GM5 Nut case

[ArchiMark]

There is this method of changing the Japanese only GM5 to other languages as a post on dprview.

Looks complicated - I have not needed to try this myself.

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If you buy one second hand just make sure that it is in good condition. There seems no reason why they cannot keep working well for a good while yet if they have not had a hard life. They are unique and there has been no obvious wide market appetite for cameras this physical size.

Other type of very similar body size - Nikon J1, Pentax Q - have been hampered by a limited range of dedicated lenses but the GM series has access to the full range of oem M4/3 mount capable lenses to choose from. Mix and match your M4/3 lenses with your variety of M4/3 bodies.

The sensor is also somewhat larger ('4/3 mainstream' in its day). The usable evf in the GM5 and excellent intuitive use of a touch screen interface helper makes the GM5 a fairly complete basic stills-shooter with some video.

Whereas the GM5 is a fairly complete camera that can be used with almost any size lens with discretion via evf and taking the weight of thr lens in left hand the GM1 is more limited to what can be achieved by composition/focus off the lcd. I did make myself a magnetic clip on device I called a VEfinder after the style of thr Clearviewer device that has been sold commercially. Such little add on contraptions work by turning the lcd into a sort of workable evf. With the VEfinder I was able to use larger lenses, including adapted MF lenses on a GM1 body even in bright light conditions.

VEfinder - search Google - or here is an illustration: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/59525486

Tom

Thanks so much for your input and links, Tom! It is very helpful and opens up more options for getting one of these cameras....

Reviewed instructions and I'm comfortable with doing/risking this approach. Have reflashed other computing devices, etc, so, not too worried...

Mark

 

[ArchiMark]

Looked at the VEFinder, Tom, that's quite a little gadget!

Question please....

Putting aside cost differences, would you go for a GM1 or GM5 if you had the option?

Thanks.

Mark

 

[Tom Caldwell]

I was attracted to the G100 but lacking IBIS and a flip up screen it was sadly no replacement for my GX85/80

Lack of IBIS has never worried me with my GM series bodies. I prefer tilt up/down lcd myself. The fact that the G100 was billed as a V-Log camera turned me right off.

But when the price came down to 'quite affordable' I found that it was indeed a fairly light in weight, useful stills camera and I could 'pretend' that the side hinged lcd was really a fixed one. It is 100gm lighter in weight than the GX9 when every gramme counts. But that alone does not make the G100 a replacement for the GX9 which is a very good camera. The G100 is more supplementary than a replacement - a sort of best that can be had short of an updated GM5 when you cannot find a GM5. Even though it is not really a GM5 as it is twice the size and weight and won't ever fit into even the most ambitious pocket.

However more to the point is that it seems to be in the same trajectory as the GM series once was when Panasonic was selling them at quite reasonable prices and people were still holding off for tilt screens and IBIS and a better shutter mechanism. Or the fire sale that never happened.

The G100 is probably not a bad buy at current pricing and its like may not ever happen again - maybe I am wrong, but maybe a G100 with its faults is worth buying now rather than waiting for the improved version that might never come.

There are a few who have come to see the GM5 as a classic that has become hard to find. I stocked up when the price seemed right and did not wait for the real bargains that never came.

 

[Tom Caldwell]

Looked at the VEFinder, Tom, that's quite a little gadget!

Question please....

Putting aside cost differences, would you go for a GM1 or GM5 if you had the option?

Thanks.

Mark

If it was just for use as a pocket camera with small lenses then the GM1 is well worthwhile and cheaper. But the GM5 with usable evf is a complete camera and can be used as such because the evf makes it comfortable for use with all size lenses and MF is very possible and easy.

The GM1 is nice but the GM5 is the classic.

It took me '14' prototypes and many hours up in the shed to make the mount bar of the VEfinder which clips on to a small stub with insert steel semi-permanently attched to the camera body. Only needed and useful whee there is no evf provided. I also made mounts for the Pentax Q, Ricoh GXR-M and Ricoh GR (which was a GXR mount installed in reverse). The magnetic mount is strong enough to remain attached unless you give the camera a good shake. But can be attached, dismounted, in a second - it also folds into a very small space and with glass lens it is robust enough to be pocketed. It has raised guide rails to make mounted location easy.

I used a conventional bought linen tester as the lens part. This has roughly the right focal length to use with eye 'against' to eye-focus on the lcd. It shows the centre square of the lcd but the edges can be seen if you roll your eyes to look. A made for purpose lens would have been great but the lens-tester host is easily available and affordable. The ambient light principle means that the user's pupil adjust to the light emitted from the lcd and not the bright light that has just made direct use of the lcd not possible. It works for quick accurate composition/focus but most would prefer a great big bright clear and precise evf - probably as large as the GM1 camera body

It has one real disadvantage - don't point the lens at the sun when attached to the camera body as it will burn pixels on the lcd. But I soon enough used the advantage of the magnetic attachment to flip it on when needed and off when not in use.

 

[ArchiMark]

Thank you, Tom for your input and info!

Really helps me understand everything.

 

[Travis Butler]

Question please....

Putting aside cost differences, would you go for a GM1 or GM5 if you had the option?

For me, it was simple and traceable to a specific day.

I originally bought a GM1 because the price was lower. And I got along 'OK' with it.

Until the day I tried to shoot an air show, in the middle of August, on a bright and cloudless day.

After several hours of trying to shoot by pointing it in what I hoped was the right direction, because the screen was washed out so badly that I only had a vague idea what was in the frame... I fought my way through intermittent cell connection to place an order for the GM5, before I even left the airport. ^^;;

 

[ArchiMark]

For me, it was simple and traceable to a specific day.

I originally bought a GM1 because the price was lower. And I got along 'OK' with it.

Until the day I tried to shoot an air show, in the middle of August, on a bright and cloudless day.

After several hours of trying to shoot by pointing it in what I hoped was the right direction, because the screen was washed out so badly that I only had a vague idea what was in the frame... I fought my way through intermittent cell connection to place an order for the GM5, before I even left the airport. ^^;;

Thanks for your story, Travis.......got your message loud and clear.....

 

[jalywol]

Thanks for your story, Travis.......got your message loud and clear.....

I also had a GM1, a really neat little orange one. You couldn't see ANYTHING on the screen on a bright day. That, combined with encroaching presbyopia, meant that I had to have an EVF or forever would be holding the thing out at arm's length to see the screen, or else fiddling with reading glasses.....

The GM5 solved all that. I've had mine since 2015, and I still treasure it. Even with a GX9 and an S5, the little GM5 goes with me when I want to be light and inconspicuous. It's really perfect for that.

I dearly wish they'd come out with a new one.

I did try the G100 when it came out, but I was singularly unimpressed with it. I got the GX9 instead, at the time, which is not a heck of a lot heavier, but has nicer color science as well as IBIS, Dual IS, and, IMO, feels better in hand than the G100. However, a true, tiny, GM5 successor, with a current sensor, would be a no brainer buy for me....

-J

 

[Tom Caldwell]

I also had a GM1, a really neat little orange one. You couldn't see ANYTHING on the screen on a bright day. That, combined with encroaching presbyopia, meant that I had to have an EVF or forever would be holding the thing out at arm's length to see the screen, or else fiddling with reading glasses.....

The GM5 solved all that. I've had mine since 2015, and I still treasure it. Even with a GX9 and an S5, the little GM5 goes with me when I want to be light and inconspicuous. It's really perfect for that.

I dearly wish they'd come out with a new one.

I did try the G100 when it came out, but I was singularly unimpressed with it. I got the GX9 instead, at the time, which is not a heck of a lot heavier, but has nicer color science as well as IBIS, Dual IS, and, IMO, feels better in hand than the G100. However, a true, tiny, GM5 successor, with a current sensor, would be a no brainer buy for me....

-J

The GM1 was and is a handy little quite powerful point and shoot and can also be used with a variety of lenses but unaided it wimps out on bright days. Furthermore those used to holding their miniature camera by each end of the camera body will soon find large lenses cumbersome. Furthermore there is not a lot of body to grip before the thumbs meet touch-lcd interface and touching the screen with careless thumbs can have unintended consequences. Not the camera's fault.

Many also had trouble with the rear wheel were over-zealous rotating can easily operate the underlying arrow key functions. I had a few Scottish curses that I had not previously known that I knew that came from 'that' wheel before I learned that it was very sensitive to input, and did not need thump-thumb contact and liked to be rotated in parallel to the back of the camera. Once I developed what I described as 'the lover's touch' for its operation I became almost a fan.

The GM5 by comparison is a 'proper camera' simply made small and somewhat bereft of 'user conveniences' but it does have all the necessary controls to operate as a full function camera. That touch-lcd is also a magic shared by all the modern Panasonic cameras that I know. It is not twee entry level icon but a serious tool which rewards intelligent use. The evf is adequate and works as is necessary. If this is not adequate then the user surely should not wish to use a camera body thus small.

The rear wheel was a rebound fit after complaints about the GM1 wheel - it is a as rugged in action as the GM1 wheel was touch sensitive, But I suspect thump-thumb is still very much alive as the principal flaw of the GM5 seems to be a dicky rear wheel - maybe from it being oft pressed 'CLICK' with some gusto?

The worst feature of the G100 is its grip - the rest of the G100 is pretty good in my opinion. I can put up with the grip at the price I bought mine. I will acknowledge that the GX9 is a better all round camera - but if I can afford both .... why not?

The grip on the G100 brings back the nightmare grip of the Sony Series One A7 with the shutter button on top with finger cccked to use it and the little 'pinkie' finger hanging uselessly off the bottom and the thumb struggling around the proper thumb rest as it tries to give the remaining two fingers on the front grip some assistance. The other issues of the A7R made the grip harder to forgive. But the G100 is so well sorted out otherwise that I forgive it its awkward grip.

 

[ArchiMark]

Hi again,

Well, looks like I'm now a member of the GM5 Nut Case Club....and GM1 club too....

Managed to get them both in excellent condition....and successfully converted them to English from Japanese.

Fun little cameras that take great pics....

Will definitely keep the GM5, not sure about GM1....

Anyone have any recommended settings for these little guys?

Thanks,

Mark