Which to buy??

The 20 mm F1.7 is perfect for indoor low light photo's, but it is a prime, that means NO zoom functionality. For indoor typically no tele zoom (enlarge things far away) is typically not an issue, but no wide zoom ("zoom out", more on the left and right also part of the picture) can be.

The kit zoom lenses have wider view (the 20 mm number is lower), but is slower wrt light sensitivity (the F number being higher).

Sorry, you can't have both in one lens, so you kind of have to tell us more about your girlfriend .

The 20 mm F1.7 on the GF1 in pink will for sure be good looking (compact wise), but can she handle no zoom?
- Oh, 20 mm is effectively same as 40 mm on a 35 mm full frame DSLR (big camera's), but also P&S often have same scale.

 

Depending on her extension needs, the LX5 is also a VERY NICE CAMERA.
- It has comparable look, is more compact, smaller sensor (a little less image quality, but one of the best P&S) and as result no exchangable lenses but pretty good one!!!

New models are expected in August/September --> Discount on "older: models like GF1

 

Dave,

Don't ditch the compact yet. The :43: won't let you make better photos just because it's got a larger sensor! I have to agree with Joep here - I wonder what your reason to go with :43: is - because the system by itself won't get you better pictures. The LX3 (and upcoming LX5) are spectacular compacts, with one of the best lenses around (as far as compacts go). Another question: If :43:, why Panasonic? You say you did your research, so what led you to the Panny?

Have you got any experience with anything other than the Ixus? The reason I ask is that many people actually get disappointed with their new DSLR, because the DSLR is actually HARDER to use than their old compact! Sure, they are a more capable camera, but they make you, the photographer, work harder in order to get good pics.

If you can, get to a shop and handle some of these cameras (and I mean really handle them, bring your own SD card and shoot some images, take your time, really give each camera a workout). Only you will know whether the kit zoom is "sufficient", we don't know your requirements (what you shoot, etc). Same with the 20mm f/1.7 prime - just because most people like it doesn't make it a good choice for you! It might be, or it might be precisely the wrong choice - some people don't like shooting with primes. It all depends.

Hope this helps,

Rudi

 

Hi, the way you guys are talking, it sounds like you need to be a rocket scientist or something to use a micro four thirds camera and get good pictures. That's not true. You can great photos from this system on the iauto or scene settings with little or no experience of photography. I've seen a vast improvement in my photos going from a sony hx5 (compact) to the olympus e-pl1 in picture quality just using the iauto or the p settings (which allows me to manually focus). Ok, you can get more from the other settings, but this query is from a beginner who sounds keen to learn. Can't think of a better system to learn on ... and yes, I'm small too, so the size is perfect. Easy to carry around and so much more portable than a dslr.

Question to ask is why are you not satisfied with the holiday pics from your ixus? Is it yourself or your girlfriend who is interested in photography? If its HER birthday make sure you are buying a present that she would like and would want to learn more about.

If its possible, just post a couple of your canon pictures to let us see what you are not happy with. Maybe some of the more experienced photographers here can give you better advice after seeing what you want to improve on.

 

Yes, you can. But you can the same results from a compact! They are built for people with no experience in photography.

I wasn't trying to imply that you need to be rocket scientist to take good pics with :43:. After all, you don't have to be a rocket scientist to take good photos with compact P&S. You just need to know how to use it! :smile: What I wanted to do is find out WHY the OP and his gf weren't happy with the holiday snaps, so that I could recommend the most appropriate course of action. If you re-read the OP's posts, you will see that he is not even sure what zoom/what prime, etc. It's hard to recommend these things without knowing why they were unhappy with their previous camera, and what sort of photos they expect to shoot in the future.

 

No idea if they ever offered these as kits with the 20mm locally, Dave. But the 14-45mm zoom they usually supply with the kit is very good. A lot slower (aperture-wise) than the prime, but very good optically. I'm not sure what the new 14-42mm is like (people report that the "old" 14-45mm is a better lens).

 

Hi Rudi

Not sure if I have made you defensive, your bold text suggests I have, and for that I apologise. My opinion still stands though, you don't need to stray from the automatic settings to get great pictures on the micro four thirds (and dslr) cameras to get great shots. There's also no rule that you can only progress to an interchangeable lens camera until you have mastered the compact!! :smile:

I agreed with you in my last post that it would be helpful to understand why the canon ixus wasn't giving them great shots (I have had a few canon ixus models over the years and have never been disappointed) hence I asked him to post some pictures to let us see what he thought was wrong with the pictures. But saying that, I still say imho that my e-pl1 has produced the best images even when used as a simple point and shoot compared to the compacts I own (canon ixus 980is and sony hx5).

Reading through the original post, it suggests to me that the OP wants to upgrade from the compact and take photography more seriously. He wants to use interchangeabe lenses, so the compact option would not suffice for him if that's the route he is intent on following.

 

I always go back to asking - what do you want to do with the camera? Mostly general snapshot photography? Will she want the hassle of carrying a camera and maybe 3 or more lenses in the future? Are you just going to put the pictures on the web for friends and family or maybe do large prints to hang on the wall? Get the camera that fits you, don't try to fit yourself to the camera.

My wife never liked carrying anything but a nice small compact camera she could slip in her purse. I surprised her with a nice Pentax ME Super one day and she rarely used it - she always took the little Olympus rangefinder. She finds my GF1 too big and heavy.

If this is going to be a surprise might I recommend you take her to a camera store and tell her you are looking at cameras for yourself and want her opinion. You may be surprised - a friend of mine did this thinking she would want a small camera but she fell in love with a Canon dSLR system.  

 

Just make sure the camera store doesn't stock Leica or things could get expensive  

 

Luckily my wife did not like my M5, but she loved my Minolta CLe.

 

Nope, not getting defensive, Briar, and we are actually saying the same thing! I was coming from the perspective of seeing so many people's disappointment after they buy a DSLR and their pics aren't any better (and sometime worse). It's why I'd like to recommend based on what the OP actually needs or wants to achieve.

So, my feathers didn't get ruffled, and I sure hope I didn't ruffle yours. If I did, I didn't mean to. :smile:

 

Hi Rudi

Pleased to report my feathers are still intact! :smile: