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Any "love" for Panasonic m4/3 gear?

This is an old thread but I am new here and I am currently using my Lumix GX7 for the most part. I like the lenses I have, many are Leica branded. I also have the older Lumix L1 and the L10, mostly because of the lenses which are superb optics. With the proper adapter the work with the GX7, but alas, they make the camera a bit nose heavy. Focusing is a bit slow.
 
Hi John,

good to see more members with Panasonic/ MicroFourThirds cameras out there. I had also a long journey with so many different brands and formats, from medium format down to 1 inch sensors. Each format and each brand with different advantages.

I currently use the Fuji X-system and Panasonic MFT side by side, depending on what kind of shooting and lenses I need. I started with Panasonic last December with the small GM5. I added later the GX80/85. I am really impressed with what can be achieved nowadays with this "small" MFT sensor and the "plastic lenses". Sometimes I wonder why I bother at all with other brands and/or formats. So good are these Panasonic cameras.

Looking at the sizes, I appreciate above all the small wideangle and Tele-zooms. This is where the main advantage comes through with MFT vs. i.e. Fuji X APS-C system. Try to get a 600mm (in fullframe terms) that fits in a west pocket and is still usabel for sports...

This is a crop:


P1030958.jpg
  • Panasonic - DMC-GX80
  • OLYMPUS M.75-300mm F4.8-6.7 II
  • 300.0 mm
  • ƒ/6.7
  • 1/1600 sec
  • Pattern
  • Auto exposure
  • ISO 200


of this image:


P1030958-2.jpg
  • Panasonic - DMC-GX80
  • OLYMPUS M.75-300mm F4.8-6.7 II
  • 300.0 mm
  • ƒ/6.7
  • 1/1600 sec
  • Pattern
  • Auto exposure
  • ISO 200


This is 300mm (=600mm) Jpeg ooc. No retouching at all.

Exifs:

Kamera-Hersteller: Panasonic
Kamera-Modell: DMC-GX80
Objektiv: OLYMPUS M.75-300mm F4.8-6.7 II
Aufnahmedatum: 2017-08-07 13:19:21 (keine Zeitzone)
Brennweite: 300mm (KB-Format entsprechend: 600mm)
Blende: ƒ/6.7
Belichtungszeit: 0.0006s (1/1600)
ISO: 200
Belichtungsabweichung: keine
Belichtungsmessung: Matrix
Belichtung: Zeitpriorität (halbautomatisch)
Weißabgleich: auto
Blitz ausgelöst: nein (erzwungen)
Farbraum: sRGB
GPS-Koordinate: undefined, undefined
Software: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 6.12 (Windows)
 
rronaldson said:
I'm still using my Panasonic G1 camera.
Click to expand...

It is time for an upgrade ;)

You will be surprised how good the MFT sensors became over the last 10 years. There are currently many promotions with the Panasonic Lumix GX80/85 with Kit lenses. It is really worth the money.

If you have questions, just ask here. I use at the moment with my Lumix GM5 and GX80/85 the WA Oly 9-18, the Lumix 12-32 and 35-100 Kitlenses, Lumix 25/1.7, Lumix 42.5/1.7, Lumix 35-100/2.8 and the Oly 75-300 MkII.

Best wishes
 
Looking at the Panasonic site there are a lot of options for a new camera. It is confusing. I must say that I prefer the traditional SLR shape of the G80 but it's a lot more expensive than the GX80 yet the specs seem very similar.
 
rronaldson said:
Looking at the Panasonic site there are a lot of options for a new camera. It is confusing. I must say that I prefer the traditional SLR shape of the G80 but it's a lot more expensive than the GX80 yet the specs seem very similar.
Click to expand...

Yes and yes. The naming of the different models at Panasonic is more than confusing. It is a nightmare. :sad: Even worse, depending on the region in which the same model is sold, there is another name for it. :z02_banned:

For example is GX80 and GX85 the same camera. But in Europe it is called GX80, in the US it is called GX85. I neither do not understand why every model has to have the name "Lumix" and "DMC" in front of this additionally. Marketing seems not to be Pansonics's strength ;) :z04_Flucht:

To understand the Panasonic naming/label system, you have to check two things:

1. The letter in front of the numbers
2. The amount of numbers after the letters

ad 1)

If it is written GX in front of it, it is in the shape of a rangefinder camera. Like a Leica M. Viewfinder on the left side (exception is the GM5)

If it is only "G" in front of it, it is a shape of a DSLR, although it is also a mirrorless camera. So from the appearance the main difference is the grip and where the electronic viewfinder is located. Technically there are differencess inside but not as much as you would think.

ad 2)

There is a GX8, G80/85, GX80/85, GX850, GM5 etc. Three numbers mean there is no viewfinder at all. I would call it "mainstream market". You compose the image only with the backscreen. Advantage: very very small body. Disadvantage: Not as easy to use in all situations. Example: GX850 https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonic-lumix-dmc-gx850-gx800-gf9?=

Exception here is the GM5 which is also really tiny but nevertheless has a viewfinder (but to tiltable screen). But this model is no longer in production, although you will find it in some regions still at some dealers. The sensor of teh GM5 is also older than the one in the GX850.

Two numbers after the letters mean this is for the enthusiast/advanced photographer. These bodies have a viewfinder. They have more advanced options and a different body but not per se a different sensor or better AF or better image quality ;)

Example in DSLR shape (G80/G85): https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonic-lumix-dmc-g85-g80?=

Example in Rangefinder shape (GX80/GX85): https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonic-lumix-dmc-gx85-gx80?=

One numer after the letters seems to indicate that this is the top-of-the-line model of Panasonic. But this does not mean neither, that image quality will be better than the other models of the same generation.

Example (GX8): https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonic-lumix-dmc-gx8-review?=

At the moment you will get the best price perfomance ratio with the GX80/85. But if you prefer the DSLR shape, I am sure there will be also soon promotions for them.

Hope that helps for the first overview.

Let us hope that Panansonic will find a way in the future to label their models in an easier way internationally :z04_head_wall:
 
You are welcome.

I had the exact same problem like you when I was looking for alternatives to my other systems in 2016 and tried to understand the line-up of Panasonic and Olympus and what the differences are between the models and the lenses.

What might also help is to see in real life how big or small the differences are between the bodies & lenses within the different systems and diferent sensor sizes.

I used to have Olympus many years ago already with the E620 and the "normal" FourThird system (with mirror). But I sold it again and now that I looked at MicroFourThirds (=without mirror) in 2016 closer, I was trying to find out, what kind of value the MFT system could add to my photogear-needs.

As I mentioned before, I came from fullframe (Nikon D800 and Sony A900) and was looking to size down my gear to have it easier while travelling. So I started as probably everybody else did with the 1 inch sensor compacts (Sony RX100, Canon G7X, Canon 9X) but found out soon that they can not beat my beloved Ricoh GR (APS-C sensor) and that I also need something with an interchangeble lensmount system.

So I tried the Nikon V1 and J5 (the so called "Nikon 1" system) with almost all their lenses. I liked them a lot, but was missing more FFL and it seems that Nikon does not continue that line anymore. So I was looking for alternatives in similar size & weight classes.

For larger sensors, I decided already for the Fuji X-system to replace my Nikon D800 system. But with Fuji, as soon as you want to have telezooms or wideangle zooms or at that time FFL, the lenses became big and heavy for an APS-C sized sensor system ( i.e. teh Fuji XF23/1.4, XF56/1.2, XF50-140/2.8) etc.

So Nikon 1 was too small and has maybe no future, Nikon fullframe was too heavy and too big and even Fuji X in most cases too big and heavy (this changed recently with the new Fuji FF lenses 23/2.0 WR, 35/2.0 WR and 50/2.0 WR).

There was only MFT inbetween. And if you pick carefully your lenses in the MFT system, you will get the same sizte and weight advantage of the Nikon 1 system with its 1 inch sensor, but with a significant larger MFT sensor inside.

This is why is trated with the Lumix GM5, which has the exact same size and the Nikon J5, but the GM5 has an EVF! look at the size comparison I have done between Nikon 1, MFT, Fuji X and Nikon fullframe:


R0006525.jpg
  • RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. - GR
  • 18.3 mm f/2.8
  • 18.3 mm
  • ƒ/2.8
  • 1/125 sec
  • Pattern
  • Auto exposure
  • ISO 200


R0006541.jpg
  • RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. - GR
  • 18.3 mm f/2.8
  • 18.3 mm
  • ƒ/2.8
  • 1/125 sec
  • Pattern
  • Auto exposure
  • ISO 100


R0006548.jpg
  • RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. - GR
  • 18.3 mm f/2.8
  • 18.3 mm
  • ƒ/2.8
  • 1/125 sec
  • Pattern
  • Auto exposure
  • ISO 200




Always in the order from front to back: Nikon J5, Panasonic Lumix GM5, Panasonic Lumix GX80/85, Fuji X-Pro1.
 
Even more interesting are the differences in lens size & weight- I sold already my D800 and some lenses, so I could not add anymore the Nikkor 70-200/4.0 etc. to show the size differences:

R0006570.jpg
  • RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. - GR
  • 18.3 mm f/2.8
  • 18.3 mm
  • ƒ/4.5
  • 1/40 sec
  • Pattern
  • Auto exposure
  • ISO 3200


Above: View from top to see the differences in filter size.



R0006566.jpg
  • RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. - GR
  • 18.3 mm f/2.8
  • 18.3 mm
  • ƒ/4.5
  • 1/40 sec
  • Pattern
  • Auto exposure
  • ISO 2200


Above: Sorted by focal lenght and whether it is zoom or FFL. So if yu wnat to have focal lenght i.e. 35mm in fullframe terms, you can see what kind of size and weight the lens of another system has to cover that focal length.
The difference are sometimes huge. From left to right:

A. wideangle zooms

R0006561.jpg
  • RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. - GR
  • 18.3 mm f/2.8
  • 18.3 mm
  • ƒ/4.5
  • 1/40 sec
  • Pattern
  • Auto exposure
  • ISO 3200


- Smallest Panasonic Kit lens 12-32. It is kind of a pancake lens.
# 2 is the Nikkor 6.7-18.
#3 Olympus 9-18mm.
#4 is Fuji XF10-24.
The Nikon fullframe 18-35G was sold already, but is significantly larger than the Fuji.


B. Wideangle FFL

R0006556.jpg
  • RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. - GR
  • 18.3 mm f/2.8
  • 18.3 mm
  • ƒ/4.5
  • 1/40 sec
  • Pattern
  • Auto exposure
  • ISO 2500


- Second row is wideangle FFL between 28mm and 35mm.

Winner here is Nikon 10/2.8 (Nikon 1 system). I do not have a Lumix WA FFL yet, so I do not know how big the i.e. 15/1.7 is
#2 is the new Fuji Xf23/2.0 WR (on the left side of the 10mm lens)
#3 is the Fuji XF23/1.4 (right side of the 10mm lens)
#4 as expected Nikon fullframe 35/1.8G ED.








C. Short telephoto FFL

R0006562.jpg
  • RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. - GR
  • 18.3 mm f/2.8
  • 18.3 mm
  • ƒ/4.5
  • 1/40 sec
  • Pattern
  • Auto exposure
  • ISO 3200



And this comes now at a surprise for me. Although the Nikon 1 systems covers the smaller sensor size, the 90mm FFL is bigger and heavier that the MFT fFL.

Winner is here the Panasonic Lumix 42/1.7.
#2 is the Nikkor 32/1.2.
#3 is Fuji XF56/1.2 but surprisingly very close to the Nikkor fullframe 85/1.8G.

I know these lenses have all different apertures. But If i want to achieve certain shallow DOF, I have to use sometimes F1.2 which I achieve easily already in fullframe with F1.8 or even only @F2.0.



D. Normal Telezooms

R0006563.jpg
  • RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. - GR
  • 18.3 mm f/2.8
  • 18.3 mm
  • ƒ/4.5
  • 1/40 sec
  • Pattern
  • Auto exposure
  • ISO 2000


This is a mixed comparison only focused on lenses which I do use in real life. I tried for example the Fuji XF55-200 but did not find any advantage over the Fuji XC50-230. So I sold it again and therefore my benchmark for Fuji is this XC50-230 and not the even bigger alternatives. I would never carry a XF50-140/2.8 around for travelling. Same approach with other lenses.

So in this category, the Panasonic Kit lens telezoom (35-100, on the left side) is by far the smallest one and therefore the winner.
#2 is the Nikkor 10-100 for the Nikon 1 system.
#3 is a really great lens, the Panasonic 35-100/2.8 HD telezoom. This is a lot larger than the Kit zoom, but it delivers and if you want to have more shallow DOF than the Kitzoom, you need even @200mm still F2.8
#4 is the Fuji XC50-230. Only slightly bigger than the Panasonic 35-100/2.8 HD, but for shallow DOF the Pana beats easily the Fuji. Converted to APS-C sized sensor, tha Pana has the DOF of a F4.0 in the APS-C world @200mm. The Fuji give you F6.7

R0006564.jpg
  • RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. - GR
  • 18.3 mm f/2.8
  • 18.3 mm
  • ƒ/4.5
  • 1/40 sec
  • Pattern
  • Auto exposure
  • ISO 2000




R0006574.jpg
  • RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. - GR
  • 18.3 mm f/2.8
  • 18.3 mm
  • ƒ/4
  • 1/60 sec
  • Pattern
  • Auto exposure
  • ISO 2200


And here you see what it means, if you use the lenses in real life. You want to have a longer focal lenght with your telezoom? Have fun with zooming out the lens. Only the Pana 35-100/2.8 HD stays the same size.




R0006575.jpg
  • RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. - GR
  • 18.3 mm f/2.8
  • 18.3 mm
  • ƒ/2.8
  • 1/125 sec
  • Pattern
  • Auto exposure
  • ISO 1600


This summer, I purchased the Olympus 75-300 MKII specifically to shoot surfers on holidays. So made this comparison later to see how big the differences are, if you want to go as far as 600mm in fullframe terms.



R0006577.jpg
  • RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. - GR
  • 18.3 mm f/2.8
  • 18.3 mm
  • ƒ/2.8
  • 1/125 sec
  • Pattern
  • Auto exposure
  • ISO 560


So the Olympus is @600mm smaller than the Fuji XC50-230 @345mm

R0006578.jpg
  • RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. - GR
  • 18.3 mm f/2.8
  • 18.3 mm
  • ƒ/2.8
  • 1/125 sec
  • Pattern
  • Auto exposure
  • ISO 2200


Also the filtersize of the Olympus is very attractive for a 600mm lens.

This compariosn does not mean that MFT is the best. Since the new WR FFL 23/35/50 of Fuji, the size advantage of the MFT shrinked a lot and is basically only existing woth telezooms and wideangle zooms. But still it is good to know the real life facts instead of comparing product sheets ;)

I enjoy MFT a lot. But I will keep my Fuji system, because I like it also a lot. If you stick with MFT or decide to enter this MFT system, make sure you check which lenses and bodies you want to buy. An Olympus EM1 MKII with Olympus Pro lenses is bigger than the Fuji X-System without having the bigger sensor. Food for thoughts...
 
Last edited:
Dirk, got my eye on a GX80 with twin lens kit, 12-32mm & 35-100mm. Is that a good combination? I know that sometimes kit lenses can have a poor reputation but they can save on cost.
 
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