so i am looking at these two cams to take with when i dont want to take the 5d because i dont need it or because of its size, and when i want better quality then my pocket fuji f70exr. i would mostly use one prime on such a camera around 17mm or 20mm. panasonic has 20 1.7 which is probably what i would prefer because of its speed over the 17mm 2.8 that the olympus has. i wish there was a 17mm 1.7? or something along those lines
i have been eying both of these cameras for some time now, and i cant really decide which one i should go with. the panasonic has a built in flash which is nice to have for fill or occasional help when you need in it in a pinch. i dont normally ever use flash. the olympus seems like a better camera with better jpeg output and what maybe a tad better pic quality. i haven't yet handled either cam so i dont know exactly how they feel, maybe that is the next step
so my question to you is which one did you choose and what made you make the decision.
The GF1's flash is tiny and underpowered so I wouldn't buy it on that account. The consensus seems to be that if you're big into shooting JPEG, the E-P1's processing is better. But other than that, the GF1 is better in many ways - fast shutter/mirror blackout times, faster focusing, more AF modes, optional EVF, etc. If you want the 20mm f/1.7 (believe me, you do) getting a GF1 is the cheapest way to do it if you don't already have an MFT body, so for that reason alone it makes more sense to get the GF1 if you're on a budget.
I'd have to agree with Sam. Unless JPEG output or Body-IS are must-haves for you (and note that while the E-P1 does give better JPEG's, the GF1's JPEG's are still pretty darn good), the GF1 is overall the better choice, especially with the 20/1.7 which walks all over the 17/2.8 in quality before you even consider the 1.5 stop advantage.
For what it's worth, I'm planning on picking up an E-P1 once the used prices bottom out. I would genuinely like Olympus to be successful in this space...
For most people the GF1 is probably the better camera, but the E-P1 isn't that far behind. I'm happy with my E-P1. The JPEG output is very nice. I normally shoot RAW, but I view this camera as about convenience and I'd rather not have to process from RAW. With the E-P1 the JPEGs are almost always all I need. (I do still shoot RAW+JPEG). The IBIS is nice as well. Although, its not the lens I normally use I have used a FD version of the Sigma 400/5.6 on the E-P1 and with the IBIS I can handhold it in good light. I'd like to have some of the features of the GF1 (faster AF, higher res screen, detachable viewfinder) but the E-P1 works fine for me.
I would recommend the Panasonic 20/1.7 over the 17/.28. It's a great lens and works well on the E-P1.
I ended up getting an E-P1 and 20/1.7 to complement my 5D. The two biggest reasons I chose the E-P1 over the GF1 were the in-body IS and the ability to assign AF to a button other than the shutter release in a way that behaves identically to my 5D.
dphilips wrote:
I ended up getting an E-P1 and 20/1.7 to complement my 5D. The two biggest reasons I chose the E-P1 over the GF1 were the in-body IS and the ability to assign AF to a button other than the shutter release in a way that behaves identically to my 5D.
Not sure what exact behavior you want to reproduce, but you can configure the AF/AE button to only do AF Lock - it will AF first before locking. If you keep it held down, the Shutter Release will not override the AF Lock, but will do AE and of course release the shutter. Don't think that's quite what you're looking for, but just offering it fyi.
Thanks, Sam. I did spend some time looking into the GF1's options for AF customization before deciding on the E-P1 and came to the same conclusion regarding how it worked.
The behavior I prefer is to assign AF to another button, so that pressing that button at any time will cause the camera to AF. The distinction between this behavior and the AF lock/toggle is small but I like not having to worry about what state the AF lock is in - when I want to AF I press the button to do it; if I don't want to AF I just hit the shutter. I realize it's a picky thing and probably something most would care less about, but it's how I've setup my Canon DSLRs for years and am very comfortable working this way.
Sam, I am a bit confused. You say you can set up the EP-1 to auto focus with a button other then the shutter release and you cannot set up the GF-1 to do so?
I have all my DSLR cameras set to auto focus with a back side button. I have been leaning toward the Panasonic, but this feature alone may push me back to the Oly.
The EP-1 was so good that oly rushed it's replacement to market after only six months... None of the current MFT cameras is prime-time ready, IMO. Heck, luminous landscapes even bashed the af performance of the X1.
Looks like were still awaiting a fully developed mirrorless camera. Sigh.
kahren wrote:
...
so my question to you is which one did you choose and what made you make the decision.
I have the E-P1, though I bought it before the GF1 was out. My main reason for getting it was the in-body IS. Honestly that is about the only feature I would consider against the GF1 these days. The E-P1 also gets a win in the ergonomics department probably, but they are pretty close I think.
If I were in the market now, it would be a tougher choice than it was when I bought back before the GF1. I would probably still choose the E-P1, but the GF1 + 20/1.7 kit would be tempting.
so i went to BH to try both in my hands to see if would make the decision easier
my thoughts
the EP-1 handles better
i liked having two wheels
i think i like how the ep-1 looks more?
oly has image stabilizer
the panasonic has flash
the panosonics buttons also seemed easier to use
i didnt really notice the faster focusing with the panny as everyone has mentioned
after looking at both cameras in person i still dont know which i would rather have, the olympus seems to have scored more + with me. i think if it had flash it would seal my decision to go with oly, eventhoug i rarely use flash, on a camera such as this it shouldn't have been omitted. (had the same problem when i was contemplating getting a 5d)
so far what i am thinking is (might be redundant to my OP)
panasonic has a flash, and it comes with the 20 1.7 it is a faster lens then the 17 2.8 but i think i would prefer the 17mm focal length more. i wish there was a 16mm 1.4
having flash and 20 1.7 that pany comes with would be great without having to buy an oly and then buying the 20 1.7 as that would be a pita and would cost more. the olympus also has better jpeg out, i prefer to shoot jpg and thats another plus for me.
at the end of the day i cant decide, if it keeps goign like this i might just have to wait longer until things look brighter with the m4/3s system
Robb Mann wrote:
The EP-1 was so good that oly rushed it's replacement to market after only six months... None of the current MFT cameras is prime-time ready, IMO. Heck, luminous landscapes even bashed the af performance of the X1.
Looks like were still awaiting a fully developed mirrorless camera. Sigh.
The E-P2 is basically the same as a E-P1 with the optional electronic viewfinder so I have a hard time seeing this as "Oly botched up the E-P1 and had to fix it quick". It's not a replacement...both models will still be sold.
You say none of the MFT cameras are ready for prime time...why? A lot of people seem to disagree with you and are buying them at a premium price. What are you looking for?
Oh, and LL bashed the af of the X1 (among other things), but Reichmann owns and has written favorably about the GF1.
kahren wrote:
so i went to BH to try both in my hands to see if would make the decision easier
my thoughts
the EP-1 handles better
i liked having two wheels
i think i like how the ep-1 looks more?
oly has image stabilizer
the panasonic has flash
the panosonics buttons also seemed easier to use
i didnt really notice the faster focusing with the panny as everyone has mentioned
after looking at both cameras in person i still dont know which i would rather have, the olympus seems to have scored more + with me. i think if it had flash it would seal my decision to go with oly, eventhoug i rarely use flash, on a camera such as this it shouldn't have been omitted. (had the same problem when i was contemplating getting a 5d)
so far what i am thinking is (might be redundant to my OP)
panasonic has a flash, and it comes with the 20 1.7 it is a faster lens then the 17 2.8 but i think i would prefer the 17mm focal length more. i wish there was a 16mm 1.4
having flash and 20 1.7 that pany comes with would be great without having to buy an oly and then buying the 20 1.7 as that would be a pita and would cost more. the olympus also has better jpeg out, i prefer to shoot jpg and thats another plus for me.
at the end of the day i cant decide, if it keeps goign like this i might just have to wait longer until things look brighter with the m4/3s system ...Show more →
If they gave you everything they wanted you'd never buy the next model Both cameras are nice, but for different reasons. For me, the IBIS is more important then the flash...I'd rather have a decent bounce flash anyway. The Oly jpegs are nice, but the Pany's are not that far behind and can be tweaked to be very similar to the Oly. I will say that the 20/1.7 is a noticably better lens than the 17/2.8. Don't agonize too much over the choice though. Both bodies are very capable cameras so it's hard to make a bad decision.
The GF-1 is a much easier camera to use. I have owned both, sold the E-P1 due to terrible LCD, lack of flash, average lens and the IS seemingly having minimal effect. I LOVE the GF1. It is exactly what I wanted it to be - an excellent happy snaps camera. The flash is hugely important for me, as it means I can take it anywhere and get shots of my friends regardless of the light. I also LOVE the face recognition AF, which is very useful for shooting without worrying about looking at the LCD.
The only thing I miss from the E-P1 is the art mode, which was a kind of cool gimmick, though hardly a necessity. I also find some functions of the GF1 a bit hard to find - for instance exposure compensation. Other than that, I'm using the add on EVF and taking the GF1 with me almost everywhere I go. The 20mm lens is a phenomenal little lens - perfect focal length for snapping your day to day life, which is what this camera does for me.
For me, the incompatibility of the full line of 4/3 lenses with the GF1 was a deal-breaker. Otherwise, I think I would have ended up getting the GF1 and being quite happy with it.
I have the E-P1 and my one and only major gripe is the lack of flash. I routinely take this camera with me to dinners, or out in the night with friends where the lighting is less than ideal. Although I can bump up the ISO quite a bit higher than I would dare with my E-3, it's still not quite at the point where it freezes the subjects. I often have to tell my friends to stop moving, which kills the whole point of a candid shot. Granted, at this point I am using the kit (14-42mm f/3.5) lense, so it is quite slow. I'm hoping that once I get the Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 those 3 or so extra f-stops will give me a much better result.
But in every other way, I am very happy with the E-P1, and don't feel that the slower AF actually makes a real difference, nor does the LCD make it unusable.
Both cameras are nice, but for different reasons. For me, the IBIS is more important then the flash...I'd rather have a decent bounce flash anyway. The Oly jpegs are nice, but the Pany's are not that far behind and can be tweaked to be very similar to the Oly. I will say that the 20/1.7 is a noticably better lens than the 17/2.8. Don't agonize too much over the choice though. Both bodies are very capable cameras so it's hard to make a bad decision.