M43 in the Serengeti

I just want to do a quick follow up to: GX8 or GX9 as second body for Safari

At first let me thank you, for recommending a second body.
Changing lenses would have been a problem it the sandy environment.

We brought a lot of gear to take pictures of animals and landscape.
Still was verything was M43 we stayed below 5kg and could easily carry it around!
Bodies used: G80, GX8, GF7 (used by my wife with 14-140 and 25)
Lenses: 100-300II, 7-14, 12-35II, 35-100II, 14-140 3.5, 25 1.7 (All Panasonic)

Some unsorted thoughts:

• bringing more then one body to Safari was a really good idea
• the 14-140 works quiet good for safari (though you need to be careful with the sand in the zoom)
• I did not like the GX8 ergonomics
  • exp comp does not reset on power-on ("ruined" some shots)
  • annoying button at the grip
  • quiet big and heavy
  • the praised viewfinder produces more saturated(unnatural) images then the screen and i did not find a setting to calibrate
  • annoying shutter sound
• GX8 pictures, weather sealing and batteries have compensated for ergonomic trouble
• Dual IS is great!
• 100-300II was a good decision
  • definitely the most used lens (despite i was told that i wont need a tele as animals come close enough)
  • light enough to carry/hold all day
  • pictures good enough in good light(most of the time there was good light)
  • had the feeling that stopping done helps to increase sharpness
  • the 400 of the 100-400 would have been nice for some birds
• UWA was only used to take pictures of the hotel/tent interior
• 35-100 was rarely used. Only the first hour in the morning mostly.
• The hardest part was moving the focus point to the right spot
  • switching to differential from absolute helped but required retraining
  • (would love animal eye focus)
• Would love to see a better or let's say customizable auto iso in aperture priority on the G80 (g90 has at least min shutter now?!)
• I am happy that all my gear seems to have survived the rough rides in the jeep sometimes the vibration was so rough that I picked up my bag to reduce the impact
• taking pictures of a lion hunting needs a lot of training with a long lens and a bit of luck
• Even for Photo-safaris phones seem to be the most used tool nowadays
• took about 5000 pictures in 6 days safari + 2 days Dubai
• Summer is too hot in Dubai (above the 40C operating temperature of the pana gear and definitely my operating temperature)
• Summing up: had a lot of fun and good results with M43

Here are some OOC Jpegs to say thanks for your support and recommendations:

Jackal with the 100-300

Serengeti Sunset with the 100-300 II

Stop-over in Dubai. I love Dual IS!

Thanks for the detailed report. That sunset photo is wonderful!

Great pictures!

Just a few tidbits :

Exp Comp reset on power-on is a menu setting, at least it is on my G80.

For a slightly different auto iso behaviour on the G80, try iISO.

Mark9473 wrote:

Great pictures!

Thanks!

Just a few tidbits :

Exp Comp reset on power-on is a menu setting, at least it is on my G80.

Yeah, that was what I was used to from my G80. Unfortunately the GX8 has an extra dial for exp comp and thus does not reset.

For a slightly different auto iso behaviour on the G80, try iISO.

I tried that but still produced not always what I wanted so I often hat to fiddle with manual setting ISO.

Adielle wrote:

RotorX wrote:

I did not like the GX8 ergonomics

• exp comp does not reset on power-on ("ruined" some shots)

I first thought you were complaining that it DOES reset.. Not resetting is a good thing. Very good, in fact. I turn the camera on and off a LOT, and keeping the exposure setting is essential. Just remember to reset the dial. And the exposure compensation meter is very clear, hard to miss it.

Seems to be a matter of taste.
For me the GX8 was the second camera, so not as much used.
After taking it out after a while it was annoying to check the exp comp each time...

• annoying button at the grip
• quiet big and heavy

You think 487g is heavy for a weather-sealed high-end camera?

Heavy and big for a range-finder style body as second camera.
The GF7 felt so much lighter. Would really love to see a new light and weather-sealed body.

• the praised viewfinder produces more saturated(unnatural) images then the screen and i did not find a setting to calibrate

A common compromise between visibility and accuracy with OLED panels. You'd hardly see anything in sunlight if it wasn't as saturated as it is.

The G80 viewfinder just felt way more natural or WYSIWYG.

• annoying shutter sound

Depends a lot on the lens.

I used the GX8 mostly with the 12-35.
But why should the shutter sound change with the lens?
Though I could have just turned off the mechanical shutter but feared distortion on moving targets and sound does not really matter during a safari.

Good feedback on your trip. The sunset image is fantastic.

My experience is that 100mm as a minimum can be too long,  when animals suddenly come in too close, and that’s when the 14-140mm, on a second body, comes into play.

I think the GF7, and its  successors, is much underrated.

Congratulations.  I didn't see your initial thread, but if I had I would have recommended exactly what you ended up doing (whoever suggested that you don't need long lenses in the Serengeti, of all places, was a very long way of the mark).

Pleased you got good results!

Dave

NT

glorious photos well done!

windmillgolfer wrote:

Good feedback on your trip. The sunset image is fantastic.

Thanks!

My experience is that 100mm as a minimum can be too long, when animals suddenly come in too close, and that’s when the 14-140mm, on a second body, comes into play.

Yes, I agree, especially the moments when the animals (especially elephants) come close, 100mm in M43 is too long.

I think the GF7, and its successors, is much underrated.

Yes, it takes good pictures, though the ergonomics are not perfect and I really would recommend weather sealing to prevent all that dust from going into the camera.