GF1 Impression: Closing Remarks

^It says, "Super Digital Mall".

I leapt from the film era, leaving the Minolta Dynax 7 and the pricey photographic paraphernalia, to the digital era embracing the 1/1.7"-sensor (hereinafter 1.7) GX200, without owning any DSLR. The reason is obvious: the unbearable heaviness of the regular photographic gear.

The GX200 is still a joy in my hand. In fact, digital cameras have lots of strengths over their film cousins...well...grandpas. But I still have one problem adjusting to this digital camera era: the short life cycle of a product generation. The 1.7 serious compacts with a wide-angle-focal-length capability seem to soon become a phenomenon of the past, be them the GRD III, GX200, LX3, P6000, G11....

The Good and Bad of GF1

Combining the advantages of small size and better image quality, the downsized ASP-C and MFT newbies become the vogue. The GF1 is a joy exceeding that of my GX200 in absolute magnitude.

To users of regularly sized cameras, the 1.7 serious compacts have an inherited weakness in general: the speed and precision of focusing. The GF1 has an observable advantage in this area, giving the users an edge as afforded by the DSLRs. This is the single factor which can win a serious compact user over.

The Lumix MFT lenses are of a reengineered construction as compared with the DSLR lenses. So, probably for this reason, the focusing is less speedy than the DSLR's phrase detection system. But it is slower in just a split of a second as observed from a brief comparison between the GF1 and the Canon 500D. The users will probably not notice the difference.

Unfortunately, GF1's focusing speed becomes a bit sluggish in low light situations with the pancake and the kit zoom lenses alike. Moreover, although the manuals say that the two lenses afford a closest focusing distance of 0.2m and 0.3m respectively, the lenses hunt like fanatics when the subjects are around these distances regardless of the amount of available light.

Apart from this flaw, there is the weird audible noise problem with the pancake lens during focusing.

But optically, the pancake lens is far more superior than the kit zoom lens. No pixel-peeping has been performed during the review as it should not be encouraged IMO. The general impression is that for images at screen size, the corner-to-corner sharpness of the pancake lens is superb. In a marking system, it could have comfortably scored 4.5 stars out of a total of 5.

For the kit zoom lens, the images taken with it are invariably veiled by softness unless under a bright sunny weather. It seems that the lens cannot do full justice to the camera.

Noise is not a significant issue with the GF1. Images up to ISO 800 are very smooth. In fact, the images are too smooth for film camera users. No hesitation is needed even in using the ISO 1600 setting. The ISO 3200 images are less complimentary.

Ergonomics-wise, there is no complaint really. The menu system is clearly arranged and easy to understand. The quick menu is easy to use even though diagonal moment should be added to the sheer rolling motion of the selection cursor by way of the back wheel on the GF1 body. This will certainly quicken the pace for emergent tweaking of the camera settings. In fact, the GF1 surpasses, say, the Nikon D90 in ergonomics if you've tried one. But as a user of a camera by Ricoh who probably invents the greatest photographic controls so far, the GF1 still lags behind my GX200 in ergonomics.

GF1 is totally satisfying and worthy of a buy. The pricing is very affordable too. Some personal peeves are the loud clicking sound when the shutter release is pressed fully; the design problems of the EVF (idiotic lockless docking, loose diopter wheel, no auto-toggling between it and the camera screen display); the disposition of the video button which can be activated accidentally.

Who is GF1 for?

This is a stupid question to ask because, you know, few photographers think of what a camera fits them when the urge to buy one is conjured up. Normally, we compare the spec. and images and pricing of cameras to draw our conclusions. Photographic style is out of the equation there.

If you're not a professional photographer (professional photographers cannot survive with a MFT camera anyway) and never sell photos for large prints, and in the need of buying a camera, these are the extra factors for consideration:

- the 1. 7 serious compacts are very favourable size- and price-wise. These cameras offer decent image quality and a great portability camera body, without the hassle of building up (and when shifting allegiance, selling off ) an arsenal of lenses.

- If a long reach is an occasional concern, there are plenty of cheap long-zoom P&Ss out there to complement your serious compact. But if you are with the MFT system, a quality lens with a long-reach capability is surely dearer than one or even two serious compacts combined.

- for street photographer, a 1.7 serious compact is a smarter choice because of its extensive DOF. The GF1 has a much larger sensor and therefore a regular, swallow DOF as the aperture value closes down (i.e. the aperture opens wider). Closing down the aperture value is a technique in street photography with 1.7 cameras to avoid high ISO and achieve faster shutter speed to freeze motion. With the GF1, closing down the aperture value requires the photographer to focus sharply, which is not always possible for street scenes which mostly present themselves without any warning.

- but for photographers who usually take photos of kids, the 1.7 serious compacts don't suit you even though they have the advantage of small size, which is important IMO for running around after kids. The GF1 affords a much faster focusing speed to save you the day in this case. In fact, any photographers usually taking subjects in quick motion will occasionally gripe about the slower focusing speed of the 1.7 serious compacts. - if you're advanced photographers using a 1.7 serious compact but need a larger-sensor camera for the bokeh and more varied photographic opportunities, the GF1 is for you. Those who are having a DSLR can actually do without the GF1 unless the advantage of size is crucial to them. The MFT system doesn't have any other edges as compared with the DSLRs. - for people just and to be into photography without a camera, skip the 1.7 cameras and the DSLRs and head straight to the GF1. It offers the advantage of small size (over a DSLR) and a regular tool in learning all the aspects of photograph (vs a 1.7 compact)

So the impression series for the GF1 ends here. Again, a note of thanks to the local distributor of Panasonic cameras who lent GX GARNERINGS the GF1 and the accessories.

(Postscript: a post linking all the posts for the review of GF-1 is here)