In praise of the Panasonic GX7 and comments about the GX8

I have had my new GX7 for three weeks now.  When I saw the news and excited responses about the new GX8, I started thinking "I should send my 7 back and get by with my Canon G12 until I can order the GX8."

After reviewing the specs and price of the GX8, I decided that my GX7 is just fine.

Firstly, my GX7, with the 14 - 42 kit lens, takes great photos:

Lily

2. The eye level viewfinder is allowing me to see the shot when the back LCD is washed out in bright sunlight.

3.  I would not want to be without the built-in flash.  The camera is big enough, fits my hand perfectly in fact.  The layout of controls and their versatility gives great flexibility when deciding how to shoot.

4.  It appears that my 7 cost me less than half what the 8 will cost.

I'm sure there are pros and advanced amateurs who will benefit from the GX8, but I have found my current favorite camera, the GX7.

Regards to dpreview and the great group of folks that contribute to the site.

The GX7 is a fast focusing and very reliable camera.  Why would you want to dump it in favor of a new, unknown body?  The GX8 has yet to prove itself...then, I will place an order...but the GX7 will stay.

Just checked the price on WEX for a GX8 + 14-42 kit lens = £1149

That's £900 more than I just paid (if I include the £50 cash back) for a GX7 + 14-42

I doubt that spending £900 more would noticeably improve my photographs.

As a side note, I just tested the WiFi remote control facility - first camera I've had with such a feature - I'm well impressed, combined with the silent shutter this will be excellent for nature photography.

Do you mean to say you just bought a GX7 with kit lens for £250?

amazing! Was it new?

katy

so enjoy it!

I think the GX7 is Fantastic.

eyespy wrote:

Just checked the price on WEX for a GX8 + 14-42 kit lens = £1149

That's £900 more than I just paid (if I include the £50 cash back) for a GX7 + 14-42

I doubt that spending £900 more would noticeably improve my photographs.

As a side note, I just tested the WiFi remote control facility - first camera I've had with such a feature - I'm well impressed, combined with the silent shutter this will be excellent for nature photography.

12 months or later you might buy GX8 at similar price (although no guarantee).

I like my GX7 because of its small size.  I am sure that the GX8 is going to be a great camera but it is too big for my needs.

After nearly two years of use, the GX7 is my all-time favorite camera.  I'm not wanting to replace it with the GX8.   Enjoy your camera; it's a gem!

During Amazon's prime exclusive day on Wednesday the GX7 + 14-42 lens bundle was reduced to £299 and Panasonic have a £50 cashback + free case offer on at the moment.

Tom Caldwell wrote:

Despite the model numbering sequence and the basic design being continued I am not so sure that the GX8 is in the same class of use as the GX7.

It is quite a lot larger and if a "big camera" is what stokes the fire then it is indeed very much the successor of the GX7. But if the GX7 was big enough and comfortable in hand then the GX8 is playing a whole new size ball-game.

To me the GM1/5 is comfortable and light-shooting. A sort of stripped to the basics sports car. Whilst the GX7 was the every comfort limousine with evf, tilt screen and lots of buttons and wheels. The hefty end where a larger grip and more easy-functions were thought desirable.

The GX8 just takes the stakes somewhat further - great evf, articulated lcd, big grip, even more buttons and wheels to use up the extra real estate. In my mind this is the Rolls Royce edition with custom hand built body and almost needs a chauffeur, but might be nice enough to drive-oneself to the shops.

The excess (nice as it is) and in all things including extra size makes a true size replacement model for the GX7 almost mandatory - even if it can no longer be called "GX8" - GM10? perhaps.

Good saying,Tom.

Would the GX8 be a product in some sort of over-listening to reviewers or biased opinion from partial of the user community, causing a diversion in the development of GX line would be a mysterious.

Looking at GX8, a hint for the new articulated LCD extended the length of the body. It of course would satisfy wishes for a tilting evf + articulated LCD instead of a double tilting evf & LCD of GX7. The much bigger evf increased not only the height (without it, same height as GX7) but more space of the top plate. That bigger, among the best evf of mirrorless together with a 3rd wheel simply kill the internal flash. Users from some other brands internal flash is not a norm but would disappoint most of Panny users that having one on nearly every model (GM5 excluded for its ultra tiny + evf design). Complaint on the range finder design GX7 couldn't offer a deep enough hand grip (& no optional handler) like dslr-design obviously just makes it fatter...

IMHO the addition of the 3rd wheel (EC compensation, upto +/-3ev only comparing to +/-5ev for certain modes in GX7) giving a 3 wheel control vs GX7's de-facto 3 wheels control is not much meaning except to satisfy potential users never experience the clickable wheel concept?

Of course, as said all of the added features (except for that 3rd wheel) are welcome if the size and weight would still be within our acceptable level.

Yes, like you said GX8 is not a descendant to GX7 but a different beast instead. Might be a range finder design of GH4?

While the GX8 is a great camera for specific purposes, I plan to buy lenses for my GX7 instead.

F.

Wow!

That's a real bargain,

Katy

brentbrent wrote:

After nearly two years of use, the GX7 is my all-time favorite camera. I'm not wanting to replace it with the GX8. Enjoy your camera; it's a gem!

I agree about the GX7 having owned and used it for 18 months ... it's a wonderful camera, the only camera that I have not been interested in replacing during my 10-12 years in the digital era.

I'm probably going to buy the GX8 + 12-35 f/2.8 mainly because of the weather sealing. The GX7 will stay in the family. (I might even buy another one ...)

My advice to people thinking about migrating to the m4/3 is to consider buying the GX7 ... the price currently is very low for a great camera.

I am with you; I have been amazed by the way the GX7 has grown on me in the past couple of months despite the fact that I was welded on to my G6 -- or I thought I was.

That said, I can see the line of development from the GX7 to the GX8 and I can see how the newer camera's attributes could help my work. A time will come when I will buy, I imagine, though as you say, the loss of the built-in flash is a sad thing.

Fill-in flash at work opening up the shadows:

Noku Dzu wrote:

I have had my new GX7 for three weeks now. When I saw the news and excited responses about the new GX8, I started thinking "I should send my 7 back and get by with my Canon G12 until I can order the GX8."

After reviewing the specs and price of the GX8, I decided that my GX7 is just fine.

Firstly, my GX7, with the 14 - 42 kit lens, takes great photos:

Lily

2. The eye level viewfinder is allowing me to see the shot when the back LCD is washed out in bright sunlight.

3. I would not want to be without the built-in flash. The camera is big enough, fits my hand perfectly in fact. The layout of controls and their versatility gives great flexibility when deciding how to shoot.

4. It appears that my 7 cost me less than half what the 8 will cost.

I'm sure there are pros and advanced amateurs who will benefit from the GX8, but I have found my current favorite camera, the GX7.

Regards to dpreview and the great group of folks that contribute to the site.

Indeed, the pictures you share here look good.

I've long been a fan of the GX7 and I have owned the GF1, which got it all started(enthusiasts model, diminutive size) and later the GX1. As soon as retailers were taking pre-orders I ordered my GX8. This morning I ordered the GX7 20mm 1.7 for $597.99. I see this as a win-win for me; having a prime lens for the GX8 at a lower cost as well as a premium second camera.

It's a good time for Panasonic GX fans. Keeping it real, I hope the GX8 meets my expectations of being something groundbreaking in image potential. While waiting for it to arrive next month, I will be enjoying the GX7, maybe it will win me over to the point of cancelling my pre-order!

I'm currently considering getting this camera or the Sony A6000.  Aside from the change in formats, is there any reason you'd prefer the GX7 to the A6000 or vise versa?

CBubolz343 wrote:

I'm currently considering getting this camera or the Sony A6000. Aside from the change in formats, is there any reason you'd prefer the GX7 to the A6000 or vise versa?

As a former owner of the A6000, I can chime in if you don't mind. I haven't owned the GX7 but I've had a couple m43 bodies and know enough about it.

If by change in format you mean m43 vs APS-C, then the other big reason to to consider the GX7 are the variety in lenses. Put the body aside and check out what lenses you'll want for the A6000. You'll see the selection is few. If you can get by with the 35mm f1.8 or 50mm f1.8 then you might be okay and still within budget, but the kit lens is fairly frowned upon. Or you get a good quality zoom like the Zeiss 16-70mm f4 (which some reviews say isn't much better than the kit lens) for the price of the A6000 + 2 lenses combined (might be exaggerating a tad). And then there's FE lenses which are crazy expensive...

Body functionality-wise, I think the GX7 and A6000 are almost similar. I'm sure the video quality is on par and the AF might be faster on the A6000 but not by much.