Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Panasonic Lumix G1 pictures and review (updated)

For the hundreds of fans (or at least one) who have been clamoring for pictures taken with the Panasonic Lumix G1, here they are.
All with the standard, very compact zoom (about 28mm-90mm). (I haven't tested the long zoom yet, I think I'll wait for a bit more light than today, it's a dull day.)
Everything on auto.
Minor play with Photoshop has been done.
The sharpness is certainly good.
The white balance was too blue, I just now found out I'd accidentally changed it from "AWB" (which they call it instead of just "auto") onto something else. Some of the pictures it fit, others I had to change.
I am still finding out how wonderful a hinged screen is, once you get used to the fact that the camera does not have to be at the level of your head, a whole new freedom appears. (The top picture (window) could not have been composed with a normal viewfinder, the camera was held high above my head.)

(I could pull more some detail from the enterior, but I like the dark frame-like effect it has.)




(Full file from camera, unedited, here.)

I really like the two lowest pictures, if you click and view in full size (preferably on a big screen). Lots of tones and details.
The chair I have given lots more contrast than it had, and I think it gained a lot from that. Almost makes me want to do more BW.

My early impression with this camera is that both in handling and image quality, it is in the same league as the typical DSLR. It is not an amateur camera, it is an enthusiast camera, and would surely be good enough for a backup camera for a pro.
High-ISO is good too. Look at this 1600-ISO sample, and 3200 here. That's better than my Canon 5D (Mark 1)! (The 5D, full-frame, was king in this area for a couple of years.) [Update: See this page (the "Melinda's" bottle 4/5 down the page) for how excellent an image quality you can get from 1600 ISO if you use RAW and careful post-processing. Outstanding. And this method can even make quite a difference at lower ISO settings as seen below that.]
One should not expect the viewfinder to be as clear and detailed as a DSLR viewfinder, but it is leaps and bounds beyond earlier generations of Electronic Viewfinders (you are looking at a little LCD screen instead of out through the lens). I find it good enough for almost all use, except the most demanding professional use.

Update:
A hinged screen is also great for candid pictures. These were taken a couple years ago in a cafe with my Nikon 2400 (outdated now, no stabilization and grain at 200 ISO) down near my table, like I was just reviewing images. See the man look directly at the camera! If he'd found out I was photographing the girl, I'd probably have had the police on me. (It's sickening that you have to be afraid of such things in a supposed civilized country, UK.)


Note: don't think you can buy one of the new DSLRs with hinged screens, like the Olympus 620 or the Nikon D5000, and get the same results, the autofocus is so slow it's basically unusable when those cameras are used in Live View. Why it is like that is complicated. But right now the G1 and GH1 are the only cameras with exchangeable lenses and hinged screens which have usable autofocus when using the screen.
(Stephen points out the Sonys, they use a special system: review, review.)

14 comments:

Bronislaus Janulis / Framewright said...

Eolake,

How do you like the camera itself, now that you've been using it?

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

It seems like a winner. Should be great for street photography with the hinged screen, stabilized lenses, etc. Feels good in the hand, and you can carry it in on hand (with wrist strap) without getting tired.

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

And the long zoom has the size of an olde-timey 135mm lens, but the reach of a 400mm equivalent! (Stabilized too, of course.)

I think it would have been smarter to build in the IS in the body, but let's see...

Bronislaus Janulis / Framewright said...

The G1 is very appealing, as it is small like my Canon G9, but far more versatile, though, as with all equipment choices, there are compromises.

Enjoy!

Patrick said...

Hey,
the detail does look pretty good, I like the "feel" of number 5, really good detail.

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Innit?

Get the full file, unedited from the camera here.

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Silly: in the EXIF data, photoshop says the shutterspeed was 10/500 second.
GraphicConverter calls it 1/50, which means the same thing, but is much clearer.

Uncle Ron said...

Did I miss something?

What happened to...
If you are the kind of person looking for a really good all-round camera, but also like the physical burden of it to be minimal, I think one of the best bids for it right now is the new Canon 500D (called T1i in the US, oddly).

I've just ordered one.

???????????

harry pitts said...

It's sickening that you have to be afraid of such things in a supposed civilized country, UK.)

But the UK now is like Orwell's nightmare vision. Btw if you get caught with pictures of that girl even though she's fully clothed...

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Ron, I bought the Canon just before Amazon gave an amazing offer for the Lumix.

The Lumix is more compact yet, and has the swiveling screen. The Canon is faster and has a bit better resolution and high-ISO performance.

They are both good choices.

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Ron, was I clear enough? Basically I bought two cameras in short order, both of which I really like.
That's the kind of thing I can do occasionally since I work from home so do not pay for a car, don't smoke or drink, and have no family to support.
I could have done with the one of them, but now the timing of the special offer made this happen, the two systems are just different enough that I can justify owning both.

Uncle Ron said...

Thank you for clearing that up...

It would be nice to see some photos of the same subject taken by both of them...

Have you ever tried using the self timer and doing a portrait of yourself...I always remember Van Gogh and Rembrant who did umpteen self portraits during their lives...Every time I start taking digital pictures on my camera which I have just cleared the memory disc...I take a self portrait

This allows me a starting point for the pics which follow...I now have over a 100 self portraits stashed on my PC...Maybe I'll start adding them to my blog ...If I ever find out to work with it...

Before I forget...Do you use PICASA?

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

No, but i have a little bit on Flickr.

seymour skinner said...

I now have over a 100 self portraits stashed on my PC...Maybe I'll start adding them to my blog ...If I ever find out to work with it...

I thought it would be intersting to take a self portrait a day over a person's life or at least for several decades. Preferably starting at birth. Then you could put together into an animation and watch yourself visibly age. Nah, maybe that would be too depressing. Maybe if you went from birth to say, age 20 or maybe 30.