Toronto Photography Meetup Group

Can anyone confirm if a foreign Panasonic GF1 can be flashed with English firmware? I was in Japan last week and went to a used shop in Tokyo that was selling mint GF1 cameras for 38,000

As far as I know I don't think that is correct. If I'm not mistaken, the Oly does have IS in video but only digital stabilization (i.e. done in software). Not sure what the technical reason why they don't have sensor stabilization during video but I believe that is the case. Not sure if that makes a difference in the real world though.

The Panasonic's do have optical stabilization during video, assuming the lens has IS.

[quote="klam"]Can anyone confirm if a foreign Panasonic GF1 can be flashed with English firmware? I was in Japan last week and went to a used shop in Tokyo that was selling mint GF1 cameras for 38,000

Ugg I'm a moron, I just contradicted my self. Then again, it's 3:30am...I should get some sleep...
Yes, the pens do have IS in both stills and video. It's just that IS for video is not the same IS as for stills.
During video the pens do some kind of pixel shifting. And if I'm reading correctly, they do this because the pens will overheat if it used IBIS during video.

I'm definitely thinking now that getting the body with the 17mm and using my 14-54 MkII with an adaptor when I wanted a zoom was the better way to go. The 17mm is just a better daily carry solution.

Very nice James! Looks like the GF1 nailed exposures well. BTW, a cheap Tiffen C-POL works well on this lens. Cheers.

I've been following this thread very closely, as the size/quality really attracts me!

Here's a question: does anyone use a two-prime combo similar to the classic full-frame combo 35mm/85mm? I guess that's the 17mm and .. I don't even know if there's a lens that's similar?

Here's another combo I was considering (or maybe I'm crazy): On one shoulder sling a Canon S90 28mm f2.0 or Lumix LX3 24mm f2.0 for wide angle, where you want more things in the frame and the increased depth of field is not such a bad thing, and over the other shoulder an m43 body with a portrait length lens, for a lightweight two-lens combo (ok, two camera combo)?

I hear ya. They have the Panasonic 45mm (90mm equiv. on FF) macro prime which should fit the bill.

I love how I can put my GF1 and 20mm 1.7 in my fanny pouch and I'm good to go. Weighs next to nothing

As "Seren Dipity" mentioned, the 20/1.7 + 45/2.8 combo is a possibility. I have this duo and have a picture of it in the very first post of this thread Here's a smaller version, in case you are not sure:



These are 40mm & 90mm full-frame equivalent focal lengths. The Leica macro elmarit 45/2.8 is pricey, but worth it, IMHO. Cheers.

Whoops, I saw the pic from the first post and totally didn't clue in that this was the combo. It looks awesome!

An extremely cheap but good option would be the Minolta MD 45/2. You should be able to find one for about $20-, and it's very compact and light.

Please stop talking about this, I don't have the budget for one right now.

You can do it! Join us in the tiny side

I have a spare 45mm f2. Focus ring is a tad loosey but still great.

My adapter should be here any day...

Resistance is futile.

I posted these in the ad-hoc section. Posting here as samples for 7-14. I highly recommend this lens!

Pics from the graffiti alley. Added vibrance to punch up the colours for a grungy effect.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sabesh/set ... 7401/show/

Click on pics for access to larger images and EXIF info:

If you're already at 45mm and manual focus, why not go a few more mm's to 50mm and get an abundance of inexpensive but good f1.8's and f1.4's?

The Minolta 45/2 is a small pancake lens. Many fast 50mm lenses are significantly larger and heavier.

If you are using a m4/3 system it seems that size and weight may be an issue and the 45/2 has a clear advantage here.

If you don't need Macro, extreme sharpness and AF, then these legacy glasses are indeed a good value. My picks would be the Olympus Pen 38/1.8 & Konica Hexanon AR 40/1.8, as they have a good mix of IQ and small size. Here's a list of Pancakes:

http://www.beanos.com/~tsoutij/wp/stuff ... ake-lenses

An old OM mount 50mm F1.8 looks like it would be pretty usable on an E-P1/2:

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/EP1/ZOM.JPG

Big announcement today for Oly m4/3 users:

OLYMPUS FIRMWARE UPDATE IMPROVES AUTOFOCUS PERFORMANCE FOR PEN SERIES CAMERAS: E-P1, E-P2 AND E-PL1

CENTER VALLEY, Pa., April 15, 2010

nice! I actually didn't find the AF on my E-P1 to be problematically slow - I didn't expect SLR-type performance - but if they can improve it, I won't complain.

The focus speed improvement and method of shot display are certainly welcome additions, from where I sit. Both should be useful when I'm shooting candids.

Thx Mike, great news! I'm looking forward to this one.

Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 9-18mm 1:4-5.6 review is up!

http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/oly ... 4-5p6_o20/

Looks like it's a winner!



However, the Panasonic 7-14 is sharper:

http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/wid ... on.xml%3F2

I'm liking my GF1 and 20mm more and more each day. I like how many features are readily available .. like focus mode, iso, wb. I also like their custom option to be able to manually focus with autofocus turned on, In addition when you manually focus it's so cool that it does a 5x magnification when you turn the focus ring - this really aids in fine turning the focus point.

My only gripe so far is that the camera's algorithm for low light shutter speed is barely sufficient with auto iso turned on. For example in Aperture mode the camera decides often that 1/30 of a second is sufficient for crisp pictures. I think it should be 1/40 of a second on the 20mm lens (20mm x 2.0 crop factor). But then again I guess I shouldn't be using auto iso and controlling it myself. It would be great if I could define the minimum shutter speed in Aperture mode.

He's got a review up:

http://torontowide.blogspot.com/2010/04 ... e-and.html

I didn't think that he'd have that up until after the weekend, because of embargo issues. Once I get his clearance, I may have something to show.

*EDIT* I'll have something to post on Monday.

Ok, able to hold off now ... going to wait till the next E-Px comes out. I held the E-PL1 ... pretty cool, but the E-P2 definitely feels more robust. So, bought a tripod instead ... LOL.

I'll keep watching this thread though

Alan, just sell the Bigma and use that cash for an E-P2 or a GF1