Last effort by the mighty G6 :(

Hen3ry · Apr 25, 2015

Here I am in Australia staying with friends at beautiful Nambour on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland (north of Brisbane) taking a few happy snaps and…

…the mighty G6 refuses to switch on! Aarghh!

That's the bad news. There is worse news -- the camera is a gray import; so no warranty. I bought it on eBay because I wanted a white camera not offered in Australia (for some stupid reason).

The good news: thank goodness it chose this moment to go rather than when I was on a job in a remote corner of New Guinea! I have had no back up camera for more than a year; the lack of back up in case of breakdown was making me increasingly nervous, so I was planning to buy a GX7 to fill that role during this visit to Oz but then I was also thinking about waiting a bit to see if the GX8 (or a G8) materialized in May.

Well, the decision is out of my hands now -- I have to buy a camera and also see about getting this one fixed outside warranty. Probably not viable but I will see.

In the meantime, a couple of the last pix I took with the G6:

A panorama from a lookout near Nambour. The 12-35 @ 35 held vertically. 10 frames. Manual exposure. Stitched with PTGui.

I didn't get the horizon quite straight. I trimmed the top of the frame to get this view. Clearly, though, a view this wide is silly unless you are going to print it very large and have it stretch across a wall.

An unattended roadside stall for local produce operated on the honesty system. You take the fruit you want and put your coins (up to $2 is coins in Australia) in the little box on the left corner of the stall.

--
Geoffrey Heard
Down and out in Rabaul in the South Pacific
http://rabaulpng.com/we-are-all-traveling-throug/i-waited-51-years-for-tavur.html

bs1946 · Apr 27, 2015

Hen3ry said:
I went out and bought the GX7 body only at Digidirect, Melbourne, for a reasonable price this very afternoon, then came home and charged the battery -- which seemed to take forever (well, about 2.5 hrs).

Did Blunty wait on you?

Hen3ry said:
The moment the battery was a goer, I fitted the Oly f1.8 45mm (GX7 and Oly 45? Wow! A match made in heaven or even Japan! ), adjusted the viewfinder for my peculiar right eye, and grabbed a couple of quick pix of the grandchildren messing around just before bed time. Used the light in the room, which was a mix of halogen downlights and folded fluoro. The Panny AWB handled it very well, as I expected after experience with the G6.

The amazing thing was the GX7 fits my hand like a glove. The left-hand VF is wonderful. I did try it in the shop when I bought the G6 as year and a half ago, but I haven't touched one since. I didn't even try it in the shop today. I just went in, quoted the price they had on an eBay offering, and said I wanted to buy it.

Then I brought it home, put the battery on charge, put the 12-32 lens on it and thought it looked great, then waited. I didn't play with it or whatever.

When the battery was charged, I put it in, changed the lens to the 45, and shot. Everything in the camera fell naturally to hand, and the view in the EVF and the LCD is just like the G6.

I am a happy chap.

Hopefully I will be even happier in a couple of weeks when I get the G6 back at a cost of a couple of hundred bucks but ready to perform st its usual high level again too.

Hen3ry · Apr 27, 2015

bs1946 said:
Hen3ry said:

I went out and bought the GX7 body only at Digidirect, Melbourne, for a reasonable price this very afternoon, then came home and charged the battery -- which seemed to take forever (well, about 2.5 hrs).

Click to expand...

Did Blunty wait on you?

Don’t know -- young bloke I haven't seen before. Very helpful.

bs1946 said:
bs1946 said:

The moment the battery was a goer, I fitted the Oly f1.8 45mm (GX7 and Oly 45? Wow! A match made in heaven or even Japan! ), adjusted the viewfinder for my peculiar right eye, and grabbed a couple of quick pix of the grandchildren messing around just before bed time. Used the light in the room, which was a mix of halogen downlights and folded fluoro. The Panny AWB handled it very well, as I expected after experience with the G6.

The amazing thing was the GX7 fits my hand like a glove. The left-hand VF is wonderful. I did try it in the shop when I bought the G6 as year and a half ago, but I haven't touched one since. I didn't even try it in the shop today. I just went in, quoted the price they had on an eBay offering, and said I wanted to buy it.

Then I brought it home, put the battery on charge, put the 12-32 lens on it and thought it looked great, then waited. I didn't play with it or whatever.

When the battery was charged, I put it in, changed the lens to the 45, and shot. Everything in the camera fell naturally to hand, and the view in the EVF and the LCD is just like the G6.

I am a happy chap.

Hopefully I will be even happier in a couple of weeks when I get the G6 back at a cost of a couple of hundred bucks but ready to perform st its usual high level again too.

Click to expand...

When the G6 comes back from the repair shop, it will be interesting to see which camera will be your first choice and which will be the backup. Enjoy your new GX7 and keep us posted.

I'm scratching my head about that, actually. I the two might have designated roles -- equal but different -- but now I am thinking the GX7 might be the go to camera. Of course, that might be just the shine of newness rubbing off. We'll see.

Old Listener · Apr 27, 2015

Hen3ry said:
bs1946 said:

Hen3ry said:

I went out and bought the GX7 body only at Digidirect, Melbourne, for a reasonable price this very afternoon, then came home and charged the battery -- which seemed to take forever (well, about 2.5 hrs).

Click to expand...

Did Blunty wait on you?

Click to expand...

Don’t know -- young bloke I haven't seen before. Very helpful.

Hen3ry said:

Hen3ry said:

The moment the battery was a goer, I fitted the Oly f1.8 45mm (GX7 and Oly 45? Wow! A match made in heaven or even Japan! ), adjusted the viewfinder for my peculiar right eye, and grabbed a couple of quick pix of the grandchildren messing around just before bed time. Used the light in the room, which was a mix of halogen downlights and folded fluoro. The Panny AWB handled it very well, as I expected after experience with the G6.

The amazing thing was the GX7 fits my hand like a glove. The left-hand VF is wonderful. I did try it in the shop when I bought the G6 as year and a half ago, but I haven't touched one since. I didn't even try it in the shop today. I just went in, quoted the price they had on an eBay offering, and said I wanted to buy it.

Then I brought it home, put the battery on charge, put the 12-32 lens on it and thought it looked great, then waited. I didn't play with it or whatever.

When the battery was charged, I put it in, changed the lens to the 45, and shot. Everything in the camera fell naturally to hand, and the view in the EVF and the LCD is just like the G6.

I am a happy chap.

Hopefully I will be even happier in a couple of weeks when I get the G6 back at a cost of a couple of hundred bucks but ready to perform st its usual high level again too.

Click to expand...

When the G6 comes back from the repair shop, it will be interesting to see which camera will be your first choice and which will be the backup. Enjoy your new GX7 and keep us posted.

Click to expand...

I'm scratching my head about that, actually. I the two might have designated roles -- equal but different -- but now I am thinking the GX7 might be the go to camera. Of course, that might be just the shine of newness rubbing off. We'll see.

jalywol · Apr 27, 2015

Hen3ry said:
bs1946 said:

Hen3ry said:

I went out and bought the GX7 body only at Digidirect, Melbourne, for a reasonable price this very afternoon, then came home and charged the battery -- which seemed to take forever (well, about 2.5 hrs).

Click to expand...

Did Blunty wait on you?

Click to expand...

Don’t know -- young bloke I haven't seen before. Very helpful.

Hen3ry said:

Hen3ry said:

The moment the battery was a goer, I fitted the Oly f1.8 45mm (GX7 and Oly 45? Wow! A match made in heaven or even Japan! ), adjusted the viewfinder for my peculiar right eye, and grabbed a couple of quick pix of the grandchildren messing around just before bed time. Used the light in the room, which was a mix of halogen downlights and folded fluoro. The Panny AWB handled it very well, as I expected after experience with the G6.

The amazing thing was the GX7 fits my hand like a glove. The left-hand VF is wonderful. I did try it in the shop when I bought the G6 as year and a half ago, but I haven't touched one since. I didn't even try it in the shop today. I just went in, quoted the price they had on an eBay offering, and said I wanted to buy it.

Then I brought it home, put the battery on charge, put the 12-32 lens on it and thought it looked great, then waited. I didn't play with it or whatever.

When the battery was charged, I put it in, changed the lens to the 45, and shot. Everything in the camera fell naturally to hand, and the view in the EVF and the LCD is just like the G6.

I am a happy chap.

Hopefully I will be even happier in a couple of weeks when I get the G6 back at a cost of a couple of hundred bucks but ready to perform st its usual high level again too.

Click to expand...

When the G6 comes back from the repair shop, it will be interesting to see which camera will be your first choice and which will be the backup. Enjoy your new GX7 and keep us posted.

Click to expand...

I'm scratching my head about that, actually. I the two might have designated roles -- equal but different -- but now I am thinking the GX7 might be the go to camera. Of course, that might be just the shine of newness rubbing off. We'll see.

I think you will be very pleased with the differences between the cameras. I thought the new sensor in the GX7 was much improved over the older sensor designs that were used in the G5 and G6. Color rendition, especially, is better in the GX7, and I liked its output in lower light situations much better.

Use it well!!

-J

Hen3ry · Apr 28, 2015

jalywol said:
Hen3ry said:

bs1946 said:

Hen3ry said:

I went out and bought the GX7 body only at Digidirect, Melbourne, for a reasonable price this very afternoon, then came home and charged the battery -- which seemed to take forever (well, about 2.5 hrs).

Click to expand...

Did Blunty wait on you?

Click to expand...

Don’t know -- young bloke I haven't seen before. Very helpful.

jalywol said:

jalywol said:

The moment the battery was a goer, I fitted the Oly f1.8 45mm (GX7 and Oly 45? Wow! A match made in heaven or even Japan! ), adjusted the viewfinder for my peculiar right eye, and grabbed a couple of quick pix of the grandchildren messing around just before bed time. Used the light in the room, which was a mix of halogen downlights and folded fluoro. The Panny AWB handled it very well, as I expected after experience with the G6.

The amazing thing was the GX7 fits my hand like a glove. The left-hand VF is wonderful. I did try it in the shop when I bought the G6 as year and a half ago, but I haven't touched one since. I didn't even try it in the shop today. I just went in, quoted the price they had on an eBay offering, and said I wanted to buy it.

Then I brought it home, put the battery on charge, put the 12-32 lens on it and thought it looked great, then waited. I didn't play with it or whatever.

When the battery was charged, I put it in, changed the lens to the 45, and shot. Everything in the camera fell naturally to hand, and the view in the EVF and the LCD is just like the G6.

I am a happy chap.

Hopefully I will be even happier in a couple of weeks when I get the G6 back at a cost of a couple of hundred bucks but ready to perform st its usual high level again too.

Click to expand...

When the G6 comes back from the repair shop, it will be interesting to see which camera will be your first choice and which will be the backup. Enjoy your new GX7 and keep us posted.

Click to expand...

I'm scratching my head about that, actually. I the two might have designated roles -- equal but different -- but now I am thinking the GX7 might be the go to camera. Of course, that might be just the shine of newness rubbing off. We'll see.

Click to expand...

I think you will be very pleased with the differences between the cameras. I thought the new sensor in the GX7 was much improved over the older sensor designs that were used in the G5 and G6. Color rendition, especially, is better in the GX7, and I liked its output in lower light situations much better.

I had experience of the new sensor in the GM1. I didn't like the GM1, too small, too fiddly, and too far removed in the way it worked from the G6 for my liking. But the JPEGs were a clear step up frim the G6, nice though its JPEGs are. In fact, I tweaked the G6 output to et a bit closer to the GM1 output.

jalywol said:
Use it well!

Anything you say, boss!

Hen3ry · Apr 28, 2015

lahsrah said:
If you have not bought the GX7 yet, keep an eye out for the 2nds world site. Shop is in Sydney but they ship Australia wide. they had the GX7 body only (refurb with 6 month warranty) selling for $349+postage. I was tempted to buy one but held back and they all sold out. But might come back if you have time.

…I'll certainly keep them in mind for the future! Thanks for the heads up.

Hen3ry · Apr 28, 2015

jeffharris said:
Hen3ry said:

jimoyer said:

I have a VERY lightly used G5 body sitting here collecting dust that you're more than welcome to until the G...whatever or GX....whatever comes out. Send it back when you're done. Feel free to PM me if you want to go that route.

Click to expand...

…I'm on the other side of the world.

I'll be right -- I might win a reasonably priced used G6 on eBay; alternatively, the new price of the GX7 here in Oz is very reasonable at AU$670 (US$490!!!) with 14-42 and full warranty. AND I will get 10% tax off when I take it back to New Guinea.

Actually ridiculously cheap!

It is crazy that this time last year, the AU$ and US$ were at parity.

Click to expand...

Go for the GX7. It's a great little camera, with great handling and really solid build. It would make an excellent compliment and companion to your G6. I use mine with lenses of various sizes and weights with no problems whatsoever.

So I got it and now I am learning to drive it.

jeffharris said:
Good news is that the upcoming G7 is due to be announced sometime sometime in mid-May. Who knows when it will ship or actually be available!

http://www.43rumors.com/ft5-panasonic-g7-to-be-announced-in-mid-may/

Now I had better start saving up to upgrade the G6! LOL.

Hen3ry · Apr 28, 2015

Miserable, cold, cloudy, showery, and windy in Melbourne for most of the day.

The sun broke through once or twice for a few minutes. I had my GX7 handy.

A couple of flowers -- the first growing next to the Mentone railway station and the second growing next to the Cheltenham railway station 2 kms away.

A touch of sun on both occasions.

I had the 45-150 with 26mm of extension tubes on for these pix. OOC except for resizing.

A 100% piece of another pic (of cotoneaster berries and leaves) where the light drove the shutter speed down to 1/100.

And what do we get, folks? Your choice of camera movement, subject movement (there was a bit of flukey wind), or shutter shock. See the double image at the top edge.

--
Geoffrey Heard
Down and out in Rabaul in the South Pacific

http://rabaulpng.com/we-are-all-traveling-throug/i-waited-51-years-for-tavur.html

jeffharris · Apr 28, 2015

Hen3ry said:
Miserable, cold, cloudy, showery, and windy in Melbourne for most of the day.

The sun broke through once or twice for a few minutes. I had my GX7 handy.

A couple of flowers -- the first growing next to the Mentone railway station and the second growing next to the Cheltenham railway station 2 kms away.

A touch of sun on both occasions.

I had the 45-150 with 26mm of extension tubes on for these pix. OOC except for resizing.

Damn purdy flower!

Very nice lighting and color.

Hen3ry said:
And what do we get, folks? Your choice of camera movement, subject movement (there was a bit of flukey wind), or shutter shock. See the double image at the top edge.

93mm, 1/100th shutter speed and some wind. I stink at math but, even I know that's not a good formula for ultra-sharp images. ;-)

the good news is that you can push the ISO a bit and not get the same amount of noise you'd get from the G6. Try a similar shot at ISO 400, 640 or even 800. Shooting in silent mode isn't a bad thing, either.

The GX7 has Extended ISO down to 125 that I use when there's enough light.

Enjoy your new rig!

FrankS009 · Apr 28, 2015

Enjoy, Geoff!

F.

Aberaeron · Apr 28, 2015

Old Listener said:
Old Listener said:

it is pain in the butt to go to the trunk of our car, get a different lens and change lenses. I'm leaning toward having a 3rd body with a different lens mounted ready for immediate use beside us in our car. Just what lens would be on the third body depends on the situation. I still haven't decided between two approaches"

Click to expand...

Buy a Panasonic FZ1000 - one zoom 25-400mm no changing lenses!

or

Buy a newer m43 body and use a Panasonic G6 body as the third body with a 14-140mm II zoom or 45-200 zoom or 100-300mm zoom mounted.

My everyday lens is the 14/140 on the G6. So versatile and balances the camera beautifully when hanging by fingertips at my side. Lighter lenses have the camera tilting with its screen downwards and fingers slipping off the grip unless my thumb presses harder on the thumb pad.

Old Listener · Apr 28, 2015

Aberaeron said:
Old Listener said:

Aberaeron said:

it is pain in the butt to go to the trunk of our car, get a different lens and change lenses. I'm leaning toward having a 3rd body with a different lens mounted ready for immediate use beside us in our car. Just what lens would be on the third body depends on the situation. I still haven't decided between two approaches"

Click to expand...

Buy a Panasonic FZ1000 - one zoom 25-400mm no changing lenses!

or

Buy a newer m43 body and use a Panasonic G6 body as the third body with a 14-140mm II zoom or 45-200 zoom or 100-300mm zoom mounted.

Click to expand...

My everyday lens is the 14/140 on the G6. So versatile and balances the camera beautifully when hanging by fingertips at my side. Lighter lenses have the camera tilting with its screen downwards and fingers slipping off the grip unless my thumb presses harder on the thumb pad.

I agree. The 14-140mm II zoom is a lovely walking around lens on a G6.

--

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billhunt01

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jalywol · Apr 28, 2015

Hey Geoff, it looks like you are having some better flower luck with the adapter!

One bit of advice with the GX7 and static subjects....if you know you are going to be in lower shutter speed territory, I would definitely keep the e-shutter on. I had it set up with a dedicated FN button (one of the screen ones) so I could flip in and out of it as needed.

-J

Impulses · Apr 28, 2015

How are you finding the GX7 EVF btw? I've never been able to try it out myself, always liked the OLED EVF in the G6 tho, I think the latter was well reviewed even tho I've noticed some people preferred the G5's... Seems the two major complaints about the GX7's centered around the sequential panel (some will see tearing, some won't, I doubt it'd bother me even if I did) and the aspect ratio (being 16:9 made it look smaller for stills).

Big Ga · Apr 28, 2015

Hen3ry said:
Old Listener said:

Hope your G6 has something simple wrong rather than complete failure.

Click to expand...

Thanks, Oldie. it has gone off in the mail, wrapped in large quantities of bubble wrap, for the $66 estimate.

FWIW, many of these cameras have a fuse inside them that often seems to go.

Before you start cursing, its not an easy, user replaceable fuse, so nothing you could easily fixed yourself, but its a simple and quick (and cheap!) job for the service centre if that's what's gone.

gary0319 · Apr 28, 2015

I'll second turning on the electronic shutter on the GX7. My keeper rate while hand holding the Panny 100-300 on stationary birds, flowers and bugs went way up when I started using the electronic shutter. It's my default now on all lenses. Slower shot rate, but better results.

I swapped out the Wi-Fi button for on/off of the electronic shutter.

Hand held electronic shutter - 100% crop

Hen3ry · Apr 28, 2015

gary0319 said:
I'll second turning on the electronic shutter on the GX7. My keeper rate while hand holding the Panny 100-300 on stationary birds, flowers and bugs went way up when I started using the electronic shutter. It's my default now on all lenses. Slower shot rate, but better results.

I swapped out the Wi-Fi button for on/off of the electronic shutter.

Hand held electronic shutter - 100% crop

I have the e-shutter on the LVF button on the G6; set the same on the GX7 in the early hours of this morning -- then switched it to the Wireless button for more convenience after testing it a few times.

I didn't have the e-shutter readily available yesterday.

I have also set the ISO to auto with 800 ISO as the ceiling. I wouldn't do that with the G6 but I think it is safe with the GX7. I will see how it goes. I keep forgetting to change the ISO when I should.

Gary, when I get a shot as good as yours, I will let the world know!!! With bells on!!! Lovely pic.

--
Geoffrey Heard
Down and out in Rabaul in the South Pacific
http://rabaulpng.com/we-are-all-traveling-throug/i-waited-51-years-for-tavur.html

jeffharris · Apr 28, 2015

Hen3ry said:
gary0319 said:

I'll second turning on the electronic shutter on the GX7. My keeper rate while hand holding the Panny 100-300 on stationary birds, flowers and bugs went way up when I started using the electronic shutter. It's my default now on all lenses. Slower shot rate, but better results.

I swapped out the Wi-Fi button for on/off of the electronic shutter.

Click to expand...

I have the e-shutter on the LVF button on the G6; set the same on the GX7 in the early hours of this morning -- then switched it to the Wireless button for more convenience after testing it a few times.

I set the IBIS to the WI-Fi button. I use Silent Mode all the time unless I'm shooting at ISO125, which disables the electronic shutter.

Hen3ry said:
I didn't have the e-shutter readily available yesterday.

I have also set the ISO to auto with 800 ISO as the ceiling. I wouldn't do that with the G6 but I think it is safe with the GX7. I will see how it goes. I keep forgetting to change the ISO when I should.

You can set it to 1600 with no qualms.

gary0319 · Apr 28, 2015

jeffharris said:
Hen3ry said:

gary0319 said:

I'll second turning on the electronic shutter on the GX7. My keeper rate while hand holding the Panny 100-300 on stationary birds, flowers and bugs went way up when I started using the electronic shutter. It's my default now on all lenses. Slower shot rate, but better results.

I swapped out the Wi-Fi button for on/off of the electronic shutter.

Click to expand...

I have the e-shutter on the LVF button on the G6; set the same on the GX7 in the early hours of this morning -- then switched it to the Wireless button for more convenience after testing it a few times.

Click to expand...

I set the IBIS to the WI-Fi button. I use Silent Mode all the time unless I'm shooting at ISO125, which disables the electronic shutter.

jeffharris said:

I didn't have the e-shutter readily available yesterday.

I have also set the ISO to auto with 800 ISO as the ceiling. I wouldn't do that with the G6 but I think it is safe with the GX7. I will see how it goes. I keep forgetting to change the ISO when I should.

Click to expand...

You can set it to 1600 with no qualms.

I find 1600 OK, but 3200 is too noisy for me. I'm not sure but it seems that the GX7 tends to adjust the ISO up before slowing the shutter (shooting in AV mode). Anyone else find that to be the case, or am I just imagining it.

Hen3ry · Apr 28, 2015

Impulses said:
How are you finding the GX7 EVF btw? I've never been able to try it out myself, always liked the OLED EVF in the G6 tho, I think the latter was well reviewed even tho I've noticed some people preferred the G5's... Seems the two major complaints about the GX7's centered around the sequential panel (some will see tearing, some won't, I doubt it'd bother me even if I did) and the aspect ratio (being 16:9 made it look smaller for stills).

It is a little smaller, but that's okay -- it is bright and contrasty and the color is good, all at the factory settings. It can be adjusted, of course.

Tearing? I read a lot about this. Sorry, I have failed to live up to the reviewers -- I have had the camera only two days but have used it in a wide range of lighting situations. No tearing. Not so much as a hint of tearing.

I like it.

Last effort by the mighty G6 :(

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