Panasonic has introduced the Lumix G2 model, and while it's getting good reviews, it's clear that the only really significant upgrade is that it now does video. So, if you don't need video, right now you can get, in the US at least, the
Lumix G1 at a
very affordable price. I still use mine as my go-to all-round camera. It's more compact than a DSLR camera (like Canon Rebel), and offers similar image quality and handling. The exception is that the low-light capabilities are limited, compared to bigger cameras. But at this price it's warmly recommended.
The G1's brother, the GF-1 (not yet in a 2.0 version) fits in a large pocket if fit with the excellent compact 20mm 1.7 lens. The G1 does not. But I would say that the G1 is about as compact and light as you'll get, and still get the good handling and flexibility of a full sized, semi-professional camera. It's about the perfect walk-around and vacation camera for the serious amateur.
Well, back when computers were steam powered, you could't find 1600 film, except in big city camera shops; so you bought 800, and pushed it; producing amazingly bad results.
ReplyDeleteI just looked at some 1600 images from the G1; very nice, a little speckle, but very nice overall. Noise, grain? Get over it, or go buy a Nikon D3XSsupercalliphrgilistic, body only, for about 8K. Jeez Louezee.
Fair point, sure. Like my friend Steve Hynes, British pro and photographic journalist said to me: the quality creeps up on you. He mentioned he had looked back on his own 6x6 pictures, taken with the big medium format cameras, and the quality was not at all as hot as he remembered. I would hazard that even a compact camera like the G1 can deliver image quality comparable.
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