Dpreview (Click here) published the full Panasonic GX7 review. It earned the “Silver Award” and that’s what DP thinks of the camera:
Panasonic has thrown virtually every possible feature into its DMC-GX7 mirrorless camera, and for the most part, they’ve succeeded. We like the photo and video quality, performance, customizable controls, and silent shooting mode. That said, the limitations on the in-body IS system, the tendency to close down the aperture in Program mode, and lack of in-camera Raw processing keep the GX7 from earning our highest recommendation.
GX7 store links: [shopcountry 40644]
78 Responses
What a surprise. I thought they dropped it in favor of EM-1.
It’s a fantastic camera, I love it.
It is fantastic camera but after using em1, gx7 dials, buttons and viewfinder feels really cheap compared too em1. Believe me I have both of them and em1 feels like much much more expensive camera in hands and viewfinder is so great that gx7 looks nearly unusable in comparison.
Although electronic shutter, using LCD as AF touchpad and much better wifi support is still something that Olympus is missing on em1.
I use them both now after selling e5 and e600.
One would hope that a camera that costs 50% MORE would be a little better built.
I’ve not seen or handled an EM1 yet, but am curious.
After hearing all the over-the-top praise for the EP5, I wasn’t all that impressed. Sure, it’s a very good build quality, but no better than the GX7.
The E-M1 feels as tough as the E-5, E-3, or E-1–as if you could hammer nails with it.
E-M1 reminded me a bit about D300 and D700. Obviously much smaller and lighter, but it feels really well build and “tight”. E-M5 wasn’t bad, but E-M1 really feels better build and the buttons are much better quality.
I’d say GX7 is in E-P5/E-M5 class when it comes to build, not bad at all. I’d have no problems reccommending GX7, except for extreme usage. It’s obviously not a pro level camera like the E-M1 would like to be.
Question..
On the E-M1, are you able to adjust the menus while looking thru the Veiwfinder? Or do you have to move your face away from the camera? Is this the same as the E-P5?
I know I can adust almost anything on the GX7 without moving my eye away from the VF.
Also, the Silent Mode on the GX7 is unmatched! That is a key feature in this camera. The ibis, though not as good as Olympus’s is still there and that’s WAY better than not having any at all!
Dp’s review is full of BS. They’re quick to mentuon faults for some cameras, yet shy from faults of other cameras.
In my opinion, the GX7 is what a M43 should be.
Why would you want that? You only use the menus when you set the camera up. Everything you need while shooting is available on dedicated buttons, when you have configured the camera.
Because it’s an option, and I have used it.
With the E-M1 you can adjust about everything you need during shooting when looking through the view finder. Fortunately, not via a menu system, but via dedicated buttons and controls or a live menu panel, which is easy to navigate. No need to go into the menu, that’s why the camera’s ergonomics are so excellent.
Interesting comparison of IBIS of the two: http://tysonrobichaudphotography.wordpress.com/2013/10/17/the-gx7-vs-the-om-d-e-m5-battle-for-my-affection-round-1-ibis-evfs-lcds/
Wasn’t this was supposed to be the best ever m43 and mirrorless camera?
It was at the time it was released. But the EM1 came out shortly afterwards. Frustratingly for Panasonic the same thing happened with the GX1 and EM5
I had a chance to handle it real quick in a London duty free zone.
I was surprised by the louder than expected shutter sound and that it had eye auto focus.
One thing I was very unplesently surprised was to find out that EVF still has color tearing.
This.
It just feels like a higher res version of the G3 EVF.
It’s not really that big of a deal.
The tearing (at least to me) is only visible when you move your eye fast across the image. And even at that, I got used to it very quickly.
Otherwise, I’m pretty happy about the fact that the colors are almost the same, on the EVF and on the LCD (what is apparently not true about most other EVFs).
What ? Silver award again .
I think Pana have to paint the next GX to gold color to demand gold award fr DP .
The “rainbow tearing” in the EVF didn’t help.
I thought that Panasonic would have learnt plenty from the GH3’s EVF. I certainly have.
I am guessing they just need to add the word pro and charge twice as much. Perhaps add a little shutter shock and gold it is for them.
no they also needed to add a 1″ hump. Plus photographers are primarily interested in the fashion aspect of cameras – that “feel” expensive, eg if they have any “plastic” as opposed to “metal” (as though, without qualification, that were a meaningful distinction in terms of mechanical hardness or something) it makes them feel inferior to all the other photographers they run into who give them sideways glances. The super-positive response to the GM1 made it crystal clear that functionality comes second to just about everyone after fashion. Ditto the fact that most people who are unhappy with the GX7 EVF (which I just don’t see anything distractingly wrong with – unlike the absolutely atrocious and unusable VF-3 which, obv, the community was mostly silent about) made the completely absurd comparison to the EP5 with a completely functionally absurd and impractical VF4 mounted on top, so it’s the size of a DSLR. Obviously, if you think that is a reasonable comparison, then you didn’t really value a streamlined body to begin with, and why look at the GX7 at all? Stick an extra inch in your pocket and shell out for the EM1.
The E-M1 EVF was good enough that I could give up an optical viewfinder for it.
I wasn’t able to photograph sports while I had the camera, but it easily was better than the EVF for the GH3, which often gives me nothing while I’m wearing sunglasses. I’m guessing the Olympus VF-4 is equally good for the E-P5 but it’s too easy to forget.
I intended to replace my GX1 with an E-P5, or hearing good things and against my better judgement, a GX7.
The E-P5 ended up a fantastic camera, feeling solid, but just a bit too big in hand, too cluttered and with the annoying habit of releasing its flash too easily (which was easily fixed in my handling, but not when it happens in bag).
I then tried the GX7, the viewfinder while great on paper is atrocious in practice, reminiscent of the worse things about the G1 viewfinder, it makes the GH3 and its fishbowl effect look great.
The camera feels cheap and plastic, you don’t have the sensation of holding a solid and beautiful object.
The IBIS is, effectively, useless.
But it can take great pictures…
But it’s even less pocketable than the E-P5…
Considering the GM1 lacks too many controls, I’ll be keeping my GX1 as a basis for my compact 3 lens kit (Oly 12 2.0, 17 1.8 and 45 1.8) at least one more year, there are too few pictures taken with it that I wish were taken with a newer camera (most of the missed ones are due to operator incompetence).
The only thing I miss is electronic shutter.
The GX7 should be compared to the EP5….same market.
I sold my GX1 and purchased the EP5 Kit w/VF &17mm…light years better as far as this photographer is concerned. Build = VERY SOLID. Just the sensor alone is worth the upgrade….although it is a larger camera.(Funny…I have never popped my flash up, in my hands or in my bag….but I know that many have an issue with this). I have big hands and even added to the camera size by putting it in a Gariz half-case…more positive in my hands and the perfect size for me. I am also not having any issues with the IBIS that DPReview knocked the EP5 down for in their review (although I don’t doubt that the cameras they tested were having some kind of issue).
I like my EP5 sooooooooooooo much that I just sold my EM5 ….I stopped using it…. I am thinking there is am EM1 in my future perhaps.
The Panasonic ibis effectively usesless…? Hahahaha! What are you, cripple? -have arthritis? Stop…
Panasonic ibis is better than having none at all.
GX7 feels great in the hand, top is plastic, but I’ve owned this camera since September and it’s super comfortable to hold.
I don’t have a problem with the VF like some mention. Maybe because I wear glasses? I don’t know. My only complaint is smudge on my glasses.
Coming from the GF2 and GX1, this camera is exactly what I wanted from M43. So to me, im good.
Let me rephrase it, in my – admittedly limited – time with the GX7, I felt the IBIS made no difference in use compared with the GX1*, while on the E-P5 (and E-M5) it made a world of difference (allowing me to stop down further than with the GXs, which strangely required the same aperture, maybe my lack of practice with the GX7 was to blame, but I didn’t have that problem with the E-P5 I found less comfortable in hand).
Having IBIS is great, but if when in use the results are undistinguishable from not having it, what’s the point ?
Now concerning the EVF :
– I found the tearing more noticeable than on the G1, maybe because it is a better viewfinder and my brain doesn’t expect it as it did with the G1, or maybe I got used to the absence of tearing on the E-M5 and GH3.
I’ve heard some people don’t notice tearing at all, even on the G1, they are fortunate, alas I do not share that fate.
– I found the EVF uncomfortable, it was hard to find a position that felt natural AND didn’t lead to weird reflections if you have a light source in just the wrong position (probably what DPR is saying, but that’s an infrequent problem, amplified by the low sun at the moment so I wouldn’t hold it against the GX7).
– As with the L1 before it, the offset viewfinder is annoying at times, but it’s nothing that a few more days with it wouldn’t have fixed.
I’m not saying either camera is bad, however they both are a disappointment for my purpose and that may colour my opinion.
That I find a feature useless or disappointing doesn’t mean that someone with other preexisting gear, priorities, shooting style and purpose for the hardware will not like it, far from it.
I really wanted one of them for their IQ… in the end a lot of things made them great, but not really able to tick the boxes that made them a suitable replacement for a GX1.
* With focal length up to 60mm, which is what concerns me; With anything longer, the GX7 IBIS indeed made a difference, but I still found it inferior to the Mega- and PowerOIS of Panasonic zooms, especially on the 100-300; Unfortunately long FL and telezoom are not what the GX7 was designed for, which means that where the IBIS actually is useful, you start having balance and handling problems (well, less than with the E-P5 but still, it’s no GH3 or E-M5 with grip).
“Having IBIS is great, but if when in use the results are undistinguishable from not having it, what’s the point ?”
Again, I find you reaching.
I’ve come from a GF2, a GX1, even a L-1. I even iwn a Canon 6D.. NONE if them have ibis. So I see a difference! Is it a big difference? No, but I can tell the difference from some shots missed (slight blur), to some really sharp.
Even still, I don’t find ibis a deal breaker, never have, and my hands shake. That didnt stop me from purchasing cameras before and it won’t ever. I find it an excuse and a crutch. Besides, I prefer in lens stabilization. If I don’t have it at all, no problem whatsoever. It’s like, am I not going to buy a car because it doesn’t have power windows, abs? It’s still a car, just like a camera is still a canera.
If IBIS was that much of a factor I wouldn’t have kept the GX1.
Maybe we just don’t shoot the same things in the same conditions…
The fact it made no difference for me doesn’t invalidate the fact it made a difference for you, my rhetorical question wasn’t there to convince other people to see things my way, but to explain to you the reason behind my appreciation of the feature.
I really don’t get why Panasonic bothered to include it at all, like with the EVF, they did a half-assed job and end up being criticized for it more than if they had done nothing at all.
YOU see it as being Criticized, while others including myself Praise it. A Built in VF that mostly everyone here as well as other places wanted. Yet you wish to bash it because it’s not up to your standards? What, You can’t shoot without it? Do you have the GX1 with the add on VF2? Do you bash that as well, or do you just use the Back screen to compose your shots??
You claim they shouldn’t have added either… Then you have that camera, a GX1. So why complain?
If you can’t see the difference from the GX7 ibis, to none at all, maybe you need glasses, or if you have some, a stronger prescription! I swear, People complaining about the GX7 and it’s ibis or VF are like Spoiled Brats, crying that their Milk isn’t warm enough!
There is one simple complaint about the GX7 EVF, which is that it sucks for most people who wear glasses. No, taking off glasses in no solution because it means glasses on, glasses off, picture, glasses on, see something interesting, glasses off, picture, glasses on etc etc, not to mention the diopter range is too limited for many people who need glasses.
Beyond that, I really like the GX7 and for a while have been pondering to replace one of my e-m5s with one.
The GX7 is a flagship model in the sense that it contains all the most recent technology available to Panasonic and wraps it in a well built, highly functional package. It makes a very solid option which is up-to-date and up-to-competition. However, it is so packed with features that some flaws are inevitable. Now, ironically those little flaws in design and operation get picked on by the critics (is in-camera RAW conversion that useful? I doubt it).
One more thing, the GX7 gets constantly compared with the E-M1 although those cameras are targeted at different users. It would make more sense to compare it to its direct peers, the NEX6/7 and Fuji X-E2 while The E-M1 should be compared to cameras like Pentax K3 and perhaps Panasonic GH3.
Exactly! You are 100% right. I have never in my life used in camera raw conversion so I won’t miss it. I shot raw+jpg, the jpgs I can send to my iPad for quick sharing and the raw files will be processed and edited in Lightroom. I find the tiltable EVF wonderful and use it alot more than I use the screen. I also own a E-M1 btw, I use that for studio shooting. Two different cameras for different purposes.
In Camera Raw Conversion complaint is severley reaching. They were combing this camera fir faults.
Funny how most reviewers pit the GX7 against the E-M1, when the GX7’s REAL competition is against the E-M5/E-P5, and the very few that actually do the correct comparisons score the GX7 higher against the twi Olympus cameras!
And their lame excuse is because they’re new and are the flagship cameras… I’m waiting for the GH3 vs E-M5 review.
The bad E-VF, you find that a detail ? I guess that is what took the camera a point against the E-M5, that plus the fact it doesn’t have IBIS usable during video. The fact the P program ups the speed and thus the ISOs is also a problem.
DPR as usual does inaccurate judgment on some points.
As an example they rate EM1 and even EM5 video performance same level as GX7, while EM1/5 only offer 1080/30p 20 or 17 Mbps and no peaking durin video.
Possibly they don’t know what they are talking about ! what a pity !
GX7 video specs:
– 1080p 60p/60p 28 Mbps
– 1080p 300p/25p 24 Mbps
– 1080p 24p 24 Mbps
– Focus peaking during video
– very fast and robust AF during video wihtout hunt
EM1/EM5
– NO 1080p 60p/60p
– NO 1080p 25p 24 Mbps, only 300p/25p 24 or 17 Mbps
– NO 1080p 24p
– NO Focus peaking during video
– NOT very robust AF during video wihtout lots of hunting
in the meantime some other dedicated and expert wibsites have compared GX7 video to be quite on par with GH3 video flagship and in some point even a little better apa
apart the fact that GH3 does higher ALL-I / IPB bit rates.
Where did they do the video comparison to E-M5? I re-read their review and can find no such reference.
They did mention the limitations in video:
1. No mic or headphone input
2. IBIS cannot be used for movies
3. Limited bitrates
In the Conclusion section there is a table where you can compare GX7 to other cameras by topic such as Build quality, image quality, performance, high ISO, Video, etc.
So if you select EM1 or EM5 then you will see that on video topic they show exactly same level with GX7 !
Which is surprising because in the EM1 review they conclude by “Disappointing video quality” while in the GX7 review they say in the comments “The video quality is impressive” but not mention this as a Conclusion – Pros.
Not very consistent review as usual !
Oh, it’s consistent all right… It has to score below all recent Olympus cameras… FAIL.
Ok. I see what you are referring to. I have never done that comparison before. But when compared to the E-M1, the GX7 has a higher score in “Movie/Video Mode”, so I am not sure why you think they gave it the same score. There is a difference of around 5 points (though the exact number is not shown).
The il possibility to use IBIS may be what bothers them compared to the E-M5 ! I know it would disturb me.
Looked at it since I would like a second body with somewhat useful video capability that is not as huge and heavy as GH3.
Whatever to think of DPR, result is consistent with DxO test, slightly worse in IQ than e-pl5 in parameters that matter to me. After the e-pm2/e-pl5 nothing has improved very much. If only Olympus could provide 1080/60p at 28Mbps in one of those normally priced models…
MFT currently feels like a much overpriced compromise for many applications without seeing any real improvement, no interesting new lenses either, still waiting for a proper tele lens.
Have you tried the 45mm and 75mm from Oly? The are quite proper.
I am a Panny guy (I own 3 have owned 6).
That said with the GX7 price DP review should have not compared it to one camera. I think this camera is a little too large,
it;s bigger than my Fuji X-E1 (sheesh) for M 4/rds and not as good.
Time for Panny to pull the AA filter and offer a GX7E or whatever they want to call it. Panasonic is working on reinventing the sensor and I can’t wait till that happens because what we have in the GX7 outside of a fun camera with many features, is the same image quality or darn close of EVERY M 4/3rd camera for the last 4 years and that has gotta change soon.
E-M5 was a big step up in IQ for m43 at the beginning of 2012, so IQ is the same since about two years, not four.
Have other manufacturers improved a lot since 2012? Sony mirrorless improved by moving to FF, and that’s about it.
Want big IQ leap? Well, then come back in 2015-2016.
ARE YOU BLIND?
Did you see pg 4, Body & Design? Did you not see the size comparison? You’re full of it.
The GX7 beats it in smaller size, and it’s even worse with the lenses attatched.
Go spin somewhere else, please.
I recently used a GX7 for about a week. If it had the Olympus 5-axis stabilization technology, It would be my choice as a general purpose capturing system. The electronic shutter is great when silence is required—ideal for time lapse (a high value in my productions). Image quality (stills and motion) is consistent at both functions. It wins huge points in the form-factor department. The EVF might not be a good as other more costly systems, but I was able to use manual focus glass with ease.
I hope Panasonic will continue to evolve this line.
I really disappointed that this not-so-small does not have an articulated screen instead of the tilt one. If it had this it would be an absolute winner in terms of ergonomics – not only within M43 but over the whole market
What a shallow review. Not much more than marketing blurb and complaint about EVF and lack of stabilisation in video. Is this all this camera is about???
I smell the typical Olympus bias in their review… I had to repost this:
So compared to the E-P5 the following is worth 1 point I take it? Congratulations DPR, you’ve outdone yourself once again.* E-P5 is more expensive;* E-P5 has no EVF, requiring a $300 add-on;* E-P5 has a major fault: shuttershock;* E-P5 applies focus peaking as an art filter, which reduces the display frame rate, stops the use of other art filters, and is unusable in video (where it’s essential);* E-P5’s video quality is a mess with no 24/25/50/60p (no PAL frame rates);* E-P5 has no electronic shutter;* E-P5 wifi is only usable in iAuto mode (and unlike the GX7, no control of: WB, ISO, aperture/ss, exposure comp, focus mode, burst mode, bracketing, photo style, image quality, metering, flash mode, video quality and record options, stop animation, etc etc);* E-P5’s time lapse is limited to 999 exposures and doesn’t put the camera to sleep between shots;* E-P5 has no sweep panorama
So why are you complaining….DPR rated the GX7 one point higher than the EP5? 🙂
IF that’s the case, with the fact that they were wrong about the flash, the very mild complaint of In body RAW conversion and BETTER Video Quality than ANY Olympus camera, should place it more than 1 point over the E-P5!
“I smell the typical Olympus bias in their review… I had to repost this:”
You probably can call that a bias. I think DPR simply doesn’t like Panasonic much.
Just look at the gold to the 70D. Compare the review to GX7’s. Every minor P.o.S. in Canon is “WOW!” while for Panny it is “let’s move on.” (m43 was routinely penalized for outdated sensor – but 70D’s outdated sensor hasn’t even got a mention.)
In reality, DPR was always like that. Take the in-camera RAW development. When it first appeared in Oly’s DSLR, DPR’s reaction was like “hu? why? so what.”. Now they think it is worth mentioning in cons. Despite it being so frigging niche feature that it is even not worth the mention. (I have tried many times to use it on my E-520, but it is just too hard to get the conversion right. It’s much easier to shoot RAW+JPEG, what pretty much everybody (== everybody shooting RAWs) doing this days anyway.)
This is the first camera I own that needs little or no pp in its jpegs. I feel like Jeff Keller somehow downplayed the cameras amazing IQ for some ulterior motive. I feel violated.
The EVF is an real issue but complaining about the lack of better IBIS? WTH. Panasonic didn’t use IBI and they do for the first time, this should be considered an extra in a review not something to nitpick. The same goes for the in-RAW processing and his complain about the aperture in Program mode, this are all minor things.
One could counter that with the fact that Panasonic has the most complete set of features for their Wi-Fi app, allowing to have a lot of control and even shooting video. I say this because the Wi-Fi app is mentioned as something positive in their conclusion of the E-P5 review, it’s easy to configure but not very quick though.
If the reviewer wanted to give it silver because of the EVF, I can understand, but his justification is so poor, it gives the feeling that he was looking for something to pick on. There is no comment about the lack of IBIS during video is made during their E-M5 review whatsoever, a feature that was only added some time later via firmware.
GX7 seems to be a great camera, but it doesn’t seem to have that EXTRA to win a Golden award, I just thought that they made the camera look worse than it’s, nitpicking like that in the final words. If the reviewr said that there are some minor quirks that prevents it from getting Golden, that’d have been be fine, but the way he did it feels like there is too much weight for feats like in camera RAW processing and the issue with the aperture on Program.
Jeez, this is one system! Calm yourself, fanboys!
Oly fanboys: Of course the E-M1 is the more serious camera and has a better build: it costs 1500€ and not 899€ as the GX7. Jeez, compare the GX7 and the E-M5, then the only thing superior left for the E-M5 is Weather Sealing, a tiny bit better build and the IBIS, everything else is better on the GX7! Oh, except for IQ, there all three are the same, which also holds for the GH3!!
Now, Pana fans: I know the GX7 is your holy grail, but it dials and flash feel cheap and its VF is crap, if you are wearing glasses. That’s the truth. I have met 2 people in the shop and read this fact several times in forums: the VF is highres, but is not really awesome and it becomes a bad VF, if you are wearing glasses. And don’t believe it, but for me the E-M5 is the best looking camera ever made.
BTW: I will buy the GM1, because it fits my budget and skills the best, and my needs! Man, even with the anonymous trolls, it has not become better here….. -.-
I have owned the P5 and am now using the GX7. Pluses for the P5: precision built body that feels top notch, a beautiful shutter sound that made me want to keep pushing it (more pictures!), great ibis that made composing scenes with longer focal lengths a dream. My main minus: no built in evf. Also, Photoshop doesn’t appear to have standard lens correction profiles. But overall, using the precision built P5 was a tactile joy. I used a Fuji X-E1 for a time with great results, but mechanically it felt like a clatter trap compared to the P5.
Pluses for the GX7: don’t have to have a “steel trap” memory to remember how to change settings like in the Olympus menu labyrinth. Interesting touch screen that I’m still experimenting with. I have no problems with the evf, but obviously no VF-4. Lens profiles for p.p. readily available – and apprears to have more comprehensive in-camera lens correction (I hear E-M1 has added this). Streamlined body that fits my hands without add on grips. Silent mode with electronic shutter – but haven’t had the time to test for image quality using electronic shutter.
Minuses for GX7: body doesn’t feel as precision as the P5. Mechanical shutter sound is grating to me, especially compared to the beautiful sounding P5. Miss the superior stabilizing effect that the P5 has while framing and composing. No RAW conversion? No matter to me. Don’t shoot video so no comment on these features.
The E-M1 sounds great, but too rich for me now. Maybr next year reconditioned bodies will appear and I’ll get one.
Have you tried the Silent Mode yet? I think you should give it a try.
IF Oly finds a way to fit an EVF in the E-P5 this spring it will be the end of the GX7- this much I had understood without waiting for DPR’s review.
And since there is no resolution increase compare to the E-M5, I’ll keep with the Old Lady.
Now I would like someone to explain to me if we have reached the end of the line with 16 Mpx, or if we can expect more in the future.
I remember that 24 Mpx didn’t improve resolution on the NEX-7, and then Sony changed format. Will Oly and/or Panny do the same?
so coherent today…as you usually are…love your sense of humour …and irony…and you are a man of reason…keeping with the Old Lady is sound advice
Hello Amalric,
There is a very simple way to include an EVF in an E-P5, quite simply make internal wiring changes and remove the flash unit, then insert an EVF in the space vacated by the flash unit. To my mind this option of adding the ‘M’ type flash controller to a modified ‘P5’ is a far better option than adding the EVF to the existing model.
Yes that’s the quick way, but Panny showed you can have both.
In my experience, when I had the lovely E-P2, the lacking flash was easily bridged by a trigger in the hotshoe, so I don’t mind.
Permanent EVF however changes shooting habits considerably, especially in sunny countries.
Could it be because of the Olympus IBIS? I do not remember if they also use the 5-Axis on the EP-5…that might be why (I could be WAY off base though).
But OLY is no going to put a decent VF inside the E-P5 without compromising elsewhere. How would they price it? Same as GX-7? That would ba admitting that the E-P5 is over-priced and a stab in the back for those E-P5 customers. And now it would compete with E-M5. Maybe price it closer to the E-P5 with VF4? But that is too close to the E-M1. GX-7 biggest competitor is still the E-M5. If Oly revised its vidoe capabilities to match the competition, changed a few handling issues (lets see a few C1, C2 options on the mode dial), tweaks to performance (remove filter, silent mode etc) and launched the E-M6 at the same price, that would spell trouble to GX-7.
Oly needs to concentrate on their lower priced models as they need a refresh. I see the GM1 with a great kit lens (on paper at least) eating into these Oly models.
I too see no reason at the moment to move (up to the E-M1 or sideways to the GX7)from my E-M5. I’m waiting for better lenses esp. telephotos before I see limitations with my E-M5.
I’m neither a Panasonic or Olympus guy and I’ve been looking at purchasing my first m4/3 camera. I’ve decided to buy the GX7. My local camera shop recently allowed me to handle the GX& and I was very impressed. The build quality is excellent and the GX7 felt very solid in my hands. The EVF is wonderful, IMO. I just don’t get all of the negative comments about the GX7 EVF. Also, before anyone asks…yes, I also handled the G6, GH3, EM-1 and EM-5 and I like the GX7. I’ll be honest though, I understand brand loyalty, but many of the Olympus people are way over-the-top and just plain arrogant. As a person having no brand loyalty towards cameras, this arrogance is very noticeable and something I haven’t found with those loyal to Panasonic cameras. Just my $0.02.
That’s true, the Oly guys are more arrogant, but in response most of the few Pana fanboys are arguing pretty ridiciously: You really can feel how they try to tear Oly stuff apart no matter what. In the end , both styles are plain dumb and might drive prospective m43 users away, if they read into the forums.
If you were wearing glasses, then you would understand why – I – say the EVF is crap. When I saw through it without my glasses, it seemed pretty good (I couldn’t really judge XD). Unfortunately, my eyes are below -4…. -.- Thus the GX7 is out of the game for me.
Actually I fear that this could be true for the E-M1 (with its huge VF), but G6 was superbe, albeit being large. The E-M5 didn’t cause any problems as well. Actually the G6 with the 14-140 fpr 830€ is very tempting, but it just feels so cheap!!! Really, what was Pana thinking? The G5 is so much better.
I guess there is no perfect camera, is there? 😉
I was wearing eyeglasses when I tied out the GX7 at my local camera store. I found the EVF to be very good. As a matter of fact, my first reaction was “wow!” I find the EVF to be very sharp and colorful with none of this “tearing” and “rainbow effect” a very few are complaining about. To each their own. I know one thing for sure, I’m going to thoroughly enjoy my GX7 when it arrives!
Defenitely you will! I would go down that route as well, if I had not have those problems. I didn’t try it for long, because my problem was not ccolor tearing or so: I couldn’t see the outer parts of the frame, which is of course a no-go.
I guess the EVF quality depends on whether or not you perceive the tearing or not.
Depending on the source from 10 to 50% users do, with a small minority simply being unable to use it (the tearing inducing migraines and/nausea).
It’s been a complaint on all Panasonic models using that technology.
The GH3 proved that Panasonic did not hesitate to use other EVF technologies and the complaints about the GH3’s EVF had nothing to do with the display technology.
Why they took a step back for the GX7 is a puzzle to me.
It also is quite important, because the EVF is supposedly the selling point of the GX7, it’s its main differentiator from the E-P5, and yet Panasonic decided to half-hass it. It’s a good idea, but a botched execution giving the same impression as the LF1, at first it’s cool, you have an EVF, finally ! Then you bring it to your eye, you stand in amazement at how crappy it is, then you start getting a headache, maybe a little nauseous… and you never use it again… and you paid a premium for an half-assed feature so bad you never use it, yeah !
Yes, I’m angry at Panasonic, it’s not as if the problem was new or there weren’t better alternatives…
What was a suitable compromise at the G1’s release is no longer justifiable (except by “But Olympus and Sony bought all the good parts until next year so we had no other choice than to use our crappy sequential display no one else wants”).
As far as I know, the G6’s VF is the “best” EVF ever used by Pana (not in resolution, but in tearing compability with users and size) and I really liked it. It was better than the E-M5’s.
With the GX7 I believe the had to do compromises because of the size (rangefinder body and tiltable EVF).
Actually, I am wondering why Oly and Pana do try to weaken themselves: the GX7 with G6 VF and there would have been no complains, the E-M1 with at least a bit better video (25, 50, 60p options and higher bitrates around 30Mbit/s). Who knows? Maybe they agreed that they don’t want to convince more customers? …..
I dont get it with some people. Of course it is not gonna be as solid (both in feel and performance) as the EM-1. heck, the EM-1 costs TWICE as much. I would not even consider changing my EM-5 for this…but not for the EM-1 either. For what I do it is MORE than plenty and I dont see what I would gain from upgrading.
Like someone else mentioned before, Panny’s version of IBIS is better than no IBIS at all unless you are Michael J. Fox or have any other version of Parkinson’s disease.
Do I think it is a great camera? Of course…if money is a concern, I would recommend it to anyone. If not, I would recommend the EM-5 above the others unless the person will go to Antarctica or something.
Twice as much? Where? When I checked the price difference is around 40%. The GX7 is around 10% more expensive than the EP-5. At the moment you get a VF-4 for free, or an 17/1.8 here: http://www.cyberphoto.se/info.php?article=ep5
What exactly is in camera raw conversion and why DPR renders it so important? Sorry never heard of this feature and never saw any other camera lose its rating points due to lack thereof…
On all Olympus cameras you can take an existing raw file, change the camera settings (such as picture mode, noise reduction, gradation etc) and convert it to a jpeg without needing a computer or tablet or other external device.
I think being a journalist is having the facts before the opinions. It’s not that DPR slags the GX7, it proposes the facts, take them or leave them.
Personally I have a lot of sympathy for the GX7, but a proper evaluation of how effective is IBIS is important, not only abstractly but because it changes my shooting habits.
Weighting the evolution of m4/3 is also different from buying a camera, it has to do with one’s expectation of the system.
I don’t doubt that there will be people more inspired by the GX7 than from any other camera, I was simply wondering what it meant in terms of evolution of the models.
Thankfully we share the same lenses, so brand strife makes little sense.
Cons are almost insignificant, camera is obviously a very good one. Let’s hope those small niggles are ironed out in the next generation.
After reading all these, I searched for the tearing in evf like a mad man – couldn’t find any. I do believe that this tearing business does exist and kinda doubt why I can’t perceive (a good thing though).
My only complaint with the evf is the aspect ratio. Seriously, 16:9 on a non MAR 4:3 cam is just a inconceivable!. Oh, and the eye sensor placement is just wrong ; right where my left trump is when fiddling with the screen.
Other than those, I really love the GX7.