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Archive 2013 · Help me decide: Oly E-M1 vs. Pana G-X7

pjny
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Help me decide: Oly E-M1 vs. Pana G-X7

Hi,

I played with Olympus E-M1, E-M5 and Panasonic G-X7.

I love the E-M1 the best but the price is $1400 without lens.

I like the G-X7 for size, silent shutter and there is a sale at BHPhoto: $900 with 14-42 lens. I don't like the normal shutter sound and there are some limitations(fast motion/iso limit) with electronic shutter.

I have Nikon D4 and want something small and quiet for sensitive news photography during vigils/wakes/funerals.

Right now the only reasons I want the gx7 is the silent shutter and price. I don't like the size of the viewfinder eyecup. The E-M1 is huge and the viewfinder is amazing. I also like the weathersealing on EM-1

Image quality is supposed to be same on all bodies mentioned above.

I think the phase/contrast AF on the E-M1 might be faster than G-X7 but I don't think it is a huge difference.

I want to get the 12-40mm olympus.

Nov 27, 2013 at 11:17 PM

cputeq
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Help me decide: Oly E-M1 vs. Pana G-X7

Well you can get a better eyecup for the GX7, if that's really a bother. If you need a silent shutter, GX7's the only one out of the two you mention that has it.

Nov 28, 2013 at 12:11 AM

Geoff D F
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Help me decide: Oly E-M1 vs. Pana G-X7

I have heard that the IBIS in the G-X7 doesn't work as well as the Olympus IBIS. I have the E-M1. It is a great camera and much better than my previous EM-5 which was also great. Once you have forgotten the cost you won't regret getting the EM-1.

The Olympus 12-40 is also an excellent lens and well worht the money IMO, though big by M4/3 standards.

Nov 28, 2013 at 01:31 AM

Geoff D F
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Help me decide: Oly E-M1 vs. Pana G-X7

I should add that I don't think the E-M1 shutter is particularly loud.

Nov 28, 2013 at 01:32 AM

markd61
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Help me decide: Oly E-M1 vs. Pana G-X7

I rented the GX-7 for a few days for use just as you need. I need silence but I also wanted good handling and AF.
I felt the AF and the IBIS in the GX-7 was excellent though I have no experience with the Oly.
I was very impressed by the speed AND accuracy of the AF. All my images were dead sharp. I also got very good high ISO results.
The limit on ISO with SS bothered me a bit but in practice it was not a problem. A real advantage of m43 being the additional DOF so that even an f2 or faster lens gives you decent DOF in low light without having to bump the ISO as much.
As far as flash with SS you can't do it but then again a flash will be alot more obvious than the click. The other issue is flash sync is 1/160 as opposed to 1/320 on the Oly.

I would be very happy to own it

ETA: I currently shoot Canon 5DmkIIIs.

Nov 28, 2013 at 02:09 AM

rak7275
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Help me decide: Oly E-M1 vs. Pana G-X7

I just got the GX-7 and love it. It has done great, and has been extremely fun to use. However, I would have preferred the E-M1 simply because of the weather sealing. I shot a lot while hiking in the desert and dust can be a problem. That is the only reason.

PS. GX-7 does 1/320 as well.

Here is low light, High ISO (1600) photo of my daughter riding a carnival ride. Shot at 1.8 with Oly 45. Sorry photobucket kind of hurt the quality

Nov 28, 2013 at 02:45 AM

Kit Laughlin
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Help me decide: Oly E-M1 vs. Pana G-X7

https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1246679/0

hth, kl

Nov 28, 2013 at 03:27 AM

Spyro P.
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Help me decide: Oly E-M1 vs. Pana G-X7

rak these are lovely colours

I'd go the gx7 for 3 reasons, silent shutter, corner VF and the fact that you can lift the EVF up for storage and have a flat-pack camera with either of the two panny pancakes.
As for focusing, go to 1:45 here:

Nov 28, 2013 at 03:36 AM

rak7275
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Help me decide: Oly E-M1 vs. Pana G-X7

Thank you,

Also on focusing. Notice in the picture above that my daughters fair is flowing. That is because she was on a ride that was going around pretty fast. I would say about 50 percent of my photos were in decent focus, however that was in really light and with a 1,8 aperature.

Nov 28, 2013 at 03:39 AM

kewlcanon
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Help me decide: Oly E-M1 vs. Pana G-X7

GX7 has more pleasing output for me. GX7 is also better looking than EM1.

Nov 28, 2013 at 08:42 AM

MarcG19
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Help me decide: Oly E-M1 vs. Pana G-X7

I'm also trying to choose between them. I have borrowed one of each for about a week, having a previously used an EM-5 (which my brother wants me to give him, thus my quest for a new camera. And no, I don't need any more brothers!).

I will let everybody know what I think in about a week.

Nov 28, 2013 at 12:15 PM

Wilbus
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Help me decide: Oly E-M1 vs. Pana G-X7

I think for still photos the AF is about the same. All modern m43 bodies are wicked fast as long as the light levels aren't too low.

The GX7 can be completely silent. The EM-1 can't. The EM-1 probably has the biggest/best viewfinder of any mirror less at the moment, something you might appreciate if a D4 is your primary body. It's probably the thing I miss most about my Nikon D700 (I currently shoot an Olympus Em-5), a big, bight beautiful viewfinder. I don't mind EVF, actually I like it a lot but I don't like the fairly small size of it.

Weathersealing is great but will you need it on wakes etc?

Having siad that I'd probably go for the Em-1 if I bought a new m43 body now, it's just a step above the others as far as features go.
As far as image quality goes I believe they are all more or less the same.

Regards

Nov 29, 2013 at 01:26 AM

Jochenb
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Help me decide: Oly E-M1 vs. Pana G-X7

Both are great. The E-M1 has the premium build quality, weather sealing, phase detection AF, best EVF, nicer mechanical shutter,... but the GX7 is quite a bit cheaper and has the electronic shutter, better AF in low light (IMHO), tiltable EVF, active touchscreen when using the EVF (you can move the AF point around while looking through the viewfinder), smaller form factor,...
IQ from both is good.

Nov 29, 2013 at 02:26 AM

Kit Laughlin
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Help me decide: Oly E-M1 vs. Pana G-X7

I want to add that what we have seen in many places on the web (that the tilting viewfinder is useless because of the presence of a foldout LCD has never shot outside in bright Australian light: I definitely can't see the LCD well under these circumstances. This is where the tilting EVF comes into its own; it works perfectly in extremely bright light and I used it to make some really low level images only yesterday.

Not something I'd use everyday, but great when needed.

Nov 29, 2013 at 02:32 AM

Spyro P.
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Help me decide: Oly E-M1 vs. Pana G-X7

Kit Laughlin wrote:
I want to add that what we have seen in many places on the web (that the tilting viewfinder is useless because of the presence of a foldout LCD has never shot outside in bright Australian light: I definitely can't see the LCD well under these circumstances.
I've been trying to explain it but people seem to think I'm exaggerating... they havent been here in the summer

Nov 29, 2013 at 02:57 AM

Kit Laughlin
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Help me decide: Oly E-M1 vs. Pana G-X7

@ Spyro: the closest I have come (and I travel everywhere for my work) is Arizona in summer....

BRIGHT!

Nov 29, 2013 at 03:39 AM

Spyro P.
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Help me decide: Oly E-M1 vs. Pana G-X7

I've sort of seen it before back home in Greece, but this aussie sun is... just different. Relentless.

Nov 29, 2013 at 04:35 AM

Kit Laughlin
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Help me decide: Oly E-M1 vs. Pana G-X7

Exactly!

Nov 29, 2013 at 05:06 AM

bobbytan
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Help me decide: Oly E-M1 vs. Pana G-X7

The E-M1 looks and handles just like a DSLR whereas the rangefinder-style GX7 looks and handles more like a point-and-shoot camera, albeit a very sophisticated one. Personally I prefer the DSLR form factor for more serious shoots, but it would be nice to have a GX7 or GM1 as a walk-around or evening camera.

Nov 29, 2013 at 09:06 AM

serhan_
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Help me decide: Oly E-M1 vs. Pana G-X7

I have been a Oly shooter, e-p1,2,3,e-pl5, e-m5 but I went w/ gx7 for the body shape & price difference. So far I like the silent shooting e-shutter w/ no shutter vibration. I also prefer the blue peaking compared to E-M1's black and white peaking. Currently RX1 & GX7 are my silent combos.

I was in NY last weekend w/ cold and snow so I was trying to catch my cousins fast walking and shooting gx7 at the same time at night. It performed well w/ Oly 12mm f2 wide open shooting. W/ current deals gx7 has a good value compared em1. EM1 advantage is better IBIS, grip and bigger evf.

Nov 29, 2013 at 10:16 PM

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