I guess most of you already forgot that there is a new GF camera. And many months after the official release the camera still isn’t in Stock in USA (see Amazon or BHphoto). And than companies complain that mirrorless isn’t selling well 🙂
Anyway, there are new GF6 review to read. Not only, there are actually new reviews on all G cameras:
Panasonic GF6 review at CameraLabs, Trustedreviews and Pixinfo.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G6 Review by DigitalPhotographySchool.
Panasonic G5 review at Photographic Central.
Panasonic GH3 review at Imaging Resource.
Reminder: one more new GX camera will come within the next few months! And I am certainly not talking about the just announced GX7 🙂
49 Responses
Panasonic never manages to properly stock their M43 cameras until after “release”. By the time they are in stock, the demand has died, and they have to heavily discount them. You’d think they would learn by now. Somehow they can ship their point and shoot cameras on time and in bulk, which is also why they don’t get as heavily discounted.
Admin, you forgot:
http://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/panasonic_lumix_dmc_gx7_review/
Impressive! Thanks for the link.
Thanks. At least I rechecked imaging-resource.com’s first shots, that GX7 has 2EV IQ improvement in RAW over my GF3.
Maybe even 2 1/2, toss whatever you’ve got and run to buy one, your art deserves it.
Here is the E-M5 review, for comparison.
http://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/olympus_om_d_e_m5_review/image_quality/
The exposure and lighting are different, so it’s not a fair comparison; the E-M5 image is dimmer, and therefore more likely to show noise. Still, the GX7 does seem to have a one-stop advantage. Interestingly, at ISO 6400+, GX7 shows more chromatic noise, whereas E-M5 noise is more monochromatic. I wonder if the raw files are not really raw. To me, both look useable at ISO 25600, but then my frame of reference is Kodak TMZ and Ektachrome P800. 🙂 If you reduce the image by 50%, which I think is a better way to compare than 100%, GX7 definitely has an edge at ISO 25600.
And, just for “Full Frame” and “Mr. D800e”, the D800.
http://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/nikon_d800_review/image_quality/
Check out the ISO 12800 and 25600. It’s a different target, and the gray is darker still, so, again, not a fair comparison, but…
Am I the only one?
photographyblog doesn’t display the pictures for comparisation…
I have both the E-M5 and D800 the detail advantage of the D800 is so good that you are in effect able to add some NR to the D800 file while still retaining more detail and now you have at least 2 stops high ISO advantage. If you do not have access to these cameras there are no shortage of RAW samples, please give it a go you may be surprised at the difference assuming same size output. Obviously you can add NR to the E-M5 file but it is already at a detail disadvantage and the NR will further impact this.
I would recommend ignoring the RAW files from DPreview etc as they have so many variables of exposure and lighting that they cannot be considered useful. Of all the review sites the French company Focus Numerique have the most consistent lighting and exposure
The E-M5 800ISO RAW file is available here:{ RAW file download links below image crops}
http://www.focus-numerique.com/test-1381/compact-olympus-om-d-e-m5-bruit-electronique-12.html
The D800 6400ISO RAW file i available here : {RAW file download links below image crops}
http://www.focus-numerique.com/test-1390/reflex-nikon-d800-bruit-electronique-12.html
My go with a few areas of high detail circled to see the real difference at output size { a full 300dpi 18×12 inch file in this case }
https://www.dropbox.com/s/sqv84ic0uz0r68m/6400VS3200.jpg
None of this matters at all as they are two entirely different tools and when I am wandering about the mountains the fact that my E-M5/GH3 kit weighs a fraction of my D800 kit makes it the best choice by quite a margin. Call me weird but I would rather have a flask of tea and a nice packed lunch in my rucksack than a heavier larger camera kit any day.
I am an absolute convert to higher no cameras and that is my only disappointment with the E-M1 an otherwise amazing looking bit of kit,There is no real downside to higher resolution you have better more detailed low ISO files and if need be you have more detail to work with when you need to use NR on high ISO files.
> If you have any interest in reasonable comparison
I used to be obsessed with them! And there was a time I was taking and viewing more “comparison shots” than “photographs”. 🙂
Otherwise, fair enough: Since E-M5 and D800 use the same sensor technology, it only makes logical sense that D800 sensor would give better results. And, I did forget to mention “different resolution” in my list of caveat, so my bad. So-called “raw” files still need to be interpreted by software to produce those images posted on-line, and are not necessarily objective comparisons, even if the image capturing conditions are completely matched. (My pet peeve, also, is that sensor comparison shots do not all use the same lens.)
Now, D800 and a99 use the same or very similar sensors, so you would expect the same exact results, but that does not seem to be the case, which is because software and analog circuits can make a huge difference. This means that smaller sensors can perform better than physics would suggest, and vice versa.
So, despite what I know of Photographyblog’s shortcomings, and given how convinced I was of D800’s 2-stop advantage, I was surprised by what I saw. FF sensors do allow you to squeeze more out of it for sure, but I’m not sure if it a great advantage for me (emphasis on “for me”) if that requires more post-processing you described.
Perhaps what we can agree on is that at the level of producing usable images under most situations at reasonable magnification, µFT does not disappoint, even at high ISO.
“Now, D800 and a99 ”
The problem with the A99 is the light wasting SLT tech I am glad mFT cameras are not going down that road.Regarding DR and colour depth the Sony does just as well it is a high ISO that the impact of SLT comes in to play.It is certainly easy to improve the same sensor on different cameras due to better support electronics and processing etc. Olympus managed to squeeze more out of the 12mp Panasonic sensor than Panasonic , and Nikon and Pentax regularly do better than Sony when using the same base sensor.
If you have any interest in reasonable comparison { not sure you do :-)} then I would suggest downloading a controlled RAW sample.Alas the majority of so called test sites do no such thing this includes Photographyblog and DPreview with significant differences in their alleged test shots.The most consistent regarding lighting and exposure is the French site Focus Numerique.
This is what the D800 at ISO 6400 looks like compared to the E-M5 at 800 ISO the significant advantage in detail of the D800 allows a lot of flexibility in processing . NR always impacts fine detail so the more detail you have to start with the better,it is therefore possible to add some controlled NR to the D800 file while retaining both a detail and significant high ISO advantage.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/sqv84ic0uz0r68m/6400VS3200.jpg
Please give it a go the RAW files are available below:
E-M5 D800 RAW download { RAW links below ISO crops}
http://www.focus-numerique.com/test-1381/compact-olympus-om-d-e-m5-bruit-electronique-12.html
D800 6400 ISO { RAW links below ISO crops}
http://www.focus-numerique.com/test-1390/reflex-nikon-d800-bruit-electronique-12.html
Obviously you could add more NR to the E-M5 file to reduce noise to the same level unfortunately you are already at at a significant detail advantage and NR will only make matter worse
If this appears twice my apologies my first post disappeared into the awaiting moderation abyss
now let’s shrink the D800 to e-m5 size and we will have a winner!
i already look forward to the mirrorless fullframe system from sony, although it will definitely be out of my budget.
I actually find that FF combined with mFT makes for the “one beautiful system” we here about so often 🙂 If the rumors are correct about the Nex FF especially the possibility that it will have sensor AF allowing use of my Nikon glass, and provided it has a decent MP count {preferably over 30}The D800 would be my final ever DSLR
Though I still prefer the OVF I think it is mostly a matter of habit as the facts are that I am starting to miss the advantages of the EVF { info, ability to preview shots without moving eye from EVF, manual focus zoom etc} more than I miss the clarity of an OVF.
A few choice primes could make for a reasonable sized Nex FF as long as you are not a long tele shooter or prefer fast zooms . If it is sensor AF imagine the primes you could cherry pick from any system Zeiss 21mm Distagon here i come 🙂
By the time the camera will be in stock, GF7 will appear, and GF6 will sell for $200. Pana US works great!
New GX? It can only go two ways.
Below the GX7, so a GX7 without the EVF, something like the GX1 MKII.
Above, a weather sealed GX7? They could add the All-I codecs but I think that those will remains exclusive to the GH-series.
I vote for GX1 MKii. I love my GX1 but I’m this close to buying an EPL5. Which wouldn’t be a bad move at all, but I’d happily stay with GX if there was a new one with updated IQ, possibly stabilization of some sort, and maybe a tilting LCD. I’m fine with the modular viewfinder. Keeping roughly the same size and priced similar to current levels for the EPL5.
Above the GX7 is basically out of question. GX7 is already premium, and there aren’t many features they could add without making it too similar to GH3.
Below without viewfinder? That’s to similar to GF.
I think it’s a very small camera with an EVF. Take out tilting aspect, make the EVF almost level with camera back. Take away tilting from screen, and make the screen 16:9 or simply make it smaller. MAke the grip like GX1. Maybe even leave out flash. You can reduce space in all three dimenions. Paired with one of the pancakes or the 14-43 pz, you have a portable camera, interchangeble lenses and viewfinder. Still, the main bulk lies in the lens size, and you can only make the body so slim because of the flange distance.
That’s what GXyyy says to me, but it could be something completely different, too. Foxed lens m43 sensor camera for example.
New gx full frame?
Wishful thinking.
A new GX? Really? The GX-7 is about as good as it gets. They are not going to give us some cheap garbage GX w/o a finder are they?
As for a full-frame GX….now that would be cool.
– Olympius
What ? New GX to come ?
So this one with MCS tech ?
Admin , please reveal more on this part .
Hmm… I guess it’s related to Sony’s NEX FF products .
More info admin!
Please pany, make a GF7 or GF8 with GX7 sensor and smaller case.
Thanks
IBIS in video mode? WITH 24p? A pipe dream, I’m sure.
Panasonic and Fuji are a disaster in the US. Try getting a repair done on anything in your lifetime by Panasonic and if they do, there is almost a guarantee that it won’t be done right or that they break something else. Running a major Nature Photography forum I hear horror stories on Panasonic delivery, customer service, and repair constantly. Heck, you can’t even get Panasonic USA to answer a phone or return a call. It’s for this reason, that I likely will not be purchasing a great camera like the GX7 but rather get a Sony NEX with teh new Zeiss zoom. I love the Panasonic products but buying one in the US, should anything ever go wrong with it, you are completely out of luck.
Fuji’s marketing in the US is a disaster too. It is still impossible to get a X100s without ordering it and waiting weeks to several months. Some major retailers like J&R have given up and simply decided not to carry the X100s because of poor delivery by Fuji which was costing them customers in general.
Perhaps mirrorless would be more successful in the US if it weren’t treated like an afterthought here and there was actually customer support.
panasonic =fail
I confess, earlier I got worked up about one of your comments, and I flamed back… but then Admin deleted it promptly… So, its hard being a pacifist sometimes. 🙂
Anyway, I’ve never been to Hokkaido, but I’ve heard it’s beautiful in winter (or all year). To write something that rhymes with “snowfalls in Hokkaido” was an unnecessary challenge I posed for myself; once I got that, the rest fell together.
====================
THINGS YOU CAN DO INSTEAD OF FLAMING
Are we not circled by heart-taking beauty,
From night to dawn, and from early to late?
We bustle about out of sense of duty,
But, every step, many sights await.
The cracks in the wall. The petals afloat.
The sunrise in Venice. A beech.
The towers very tall. The grin on a goat.
A game of tennis. A leech.
There is never a second without a moment,
Though we no longer speak of Kodak.
If all seems lost, don’t be despondent;
Shoot some bottles of Cognac.
You’re hardly far from powerful visions,
If you are stuck in commute,
For a shot of the eyes of inquisitive pigeons
Will surely render us mute.
But, don’t stop there, if you have the chance,
Quit your warring stance, and…
Wade through the meadows and unmowed grass,
Chasing a species of beetles.
Stumble upon a sorrowful lass,
Examining a package of needles.
Snap the smile on a little boy’s face,
As he spreads berry jam on some fried dough.
Find yourself trek in a thousand-mile race,
To capture the snowfalls in Hokkaido.
🙂 Man, really… awesome!
so much beauty to a person who cant graps it. 🙂
Perhaps full frame should read this:
http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3539899
Sadly our much loved cameras are simply mass produced electronics with all makers showing the potential pitfalls such manufacturing causes. There are faulty equipment from all the makers no exceptions.Then there is the inevitable troll posts from people who have never touched let alone owned the equipment concerned yet will post apocryphal tales of woe.
Have i missed something? What is this new gx? Perhaps a more entry level version..
I just bought the G6 a week ago as an upgrade from the GH1. And I think it is a great upgrade, except for the viewfinder. It seems that the G6 is not sharp especially with far away objects until I press record video, then it sharpens. I remember testing the G6 and the GH3 in another shop and also thought both viewfinders were not very sharp, the GH1 was much better. Has anybody else has this issue too?
More than one month after announcement, there’s no preorder option for the GX7 at Amazon Germany. There are other shops with preorders, but if the biggest online retailer doesn’T have preorders, that’s definitely not a good sign. Wouldn’t be surprised if the E-M1 was available before the GX7 …
I think camera companies make less money selling through amazon compared to tradition retailers, and so stock them first. The reason I think this may be is from my experience buying the E-M5. Online retailers were yet to receive stock, yet a called my local camera shop (Paxtons Sydney CBD), asked them to put my name on one as soon as it arrived, and picked it up the afternoon of its arrival.
If you are prepared to spend $1000 on a camera, you might as well spend a little extra to have it straight away and support a local business.
ah, thanks for the explantion. I actually plan to pick up the GX7 in a local store, since I want to play with it first. I just thought it meant bad availability in general if Amazon doesn’t have it for preorder.
I wonder how quick will Olympus deliver the new E-M1 after the announcement.
It is quite strange for any company to announce a product, and then have the customer wait for months before it is actually available. But this seems like a trend among tech companies.
may be a GXH1 or GHX5 ?
Wish that will be a rugged GX7! With a redesign of their 14mm pancake to match…
Good idea!
panasonic users=losers :*
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Full Frame = 12 year old borrowing his mom’s computer to upload pics from his iPhone. 🙁
That is just plain mean, I am telling his Mum on you 🙂
does anyone know if the GF6 already has the electronic shutter like the G6 and GH3?
New GX??? I haven’t heard that rumour before. Any more details, rumours to read?
es i wrote about it two months ago. Ultrasmall GX camera to come.
So does that mean it has an EVF? Otherwise it’s too similar to GF series.
Lawn bowls cameras. Don’t forget the beige hat.