Hi! I've had my G1 for about 6 months now and I really enjoy using it, i'm a lover of all things panasonic and this camera really hasn't let me down. The only thing is i'm thinking now of going for something relatively small, that still has good picture quality and is great in low light, mainly for taking pictures when i'm out clubbing (may seem a bit overkill but i have some good times and want to capture the pictures as well as possible). I've ruled out regular compact cameras because i'm assuming smaller sensors = not as good in low light. Would I be correct? So i'm thinking of a GF2, with a 20mm lens would be perfect, the only thing i'm not sure about is, would i still need my G1? Since the GF2 has movie functionality I can see myself using it alot more and the only things i can see missing are no viewfinder, no articulating screen (which i do use, rarely). Is there anything else i'm missing?
Insurance? :grin: I wouldn't take a £500 camera out clubbing, but I'm sure if you did you would get great shots!
The body doesn't sell for all that much on eBay, so if you paid full price it seems silly to sell it at a possible loss. I say keep it. I can tell you that every time in my life that I've sold camera equipment, I came to regret it later.
Well after my panasonic £50 cashback i only payed £310 for the G1 with 14-45mm lens! Obviously i'm looking to keep that lens so i guess i'll lose at least £120, but i'm thinking if it's just gonna sit there gathering dust then it's losing even more money. p.s it will be well insured! I've dropped many a camera, thankfully they've been fine so far but i wont take a risk on this one.
Hi there. Depends how much you need to raise to fund the new camera. If your G1 is a nice clean example, body only, you are probably looking at £160-£190 or perhaps a little more on a good day if you sell on-line. My instinct would be to hang on to it if you can afford to. A second body can come in handy. You say you are planning to get the 20mm..............leave the tele on the G1.....decisions..........decisions Cheers
Thanks for the advice guys! I was definetly leaning towards keeping the G1, but now it seems i've found a GH1 for quite cheap with the 14-140mm so i'm definetly selling the G1 with 14-45, so i'll have one 'big' camera, and when i get the gf2, one party camera
Although the GF2 is smaller than the GF1, it doesn't look like it's significantly smaller than the GF1. If you're definitely going to sell the G1 to get the GF1, and if don't know if you'll really need a second camera, just get the 20mm lens and see if that combo is small enough for your clubbing needs. If it isn't then you can go out and buy the GF2.
If I had a G1 and was considering a camera for clubbing I would keep the G1 as it is worth far more than what you would get for it. While the GF1 is an exceptional camera and the I suspect the same will be said for the GH2 I would consider the LX5 as a second. The LX5 works very well at ISO 800 and it has gobs of DOF. I have a GF1 and rarely have to use ISO above 800. As to DOF for example, if you set focus at 5 feet the GH1(2), 20 mm at f/1.7 will give you about one foot of DOF while the LX5 5.1 at f/2.0 will give you almost 14 feet of DOF. While I am not completely comparing apples to apple I suspect the images you loose due to ISO will be more than made up for on image you recover due to hight DOF.
If your goal is only to record an event, then the DOF is definitely an advantage, especially in low light since it allows a larger aperture. Personally, I upgraded from a compact precisely to have control over DOF and the ability to blur backgrounds when I want
For small I would go for an LX5, or even the LX3 if you want to spend less. I've seen some good low light gig pics with an LX5, ill see if I can find them for you to see. Im looking for a good compact, either an LX3 or maybe a Canon s90 that I can take on nights out or on my bike, but ill still keep the G1.
Yea that was my other thought, if i'm just gonna be leaving the 20mm on the GF2 and not changing it, why dont I just get something with a fixed lens and save some money. I'll have a look at the LX5, thanks for the recommendation. I've bought the GH1 now with 14-140mm which means the G1 is going on ebay tonight! I might even sell my 45-200 because in truth i rarely (never) use it. On a slight tangent, I really need a lens for low light now though, i've been recording some videos in my basement, nothing seedy, i've got a little gym down there and I was trying to analyse my form, but the 14-140 doesn't work very well in the low light. I was thinking of getting the 20mm to go with it, is this alot better in low light? And is there a cheaper alternative? (even if it involves an adapter)
Have a look through this thread, there's some low light pics of a Placebo gig in there somewhere. Lots of other shots to to give you an idea of what the LX5 can do.
Best not make jokes like that in Nova Scotia or you will polarize the population and end up in a huge barroom brawl. In that case may I suggest a Nikon D3x with a nothing less than an AFS 17-35 mm f/2.8D it takes great low light images and makes a formidable weapon against a belaying pin. Lets face it while the GF1 can take great images but it is less than idea as a weapon in a donnybrook.
I have both a G1 and a GF1 and love them both. They each have their place and advantages. If you can afford to hold onto the G1, I would do so. It is one sweet little camera and you will regret selling it. I started with the GF1 and added the G1 later. I keep the 20mm on the GF1 and use the G1 with the 14-45 and 45-200. The two outfits serve two different needs.
It's also worth mentioning that although the GF1 with 20mm is a bit smaller than the G1, it's still several times larger than a compact. I bought one recently to have as my "small" camera, and although I can put it in a small bag and carry it around, it is far from pocketable in anything but the largest of jacket pockets. If your goal is to have a pocket camera at the clubs, you should probably pass on the GF1 and look into one of the nicer compacts.
