Advice on M4/3 please...

Hello,

Loving the thoughts of owning a compact alternative to my DSLR's...

Beeing new to 4/3 I would much appreciate your thoughts on the following:

Which camera would you choose: Gf1 or EP-1? Or wait for EP-2?

Love my compact Nikon SB-400 who has traveled all over with me. It is so compact and still i bounces nicely (ability to swivel).

So which compact flashes are available for the 4/3's, do the swivel, which one would you choose and what about compatability?

Thanks in advance

Lasse

Easily E-P1 for the feeeeling and true enjoyment to take photos.

...and the shots are truly great!!
I just love it...

br

Marcus

--
Canon/Olympus Prosumer
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marcusaxlund/
http://www.marcusaxlund.smugmug.com

5D mk2
24-105 IS f/4L
70-200 IS f/2,8L
17-40 f/4L
100 macro f/2,8
Canon EF 2x II Extender

Olympus E-P1
Olympus m4/3 14-42, f/3,5-5,6
Panasonic m4/3 7-14, f/4
Panasonic m4/3 14-45, f/3,5-5,6
Panasonic m4/3 45-200, f/4-5,6
Olympus FL-14
Olympus FL-50 R

No need to wait on the EP2. It's already available (at least in the US).

In a nutshell, if you don't mind or need anything more than point and shoot AF performance, I'd say go for the EP1/2. If AF speed is important to you, go with the GF1.

Dunno much about the flashes. I own an Oly FL36R, but have not tried it on my EP2 yet.

Zenitar said:

Hello,

Loving the thoughts of owning a compact alternative to my DSLR's...

Beeing new to 4/3 I would much appreciate your thoughts on the following:

Which camera would you choose: Gf1 or EP-1? Or wait for EP-2?

Love my compact Nikon SB-400 who has traveled all over with me. It is so compact and still i bounces nicely (ability to swivel).

So which compact flashes are available for the 4/3's, do the swivel, which one would you choose and what about compatability?

Thanks in advance

Lasse

Click to expand...

--

Armanius

Im a GF1 owner and Im very happy with it so far, but I have to say if you don't plan to shoot in raw or do any processing then the E-P1/2 might be the better choice, because their out of camera JPEG color is more pleasing to the eyes than the GF1.

EP-1 has punchier default JPEG, IBIS, cool retro look and slightly better ISO and dynamic range.

GF-1 is faster, has a limited but usefull flash, an optional EVF and a more reliable iA mode.

If you shoot RAW and don't plan on using slow legacy lenses, it is a coin toss.

If you mostly want the 1.7/20 lens, you may have a combo price on buying the GF-1, but that should not hold you from buying the Oly if you prefer its list of pros.

Zenitar said:

Hello,

Loving the thoughts of owning a compact alternative to my DSLR's...

Beeing new to 4/3 I would much appreciate your thoughts on the following:

Which camera would you choose: Gf1 or EP-1? Or wait for EP-2?

Love my compact Nikon SB-400 who has traveled all over with me. It is so compact and still i bounces nicely (ability to swivel).

So which compact flashes are available for the 4/3's, do the swivel, which one would you choose and what about compatability?

Thanks in advance

Lasse

Click to expand...

I have no definitive preference; and, I am not sure if I ever will have one. Were there to be one-single feature as a dealbreaker... or, where I to be able to compute weights of each issue and a rating, to have a sum-product rating (for those math folks), then, perhaps I could arrive at a numerical score...

Here is how it all "shakes out" for me, all subjective opinions;

E-P1 advantages

1. styling, I like the retro look. it was my first m4/3 and I will never forget that first moment holding it 17-June outside B&H.
http://forums.dpreview.com/...forums/read.asp?forum=1041&message=32167320
2. JPEG colors
3. AF with Oly lenses
4. in-body image stabilisation; I have a bunch of MF lenses.
5. rear grip, entire side edge is curved
6. front grip's comfort

GF1 advantages

1. faster, and better autofocus
2. on-body flash; excellent for fill flash

3. click-dial over the E-P1's dial and wheel. though I really like that vertical dial.
4. one-button instant video
5. front grip's torque.
6. aperture ring works with my PL 25/1.4
7. it takes a EVF, though I don't have it, as I hear it is not so terrific.
8. menu system is easier for me.
9. auto-focus assist beam

I have not yet tested each LCD screen in direct sunlight as a comparison. I am not bothered by the resolution of the E-P1 digital PEN's LCD; I believe Oly when Mr Watanabe says they were concerned about refresh rate and direct light visibility.

I "view" cameras as unique among all other consumer electronic instruments. The reason, for me, is that the tactile relationship tm one's hand, and the emotion of the activity, is a completely unique experience. Then again, I "fondled" the E-1 for three-months at home in the evening, while watching TV, just to get to know it. The depth of that grip and the scalloped thumb grip on the back.... no one has come close to repeating that. I can hold the E-1 with my finger tips down by my hip gunslinger style. I love the weight and feeling of my Contax TVS III titanium film camera. I just enjoy the feeling of Nikkor's smooth manual focus lenses.
Before anyone just counts the list, they are not all equally weighted, for me.

Were I to not have an investment in Oly 4/3rd lenses, then, I would likely would have gone for only the GF1, for the faster autofocus, and built-in flash... at the "cost" of shooting RAW and post-processing, relative to using the E-P1's OOC JPEGs.

--
'Photos are what remain when the memories are forgotten' - Angular Mo.

Thanks to you all. I think I may lean towards the Lumix, but still have my doubts.

Does any of you know if the olympus flash fl-36 works on the panasonic?

Cheers

L

Cannot really add anything more.

I am waiting for the 100-300 lens to come out, and if there are no new GH-like bodies out, I am thinking to buy it on combo with the GF1. I already have the 20mm and I would not mind a GF/EP body as a 2nd m43 body.

I keep coming across people who claim they own BOTH the GF-1 and EP-1/2. I can't really see spending an extra $1000 to own two of essentially the same class of camera. So I guess money is no issue for some people. Personally, I'd rather spend the money on lens or maybe a new printer.

For me, the deal breaker is lack of flash on the EP series. If having a compact camera is that critical, I don't want to be carrying around another piece of equipment like a bulky flash.

I've asked about the Olympus FL-36 flash (which I'm currently using with my FZ-50) working with a GH-1 (which I'm about to purchase), and have been told that it works fine with any of the G series.
--
BoyScoutDad

That sounds good... As I understand the specs of the smallest oly and the panny flashes they're not able to tilt/swivel which I see as an essential feature which I will not do without...

Have a used FL-36 on hand. Would really like to se someone post a picture of it mounted on the EP or the GF...

L

Zenitar said:

That sounds good... As I understand the specs of the smallest oly and the panny flashes they're not able to tilt/swivel which I see as an essential feature which I will not do without...

Have a used FL-36 on hand. Would really like to se someone post a picture of it mounted on the EP or the GF...

L

Click to expand...

I use an FL-36 with my G1 and it works great (though I don't take many flash photos), so I assume it works just the same on the GF1. As for size, I'd think the FL-36 would be a little big on the GF1 or E-P1, especially with the lack of grip, but on an as-needed basis, I imagine the flash should do fine.

CubScoutDad said:

I keep coming across people who claim they own BOTH the GF-1 and EP-1/2.

Click to expand...

Mr Dad,

The oly reason I have both is because I purchased the E-P1 digital PEN when it was first released. I was compelled to purchase the GF1, because for my use-case, photos of active children... I was missing too many priceless shots, that, to me, the cost of missing them, was more than the money. It was a painful choice, especially because the GF1 will not autofocus my investment in 4/3rd glass.

Were I to not have any 4/3rd glass, then, for me, the choice would have been much easier.

Here comes all those that will tell me that there is no reason to be missing, shots..... that I don't know how to anticipate the decisive moment, nor do I know how to pre-focus, nor do I know how to extend depth-of-field to make it "easier" to use the E-P1, blah blah blah.... even though I have been doing all of that since 1973, with MF Nikkormats.

CubScoutDad said:

--
BoyScoutDad

Click to expand...

--
'Photos are what remain when the memories are forgotten' - Angular Mo.

Recession or not, there are millions who never lost their jobs.

That being said, I don't want both the GF-1 and the EP-1. Anyone will do.
I handled the GF-1 and much prefer the G-1 form factor. Personal taste..

If I am going to have two µ43 bodies, I'd like to own the two form factors ...unless of course, the GH-2 comes out with the killer feature that I want : better sensor ( higher rez, higher dynamic range , higher ISO , etc. ) and eventually some more fps.
The other wishlists, I have seen it all. ok maybe...

IMO, the 3 camera bodies are practically identical. I have a hard time imagining that you could really take a picture with one that you couldn't do with the other.

Just make a quick list of the features you want, what lens / lenses you want, make up a budget, and figure out which one has the best fit for your needs.

Angular Mo said:

GF1 advantages
2. on-body flash; excellent for fill flash

Click to expand...

Does the GF1's on-body flash support FP mode? I.e. can it sync at more than 1/180?