Micro 4/3 Camera [Archive] - The Art of Sound Forum

Sherwood

24-04-2019, 11:45

struth

24-04-2019, 11:54

i'd got with that size too. they are not quite a 4/3 digital but damn good all the same. Lumix, canon, sony are all very good. Ive got a canon myself now and one before that was a sony...one before that was a lumix so i know they are all good and they mostly just keep making them better every year. my one has wifi too so i can upload them straight to ipad etc. Think the sony took a better pic tho.
Good 4/3 mirrorless will cost 3 k

Jimbo

24-04-2019, 11:57

I bought a Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 when they first came out. The quality is superb and the fast lens makes low light performance very good. The 4k video is simply stunning whe played back on a 4k tv or monitor.

It is not cheap but I notice that John Lewis have a £100 cash back offer at present https://www.johnlewis.com/panasonic-lumix-dmc-lx100-camera-4k-ultra-hd-12-8mp-3-1x-optical-zoom-evf-3-lcd-screen-black/p3909217?sku=234058834&s_kwcid=2dx92700042892076062&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1Orb1NLo4QIV7Z3tCh1fmAaYEAQYAiAB EgLy5_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Funny I was looking at the Panasonic Lumix GX80 which is around the same price but the DMC LX100 is very good at the JL price with £100 cash back. At the moment the GX80 is at the top of my list unless anyone can suggest otherwise.
It is also in the ball park regarding cost.

Sherwood

24-04-2019, 12:07

Funny I was looking at the Panasonic Lumix GX80 which is around the same price but the DMC LX100 is very good at the JL price with £100 cash back. At the moment the GX80 is at the top of my list unless anyone can suggest otherwise.
It is also in the ball park regarding cost.

If you do go for a Panasonic then check out these current promotions on some models. I think you have to buy from approved Panasonic dealers, but the rebates are working pursuing.

NB: The double cashback deal expires tomorrow ...

Jimbo

24-04-2019, 12:12

If you do go for a Panasonic then check out these current promotions on some models. I think you have to buy from approved Panasonic dealers, but the rebates are working pursuing.

NB: The double cashback deal expires tomorrow ...

Thanks Geoff will take a look.

Sherwood

24-04-2019, 12:18

I think the GX80 is a bit smaller but the standard lens is much slower than the (f1.7) LX100. You can swap lenses on the GX80 though.

mikmas

24-04-2019, 13:37

Can anyone recommend a Micro 4/3 Camera mainly for stills shots and good in low light levels?

I have used M4/3 cameras since they were launched and have had a few Panasonic models and about an equal number from Olympus. Currently I use an Olympus Digital Pen F - excellent results and a truly versatile performer with great ergonomics (about £900 for body only at the mo - although there are plenty of deals available.) I also have an early OM-D model from them which is ergonomically actually better than the Pen-F. Olympus do a range of cheaper 'Pen' style bodies that are also very good in terms of features. I think most feature WiFi as standard but best check.

For me Olympus trounces the Panasonics I have tried in just about every aspect but chiefly because they use in-body stabilisation (Panasonic put stabilisation in the lens) which means they are accessible for a much wider range of lenses.

Plenty of fast lenses available from both brands but usually limited to primes - zooms are either much slower or very pricy. Also well worth looking out for Voigtlander alternatives, they have been doing good fast M4/3 lenses for some time now.

Jimbo

25-04-2019, 06:28

I think the GX80 is a bit smaller but the standard lens is much slower than the (f1.7) LX100. You can swap lenses on the GX80 though.

I think the LX100 looks the better proposition Geoff. I am in John Lewis today so will take a look. I notice their is a Mk2 coming out, is it worth the extra? Also do you get any dust issues with your LX100?

Sherwood

25-04-2019, 07:26

I think the LX100 looks the better proposition Geoff. I am in John Lewis today so will take a look. I notice their is a Mk2 coming out, is it worth the extra? Also do you get any dust issues with your LX100?

I can't comment on the MKII but I have been very pleased with the LX100. The current price (plus rebate) brings it in under £400 which is way below the price of the MKII (and way below what I paid for it).

It sits nicely in the hand and the manual controls are well placed and easy to use. The lens on this camera is the big selling point. One very nice feature is the ability to "cut" an 8 megapixel photo from a 4k movie which means that on action shots one can get the exact image sought.

I am not aware of any dust issues but this camera has a fixed lens (albeit an excellent one). Of course, you can check for yourself if it suits you when you go to JL today. Here are details of the Panasonic promotions https://promotions.panasonic.co.uk/promotions/promotions/campaigns/4

BTW. If you go for the LX100 then make sure you get a UV filter to protect the lens as it comes with a manual lens cover. I bought this one, which is highly recommended for the price https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00009KLAE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Shovel_Knight

25-04-2019, 08:00

I have been a devoted Micro 4/3 user since 2009, currently I use Panasonic GX85 (which is the US version of GX80) and it's brilliant, the in-body stabilisation is absolutely out of this world. I know Olympus cameras had this "5-axis IBIS" for years, but I have never been convinced by Olympus cameras for some reason.

I have tried LX100 briefly a couple of years ago, it's a great camera for sure, but I returned mine when it quickly developed dust spots on the sensor (and since the lens is not removable, it can be cleaned only by the service folks). Apparently it's a bit of an Achilles foot of this model, the LX100-II is supposed to have improved sealing to prevent this from happening.

mikmas

25-04-2019, 12:52

I have been a devoted Micro 4/3 user since 2009, currently I use Panasonic GX85 (which is the US version of GX80) and it's brilliant, the in-body stabilisation is absolutely out of this world. I know Olympus cameras had this "5-axis IBIS" for years, but I have never been convinced by Olympus cameras for some reason. .

I used to like Panasonic M4/3 but of the 3 I've had over the years, 2 developed faults not long after the warranty expired. My first (a G1) got 'sticky body' syndrome and a later one (a G5) got unresponsive or unpredictable controls. In the same time I've had 4 Olympus models and all have performed flawlessly ... and still do in the case of the three I still have.

The only reason I went with Pannies was because they had built-in eye level viewfinders which Olympus was very tardy with developing, but after the faults I experienced it put me off ever buying Panasonic again.

Shovel_Knight

25-04-2019, 13:30

I had exactly the opposite experience with all of my Olympus cameras developing annoying and sometimes outright dangerous faults (on my E-P1, the spring in the lens mount had failed and a lens fell off the camera when I was hiking in the mountains and disappeared forever...) and all of my Panasonic cameras performing flawlessly over the years :-)

That’s still just a piece of anecdotal evidence though. I think both companies make excellent gear.

mikmas

25-04-2019, 13:38

That’s still just a piece of anecdotal evidence though. I think both companies make excellent gear.

I'd go with that :)

As with all tech gizmos - sometimes It's just the luck of the draw ....

struth

25-04-2019, 13:39

used to have an olympus 4/3... i gave it to my brother who still uses it. was a decent camera. i prefer my little pocket, canon one now

Jimbo

25-04-2019, 13:52

Just back from John Lewis and after setting the alarms off a few times due to the very sensitive theft devices I had a good look at both the LX100 and GX80. In particular I was impressed how the cameras EVF was reasonable to use and not as bad as has been suggested in the reviews. I am still concerned a little about the dust problem on the LX100 so may go for the GX80 but I hear the Gx90 is just about to be launched so might wait and either see if that really is a significant upgrade or just stick around and pick up a cheap GX80.

I did look at the Olympus cameras aswell and actually preferred their controls and ergonomics however as a complete package and because the image quality has been so well reviewed for the Pannies I will probably go with the GX...

Can anyone suggest a good alround lens for the GX80. I was thinking the LUMIX/Leica 15mm lens?

mikmas

25-04-2019, 14:49

Can anyone suggest a good alround lens for the GX80. I was thinking the LUMIX/Leica 15mm lens?

I have two Lumix lenses I use regularly, a 20mm fixed and a 12-32mm 'pancake' zoom.

Both are great 'walkabout' lenses but the 20mm is particularly excellent (and much faster being an f1.7 prime) if a bit limited.

15mm would be, for my use, a tad on the wide side but great for landscapes and architectural interiors (such as churches)

mikmas

25-04-2019, 14:50

doubled posting :doh:

Haselsh1

03-05-2019, 14:39

Apart from a DSLR I use an Olympus Pen Lite EPL-3 from a few years back. Bloody good camera provided you don't want large crops. Always loved Olympus from as far back as 1973.

Jimbo

03-05-2019, 16:10

Camera now sorted. Bought a Panasonic GX80 with 12-32 lens - £370 from John Lewis. Seems like a fair deal with 2 year guarantee.

It performs beyond expectation and is superbly built. The low light performance is extraordinary with ISO going down to 25,600. Will see how I get on with the lens but I may go for a 15mm f1.7 Lumix/Leica Summilux or a Lumix 25 f1.7 later.

dave2010

03-05-2019, 21:35

The LX100 Mk II seems pretty good - though at a price - https://www.wexphotovideo.com/panasonic-lumix-dmc-lx100-ii-digital-camera-1672483/

I thought it was similar to mine - which is a DMC-TZ100, but the video in the link above suggests that the LX100 Mk II has more hands-on control and costs considerably more.

My guess is that the LX 100 Mk II can take better photos, in the right hands, though it will probably still be limited for some types of photography - anything which needs a powerful zoom for example. The G80 should allow different lenses to be attached, making it more versatile - it all depends what kind of photography you want to do. The 4/3 format models do have advantages in terms of weight and cost, though better results can probably still be obtained by either Canon or Nikon DSLRs, but at significantly greater cost. The Sony Alphas do well in reviews too, IIRC.

dave2010

04-05-2019, 05:55

I'm puzzled here. I thought I'd posted to this thread last night, and that is indicated by various listings, but there's no sign of my post. I've looked several times - and each time I see that I apparently posted, but zilch is actually showing.

I was commenting on some Panasonic cameras, including my own DMC-TZ100.

Odder still - now that I've posted this, my original post does appear, just above this one. Have others noticed this happen on occasions?

The GX80 looks like a really good camera for the price - https://www.ephotozine.com/article/panasonic-lumix-gx80-gx85-review-29143 - and presumably will take a telephoto lens for nature photography etc. Are the lenses on these 4/3 models interchangeable, either between one manufacturer's ranges and another, or across manufacturers?

Some sample photos shown in Flickr here - https://www.flickr.com/search/?text=Panasonic%20GX80

struth

04-05-2019, 06:15

It's directly above your latest post

dave2010

04-05-2019, 08:59

It's directly above your latest postAs I noted in my last revision. Where it had been lurking before ... who knows?! A glitch in the system of some sort.

mikmas

06-05-2019, 23:22

Odder still - now that I've posted this, my original post does appear, just above this one. Have others noticed this happen on occasions?

The GX80 looks like a really good camera for the price - https://www.ephotozine.com/article/panasonic-lumix-gx80-gx85-review-29143 - and presumably will take a telephoto lens for nature photography etc. Are the lenses on these 4/3 models interchangeable, either between one manufacturer's ranges and another, or across manufacturers?

You ain't going mad - there is definitely some kind of glitch with this thread :thumbsup:

I submitted a reply about Panasonic lenses (post #18) and for some reason not only did it appear twice but it wasn't listed in the 'What's New' bit. Weirder still it wasn't acknowledged as the last post to this thread either.
A few days ago when Jimbo posted that he had now bought the GX80 (post #21), his post appeared in the 'What's New' but not in the thread itself when I clicked on it. :scratch:

On the other point, all M4/3 lenses are interchangeable between brands/manufacturers (if that's what you meant) ... but 4/3 lenses can only be used with an adapter :)

struth

07-05-2019, 02:40

Happens occasionally in the what's new bit. Usually sorts itself out.

Jimbo

11-08-2019, 14:51

Bought a nice new lumix 25mm f1.7 Prime lens for the Panasonic GX85. Produces some nice bokeh?

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48511649107_f5350c2854_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2gUNTae)P1010279 (https://flic.kr/p/2gUNTae) by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/162281319@N03/]Jl], on Flickr

walpurgis

11-08-2019, 15:06

Was the exposure set for low light? The depth of field looks pretty shallow, suggesting a wide aperture.

mikmas

11-08-2019, 15:23

Lovely shot - some excellent sharp detail on the flickr blowup

...the bokeh is indeed very smooth and buttery too
:thumbsup:

Jimbo

11-08-2019, 15:34

Was the exposure set for low light? The depth of field looks pretty shallow, suggesting a wide aperture.

Yes the exposure was set for low light and aperture was f2.2.

Jimbo

11-08-2019, 15:37

Lovely shot - some excellent sharp detail on the flickr blowup

...the bokeh is indeed very smooth and buttery too
:thumbsup:

Thanks Mike, very pleased with this camera and looking looking forward to buying a few more lenses including 42.5 F1.7 and 15mm Leica. The 42.5 should let me take some semi macro along with its portrait abilities.

perlogalism

11-08-2019, 16:44

You've got exactly the same set-up as me: GX80 + kit lens and the 25mm 1.7.
I'm well impressed with all the kit although the 25mm hasn't had much use up to now. The low light performance and focus stacking in camera are fabulous!
264942649526496

Jimbo

11-08-2019, 16:59