Panasonic GF2 Announced

[The Vinyl Adventure]

Panasonic have announced a replacement for the GF1 ... the GF2

http://media.panasonic.eu/images/DMC-GF2CEB-K-HiRes-Image__Image--[1]((Europe))-1ZoomA1001001A10J25B65347A45048.jpg

more here

http://www.realphotographersforum.com/content/160-Panasonic-GF2-Announced

:)

[Thermionic]

It reminds me of a Leica Standard, no viewfinder then?:):):):)

[MartinT]

So do I go for a GF1 cheap after Christmas or wait for a GF2? What are the main differences?

[Stratmangler]

Phew !!!

I thought it was virtual girlfriend 2, going off the thread title;)

[MartinT]

That would be GF2.0 :)

[The Vinyl Adventure]

I know I'm a geek because I know why that joke is funny and i find it funny ...

Main differences appear to be
Smaller
Lighter
Higher max iso
Touch screen
Less controls through buttons
Full spec avchd hi def video

It will be more aimed someone who wants very good images from a compact camera, and less aimed at the pro second camera Market ... Judging by the spec and pictures at least...

I don't know how long the gf1's will hang around Martin ...
What you need to weigh up Martin is if you are going to get more from a smaller lighter camera (some what of a moot point once you add the 14-45 lens that will make either camera not fit in your pocket) or a camera with possibly slightly quicker access to the manual controls... But like I say in my bit on RPF, the gf1 isn't exactly first class when it comes to intuitive controls, so the new touch screen might actually be easier to use ... Touch screen on cameras is a bit gimmicky for my liking, but without playing with one there is no way of knowing if it is any better or worse than the gf1 ... I'm only guessing that it will be slightly more confusing based on how confusing the gf1 is with buttons for quick access to most of the modes ....
Sorry that's not very clear is it...
Basically cameras like these tend to have a whole lot of features that come from slrs ... I'm used to an slr that is massive and has plenty o space for intuitively laid out buttons... Shrink the camera, but keep much of the feature set and you are left with the problem of where to put the buttons ... The gf1 does an ok job, but many of the buttons have more than one use ... The gf2 appears to have true to solve this problem by putting those buttons and features in a touch screen menu... There is no real way of knowing how successfully this will have been implemented without getting your hands on one...
All the other new features of the gf2 appear fairly unrelated to image quality ... I appears to be a similar sensor (if not the same one) just wrapped in a different body ... This doesn't mean the image quality won't be better in jpeg shooting... It just means it won't be night and day... So the main considerations need to be about useability and pocketability ... Hence my ramblings ...
It's well worth reading the dpreview preview and the press release from Panasonic (links in my article on RPF) ... He does joke about the likes of me quibbling the removal of buttons and being "aghast" at a touch screen... He probably has a point, and he does own a gf1 and has used a gf2 ... So maybe he is right ... I just personally always worry about the useablility of touch screen camera (I have a Sony tx5 and think it fails because of it's touch screen) ... But this is coming from a iPhone user ... So maybe I should just stop worrying...
If you want more nonsensical ramblings Martin your more than welcome to phone me ... But the reality on which is better for you will only come from trying them both out... The problem, the gf1 is now so cheap, you risk them selling out before ou have that opportunity!

[MartinT]

I bought a GF1 on the basis that it's spec'd perfectly for me and I certainly don't want a touch screen. I've just received it, with 14-45 zoom lens and optional digital viewfinder. It's a beautiful piece of kit, fits perfectly in the hand and takes astonishingly good pictures, making my old Minolta Z5 look a little poor in comparison.

I need to seriously RTFM because there are so many settings. Looking forward to using it in anger.

[chris@panteg]

Hi Martin

i had a close look at one a few weeks ago , i like the look and feel of these:).

lens quality looks to be top notch , based on a Leica as i understand it .

[MartinT]

It certainly does look and feel good. I understand the lens is made by Leica.

[The Vinyl Adventure]

dont buy that made by leica stuff the peddle at you in the shops martin, its a panasonic lens, even the ones that say leica on them are probably just made under licence by Panasonic ... have you seen the price of the average leica lens? take a look at this leica zoom lens http://www.cliftoncameras.co.uk/Leica_16-18-21mm_f4_Tri-Elmar-M_Asph_with_Univ_WA_Finder ... half of leicas are made by Panasonic now adays ... leica them selves just make the posh stuff ... take a look on you tube for "leica factory tour" you will see what i mean ...

that all said, it doesnt take away from the quality of the panasonic lens, it is indeed very nice ... get your self one of the panasonic 20mm 1.7's .. thats a really nice lens and makes for a great carry round lens...

when do we get to see some photos? you gonna join the forum? :)

[MartinT]

All in good time, Hamish. Actually, I don't care who makes the lens as Panasonic's manufacturing facilities are superb (I visited quite a few Japanese plants when I used to work for NEC). What interests me is that Leica designed the lens and are prepared to be associated with it.

My initial trials are very promising and it's good to have a much shorter delay between commanding a shot and the camera actually responding. The basic quality of what I'm taking is stunning, even looking close-up at the resulting 12M pixel images. I shall play with it some more later on.

[The Vinyl Adventure]

I say to people in the shop all the time, ignor the branding and concentrate on the quality of the outcome of pushing the button! We often get people in to the shop talking about panasonic and leica lenses, my comments are always the same - Sony use ziess lenses, fuji, fujinon etc etc ... At the end of the day the biggest factor is cost, any lens for any camera is going to be made to a cost relative to the price of the camera it's on! The 14-45 panasonic is £200 worth of lens that's more than the majority of digital compacts for the whole camera so it's bound to me pretty good... Factor in leica input into design and the fact that it's made by panasonic and yeah, You have a good chance of it being a good bit of kit!
I'd still recommend te 20mm if you want to see what that camera can really do... I'll loan you mine if you want to try it for a week??

[MartinT]

Hamish - which forum should I join? The fourthirds-user.com forum, or another one? Thanks for the offer on the lens loan, I'll get back to you or I may just pick one up in the January sales.

[The Vinyl Adventure]

Which forum????
Ok matey, well the offer is there! I'm not sure you will get on in the sales it won't be being replaced next year I doubt... Well worth it if you do spot one cheep though!

[Mark Grant]

Hamish - which forum should I join?

It's in Hamish's signature ;)

[MartinT]

Ah <twig>. Silly me :doh:

[Frog-n-Oatcakes]

I have a GF1 also. I bought it in Japan with a 20mm pancake lens, then hacked the language settings to convert it to European and also better quality video recording.

GF2 looks neat, but after experiencing touch screen with the higher end cams I prefer the usual point and click.

;)