Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2010/02/03
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]> Totally agree with you, Mark. I took one of these little beasts with me to > Burma as an M9 backup, but it ended up logging as many frames as the M9! > Truly a delightful little camera with great lenses. > > http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/3708140154/photos > > I always loved the CL and the Olympus Pen, and the GF-1 is very much a CL + > Pen hybrid brought into the 21st century. One of the most intriguing > things to > me is the concept of the lenses carrying around optical corrections in > firmware. I've already gotten some firmware updates for my M4/3 lenses. I > wonder what Barnack would have thought of being able to update lens designs > with software? > > I used the Voigtlander adapter to mount M lenses, and it worked very well. > Stick to 35mm and longer, though. I did not have very good results with > 28mm > and wider. > > -Jim > > > 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, 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 A GF1 is a great camrea to have if you are operating on a budget and don't have an M9. I can't imagine having an M9 in my actual possession and then going out and shooting with a Panasonic GF1 ! Becaue its my latest toy? Why buy on in the first place? For images as shown 600 x 900 pixels as seen here it certainly makes no difference. But then so would images made with a credit card camera look about the same at this size. For a serious use like an 11x 14 or 11x17 inch print it does. Having scored an M9 I find going out and getting a camrea like a Panasonic GF1 calling it a " smashing piece of kit" and shooting with it instead just plain odd.! When does photography became crafting a fine image and not conditional consumption and playing around? [Rabs] Mark William Rabiner