LX3, G10, E-P1, dslr
i own the canon G10, LX3/D-lux4 (and a canon EOS 1Ds & SD790IS), and spent a LOT of time with the olympus E-P1 in various camera stores manhandling it with different lenses. i chose the GF1 20mm kit based on
1) DSLR-like image quality in stealthy compact form. Granted my 1Ds is 7 years old now, but it was the best camera of its era. the GF1's files are better than the 1Ds with more ISO options and low-light capability (i took a lot of test shots in camera stores and checked out the files at home before purchasing). Dxomark would disagree, but on my computer screen, the GF1 is better. i think a lot has to be said for the latest and greatest noise reduction algorithms, and for a lighter anti-aliasing filter on the sensor. i'm also pretty sure i can sneak the GF1 into concerts etc where pro-level cameras are outlawed. it just looks like a big LX3.
2) Shallower depth of field than LX3/G10. I love making dreamy pictures with nice bokeh and subject isolation (my favorite lens on the 1Ds is the 50mm/f.14, and i almost always shoot wide open), and it's tragic that you cannot create those pictures in a small form factor - the closest would be a Leica M9 with 50mm summilux, if you have 000 to spare. the GF1 + 20mm 1.7 is a good compromise, and not much worse than an APS-C camera in terms of depth of field increase. In other words, the samsung NX10, sigma and sony interchangeable lens compacts will likely not have substantially shallower DOF.
3) snappy autofocus. everyone claiming the E-P1/P2's autofocus is on par with the GF1 is smoking something, or aren't sensitive to AF speed (e.g. landscape/portrait shooters). the GF1 focuses faster than my 1Ds does, way faster than the E-P1, and offers pretty good control over the AF point. this is critical for street shooting, where you have just a second to compose, focus and take a shot. the E-P1 just felt sluggish, even when i put the 20mm/1.7 on it. it felt slower than the LX3/Dlux4 and even the G10. the GF1 takes pictures when i expect it to, even with focus-priority...i couldn't say the same for my time with E-P1.
4) user interface. although a life long canon shooter, the LX3/dlux4 introduced me to panasonic's UI, and i've found it fairly logical and easy to navigate. almost everything is just a few buttons away. in the time i spent with olympus i was completely confused.
5) incredible low light performance. the 1.7 is surprisingly sharp wide open if your subject is distant enough. this means i can street shoot at about ISO400 at dawn or dusk, 1/100 or 1/250 shutter sometimes to stop motion. ISO 1600 is amazingly clean to my eye, and beats ISO1250 on my 1Ds.
6) lighter than E-P1. ostensibly they're about the same size/weight, but the E-P1 just felt heavier & bulkier to me.
7) handling. a bit of an x-factor. it feels good in hand. although tricky i can use it with gloves. it starts up almost immediately, whereas the E-P1 runs its sensor cleaning. the shutter gives a satisfying chunk. i leave it around neck & shoulder without a lens cap and i can quickly shoot from the waist or bring it up to eye level for composing. it just feels good to use. it begs to be used every day. i think if the GF1 didn't exist, i'd have saved up for the leica M9 and 50/1.4. the gf1 feels like what the M10 should be (except with a sensor half the size).
8) lens compatibility. there's an adaptor for practically every lens system out there to micro-4/3, including leica M, R, nikon, canon, etc. i look forward to trying my canon 50mm/1.4 on it (effectively turning it into a 100mm f/1.4!!). you lose autofocus and perhaps aperture control (modern lenses use electronically controlled apertures), but if you're a rangefinder kind of person, you won't miss it.
9) sharper rear display. the low-res LCD on the E-P1 is just not good enough. i like to adjust/check focus manually, and the high res screen on the GF1 makes it easy. the E-P1 has to zoom in more to confirm sharpness, and it's just not as usable (imagine being forced to always zoom 10x in the moment you touch the manual focus ring - you have no idea where you are. GF1 zooms 5x with an option to go 10x).
Things that you have to compromise:
1) no in-body image stabilization like on E-P1. in practice, i don't think this matters for my kind of shooting. the tele lenses that need it will have it for panasonic, but IBIS doesn't help if you're trying to freeze motion, such as in street shooting.
2) size/weight. it's not as pocketable as the LX3/dlux4. but so much better than lugging an SLR around. i can keep this on me all day and not notice it or want to take it off.
3) DOF. the shallower depth of field can work against you if you need to stop down to get more things sharp in lower light. there are shots that are more easily taken with the LX3/dlux4 than this or an SLR. recall that the LX3 has an f/2.0 at wide angle, but because of the roughly 4x smaller sensor, the DOF is much deeper.
4) prime lens. i don't think this is bad, but today's consumer may need some adjustment. my DSLR always had a 50mm on it. zoom with your feet.
in summary i'm selling my G10, some of my canon lenses, keeping the LX3/dlux4 and GF1.
Going back to it
I ordered the camera for New Year and a week later returned it. Reason? No zoom and after reading some comparisons with other cameras I felt I overpaid (I could have gotten the same at half the price, or so I thought at that time).
Long story short, I now have returned the other camera and I am ordering this one back (just waiting for a refund from B&H). This may sound silly, but I guess that was needed to know what I really needed. Here's what I liked about this camera and what I did not find in G11 (I am not a professional photographer so I will not/cannot go into technical details).
1. Great images. Just taking images in auto settings make super crisp professional looking images! I like that it focuses on the subject and makes foreground and background blurred (just like we see it with our eyes). G11 could take similar images only at highest zoom level with smallest aperture settings and when you come really close to the subject. As a result you could not include a lot in the picture).
2. Low light. I was taking pictures in candle light and they looked great! (I should mention that some of them were still a little blurry - but this could be because I did not figure out all the settings). I don't like to use flash so this camera was great. I found G11 taking yellowish pictures in auto mode. In manual mode I can change the settings and it would be fine, but I wanted to take pictures fast without spending 5 minutes adjusting settings manually and taking several sample shots. Again, this might not be a problem for a pro.
3. HD video. Took several sample videos and loved them (the only things I did not like was that the camera was autofocusing and sometimes the main subject would blurred for a second. There may be settings to fix this. I did not have time to check.
4. Size. Thought G11 is a little smaller, but just a little.
5. Speed. After taking a picture with G11 I had to wait what felt to be much longer than GF1 (GF1 feels super fast).
So, I am re-ordering it next week and will be able to add more once I have more time to play with it. I compare to G11 only because I ordered it after GF1 and used it for 2 weeks before returning it. It's a great camera but my choice is GF1 (I am even ready to use "foot zoom" - this now looks like a small trade off compared to overall performance).
I hope this is helpful.
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