Panasonic GX7 still worth it?

Hi guys,

Is the Panasonic GX7 still worth buying? Or is it far behind the competition now? or is it too old to consider?

I've just purchased one online with the 20mm f1.7 lens, but now i've seen when it was released i'm debating wether it's too old or the £400 I paid for it was too much? (Thats brand new).

Please put my mind at rest!

Bboysmax said:

Hi guys,

Is the Panasonic GX7 still worth buying? Or is it far behind the competition now? or is it too old to consider?

I've just purchased one online with the 20mm f1.7 lens, but now i've seen when it was released i'm debating wether it's too old or the £400 I paid for it was too much? (Thats brand new).

Please put my mind at rest!

Click to expand...

Max, you are suffering from classical post-purchase anxiety!

Rest assured, you have bought an excellent camera which will give you great pix.

And with the 20mm lens, it will be a compact handful that will just beg to be picked up and taken out for picture taking action and subsequent happiness!

Look at my two posts in the past few days -- all GX7 pix:

Making pictures out of SOMETHING .

Happy subjects…

I'll be putting up another half a dozen market pix in half an hour or so.

Most of the pix in my gallery taken in the last year are GX7. The EXIF shows the camera used.

The lens is worth about £200 so I'd say you got a bargain. If you don't count the GH4, the GX7 was top of the range not so long ago and as such is well built and high spec. If you shoot mostly with the silent shutter it could outlive you!

Bboysmax said:

Hi guys,

Is the Panasonic GX7 still worth buying? Or is it far behind the competition now? or is it too old to consider?

I've just purchased one online with the 20mm f1.7 lens, but now i've seen when it was released i'm debating wether it's too old or the £400 I paid for it was too much? (Thats brand new).

Please put my mind at rest!

Click to expand...

I like mine so much I bought two more (used) in January. I'm a working event pro who shoots with 3 cameras at a time. It's a great one, and nice though the GX8 and GX80/GX85 are, I'm not tempted to switch, at least not until the GX8 hits $500.

Hen3ry said:

Bboysmax said:

Hi guys,

Is the Panasonic GX7 still worth buying? Or is it far behind the competition now? or is it too old to consider?

I've just purchased one online with the 20mm f1.7 lens, but now i've seen when it was released i'm debating wether it's too old or the £400 I paid for it was too much? (Thats brand new).

Please put my mind at rest!

Click to expand...

Max, you are suffering from classical post-purchase anxiety!

Rest assured, you have bought an excellent camera which will give you great pix.

And with the 20mm lens, it will be a compact handful that will just beg to be picked up and taken out for picture taking action and subsequent happiness!

Look at my two posts in the past few days -- all GX7 pix:

Making pictures out of SOMETHING .

Happy subjects…

I'll be putting up another half a dozen market pix in half an hour or so.

Most of the pix in my gallery taken in the last year are GX7. The EXIF shows the camera used.

Click to expand...

Here your go, Max, more GX7 pix.

Hard yacka at the market …

I hope you like them.

I too watch to see what is the latest & greatest(?) equipment. I bought my GX7 a little over a year ago when rumors of the GX8 were flying around.

Even today, I do not regret the purchase. I use the tiltable viewfinder all the time & would really miss the feature. I am disappointed that the GX80/85 doesn't have the tiltable VF.

With a good lens, it's a great camera. Enjoy yours.

The GX7 is a wonderful camera. I found lessons on the menu at Creativel Live.inc that goes over every item in the menu (Panasonic Fast Start with John Greengo). It was a big help to me and it would be to you also. I shoot street, often with either the 20mm or 25mm lens. I try to go up town once or twice a week and I am always pushing what I am learning about this camera. Monday I tried using the focus for face recognition but that didn't work as well as I wanted. I forget what they call it, but with the focus set to 23 area it locks on the object that is closes to you. That works better at least for me. I have also read and have seen on Youtube videos talking about best settings for street. It was said that setting the mode dial to "P" was best. Or as they put it "P" is for professional. One of the people works with Canon and they said not to tell people that.

in my latest blog I go into how the cameras are now smarter than I am for getting things right in the camera. I tried "A" setting this past Monday, and it was hit and miss so I will go back to "P" setting next trip to town.

www.photosbypike.com

www.ncstreetphotographer.com

Here are some ways that the GX7 is superior to the newly released GX85 (which has a release price about $200 below the GX7's original release price):

Tilt EVF

Magnesium body

AF/MF switch

1/8000 max mechanical shutter speed

1/250 max shutter sync (1/320 with built-in flash)

Built-in flash can work as master for remote controlled flashes

Has a jack for a remote shutter release

Comes with charger and CD with full manual and Silkypix software.

Improvements on the GX85:

4K video and photo

5 axis IBIS

new shutter that is quieter and apparently eliminates any shutter shock

no AA filter over the sensor (some may not find that an improvement), but otherwise the sensor is essentially the same, I understand.

I'm happy to keep my GX7. Sounds like you got a great deal! Enjoy it!

Unless you need 4K video, the GX7 is an amazing camera and I wish I had one.

Only trade up if you are seriously frustrated with what you have....no need to keep up with technology.

I thought I would use the wifi app more than I do, I only use it for long exposures.

brentbrent said:

Here are some ways that the GX7 is superior to the newly released GX85 (which has a release price about $200 below the GX7's original release price):

Tilt EVF

Magnesium body

AF/MF switch

1/8000 max mechanical shutter speed

1/250 max shutter sync (1/320 with built-in flash)

Built-in flash can work as master for remote controlled flashes

Has a jack for a remote shutter release

Comes with charger and CD with full manual and Silkypix software.

Improvements on the GX85:

4K video and photo

5 axis IBIS

new shutter that is quieter and apparently eliminates any shutter shock

no AA filter over the sensor (some may not find that an improvement), but otherwise the sensor is essentially the same, I understand.

Click to expand...

Also DFD and Dual IS, and probably better AF Tracking (as with G7 & GX8).

brentbrent said:

I'm happy to keep my GX7.

Click to expand...

Me, too.

brentbrent said:

Sounds like you got a great deal! Enjoy it!

Click to expand...

I am using the GX 8 now and I gave my GX7 to my son. It is a wonderful camera. I loved it when I used it, he loves it too. It is a keeper one of the best cameras that Panny ever made. Keep it you got a great deal. The 20 mm lens is also a classic keeper.

Hal

Bboysmax said:

Hi guys,

Is the Panasonic GX7 still worth buying? Or is it far behind the competition now? or is it too old to consider?

Click to expand...

Well, I'm still using my G3 as a second body!

Bboysmax said:

I've just purchased one online with the 20mm f1.7 lens, but now i've seen when it was released i'm debating wether it's too old or the £400 I paid for it was too much? (Thats brand new).

Click to expand...

I have a GX7 and passed on the GX8 because there is nothing that I'm seriously dissatisfied with. That is my usual criteria for upgrading.

The GX7 with the 20mm f/1.7 are a pleasure to use. It's small and unobtrusive system, and the silent mode is so useful for me in many situations.





Last month I spent 10 days in the Southern Sierras and carried my GX7 with new 100-400mm mounted. It was a combination that worked well, and I had no complaints





Try out your new system and see how it goes!

- Richard



--

I was asking myself the same thing, but went for it in the end and after a few weeks with the camera I can say I'm delighted with it.

As it's been around a while there's some really good deals on at the moment - it's no longer on their website as of the last few days but it's still available in store at Jessops at £299 with the actually pretty decent 14-42 kit lens. If you don't mind an ex-demo one (with full 2 year guarantee) then it's £330 with the excellent 20mm prime and a spare battery but there's only a handful of them left now so you'll need to ring the head office. At those prices you really can't go wrong.

onionterror said:

I was asking myself the same thing, but went for it in the end and after a few weeks with the camera I can say I'm delighted with it.

As it's been around a while there's some really good deals on at the moment - it's no longer on their website as of the last few days but it's still available in store at Jessops at £299 with the actually pretty decent 14-42 kit lens. If you don't mind an ex-demo one (with full 2 year guarantee) then it's £330 with the excellent 20mm prime and a spare battery but there's only a handful of them left now so you'll need to ring the head office. At those prices you really can't go wrong.

Click to expand...

I posted in another thread (GX80 Bargain at Curry's) that i've seen the GX7 for £349 with the 14-42 kit lens at Curry's. I currently have a LX100 which i love (had it since the end of January) I was thinking of getting the GX80 (still am) but i saw this offer. Reading the thread i think i know what you'll all say if i ask is it worth it. Or should i stump up the extra cash for the IBIS etc on the GX80. Not really bothered about 4K video, but the other features look nice. I want an upgrade to get more zoom if needed and a touch screen. HELP please.

Camera + prime lens for 400£ sounds fair imo

GX7 is still a very nice camera. But GX85 is a step up and worth its name in Japan: GX7 II.

I owned GX7 for 1+ year and it is now my wife's main camera putting 14-140 II on it. GX85 is my first camera bought when just launched in recent years (GX7, 50% discount after its launching 2 years ago, similar for GX1 and GF3, saved a lot of money ). Due to the weight and size of GX8, It is an upgrade that I am eagerly looking for.

Comparing to GX7, IMHO it is slightly sharper (no AA filter), a new shutter to minimize shutter shock (but it does not bother me), better IBIS, Dual IS (shoot 12-32 @32 as slow as 1/3.2" comfortably), IBIS on video, slightly cleaner higher ISO (better ISO3200 than GX7), DFD for faster tracking plus flexible/select-able focus zone (still need more test), 4K video and the 4K photo plus Post Focus, Zebra for faster adjustment, 4 bracketing modes instead of 1 in GX7, Dial switch turns the front and back wheel to dual function...

GX85 improves on IQ (slightly) and feature/operation. If GX85 uses the same tilt-able evf it would be a perfect upgrade (to me). So would those improvement be required, and be justified for the extra money, would be your decision.