DPReview.com is closing April 10th - Find out more

GX7: First mirrorless ILC is a good one

Started Jan 11, 2015 | User reviews thread
alcelc
alcelc Forum Pro • Posts: 19,003
Re: GX7: First mirrorless ILC is a good one

photofisher wrote:

alcelc wrote:

I used to be an OVF guy but after this camera, I actually prefer the tilty touchscreen to the OVF.The access to controls is very intuitive and the WYSIWYG and focus peaking are game changers. Being able to select your focus point by touchscreen is SO much better. I still strongly prefer the OVF to EVF. At least this EVF feels like looking down a tunnel at a TV and it does lag a bit. It is nice to have a VF in bright conditions when you have screen glare but I surprised myself with this camera going from a "like using VF all the time" to "use VF only when necessary".....and liking it better than the OVF experience of my DSLR. No more checking histograms and focus, this camera just nails focus and exposure every time and lets you know it is doing so WHILE you are shooting the picture.

The focus speed is a bit slower

However, have you tried the Single smallest focus point under S-AF? T1i/500D is a 2009 model and in the old days its AF never faster than G1. After years of development, the improved AF ability of GX7 should be even better now.

Good point, I have been using the pinpoint AF. I just compared my Canon with an 85 1.8 lens attached compared to the GX7 with 45 1.8 attached with my kids running around the house. The Canon is still faster focusing, especially with moving subjects, when it doesn't hunt. But it hunts more (perhaps 40-50% of the time compared to 20% of the time or so with the Panasonic) and I know from experience that my Canon gives me a lot of slightly out of focus shots, regardless of lens. The net effect favors the Panasonic in terms of numbers of keepers for sure. When the Panasonic focuses it is in focus 99% of the time......maybe only 90% of the time with the Canon in good light and falling to around 50% in poor light at wider apertures.) The Canon doesn't miss by much.....just enough to think you have the shot when reviewing on your camera screen but when you download it latter you notice it being slightly out of focus. It was one of the most maddening things about the camera, the GX7 has eliminated this frustration from my life.

Agreed. Moving objects is still M43's achilles heel.

 alcelc's gear list:alcelc's gear list
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX85 Panasonic G85 +11 more
Keyboard shortcuts:
FForum PPrevious NNext WNext unread UUpvote SSubscribe RReply QQuote BBookmark MMy threads
Color scheme? Blue / Yellow