G1X initial thoughts: Definitely some frustrations.

[c.hammett]

Howard, I like your replies here. Very thoughtful. One comment... the 6 year old Pro1, was a large compact p/s that a number of us had, and some of us, (including me), still have. Lousy noise over ISO 100, and no ISO, but beautiful lIQ due to its a wonderful "L" lens, and nice EVF with shooting info. Probably for cost reasons ($1000 at issue) and size, it never made it with the p/s crowd. That lens and the EVF with info are two of the items some of us wish for in a camera like the G1X. But we'll cope, and personally, I'm looking forward to getting my G1X.

BTW... love your name... bet I know where it came from !

carolyn

Carolyn, were you thinking the same as I? The author of the 50s who wrote (among others) "Something of Value" about the Mau-Mau uprising in Kenya?

Although his last name usually has a "u" instead of "o"!! But I've seen it written many times with an "o."
Hmmm?

No... I am thinking of Ayn Rand's book, "Fountainhead" , also from that time period,whose main character was Howard Roarke. Actually I had forgotten that there was an "e" on the end of his name. I also know "Something of Value " by Robert Ruark from the 1950's too. Great movies were made from both books.

carolyn

Indeed! 2 great movies I have in my collection. "Gary Cooper & Patricia Neal" and "Rock Hudson & Sidney Poitier." Honestly though, I had difficulty reading Rand's book, or any of 'em really. All of Ruark's were a great read.

Ciao

Both books are good reads and worth re-reading. Did you ever read Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged". It has much to say about what is going on today.

carolyn
--
Ranger a.k.a chammett
http://www.pbase.com/chammett

'elegance is simplicity'

 

[loph]

Dear Tom,
The camera is wonderful. Very fast and very responsive.

Cannon made this camera as a DSLR companion and for DSLR users,so canon know that those don't need macro,fast focus, responsive camera or even acceptable Vf.
DSLR users are not used to speed so who cares about it.

Please dear Tom don't give your faithful opinion as you are in the canon forum .you will be attacked be those who worship the G*d canon since any thing that's created by that G*d is perfect since it knows better than us.
The GX1 is not a good lens in frot of a good sensor.

It's a perfect camera that takes wonderful pictures of course if it will be able to take that picture.

Who said you can not take a single picture for anything moving even if it's a tree in the wind?

Definitely you might be able to take pictures for things other than buildings like mountains or soda cans..

But the canon respect any thing alive so you won't be able to take a picture of it with the perfect G1x even if it's not human,even if it's a flower.

This camera is for smart DSLR users so enjoy ,I'm sure every one will enjoy it since he will stop using it after few days.

 

[loph]

Ah one more thing Dear Tom,

You don't listen to othe canon fans and canon advice :treat this camera as a DSLR because it's for DSLR users and as you know those have no families and don't take pictures for there kids,which this camera can not do they just take pictures of trash which this camera will be perfect in taking trash pictures because trash does not move,as long you will avoid macro.

 

[loph]

Ah one more thing,

This is not a substitute for DSLR ,It should accompany your DSLR according to canon,so you should always carry your DSLR with you since you will miss 99% of pictures if you will rely on it..in fact you will not use it since it's useless.

 

[loph]

So dear Tom,
This great camera is ment to be DSLR companion,
What does that meant according to canon faith;
You will put it in the bag with your DSLR so your DSLR will not feel lonely.

You will never be able to rely on this piece of sh*t to carry it alone,let's say to the park to picture your kids since this great miracle won't can not do that.

So you have to take your DSLR With you always since you will never rely on this crab.
This is the definition of DSLR companion I the canon dictionary.

That's another reason why this camera is bulky because you will never rely on it alone do you won't carry it alone and always you have to bring your DSLR with you.and since you will bring your DSLR in a bag so size is not matter since it will be in a bag with your DSLR.

 

[loph]

Another reason why this camera is great is because canon is testing how much it's follower are faithful.

They are willing to spend $800 on canon sh*t and not just that;they will lie and convince them self and defend a crappy canon
product.

 

[loph]

By the way dear Tom,
who cares about Sony or Panasonic,

This camera is made by the giant canon,who despite decades can not make fast auto focus.Can't make responsive camera.
Since it has canon name then it deserves to be great camera.
Forget about others like Samsung or fuji.
Canon knows what DSLR users need.
Knows the best,and is the best.

 

[Mk7]

And I thought I was tough on Canon! Whew!! Ok, back into the padded room you go.

 

[Mk7]

Insanely too big ??????? dude, you need to stay with tiny pocket cams then. Try the FF slrs..like the D700, D3, 5DII...and ...but apparently you are not living in the realm of slrs. Too bad. Many of us find this size thing not a problem but a delight...to have slr-c sensor images in such a small package !!

Canon did a good job of miniaturizing that zoom lens, but the body is overly bulky compared to several competitors. No way around it, and it appears that little effort was made to shrink or eliminate components the way Sony did. And you can't put all the blame on the swivel screen and 4x zoom.

On another note...one peeve about several "serious compact" and "mirrorless" cameras is that they needlessly shrink, or worse, completely eliminate, the hand grip. Olympus XZ-1, E-PL3 and E-PM1, Nikon V1 and Canon S9x come to mind. Max camera depth measurement is at the lens barrel, so the grip has a minimal effect on pocketability and overall thickness, so why chop it off?

They could take a lesson from Sony by shrinking the body but keeping the substantial grip. The G1 X grip is a bit too small for a very firm hold, but also maybe a bit tricky for Mr. Franiec to do anything about it...maybe?

 

[loph]

Canon marketed this sh*t that can only take pictures of trash,nothing alive, as ment for DSLR users.
Is this what a canon DSLR user deserve!

 

[loph]

It remind me of driving a tractor on the freeway...It has more powerful engine than most other cars on the freeway but how fast it's?

The same for this canon camera,it takes great pictures but the poroblem it won't be able to take them...So what is the benifit of this good sensor and good lens?
Really a funny camera...

 

[mcslsk]

Well - don't take the John Deere to the Freeway. There are plenty of Porsche out there to choose from. However, don't take the Porsche out into the corn field either. The G1X (like all G's) is not for action photography. It delivers high IQ if you take your time to take a picture.

 

[GaryJP]

The face you save may be your own.

--

“There is only you and your camera. The limitations in your photography are in yourself, for what we see is what we are.” Ernst Haas

http://garyp.zenfolio.com/p518883873/

 

[mcslsk]

NEX and small? No OVF, no flash, no hot shoe - and the kit zoom is "big"!

 

[loph]

Well - don't take the John Deere to the Freeway. There are plenty of Porsche out there to choose from. However, don't take the Porsche out into the corn field either. The G1X (like all G's) is not for action photography. It delivers high IQ if you take your time to take a picture.

You are right..
But I don't think a kid walking is considered an action photography.

 

[GaryJP]

Just wondering.

--

“There is only you and your camera. The limitations in your photography are in yourself, for what we see is what we are.” Ernst Haas

http://garyp.zenfolio.com/p518883873/

 

[mcslsk]

No, and you can take a picture of that walking Kid if you know how to handle the G1X

 

[mcslsk]

Let me check - hell, where is she?

 

[mcslsk]

Thanks for sharing you first impressions. Having owned a number of G's and the NEX-3 (because I thought Canon would never come up with a large sensor in the G-series), I am happy and impressed with the G1X. Here's why: S100 was never an option because it does not have a hot shoe. I am using the G11 a lot with the 270EX. The IQ of the NEX is great - but despite the "slim" body, all lenses but the 16mm are big, really big, and the flash system (I also have the bigger one) drains the battery faster than you can look for an electrical outlet to recharge.

AF can be slow. But focus speed can also be improved by certain settings. If I just want to fire away, I turn the display off and use the OVF. Fortunately, my kids are now at an age where they don't move at warp speed anymore. The brightness of the display is the same as on any other G.

High ISO IQ is just wonderful - that counts for me.

Close distance focusing is limited, I rarely had to switch to macro mode on the G11. But then, small form factor (and the G1X is barely larger than the G11 and definitely more pocketable than the NEX-3 with kit zoom and flash) takes its toll. If one is into close ups of lowers and bees, wrong camera.

So in short: The G1X is my kind of camera, I am very happy Canon made this move. It may not be for others. Such is life.

 

[loph]

One of the main reasons I bought this camera is your pictures.
But it's a big disappointment.

And it was a useful experience as now I know how new canon cameras behave and how canon users are simple and very patient