THE PANASONIC GF1 REAL WORLD REVIEW

PAGE 1 - Intro and why I think M4/3 is here to stay.

PAGE 2 - The GF1 specs and features?

PAGE 3 - Compared to the Leica D-Lux 4 and Leica M9?

PAGE 4 - High ISO Sample and Crops.

PAGE 5 - My favorite shots with the GF1 & KIT Zoom.

PAGE 6 - The one lens you MUST buy with this camera. The 20 1.7.

PAGE 7 - My bottom line conclusion.

PAGE 8 - Just for fun! The GF1 and M9 side by side.

PAGE 6 - The One Lens You Must Buy With This Camera!     next---->

As I have already stated, I only had the GF1 and 14-45 Kit Zoom lens. I have seen some people say the Kit Zoom was lousy, but I have to say it ended up being a pretty decent lens. Is it comparable to a Nikon 24-70 or Canon L lens? NO, but its not bad for an included lens in a $799 package. Still, the buzz around the internet was the 20 1.7 lens. It’s small, its fast, and provides an equivalent 40mm focal length on the GF1. Seeing that the 35mm Summicron is my favorite lens on the M9, I would have loved to test the 20 1.7. Also, being 1.7 makes it fast for even more low light opportunity.

Samples from the 20 1.7 by Music Artist and Photographer Seal.

I started getting some samples from the Panasonic 20 1.7 e-mailed to me by my buddy Seal. You may have seen Seal recently in the Leica press conference on 09/09/09, as he has been shooting with the M9 for a few months. He is a huge fan of Leica and ANY camera that he can shoot to get great results, for that matter.

He is a fabulous photographer and also a photo/camera enthusiast much like myself. We started talking back in March and I shot one of his shows in April (see report here). To make a long story short, he has been sharing some of his images taken with the GF1 and 20 1.7, and also his opinions on the lens. He also uses and loves the external VF with the GF1.

Bottom line, from everything I have seen with the 20 1.7 and everything I have been told by Seal and a few other shooters, I would say that this lens is a MUST BUY with the GF1. Seal has been kind enough to let me share a couple of his 20 1.7 images with you guys.

The first one is wide open at 1.7, ISO 100. When he sent this image, he left out the EXIF intentionally to see my reaction, and my reaction was “OK, which camera? M9, or GF1?” - The amazing thing here is that I DID NOT KNOW!

Seal’s Bass Player, MARCUS BROWN  - COPYRIGHT 2009 SEALIMAGE- click for larger

This next shot was at 2.8, straight from camera untouched. AWB, color, spot on.

MARCUS BROWN - COPYRIGHT 2009 SEALIMAGE

Seal is in the studio recording a new album and documenting it all with his M9 and GF1. To check out his website, go to SEAL.COM. Also, his Australian tour is coming up very soon. So, if you are in Australia, be sure to check out his tour dates for November. Also, you can see some of his photography here.

I also want to thank him again for letting me show these samples. Thanks, man!

Also, if I were to buy my own GF1 (and I would have bought my review sample if I had the spare cash), I would buy it with the Panasonic 20 1.7 lens, the Panasonic 7-14 lens, the Panasonic 14-140 lens, and the external VF. Keep in mind that some of these items are either not widely available yet, or in the case of the 7-14 lens, not even out yet. Most of these accessories and lenses should be out by mid-November at the latest and I expect them to be in high demand.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO PAGE SEVEN - “MY BOTTOM LINE CONCLUSION”