Just received GH1 + 14-140 + 45mm macro...

[StanyB]

I just received a GH1 with 14-140 kitlens and the new 45mm which we ordered @ audiophil in Aachen-Germany. Delivery with UPS in a perfect protective packing and exactly on the date as they mentioned by mail, like always...
Unpacking was of course the most funny moment...


After 25 years with relative big cameras and lately Nikon D3 and D700, the GH1 looks like a miniature camera...
I'm very impressed by the way this product is finished, despite the small size, all buttons seem to be placed on a good spot, impressive LCD and nice handling.

Battery is charging now, tomorrow no bee will be safe...

I'm very curious about how this little marvel performs in the field and about the IQ...

[James]

You are not going to believe this Stany but I bought a G1 on Easter Monday!

I'm really loving it - my main reasons were to have something to carry around when my a900 is too big - and also to have something that could be adapted to take lots of other lenses so that I can use it as a back up camera this summer It's basically what I hoped the Sigma DP1 would be but with added flexibility and not much more size. It was also on a special Easter deal and had cashback from Panasonic on it too.

Novoflex do a great range of adapters that allow for aperture control too that are worth looking at.

I only have the 14-45 at the moment but intend to get the Panasonic 20mm and the Novoflex m43 to alpha mount adapter in the next few weeks - let me know how you get on with it!

[Leen Koper]

And now, one month later, what are your feelings about it?

[StanyB]

And now, one month later, what are your feelings about it?

Hi Leen,
thanks for your reaction.
Returned the set. It was planned to make a user's review but I don't have time actually. Nice for video but I don't now anything about video neither I'm very interested but very disappointing as still camera if you are used to a good DSLR. The AF of the GH1, especially with that macro lens was very disappointing. For something that is bright in the sunlight like a white flower it's just hunting... For moving macro subjects much too slow.
About AF and overall speed, the step from D3/D700 to GH1 is worse than going back from a D700 to a Fuji S2pro with a screw driven lens...
The colours are very nice though and the noise is amazing well controlled.
The 14-140 lens is very nice as well, eventhough the slow aperture bothered me as well.
Another very weak point is the battery life...

I hope to find the time to write my impressions in our review section soon, but it won't be before a monbth or so...

[James]

My feelings about the G1 are somewhat different to Stany's

I wouldn't dream of using it for AF macros (but then I AF Macros anyway, I am still blown away by the pictures of bees in flight that Stany takes). BUT for what I wanted it for it's almost ideal.

It is small, with the pancake lens it fits in a normal coat pocket - the picture quality is very good at base ISO although noise is noticeable at a decent print size even at ISO 400 (it is mainly luminance noise though). With an a-mount adapter and lenses the results are good enough for it to be a back up camera for personal photography. And... My 4 year old is happy taking pictures with it when we set it to intelligent auto mode. Also for MF macros the fact you can zoom in on the viewfinder is really handy AND the articulated LCD screen makes things very simple too.

I wouldn't swap my Sony for it full time but for portability and back up the Panasonic is a great tool.

PS - thinking about it the AF is pretty slow anyway - I would agree that it's probably only at a very old/cheap SLR level but you get much more depth of field at wider apertures so it doesn't need to be as precise.

I know that these aren't amazing shots but I've been really busy the last couple of months and have only played a little bit - both taken using natural daylight.

Here's one with the adapter and my Tamron 90mm


And one with the Panasonic Pancake lens

[James]

I also found another use for the camera - I took Oscar to go see some birds last weekend - here are his results with this camera (he's 4 - I did put it in intelligent auto mode for him to start with but he did all of the composing and shutter pressing:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamestux/sets/72157624339601451/