Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2010/02/02
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]On Feb 2, 2010, at 8:43 AM, Mark Pope wrote: > Having just taken delivery of a GF1 with 20 Pancake lens, my initial > thoughts are that I am going to get along famously with this camera. > Likes: > > - overall build quality > > - size - not too big, not too small. Perfect for Goldilocks :-) > > - ergonomics - it didn't take too long to suss out where everything was. > Why though does a camera need a 196-page manual (see below...) > > - optical quality - which is what really matters isn't it? The first few > prints that I have made are nice an sharp and the colour rendition is > excellent (according to Karin, whose colour vision is much, much better > than mine). > > - autofocus - the face-detection and follow-focus features work very well > indeed. > > Dislikes: > > - the battery/SD card door feels a bit flimsy. It spoils an otherwise > very nicely made camera. > > - vertical pictures are not auto-rotated when imported to Lightroom. I > subsequently discovered that this feature which is known as the 'direction > detection feature', isn't supported with the 20mm pancake lens. Not a > deal-breaker, but as I like to shoot portrait format quite a lot, it's an > annoyance. > > - more modes than you can shake a stick at. I think the camera was dipped > in Complicatonite. There are scene modes: 17 of them, plus the usual > Program, Aperture priority, Shutter Priority, manual, movie, intelligent > auto, two custom modes and one with an artist's pallette, which I have no > idea about. Then there are the flash modes (which I haven't looked at > yet). This little camera is very a la mode! In short, I think it, like > many other cameras of Japanese origin, is too complicated. Features have > been added for three reasons: first because the marketers think it's a > good idea, second because the opposition do it and third because they can. > > In terms of physical size, the body is roughly the same size as a Ricoh > GR1 (film compact) with the lens retracted. The 20mm lens is quite a big > lens and does add considerably to the bulk of the camera (it's not really > pocketable) but the balance is nice. > > For me, the biggest advantage of the GF1 is definitely the 4/3 sensor. > I've used it up to ISO 800 and produced some pleasing prints. Yes, they > are noisy, but whether the noise is acceptable is a personal thing. > > Overall, then I think it's a smashing piece of kit. I haven't tried an > optical finder yet: that's on its way thanks to Nathan. > Is it better than the GRD III? Probably. Whilst the Ricoh is now in its > third generation, I feel that the small sensor will still be a limiting > factor in its overall image quality. I have heard that Panasonic are due > to bring out a 14mm pancake lens when? interesting and helpful review Mark, thanks, Steve > , giving a field of view equivalent to a 28mm. Now that will be an > interesting combination! > > I hope you find this useful. Pictures to follow, probably when I post my > PAW on Friday. > > Best wishes > > > Mark > > Mark Pope, > Swindon, Wilts > UK > > Homepage http://www.monomagic.co.uk > Blog http://www.monomagic.co.uk/blog > Picture a week (2010) > http://www.monomagic.co.uk/index.php?gallery=paw/2010 > Picture a week (2009) > http://www.monomagic.co.uk/index.php?gallery=paw/2009 > (2008) http://www.monomagic.co.uk/index.php?gallery=paw/2008 > > > Steve Barbour wrote: >> I'm wondering with the recent interest in the Panasonic GF1 with the 20mm >> pancake lens and an external optical VF, has any used/compared this to >> the Ricoh GRD-III with its 28mm lens and the optional external >> viewfinder... >> I 'd be very interested to hear your thoughts, reactions, comparisons, >> appreciated, >> Steve >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information