No DSLRs

As I look around the web, it is clear the GF1 has made a significant impact on the camera world.   1001 Noisy Cameras reports 35 reviews in its review cluster!  Not bad for a camera that is only a few months old.   Well....It's made quite an impression on me too.   I love this camera and since I got it, I've been shooting more than ever.    As you read this, please note I am no professional.   Rather, I would call myself and enthusiast and really am just learning the art of photography.    

First, let me start with my kit.    I purchased the Panasonic GF1 with the zoom.   I considered the 20mm, but for how I planned on using it, I wanted a zoom and I could not find a place to buy the 14-45 if I had purchased the kit with teh 20mm.      I also purchased the 45-200mm zoom.    I plan to buy the 20mm too, but I will get to that later.

I purchased this camera because of my experience with the amazing Panasonic LX3.  I shot this camera for months but wanted to do more with the images and wanted a larger sensor compact.  I was torn between the EP-1 and the GF-1 as I had some old Olympus 4/3rds lenses, but in the end the GF1 won out because I feel like Panasonic has been a bit more innovative with their cameras and because of my positive experience with the LX3.   

I immediately fell in love with the handling of the GF1.   Part of this was the comfort I had with the LX3.   I like that there is not a toggle switch like on the LX3.   The GF1 has many of the same quick access menus as the LX3 and is navigated by the up, down, left & right arrows.   I do wish there was a way to change the order of the quick menu icons and functions.  Maybe there is, as I have yet to read the manual!  

I only have one real beef with the handling and function of the camera.   I frequently ride my bike or hike with the camera.   I like to leave the camera on so it is ready for quick action.   When I reach down in the my camera bag or swing it around from the side and grab it, I often grab the camera and accidentally compress the dial on the upper right of the back of the camera.   This activates the exposure compensation.   I have often found that in my grabbing or swinging/grabbing of the camera, I have accidentally changed the exposure compensation resulting in missed shots and under or overexposed images.   This isn't necessarily a design or function issue, but for how I use the camera it is an issue.  This is happening because  the GF1 is pretty thin by design and doesn't really have anything to grab onto. I am now turning the camera on and off every time I put take it out or put it away.  Aside from that functionality issue, I have not one single niggle about the functions.    

So...Here are my settings.  

- I shoot in A (aperture) mode 99% of the time

- 3:2 large image size

- AWB 80% of the time

- I still shoot JPEG because I'm an enthusiast and don't have a great workflow set up for RAW

- I switch often between the 14-45 and the 45-200

- I set up a My Picture mode to shoot both Dynamic B&W and Nature at the same time.   I like and use both often.

What don't I like about the camera?  

- No in body IS.   This almost swayed me to the Olympus.

- Flash.  In on camera flash is very weak.   That's OK because I don't use it that often.   

- Nothing to grab onto when you pick it up (see above)

- the stock 14-45 seems a bit soft as you to the 45 end of it.  I've compared shots with the 14-45 and the 45-200 at the 45mm (90mm equivalent) and the 45-200 appears to be much softer

- Colors are a little week or desaturated, especially when compared to Olympus J-pegs.  

- Of Camera Flash - Panasonic is a bit behind here in functionality and technology and I'm just starting to play with off camera flash.  It's fun!   But I must also add that if you are requiring a good off camera flash functionality, you are probably not looking at this camera anyway.   I'm just mentioning it.  

Now that I have used the camera for the last few months and shot over 2000 images with it, would I buy it again?    This is a very tough question to answer and right now.  The answer is NO.   

In hindsight, I wish I would have purchased the G1 kit long ago.  I think that for how I use a camera, the G1 would have been better for me.  It is cheaper too.  I could have purchased the camera with the 14-45 and the also purchased the 45-200 and the 20mm.    This would have been a dream kit for me and almost as small.   The DSLR like grip would eliminate my issue with how to grab the camera and pull it out of my bag or off my back when I am riding or hiking.    It would have saved me money and I could have purchased the 20mm sooner rather than later.    It's got a stronger flash too.   Almost all the other functions are same or similar.   

But....I will also say that if video is important, the G1 is out of the question as it doesn't have video and you will need to decide between the GF1 and the GH1.    

All that said, the GF1 is my favorite camera purchase of the year.   I love it and I can't wait to one day also own the 20mm f1.7 as my take with me everywhere camera.    

Last, but not least, check out my personal gallery of GF1 images on my other website.  Here is one of my favorite shots captured with the GF1.