Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 user reviews (Blue)

4.5 stars

"There are many reasons to love this camera" on February 28, 2010 by Davemhead

Pros: It does things you cannot do with an DSLR
Its very small and so are the lenses
Flip out screen encourages you to experiment with odd angles-different perspectives give ordinary subjects new life
20mm F1.7 pancake lens is amazing!

Cons: Short battery life
Buttons are very small
Grainy at ISO 800 and higher
Only 3 frames per second

Summary: The main reason I bought this camera was the flip out screen. I used to own an Sony F828 and I loved how you could effortlessly take ground and over-the-head shots with it. Eventually I ended up selling it to buy a Canon DSLR. I have had several Canon DSLRs since then. I love my Canons but I have always missed the ability to shoot from awkward angles and still be able to see the image while I am composing and focusing the shot. Ever since I got this camera I have been trying all sorts of different angles. It makes these types of shots so easy it begs for you to experiment. Once again I am getting shots that would be impossible to get with the DSLR that has a fixed screen. This capability alone is worth the price of the camera. I picked up the Panasonic 20mm 1.7 pancake lens and I love how small this setup is. It looks like a toy so when I am shooting people on the street they never look scared/intimidated. It is much easier to go unnoticed and you can get some very natural looking candids this way. I am still learning all the camera features so it will be a while before I get some great shots with it. But, so far, I have gotten some shots that I am really happy with and I have only had the camera for a week.

Likes

Looks like a toy so you can take pics in places that don't allow big camera with long lenses-doesn't intimidate your subjects.
Full manual control if you need it.
Flip out screen-you can try just about any angle you can think of and still be able to see your shot on the back screen. No more guessing like you do with an DSLR.
On bright days, you can preview your shots inside the viewfinder.
Intelligent auto-fixes darks and lights so you get a shot that comes close to what the human eye sees.
Movable focus point to anywhere on the screen or in the viewfinder
You can lock focus on a moving subject (Dog, Baby, etc,,,) and the camera will continue to focus on that subject without you having to hold down the shutter button.
Face recognition ensures your pics are properly focused and exposed for the faces.
Kit lens has a very useful focal length and it is stabilized.
Ability to see the affect of the shutter speed. (push a button to see how the shutter speed will make running water look or see how a moving car or train will look)
Push a button to see how your depth of field.
The back screen automatically shuts off when you put your eye to the viewfinder.
You can turn the back screen around to have it facing in. This protects it when you are not using it.
You have all your normal white balance settings plus you get two custom white balance setting. It is very easy to set the white balance manually. Just point the camera at something white and press a button. You can also fine tune a white balance by using the back screen and adjusting a setting in the camera. It is easy to match the screen with what you are seeing live.
Lots of screen modes for people that are not comfortable yet with manual controls.
You can display different grids in the viewfinder on the back screen for perfect alignment. One of them divides the screen in 9 segments so you can easily use the rule of thirds. Another one divides the screen in 16 squares and has two diagonal lines that meet at the center. This makes it easy to see the exact center of the screen.
Movable histogram
Manual focus assist-turn the manual focus ring and view finder zooms in to show you how precise your focus is. This is very useful. DSRLs can only do this in live view.
Auto bracket can be set to 7 shots (-2 to + 2) Very handy for HDR. It makes this process much easier.
Controls are easy to learn/use.
Film modes (give you lot of different effects) If you shoot raw, you can try different settings after you have taken your photos.
Fast auto focus
ISO 3200 not good for color, but may work well for B&W images.
You can use other 4/3 lenses with an adapter.

Dislikes

Proprietary cable to transfer images to your computer-not standard usb 2 cable.
Software that comes with it is a bit bizarre. I am going to buy Lightroom.
Above ISO 800-noisy-loss of detail
Flip out screen would be even better with 920,000. But, it is still better than my 40d!
Noisy shutter sound (when using the 20mm 1.7)
Can't buy just the body. You have to get the 14-45 kit lens. I would have preferred the 14-140mm lens. But, from what I have read the kit lens is sharper so it will be useful.

In closing, I can't strees this enough, the flipout screen REALLY helps to get shots that are almost impossible get with a DSLR. You can easily take pics of kids, dogs, lizards at eye level. Also, you effortlessly shoot from below flowers that are near to the ground. And, you can get over the head shots at concerts! No more having the people in front of you blocking your path to the stage.

Overall, I am very happy with my Panasonic G1. It is very light, has good image quality and has enough features to keep this gadget freak happy!

5.0 stars

"Great Small Camera" on December 20, 2009 by rob1261

Pros: Small, Light and great Photo Quality.

Cons: EVF not as satisfying as an Optical Viewfinder.

Summary: I don't think it is a good idea for a reviewer to review a camera where they have already decided they don't like the EVF viewfinder. Way to go CNET. I do agree that other and past cameras that have EVF have not been very impressive. But the EVF on the Panasonic is by far the best and should not be judged based on past experiences with EVFs. They did a great job considering that the EVF was their only option with a Micro Four Thirds camera.

The main point of this camera was to develop a smaller alternative to the large DSLR cameras. Does if fit in your pocket, No. It wasn't meant to. But is it much easier to take along for a day's shooting than a Canon Xsi or Nikon D5000, Yes. It is significantly smaller than those cameras. Especially with the newly developed lens.

The main trade off is that the Optical viewfinder had to be replaced with an EVF. This included the elimination of the mirrors and prisms which allowed this camera and lens to be designed smaller. It is also smaller than the standard Four Thirds cameras which still have the optical viewfinders.

Is the EVF as satisfying to use as a good optical viewfinder, No. But the EVF is sharp and accurate with any lighting level above room lighting. The other advantage is the EVF is giving a live view of what the sensor sees. This will be more accurate to what the final picture will be than an optical viewfinder. You can also use the EVF to view and change settings. Another nice thing is that you see the picture immediately after taking it in the EVF without having to look at the LCD monitor. Like you need to do on any DSLR to confirm the picture came out as expected.

The trade-offs to get a smaller more usable camera would not count for very much if the photo quality was not very good. But it is. Various professional reviews I have read confirm the quality of the G1 to be comparable to the Canon Xsi and Nikon D5000. And better than the Olympus 420 and 520.

As far as lenses, there are not very many to choose from currently. But the Kit 14-45 lens and the $300 45-200 lens give you a 35mm range of 28 - 400mm. That should satisfy most people's needs. Panasonic recently release the 20mm f1.7 lens. This had been reviewed and rated as excellent. This gives you a fast 35mm equivalent of a 40mm everyday lens. And this lens really makes the camera small and light.

The standard 14-45 and 45-200 lenses have both been rated excellent and meet or exceed the standard lenses from Canon and Nikon. And rated better than the standard Olympus lenses.

The Canon Xsi and Nikon D5000 are excellent cameras. But the G1 is a quality alternative is you prefer to carry around a smaller and lighter camera system. And get the same quality photos.

You will need to decide, as I am in the process of doing with the G1, if the possible trade offs are worth the difference is size and weight.

I started out looking at the Canon Xsi and decided to try the G1. So far I am very happy with it. Will the EVF bring me back to the Xsi. Only time will tell. But the thought of being able to travel with the G1 (smaller, lighter) and still handles very well seems like a great option. And in the end knowing I am not giving up anything in photo quality.

You will need to compare for yourself. But the G1 is a great option to the current crop of DSLRs.

For as more detailed review, check out DPreview.com:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicdmcg1/

Updated on Dec 20, 2009

I forgot to add that the price of this camera did originally put me off. But I was able to get the G1 Kit in Blue for $623 from Amazon. And I do like the Blue. For some reason the Black is $699.