Panasonic LUMIX GX7 16.0 MP DSLM Camera with Tilt-Live Viewfinder - Body Only (Silver)
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Brand | Panasonic |
Model Name | Panasonic LUMIX GX7 |
Maximum Webcam Image Resolution | 16 MP |
Photo Sensor Size | Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) |
Image Stabilization | Sensor-shift |
Max Shutter Speed | 1/8000 seconds |
Min Shutter Speed | 60 seconds |
Metering Description | Multi, Center-weighted, Spot |
Exposure Control Type | Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Manual |
Form Factor | Mirrorless |
About this item
- 16MP CMOS Four Thirds sensor
- ISO 200-25600 (extendable ISO 125)
- Up to 5 FPS continuous shooting (40 FPS with electronic shutter)
- 3 inch tiltable touch LCD with 1,040,000 dots
- Flip-up electronic viewfinder with 2,764,800 dots and eye sensor
- 1080/60p/30p/24p HD video (AVCHD/MPEG-4) with PASM control
- Creative Control mode with 22 filter effects + PSAM
- In-body image stabilization
- Manual focus peaking
- Magnesium alloy frame
- Built-in pop-up flash
- 1/8000 second max shutter speed, 1/320th flash sync speed
- Built-in WiFi and NFC
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Price | $428.00$428.00 | $710.36$710.36 | $697.99$697.99 | $498.00$498.00 | $696.95$696.95 | $614.95$614.95 |
Delivery | — | — | Get it as soon as Friday, Mar 29 | Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 1 | Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 1 | Get it as soon as Tomorrow, Mar 28 |
Customer Ratings | ||||||
Auto focus | — | — | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.2 | — |
Picture quality | — | — | 4.1 | 4.3 | 4.5 | — |
Sold By | kamiyuto | Amazon.com | Adorama | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | 6ave |
display type | LCD | LCD | LCD | LCD | LCD | LCD |
display size | 3 inches | 3 inches | 3 inches | 3 inches | 3 inches | 3 inches |
lens type | Interchangeable | Zoom | Wide Angle | Wide Angle | Wide Angle | — |
zoom type | Optical Zoom | — | Optical Zoom | — | Optical Zoom | — |
shooting modes | Automatic, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Manual, Movie, Panorama | Landscape | Manual, Shutter Priority, Sports | Aperture Priority, Manual, Program, Shutter Priority | Automatic | — |
connectivity tech | NFC, HDMI, USB | — | HDMI, USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB, Micro HDMI | Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | USB, Micro HDMI |
video resolution | FHD 1080p | 1080 x 720 | 2160p | 2160p, 1080p | 1080p | 2160p |
optical zoom | 1 multiplier x | 14 multiplier x | 15 multiplier x | 0 multiplier x | 3.1 multiplier x | 3 multiplier x |
wireless tech | ✓ | ✓ | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, SnapBridge | Wi-Fi |
What's in the box
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Product information
Auto Focus Technology | Live View |
---|---|
Display Resolution Maximum | 1040000 |
Photo Sensor Size | Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) |
Photo Sensor Technology | CMOS |
Effective Still Resolution | 16 MP |
Maximum Webcam Image Resolution | 16 MP |
White balance settings | Flash torch |
Self Timer Duration | 10 seconds |
JPEG quality level | Fine |
Camera Flash | Built-In |
Image Stabilization | Sensor-shift |
Flash Sync Speed | 1/320 sec |
Video Capture Format | MPEG-4, AVCHD |
Video Capture Resolution | FHD 1080p |
Video Standard | MPEG-4, AVCHD |
Viewfinder Magnification | 1.39x |
---|---|
Viewfinder Type | Electronic |
Screen Size | 3 Inches |
Display Type | LCD |
Display Fixture Type | Tilting |
Touch Screen Type | Yes |
Model Name | Panasonic LUMIX GX7 |
---|---|
Brand | Panasonic |
Model Number | DMC-GX7SBODY |
Customer Reviews |
3.8 out of 5 stars |
Best Sellers Rank | #574,181 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics) #4,131 in Digital Point & Shoot Cameras |
ASIN | B00E87OK84 |
Color | Silver |
Included Components | Battery, Remote |
Age Range (Description) | Adult |
Processor Description | Venus Engine |
Item Dimensions LxWxH | 4.83 x 2.15 x 2.78 inches |
---|---|
Item Weight | 14.24 ounces |
Warranty & Support
Feedback
Lens Type | Interchangeable |
---|---|
Optical Zoom | 1 x |
Digital Zoom | 2 |
Maximum Aperture | 3.5 Millimeters |
Zoom Type | Optical Zoom |
Autofocus Points | 23 |
Compatible Mountings | Micro Four Thirds |
Focus Type | Manual Focus |
Maximum Focal Length | 20 Millimeters |
Expanded ISO Maximum | 25600 |
---|---|
Expanded ISO Minimum | 125 |
Max Shutter Speed | 1/8000 seconds |
Min Shutter Speed | 60 seconds |
Exposure Control Type | Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Manual |
Metering Description | Multi, Center-weighted, Spot |
Shooting Modes | Movie, Panorama, Manual, Aperture Priority, Automatic, Shutter Priority |
Batteries Required? | Yes |
---|---|
Number of Batteries | 1 Lithium Ion batteries required. (included) |
Are Batteries Included | Yes |
Rechargeable Battery Included | No |
Battery Cell Composition | Lithium Ion |
Battery Description | Lithium Ion |
Battery Weight | 2 Grams |
Battery Life | 350 Photos |
Target Gender | Unisex |
Connectivity Technology | USB, HDMI, NFC |
Continuous Shooting Speed | 5 |
Wireless Communication Technology | Yes |
Flash Memory Type | SD/SDHC/SDXC card |
Special Feature | Live View |
Water Resistance Level | Not Water Resistant |
Skill Level | Professional |
Specific Uses For Product | Photography |
Form Factor | Mirrorless |
Hardware Interface | AV Port |
Audio Recording | Yes |
Photo Sensor Technology | CMOS |
Product guides and documents
Product Description
From the Manufacturer
The Artisan's CameraPanasonic LUMIX DMC-GX7 16.0 MP Interchangeable Lens Mirrorless Digital Camera (DSLM) with Tilt-Live Viewfinder, Body Only (Silver)
The Panasonic LUMIX GX7 DSLM interchangeable lens mirrorless digital camera brings an artisan’s vision to life with a color accurate tilting viewfinder built into a discreet body design. Its many creative tools empower hybrid photographers to seamlessly switch between photo and video modes with exceptional quality under demanding shooting conditions. DMC-GX7SBODY
Tilt-able Live View Finder with Field Sequential Color Accuracy
LUMIX GX7's 90-degree tilt-able LVF (Live View Finder) delivers a new angle of view for composition flexibility, 2764K-dot equivalent high resolution, and approximately 100%* color reproduction** for high visibility based on the field sequential system.
*Approx. 100% using Adobe RGB as reference.
**CIE 1931 x,y color space.
The Panasonic LUMIX GX7 interchangeable lens digital camera incorporates an optical image stabilizer-like technology directly in the camera body. This in-camera LUMIX MEGA O.I.S.* technology works as effectively with interchangeable non-optically stabilized lenses, to enjoy blur-free photography.
*Nearly as effective as the LUMIX MEGA O.I.S. in LUMIX DSLM lenses.
Increase Focus Accuracy with Focus Peaking and MagnificationFor precise control over focusing, Panasonic LUMIX GX7 camera incorporates Focus Peaking that shows the peak of focus. The precise area of focus is indicated while viewing the subject in live view. Pin-Point AF lets you set magnification from 3x to 10x. One-Shot AF sets the rough focus on the subject where you can then go back to MF to adjust precise focus.Share Instantly with Wi-Fi and One-Touch Device Connection with NFCWith the Panasonic Image App you can use a smartphone/tablet to control zoom, set focus, and shoot remote. Wi-Fi transfers picture data to a device right after shooting. NFC (Near Field Communication) connects the camera to a smartphone/tablet by simply bringing them together. Instantly upload and share images with your smartphone.Expand Your Creativity with the Full Line-Up of LUMIX G / LEICA DG Lenses
Panasonic offers a wide variety of digital interchangeable lenses including wide, standard, telephoto zoom, fixed focal length, macro or fisheye lenses to cover any shooting situation. Every lens is exclusively designed for DSLM mirrorless digital cameras taking advantage of digital technologies such as high-precision, high-speed Contrast AF. Click to See More
Discover Ultimate Picture Quality
Capture high-quality photos and video with realistic details through exceptional resolution and color reproduction of the LUMIX GX7. 16.00-Megapixel Digital Live MOS Sensor that achieves both high resolution and high sensitivity image quality with minimum noise. Venus Engine with advanced noise reduction for smooth images in low light. Click to See More
Touch Enabled 3.0" Tilt-able LCD
Optimized for even sunny, outdoor shooting, the 1040K-dot high-resolution static-type touch monitor delivers approximately 100% field of view and tilts up 45 degrees and down 80 degrees. Combined with increased resolution, the monitor for Panasonic LUMIX GX7 digital camera delivers higher visibility even in sunny outdoor shooting. Click to See More
Light Weight, Durable Magnesium Alloy Body
Dressed in a magnesium alloy, full die-cast frame, the LUMIX DMC-GX7 camera boasts high durability for any shooting situation. State-of-the-art imaging is delivered in a sophisticated, stylish metal body. Click to See More
Precise Focusing with Contrast AF System
All LUMIX G cameras boast the sophisticated Contrast AF focus system. Compared with the Phase Difference AF focus system, Contrast AF delivers higher accuracy especially when shooting with a bright lens and a small F-stop. The Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GX7 features quick Light Speed AF, making it possible to capture even the fastest moving subjects clearly. Click to See More
Premium Body Design with Precision Quality
Dials on the top and back of Panasonic LUMIX GX7 digital camera perform beautifully especially when shooting manually and adjusting aperture, shutter speed, and exposure compensation. Discover impressive defocus in sports and wildlife photography and Silent Mode for being discreet; the LUMIX GX7 mirrorless camera switches the shutter from mechanical to electronic and turns off sounds. Click to See More
Panasonic LUMIX GX7 Premium Accessories
Panasonic DMW-BLG10 Lithium-Ion Battery PackPanasonic Lithium-ion Battery Pack for Lumix Digital CamerasPanasonic DMW-FL360L Flash
Panasonic DMW-FL360L Wireless LED Flash features a built-in LED designed for difficult illumination in any still or movie.Panasonic Lumix G H-H020AK 20mm Lens
Panasonic Lumix G H-H020AK 20mm F/1.7 II ASPH Lens for Panasonic/Olympus Micro Four Thirds Cameras
Read about our customers' top-rated cameras on our review page: Point-and-Shoot Cameras
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the image quality, quality and portability of the camera. They mention that it takes fantastic pictures, is impressed with the image clarity, and is a fabulous mirrorless camera. Customers are also happy with the autofocus, saying that it's fast and accurate. They are also impresseded with the size, features, and build quality. However, some customers have different opinions on ease of use.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers like the image quality of the camera. They say it takes fantastic pictures, is impressed with the image clarity, and looks beautiful. The EVF is excellent and has very accurate color and brightness. Customers also mention that the camera has great video, awesome contrast focusing, fast shooting, and a low profile. They also appreciate the sharp, clear images with good white balance and color. Additionally, some customers mention that RAW images translate much better in LR than the GX1 RAW.
"...this is a fantastic little camera, that handles beautifully, takes great pictures, and is, in my opinion, the best all around camera for most people...." Read more
"...delete, download, or upload pictures. The latest version even adds gps track logging so that your images can be automatically geotagged...." Read more
"...trip: camera still focuses/shoots fast, sharp images with good white balance and color, and the small size meant it fit into my small daypack during..." Read more
"...So in summary brilliant camera, fantastic pictures, forget the wifi and expect little or no support from panasonic" Read more
Customers are satisfied with the quality of the camera. They mention that it is a pleasure to use for everyday shooting, produces DSLR quality photos without having to lug around a big DSLR, and that the viewfinder is also very high quality. They also appreciate the great video, awesome contrast focusing, fast shooting, and low light capabilities. Overall, customers are happy with the performance of this mirrorless camera.
"...All in all this is a fantastic little camera, that handles beautifully, takes great pictures, and is, in my opinion, the best all around camera for..." Read more
"...The video piece has GPU acceleration. Overall it seems like a pretty ok app, if you don't already have a photo organizer...." Read more
"...Pros: small size, great look/feel (the handgrip is a plus), touch and flipout screen, viewfinder (for shooting in bright light), 14-42mm lens good..." Read more
"...The video's come out gorgeous and crystal clear. And it's small and light enough to carry anywhere. Plus the old school look is sweet...." Read more
Customers like the autofocus of the camera. They say it's fast, snappy, and can focus on old manual lenses. Some mention that the kit lens is fast enough to take daytime indoor photos. The camera has fast operation and great images. The writing speed to SD has been greatly improved as compared to the GX1.
"...still camera to date - Great construction, 1/320 flash sync, 1/8000 shutter speed, blazing fast focus, WIFI, IBS, focus peeking, great handling, etc...." Read more
"...EVF, but the overall build quality, outstanding movie mode and snappy autofocus have put this camera back into the "I like it" category for me, even..." Read more
"...great look/feel (the handgrip is a plus), touch and flipout screen, viewfinder (for shooting in bright light), 14-42mm lens good for most situations..." Read more
"...I will say it takes good pics for as lite as it is and auto focus is fast. Just doesnt stand up to proffesional type use as my canons have." Read more
Customers like the portability of the digital camera. They say it's small and light enough to carry anywhere, easy to pack, and discrete with an impressive feature set. Customers also say it beats lugging a large DSLR around. They mention that it'll be great for casual daytrips.
"...The mirrorless cams are GREAT since the size makes them easy to take on the go (the gx-7 fits in my relatively small everyday bag!)...." Read more
"...And it's small and light enough to carry anywhere. Plus the old school look is sweet.So here is the major issues...." Read more
"My experience with the GX7 has been fantastic. It's small, easy to pack and discrete with an impressive feature set and great picture quality...." Read more
"...why we choose m43 is for their light weight and compactness. GX7 is standing on the limit in between compact and entry size dslr...." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the size of the camera. They mention that it is compact, light weight, and easy to use. They also appreciate the size and weight of the micro four thirds system. The camera is easy to fit into tight spaces and is able to produce high-quality images. Customers also like that the sensor is big enough for great image quality and the viewfinder makes it easy to work in tight spaces or for odd angles.
"...But it's a good size to use with both hands (right hand on the grip, left one under the lens)...." Read more
"...Pros: small size, great look/feel (the handgrip is a plus), touch and flipout screen, viewfinder (for shooting in bright light), 14-42mm lens good..." Read more
"...The video's come out gorgeous and crystal clear. And it's small and light enough to carry anywhere. Plus the old school look is sweet...." Read more
"...I love the size of the micro four thirds system. I can fit a body and plenty of lenses in one shoulder bag and not have it weighing me down...." Read more
Customers like the build quality of the camera. They mention that it has a great feel and weight to it, and is a real pleasure to hold. They are also pleased with the in-body stabilization.
"...Panasonic GX7 - Panasonic's best still camera to date - Great construction, 1/320 flash sync, 1/8000 shutter speed, blazing fast focus, WIFI, IBS,..." Read more
"...My disappointment is with the EVF, but the overall build quality, outstanding movie mode and snappy autofocus have put this camera back into the "I..." Read more
"...The camera is solidly built, however if you are looking for a pocket sized mirror less camera this is not for you...." Read more
"...Actually gx7 is a solid and compact but arguably bigger than the old gx1...." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the features of the digital camera. They mention that it has tons of features, an impressive feature set, and great implementation of features. They also say that the camera is jammed with features, has powerful features, and has many functions. Customers also appreciate the intelligent menu system and easy-to-use controls. They say that it offers many technical and ergonomic refinements.
"...levels where you can reassign every button, but there's plenty of customizations available, including "virtual" buttons on the touchscreen...." Read more
"...It's small, easy to pack and discrete with an impressive feature set and great picture quality...." Read more
"...Menu system and button layout is fantastic, and the Q.menu is as useful as ever, not sure why the moved it up (compared to GX1), of course you can..." Read more
"...The camera has a lot of automatic processing features that are usually useful but occasionally get in the way of what I'm working for...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the ease of use of the digital camera. Some mention that it's easy to access and configure menus system, and very simple. However, others say that the firmware is not user friendly, mildly cumbersome to access, and missing functions such as quick preview, rating, or basic image editing. They also mention that the manual is cryptic and has sub-par tech support.
"...For me, I doubt I will use it. As an aside, the EM1 was even easier to set up and includes an additional feature of geo-tagging you photos with..." Read more
"...Then get yourself a proper prime lens. The controls on the camera are very intuitive, though I must confess that I am still learning all the various..." Read more
"...as automatic lens correction or leveling, and I'm missing functions such as quick preview, rating, or basic image editing...." Read more
"...video, audio, and good dial and button controls, completely manual to completely automatic. Both have touchscreen option on the LCD...." Read more
Reviews with images
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I am going to digress quite a bit here to discuss the sensor "envy" issue I have seen so much on the web from both individuals and so called "professional" review sites. The discussion actually turned in to a master's thesis so I will be presenting the condensed version before the review. The detailed version will be at the end of the review for anyone interested. And if sensor envy is not an issue for you or don't want to read about relative merits of sensors then skip down to the asterisk box for the start of the review.
Is a FX sensor better than a m4/3? Is a m4/3 sensor better than a FX? The answer to both those questions is "It depends." Anyone who tries to give you a one size fits all answer either has no clue what they are talking about or are trying to sell you something. I will attempt to try and explain the relative merits of each so you can make an informed decision. I am really only going to discuss FX (AKA 35mm or mislabeled as full-frame. Whatever that even really means as there are medium format cameras and large format cameras with much larger imaging circles.) as what I say about it will apply to DX to a lessor extent.
The 4 major components of IQ are Resolution, Color Depth, Dynamic Range, and High ISO. The best FX and DX cameras DxOMark scores exceed the best m43 yet tested (GX7 and EM1 have not been tested). However, the m4/3 scores of 2012 are about equal to the 2006 35mm Canon 1Ds MkII. This was top-of-the-line pro-camera that cost $8000 and at 16.7mp was the first 35mm digital DSLR considered capable of shooting double-truck ads for national magazines. (A comment I want to make concerning High the ISO numbers. I am not sure how these are computed or relate to each other. I shot with the 1Ds MkII extensively and I can without a doubt say the files from the EM5 look better than the 1Ds Mk II at 6400 ISO. Also, you can go to DPReview and see 100% magnified files shot at various ISOs and various cameras. The files from the D800 look to me about 1 to 1.5 stops better than the EM5. That is the D800 files at 6400 look the same with regard to noise as EM5 shot at 3200.) The m43 or 2012 also easily outclasses the DX sensor Nikon D300 a $1600 prosumer camera from 2008. If all you care about is IQ and you need all that IQ, then by all means the D800 is even better than the best medium format except in color depth (used for portraits) so get the D800.
However, the IQ of sensors, long ago exceeded what we need for home use. So the fact of the matter is, most people don't need the IQ of the D800 and there are, to me, more relevant reasons why the D800 is not something most people would even like. The first is 36mp files. Shot in 14bit RAW, you are looking at around a 65MB image file. Roughly, 15 of those images make 1GB. Even the JPEGs are huge around 15MB each. That is a pain to store and a pain to process. What do most people do with their images? I would say the number one thing people do is is to put them on the web or their phones. The biggest monitors are around 2.5mp. To print a 300dpi 8x10 requires around 7mp. That means if you view the picture on a 2.5mp monitor you giving up 33.5mp. (This is not entirely accurate as the image is interpolated down and you do clean up noise when you do that.) And that is for a full screen image not the little happy snaps you text or put on facebook which are more likely to be around 1mp or less. Do you really think you need 36mp? If so, then m4/3 is not the right format for you. I mentioned earlier, that when you downsize an image it is interpolated down and this helps clean up the image. Well that applies to the m4/3 images as well. So even though the D800 is 1 to 1.5 stops better for noise, when you interpolate the images down, you are very unlikely to be able to see that on your screen or even on a print except at ISOs greater than 6400. So the FX sensor has better IQ than m4/3 but for most people it just doesn't matter because the m4/3 sensors are more than good enough for tasks most people use cameras for. As a fun test, I have posted 3 images from the GX7 under the customer images. One was shot at ISO200, one ISO6400 and one was shot at ISO25,600 (That is a whopping 7 stops of ISO difference. So if 1 or 2 stops really mattered you should see a huge difference in 7 stops.). See if you can tell which is which. I will say at full screen on my 27 inch monitor I can tell the difference between them. However, the 25,600 still looks really really good and is very usable for web images. The difference between ISO 200 and 6400 is not really noticeable. If they weren't side-by-side you wouldn't even be able to tell one was shot at 6400.
So what are the downsides of FX sensors. The first and most obvious is price. However, the other costs associated with the FX sensor are the lenses. The best lenses are very expensive. Also, the imaging circle of a FX is roughly 2x the size of the imaging circle of m4/3. That means, the lenses are going to be bigger and heavier and the difference is not trivial. A D800 with a 70-200mm f.28 is going to set you back about $5300 and around 6-7lbs. A GX7 with a 35-100mm f/2.8 will set you back about $2300 and around 3lbs. If you are traveling somewhere and carrying your camera all day, can you see how the smaller sensor might be better for you? Something to think about.
Next, the contrast autofocus use by m4/3 is on the sensor and it is exceedingly fast. What this means, is you have focusing points throughout your frame. The phase detect systems used on FX DSLRs only has points clustered around the middle; the corners are excluded. Also, the phase detect systems are separate from the sensor. Therefore, with FX you have back focusing and front focusing issues. The so called live view systems on the DSLRs are really the only accurate way to auto or manual focus and are terribly slow. That means the only way to quickly frame and focus a FX DSLR is through the viewfinder. Forget holding the camera over your head or down at your feet.
The next issue is with dust on the sensor. With all my DX and FX sensors DSLRs, dust has always been an issue (Talk about a way to ruin IQ). However, in almost 5 years shooting m4/3, I have never had one single problem with dust on the sensor. Another "benefit" of FX is the shallower Depth of Field that can be achieved for the same aperture. The reason I put that in quotes is that in a lot of cases the DOF on a FX is too shallow and you need to stop down the lens to f4 or f5.6 to get the DOF you are looking for. In these cases, a m4/3 is clearly superior as you can stay at f2 or f2.8 to get the same DOF. That means you can turn your ISO down 2 stops (From my perspective on the high ISO images I viewed on DPReview, a 100% EM5 image at 1600 looks better than a 100% D800 6400 image). Also, for flash or lighting for video filming, a 2 stop ISO difference means 4 times less light power is required for the m4/3 sensor. That means your flash batteries will last longer and your flash will recycle that much quicker.
Another drawback of the FX sensor is it is stuck in the archaic 2:3 ratio which is not as friendly for printing as a 4:3 ration is. To print a 4:5 ration 8x10 from a 2:3 ratio there is quite a bit of cropping to be done and often a picture won't fit.
Finally, the pixel densities on m4/3 are the highest of any large sensor camera. A DX sensor with the same pixel density as a 16mp m4/3 sensor would be roughly 32mp and a FX sensor would be 64mp. This is both good and bad for m4/3 cameras. Currently, there are no DX or FX sensors with pixel densities of the m4/3. So you are currently getting more reach on your m4/3 lenses than any other lenses. What this means is, given the same focal length, you are getting approximately 1.5x the data on a subject for the same area than an FX and 1.25 vs a DX sensor. This is not to be confused with crop factor which based on the sensor size is 2x compared to FX sensor and 1.5x compared to a DX sensor. This does come with a downside to the m4/3 in that it works your lenses harder (exposes optical flaws in the lenses) and you hit diffraction limits on IQ at around F8 vice F11.
Buy 35mm FX if:
- You need the best image quality available to print big. At 200 dpi (good enough for most people) you can print a 16mp image up to 23x17. If you need bigger than that, get a FX.
- You absolutely have to have the shallowest DOF available in a DSLR body. I've owned FX camera bodies and I will admit sometimes I do miss the razor shallow DOF images I was occasionally able to capture. With that, however, the DOF was so small I often missed the focus especially on wiggly subjects such as kids. Also, with 2 or more people, DOF at 1.4 was way too shallow so forget about it. With my 75mm 1.8, I don't miss FX as much as my pictures from that lens have a very similar feel as the FX pictures. I liked the D700 a lot but the fact of the matter is, I used my GH1 far more.
- You have to have the biggest sensor to feel good about yourself. (And, really, you will still need MF)
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Ok I am off my sensor soapbox and will now get back to the GX7. One of the big deals about the GX7 is it is the first and only ranger-finder style camera (note: it is not a range-finder camera). What this means is you shoot with your right eye one the EVF, the camera is not resting on your face. (It reminds me a lot of the X100 but only much faster and easier to use). The big benefit of this, however, is it leaves your left eye well clear of the camera and able to scan the scene for the right moment to shoot. I am left eye dominant and at first blush that would appear to be a drawback. However, having your dominant eye be the one scanning the scene is a major benefit in my opinion. This setup is one reason I like the rangefinder style cameras such as the GX7. This is the camera either Panasonic or Olympus should have built well before there even was and X100 or NEX 7. To me it felt instantly comfortable and fun to use like an old friend.
The single autofocus on this camera is blazing fast. It is the fastest single shot autofocus I have ever used. With the 25mm f/1.4 it is near instantaneous in good light. However, it is the low light performance which really blows me away. In a dark room at night with the only light bleeding in through an open door, the GX7 was as fast as many autofocus systems in bright light. Here is the amazing thing, there was no hunting or searching. It is very noticeably faster than any other autofocus system I have ever used in low-light by a wide margin! I have to say using the EM1 was disappointing as it hunted, searched, and took about 3-4 times as long. Not that the EM1 was bad it is about standard for what I have used. The GX7 is just plain faster. For night shooting, or low-light event photography I don't think you will find a better auto focus system out there for single shot. Tracking focus does not live up to single shot but I don't really use tracking focus. Another nice feature dealing with autofocus is you can have the camera start to focus when it senses your eye at the EVF. If you have this turned on in the menu, and you get used to it by making sure you are pointing at your subject as you raise the camera to your eye, the subject can be in focus when your eye reaches the EVF.
Wow what a nice camera. M4/3 have been a little hobbled in my opinion in the past with a crappy 1/160 flash sync and a lame 1/4000 fastest shutter speed. Well that is past with the GX7. It has a flash sync speed of 1/320 which is I believe faster than any DSLR which top out at 1/250. Not really fast enough to get really excited about but fast enough to be useful. The camera also has a built in little fill flash which is handy for daylight shooting. The 1/8000 max shutter speed is also welcome as I like to shoot wide open primes in bright light and don't like toting around ND filters. Additionally, this is Panasonic's first m4/3 camera with In-body Stabilization (IBIS). I don't feel it is a good as the one on the E-M5 but it does work with any lenses which don't have stabilization such as Leica, Nikon, Voigtlander, etc. Shooting the 75mm f/1.8 handheld at 1/10, I got around 50% non-blurry images. Which is pretty decent since the minimum I should be shooting that is 1/160. That is about a 4 stop advantage. Shooing with the EM1, however, all the images were good.
It is unfortunate that neither Panasonic nor Olympus are building bodies with 2 card slots in them. Two cards are really nice for paid events for redundancy incase one card dies on you. This camera also, has built in wifi and NFC. One reviewer mentioned it was exceedingly difficult to set up. My experience was completely different. I downloaded the app from Goggle Play store and then followed the instructions in the manual. I was up and running with both wifi and NFC in about 5 min. Now with that said, I don't think wifi is going to be that useful for me. If you need to remotely control a camera then it would be ok. I could see a portrait studio having the camera set up on a tripod and using the phone to trigger the camera. The reason I say this is ok is that the focus seemed really slow. Also, it can transfer photos to your phone to upload to the web, so if that is something you have been waiting for then this will be useful for you. For me, I doubt I will use it. As an aside, the EM1 was even easier to set up and includes an additional feature of geo-tagging you photos with your phones GPS coordinates. This is something I might actually use.
M4/3 cameras are so small and light that I use them with a wrist strap instead of a neck strap. It is kind of a shame that neither Panasonic nor Olympus have figured this out yet either. I saw one reviewer commenting on how you need two hands to shoo this camera. I don't think that is true. While the grip is not as steady as the EM1, I can shoot the 75 f/1.8 comfortably one handed all day. With, the wrist grip on you don't worry about it. Just keep it in your hand.
The build quality of this camera is top notch. Panasonic's best so far. It has a quality fell and weight to it and is a real pleasure to hold. The grip is nice enough but I prefer a bigger grip when using the bigger lenses such as the 100-300. The EM1 grip is a lot better in my opinion. The switches all feel really nice. As far as handling goes, I feel Panasonic's handling is far superior to DSLRs. To me DSLRs are like dinosaurs compared to the Panasonic's. I always liked the push to click adjustment wheel on previous Panasonic so I am sad to now see a 2 wheel system. With the one wheel, I always knew what I needed to do and could make it happen with out looking. Changing exposure value was so easy. With 2, I always forget which one does shutter and which one does aperture. Panasonic always got bashed, by so called people in the know, for only having 1 wheel so now we get 2. Too bad in my opinion as the new system is far inferior to the G1, GH1, GF1, GH2, G3, etc. The setup used to be everything was viewed at once in terms of exposure data (Shutter speed, aperture, and EV). Now when you press on the wheel, shutter speed and aperture go away and all you have is EV. Boo to Panasonic for listening to so called experts who don't recognize an improvement when they see one because it is different. The quick menu system works great and the touchscreen is useful. Panasonic used to have the best handling going but I am now going to have to say the Olympus EM1 handles better than the GX7.
One thing I have found is if you are using the back screen and you are holding the camera on the left, it is easy to trip the eye sensor and have the back screen shut off. The solution for this is either to make sure to flip the EVF up when using the back screen or adjust the sensitivity down to low in the menus.
Speaking of EVF, this 2.4 million dot EVF is beautiful. Many pros sites say they prefer the view from a large FX prism. In most cases I actually prefer EVF. For one thing it covers the full frame. For another it actually magnifies the picture better. But for me the big thing is it is somewhat What You See Is What You Get. That means if you set a manual WB and then forgot to change it when you changed settings, you will see that in the EVF as the picture will look either to yellow or blue. I use it as a very fast method of setting exposure. Move the light sources around in the frame until you see the exposure you want and then lock it in. Recompose and shoot. This is an exceedingly fast way to play with your exposure. Tired of taking pictures with people too dark because of a bright background. You will see that in the EVF. If you want a Silhouette then you can see that before you shoot. This is actually less likely to happen with the GX7 because the facial recognition and facial exposure works exceedingly well.
I do need to mention an occurrence I just had happen on AWB with the GX7. I was shooting low light sunlight through a gold curtain which makes the light orange. In the EVF the image looked great, however, the JPEGs were way too orange. I reset the WB to incandescent and the images looked fine. The EM1 images looked great even in the strange light. Also, I remember seeing some test images that looked too yellow on a review web site. No one has reported any AWB issues with this camera, but I would make sure to check your photos in weird light. You might need to use a manual WB. This is an issue that Panasonic can and should be able to fix with a firmware update.
All in all this is a fantastic little camera, that handles beautifully, takes great pictures, and is, in my opinion, the best all around camera for most people. Since the E-M1 is about to come out I will comment about that also. In most cases, this camera being $500 cheaper is the better way to go. IQ is the same, features that are important to most people are the same and you save a ton of cash. There are a few situations where the E-M1 might be better for you than the GX7. 1) If you have 4/3 lenses, the E-M1 is a no brainer. If you don't know what I am talking about you don't have any. 2) If you need the extra battery life of the grip or you take tons of portrait orientation pictures, the E-M1 is the way to go. If you want the best IBIS in any camera system, that will be in the EM1 (I nailed 100% 75mm shots at 1/10 of a second. I've seen talk of being able to shoot at 1sec hand held. I will update when I test that). If you want the most weather sealed m4/3 camera that will also be the EM1.
Pros:
Very Fast Auto Focus (Best low light I have every shot.)
Range-finder Style Camera
Build Quality
Image Quality
IBIS
Small
Handling
Len System
Cons:
AWB needs a Firmware Fix. In some rare instances it gets confused and is too orange.
Only one SD slot
More expensive than NEX6 and cheaper DSLRs
Below is a buying guide recommendation.
Panasonic GX7 - Panasonic's best still camera to date - Great construction, 1/320 flash sync, 1/8000 shutter speed, blazing fast focus, WIFI, IBS, focus peeking, great handling, etc. This camera does cost $150 more than the NEX-6, which is similarly specked (Sony must be giving them away). However, m4/3 lenses are always going to be quite a bit smaller and lighter than NEX lenses. Additionally, the m4/3 lens system is the most complete outside of legacy 35mm systems from Nikon and Canon.
Panasonic G6 - Great little camera for a nice price ($740 with lens). IQ not quite as good as the GX7, build quality not as good as GX7, and has slower flash sync and shutter speed. It has a tilt and swivel screen which in my opinion is actually nicer than the tilt only screen on the GX7, EM5, and EM1. If you want to get into the system, this is a good way to start. Save money on the camera and spend it on a nice lens.
Panasonic G5 - Right now if you look for the clearance sales you can get them for $300-400. Not as good as any of the other cameras here but still a great camera which takes nice pictures.
Olympus E-M1 - Looks to be an absolutely brilliant camera. If you have 4/3 lenses (not to be confused with m4/3) this camera is a no brainer as it is a huge upgrade over the E-5. The camera has the best in-body stabilization (IBIS) of any camera period. Also, for event photographers, the additional battery grip is a must for better battery life. However, at $1400 if you don't have legacy 4/3 lenses and have no plans to get any, and you don't need the battery grip, then the GX-7 is $500 cheaper and almost as good. (Although, the GX7 doesn't have as good IBIS).
Olympus E-M5 - this camera has now been outclassed by the GX-7 and costs the same. So while this is still a brilliant camera, the GX-7 is better for the same money.
Olympus E-P5 - Has no built in view finder which for me is an absolute no go. If you add the external viewfinder, you have now paid $1500 which is more than the EM-1. And add on accessories always get lost. (I can never find my E-M5 flash) So this camera is way overpriced (as all of the EP cameras have been) and I don't recommend it. Get either the GX-7 or EM-1
NEX-6 - Really nice camera - Focus is not as fast a m4/3. Sensor is bigger so for higher ISO and large sizes, it will have better IQ. Price is great. However, this camera does not handle as well as the Panasonic. While the camera is small, the lenses are not so this system is not as small and light as the m4/3. The lens system is nowhere near complete as the m4/3 system. If price is your only consideration, then the NEX-6 is probably the way to go. If size and weight are the primary consideration, the GX-7 is the way to go.
Any DSLR - Bigger and heaver - DSLRs are dinosaurs when compared to mirrorless cameras. I really hate going back from shooting my E-M5 and shooting my Nikons. They are big, the focus system is obsolete (not phase focus, but the focus points and how they are arranged). Their, live view is terrible, most of the viewfinders are smaller then the newest EVFs, and are lacking some of the features of the mirrorless. Tons of people buy Nikon and Canon because that is what is around, however, my opinion is the vast majority of families would be much better served by a m4/3 system. If you know why some of the DSLR features are better than m4/3 then a DSLR may be for you. However, if you are looking to step up from your phone and get a camera to take pictures of your family and daily life, then m4/3 is the system for you. If you really need, shallow DOF, then full-frame may be the way to go. As far as event photographers go, we often shoot at f/4 or f.5/6 to get the DOF we need. With m4/3, you can shoot f/2 or f/2.8 to get the same DOF so you can shoot 2 stops lower ISO. The DSLRs have 2 card slots which is very nice, however, with WIFI, you can shoot with your GX7 or E-M1 and upload to your phone while taking pictures. DSLRs also have a better battery life.
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Is a FX sensor better than a m4/3? Is a m4/3 sensor better than a FX? The answer to both those questions is "It depends." Anyone who tries to give you a one size fits all answer either has no clue what they are talking about or are trying to sell you something. I will attempt to try and explain the relative merits of each so you can make an informed decision. I am really only going to discuss FX (AKA 35mm or mislabeled as full-frame. Whatever that even really means as there are medium format cameras and large format cameras with much larger imaging circles.) as what I say about it will apply to DX to a lessor extent.
The 4 major components of IQ are Resolution, Color Depth, Dynamic Range, and High ISO. You can if you want go to DXOMark and look at all the sensor data. I will give you numbers for the best of breed of each size. D800 36mp, 25.3 bit color depth, 14.4 Stop Dynamic Range and 2853 ISO. For D7100 it is 24mp, 24.2, 13.7 and 1256. For EP5, 16mp, 22.8, 12.4, 895. Higher is "better" and so by numbers the IQ of the FX D800 is best. (I am using the EP5 because there is not DxOMark Score for the GX7. Before, we move on to some other items concerning sensor, let me show you the numbers for the 2006 35mm Canon 1Ds MkII. Before I show them to you, you need to know this was a pro-camera that cost $8000 when it came out and at 16.7mp was the first 35mm digital considered capable of shooting double-truck ads for national magazines. Here are the numbers for this camera 16mp, 23.3, 11.3, 1480. So, based on objective numbers, the m43 sensor of today is about equivalent of the camera used for pro work in 2006 to 2008. It actually has a better dynamic range than the 35mm camera does. (A comment I want to make concerning the ISO numbers. I am not sure how these are computed or relate to each other. I shot with the 1Ds MkII extensively and I can without a doubt say the files from the EM5 look better than the 1Ds Mk II at 6400 ISO. Also, you can go to DPReview and see 100% magnified files shot at various ISOs and various cameras. The files from the D800 look to me about 1 to 1.5 stops better than the EM5. That is the D800 files at 6400 look the same with regard to noise as EM5 shot at 3200.) Just for info purposes here are some of numbers from some other older cameras I shot with. Canon 30D 10mp, 21.5, 10.8, 736 and Nikon D300, 12mp, 22.1, 12, 679. As you can see the EP5 outclasses both of those cameras based on the numbers and yet I got really nice pictures with both those cameras. (Going back to that ISO number again, I shot extensively with both of those cameras and their files at ISO 800 were about the same as the EM5 at 6400. The EM5 is about 3 stops better yet the DxOMark ISO values are about the same. Also, the EM5 6400 JPEGs are sharp and clean. Very nice.) If all you care about is IQ and you need all that IQ, then by all means the D800 is even better than the best medium format except in color depth used for portraits so get the D800.
However, as I showed you with the 1Ds MkII, the IQ of sensors, long ago exceeded what we need for home use. So the fact of the matter is, most people don't need the IQ of the D800 and there are, to me, more relevant reasons why the D800 is not something most people would even like. The first is 36mp files. Shot in 14bit RAW, you are looking at around a 65MB image file. Roughly, 15 of those images make 1GB. Even the JPEGs are huge around 15MB each. That is a pain to store and a pain to process. What do most people do with their images? I would say the number 1 thing people do is is to put them on the web or their phones. The biggest monitors are around 2.5mp. To print a 300dpi 8x10 requires around 7mp. Requires. That means if you view the picture on a 2.5mp monitor you giving up 33.5mp. (This is not entirely accurate as the image is interpolated down and you do clean up noise when you do that.) That is for a full screen image not the little happy snaps you text or put on facebook which are more likely to be around 1mp or less. Do you really think you need 36mp? If so, then m4/3 is not the right format for me. I personally, like the 10-12mp range (and wish they would make a 12mp m43) but 16mp is more than enough for me. I mentioned earlier, that when you downsize an image it is interpolated down and this helps clean up the image. Well that applies to the m4/3 images as well. So even though the D800 is 1 to 1.5 stops better for noise, when you interpolate the images down, you are very unlikely to be able to see that on your screen or even on a print except at ISOs greater than 6400 or maybe 3200. So I think we have established the FX sensor has better IQ than m4/3 but I hope I have established for most people it just doesn't matter because the m4/3 sensors are more than good enough for tasks most people use cameras for.
As a fun test, I have posted 3 images from the GX7 under the customer images. One was shot at ISO200, one ISO6400 and one was shot at ISO25,600. See if you can tell which is which. I will say at full screen on my 27 inch monitor I can tell the difference between them. However, the 25,600 still looks really really good and is very usable for web images. The difference between ISO 200 and 6400 is not really noticeable. If they weren't side-by-side you wouldn't even be able to tell on was shot at 6400.
So what are the downsides of FX sensors. The first and most obvious is price, although with Nikon's D600 fiasco, you can get a FX sensor for around $1500. However, the other costs associated with the FX sensor are the lenses. The best lenses are very expensive. Also, the imaging circle of a FX is roughly 2x the size of the imaging circle of m4/3. That means, the lenses are going to be bigger and heavier and the difference is not trivial. A D800 with a 70-200mm f.28 is going to set you back about $5300 and around 6-7lbs. A GX7 with a 35-100mm f/2.8 will set you back about $2300 and around 3lbs. I can and have carried 4 m4/3 bodies with 2 fast zooms and 2 fast primes in the same bag I can only carry 2 DSLR bodies and lenses. I also carried several extra lenses in that bag. The weight of that bag, bodies, lenses, and iPad was 10lbs. Two FX bodies and fast zooms alone are going to weigh more than that. If you really feel like you want to lug all that around, then by all means get the FX. All that weight also means you will be carrying around a heavier tripod if you use one. Do you think if maybe you had to hike your camera in somewhere that maybe the smaller sensor might be better? If you are traveling somewhere and carrying your camera all day, can you see how the smaller sensor would be better? Something to think about.
Next, the contrast autofocus use by m4/3 is on the sensor and it is exceedingly fast. What this means, is you have focusing points throughout your frame. The phase detect systems used on FX DSLRs only has points clustered around the middle. The corners are excluded. Also, the phase detect systems are separate from the sensor. Therefore, with FX you have back focusing and front focusing issues. The so called live view systems on the DSLRs are really the only accurate way to auto or manual focus and is terribly slow (What you see thought the prism is not what the sensor is seeing it is what the autofocus is seeing.) That means the only way to quickly frame and focus a FX DSLR is through the viewfinder. Forget holding the camera over your head or down at your feet.
The next issue is with dust on the sensor. With all my DX and FX sensors DSLRs, dust has always been an issue (Talk about a way to ruin image quality). It was so bad on the D600 they have had to significantly drop the price on that camera. In almost 5 years shooting m4/3, I have never had 1 single problem with dust on the sensor.
Another "benefit" of FX is the shallower Depth of Field that can be achieved for the same aperture. The reason I put that in quotes is that in a lot of cases the DOF on a FX is too shallow and you need to stop down the lens to f4 or f5.6 to get the DOF you are looking for. In these cases, a m4/3 is clearly superior as you can stay at f2 or f2.8 to get the same DOF. This means you are collecting 4 times the light and, therefore, you can turn your ISO down 2 stops (According to the images on DPReview, a 100% EM5 image at 1600 looks better than a D800 6400 image). Also, for flash or lighting for video filming, a 2 stop ISO difference means 4 times less light power is required for the m4/3 senso
Reviewed in the United States on September 30, 2013
I am going to digress quite a bit here to discuss the sensor "envy" issue I have seen so much on the web from both individuals and so called "professional" review sites. The discussion actually turned in to a master's thesis so I will be presenting the condensed version before the review. The detailed version will be at the end of the review for anyone interested. And if sensor envy is not an issue for you or don't want to read about relative merits of sensors then skip down to the asterisk box for the start of the review.
Is a FX sensor better than a m4/3? Is a m4/3 sensor better than a FX? The answer to both those questions is "It depends." Anyone who tries to give you a one size fits all answer either has no clue what they are talking about or are trying to sell you something. I will attempt to try and explain the relative merits of each so you can make an informed decision. I am really only going to discuss FX (AKA 35mm or mislabeled as full-frame. Whatever that even really means as there are medium format cameras and large format cameras with much larger imaging circles.) as what I say about it will apply to DX to a lessor extent.
The 4 major components of IQ are Resolution, Color Depth, Dynamic Range, and High ISO. The best FX and DX cameras DxOMark scores exceed the best m43 yet tested (GX7 and EM1 have not been tested). However, the m4/3 scores of 2012 are about equal to the 2006 35mm Canon 1Ds MkII. This was top-of-the-line pro-camera that cost $8000 and at 16.7mp was the first 35mm digital DSLR considered capable of shooting double-truck ads for national magazines. (A comment I want to make concerning High the ISO numbers. I am not sure how these are computed or relate to each other. I shot with the 1Ds MkII extensively and I can without a doubt say the files from the EM5 look better than the 1Ds Mk II at 6400 ISO. Also, you can go to DPReview and see 100% magnified files shot at various ISOs and various cameras. The files from the D800 look to me about 1 to 1.5 stops better than the EM5. That is the D800 files at 6400 look the same with regard to noise as EM5 shot at 3200.) The m43 or 2012 also easily outclasses the DX sensor Nikon D300 a $1600 prosumer camera from 2008. If all you care about is IQ and you need all that IQ, then by all means the D800 is even better than the best medium format except in color depth (used for portraits) so get the D800.
However, the IQ of sensors, long ago exceeded what we need for home use. So the fact of the matter is, most people don't need the IQ of the D800 and there are, to me, more relevant reasons why the D800 is not something most people would even like. The first is 36mp files. Shot in 14bit RAW, you are looking at around a 65MB image file. Roughly, 15 of those images make 1GB. Even the JPEGs are huge around 15MB each. That is a pain to store and a pain to process. What do most people do with their images? I would say the number one thing people do is is to put them on the web or their phones. The biggest monitors are around 2.5mp. To print a 300dpi 8x10 requires around 7mp. That means if you view the picture on a 2.5mp monitor you giving up 33.5mp. (This is not entirely accurate as the image is interpolated down and you do clean up noise when you do that.) And that is for a full screen image not the little happy snaps you text or put on facebook which are more likely to be around 1mp or less. Do you really think you need 36mp? If so, then m4/3 is not the right format for you. I mentioned earlier, that when you downsize an image it is interpolated down and this helps clean up the image. Well that applies to the m4/3 images as well. So even though the D800 is 1 to 1.5 stops better for noise, when you interpolate the images down, you are very unlikely to be able to see that on your screen or even on a print except at ISOs greater than 6400. So the FX sensor has better IQ than m4/3 but for most people it just doesn't matter because the m4/3 sensors are more than good enough for tasks most people use cameras for. As a fun test, I have posted 3 images from the GX7 under the customer images. One was shot at ISO200, one ISO6400 and one was shot at ISO25,600 (That is a whopping 7 stops of ISO difference. So if 1 or 2 stops really mattered you should see a huge difference in 7 stops.). See if you can tell which is which. I will say at full screen on my 27 inch monitor I can tell the difference between them. However, the 25,600 still looks really really good and is very usable for web images. The difference between ISO 200 and 6400 is not really noticeable. If they weren't side-by-side you wouldn't even be able to tell one was shot at 6400.
So what are the downsides of FX sensors. The first and most obvious is price. However, the other costs associated with the FX sensor are the lenses. The best lenses are very expensive. Also, the imaging circle of a FX is roughly 2x the size of the imaging circle of m4/3. That means, the lenses are going to be bigger and heavier and the difference is not trivial. A D800 with a 70-200mm f.28 is going to set you back about $5300 and around 6-7lbs. A GX7 with a 35-100mm f/2.8 will set you back about $2300 and around 3lbs. If you are traveling somewhere and carrying your camera all day, can you see how the smaller sensor might be better for you? Something to think about.
Next, the contrast autofocus use by m4/3 is on the sensor and it is exceedingly fast. What this means, is you have focusing points throughout your frame. The phase detect systems used on FX DSLRs only has points clustered around the middle; the corners are excluded. Also, the phase detect systems are separate from the sensor. Therefore, with FX you have back focusing and front focusing issues. The so called live view systems on the DSLRs are really the only accurate way to auto or manual focus and are terribly slow. That means the only way to quickly frame and focus a FX DSLR is through the viewfinder. Forget holding the camera over your head or down at your feet.
The next issue is with dust on the sensor. With all my DX and FX sensors DSLRs, dust has always been an issue (Talk about a way to ruin IQ). However, in almost 5 years shooting m4/3, I have never had one single problem with dust on the sensor. Another "benefit" of FX is the shallower Depth of Field that can be achieved for the same aperture. The reason I put that in quotes is that in a lot of cases the DOF on a FX is too shallow and you need to stop down the lens to f4 or f5.6 to get the DOF you are looking for. In these cases, a m4/3 is clearly superior as you can stay at f2 or f2.8 to get the same DOF. That means you can turn your ISO down 2 stops (From my perspective on the high ISO images I viewed on DPReview, a 100% EM5 image at 1600 looks better than a 100% D800 6400 image). Also, for flash or lighting for video filming, a 2 stop ISO difference means 4 times less light power is required for the m4/3 sensor. That means your flash batteries will last longer and your flash will recycle that much quicker.
Another drawback of the FX sensor is it is stuck in the archaic 2:3 ratio which is not as friendly for printing as a 4:3 ration is. To print a 4:5 ration 8x10 from a 2:3 ratio there is quite a bit of cropping to be done and often a picture won't fit.
Finally, the pixel densities on m4/3 are the highest of any large sensor camera. A DX sensor with the same pixel density as a 16mp m4/3 sensor would be roughly 32mp and a FX sensor would be 64mp. This is both good and bad for m4/3 cameras. Currently, there are no DX or FX sensors with pixel densities of the m4/3. So you are currently getting more reach on your m4/3 lenses than any other lenses. What this means is, given the same focal length, you are getting approximately 1.5x the data on a subject for the same area than an FX and 1.25 vs a DX sensor. This is not to be confused with crop factor which based on the sensor size is 2x compared to FX sensor and 1.5x compared to a DX sensor. This does come with a downside to the m4/3 in that it works your lenses harder (exposes optical flaws in the lenses) and you hit diffraction limits on IQ at around F8 vice F11.
Buy 35mm FX if:
- You need the best image quality available to print big. At 200 dpi (good enough for most people) you can print a 16mp image up to 23x17. If you need bigger than that, get a FX.
- You absolutely have to have the shallowest DOF available in a DSLR body. I've owned FX camera bodies and I will admit sometimes I do miss the razor shallow DOF images I was occasionally able to capture. With that, however, the DOF was so small I often missed the focus especially on wiggly subjects such as kids. Also, with 2 or more people, DOF at 1.4 was way too shallow so forget about it. With my 75mm 1.8, I don't miss FX as much as my pictures from that lens have a very similar feel as the FX pictures. I liked the D700 a lot but the fact of the matter is, I used my GH1 far more.
- You have to have the biggest sensor to feel good about yourself. (And, really, you will still need MF)
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Ok I am off my sensor soapbox and will now get back to the GX7. One of the big deals about the GX7 is it is the first and only ranger-finder style camera (note: it is not a range-finder camera). What this means is you shoot with your right eye one the EVF, the camera is not resting on your face. (It reminds me a lot of the X100 but only much faster and easier to use). The big benefit of this, however, is it leaves your left eye well clear of the camera and able to scan the scene for the right moment to shoot. I am left eye dominant and at first blush that would appear to be a drawback. However, having your dominant eye be the one scanning the scene is a major benefit in my opinion. This setup is one reason I like the rangefinder style cameras such as the GX7. This is the camera either Panasonic or Olympus should have built well before there even was and X100 or NEX 7. To me it felt instantly comfortable and fun to use like an old friend.
The single autofocus on this camera is blazing fast. It is the fastest single shot autofocus I have ever used. With the 25mm f/1.4 it is near instantaneous in good light. However, it is the low light performance which really blows me away. In a dark room at night with the only light bleeding in through an open door, the GX7 was as fast as many autofocus systems in bright light. Here is the amazing thing, there was no hunting or searching. It is very noticeably faster than any other autofocus system I have ever used in low-light by a wide margin! I have to say using the EM1 was disappointing as it hunted, searched, and took about 3-4 times as long. Not that the EM1 was bad it is about standard for what I have used. The GX7 is just plain faster. For night shooting, or low-light event photography I don't think you will find a better auto focus system out there for single shot. Tracking focus does not live up to single shot but I don't really use tracking focus. Another nice feature dealing with autofocus is you can have the camera start to focus when it senses your eye at the EVF. If you have this turned on in the menu, and you get used to it by making sure you are pointing at your subject as you raise the camera to your eye, the subject can be in focus when your eye reaches the EVF.
Wow what a nice camera. M4/3 have been a little hobbled in my opinion in the past with a crappy 1/160 flash sync and a lame 1/4000 fastest shutter speed. Well that is past with the GX7. It has a flash sync speed of 1/320 which is I believe faster than any DSLR which top out at 1/250. Not really fast enough to get really excited about but fast enough to be useful. The camera also has a built in little fill flash which is handy for daylight shooting. The 1/8000 max shutter speed is also welcome as I like to shoot wide open primes in bright light and don't like toting around ND filters. Additionally, this is Panasonic's first m4/3 camera with In-body Stabilization (IBIS). I don't feel it is a good as the one on the E-M5 but it does work with any lenses which don't have stabilization such as Leica, Nikon, Voigtlander, etc. Shooting the 75mm f/1.8 handheld at 1/10, I got around 50% non-blurry images. Which is pretty decent since the minimum I should be shooting that is 1/160. That is about a 4 stop advantage. Shooing with the EM1, however, all the images were good.
It is unfortunate that neither Panasonic nor Olympus are building bodies with 2 card slots in them. Two cards are really nice for paid events for redundancy incase one card dies on you. This camera also, has built in wifi and NFC. One reviewer mentioned it was exceedingly difficult to set up. My experience was completely different. I downloaded the app from Goggle Play store and then followed the instructions in the manual. I was up and running with both wifi and NFC in about 5 min. Now with that said, I don't think wifi is going to be that useful for me. If you need to remotely control a camera then it would be ok. I could see a portrait studio having the camera set up on a tripod and using the phone to trigger the camera. The reason I say this is ok is that the focus seemed really slow. Also, it can transfer photos to your phone to upload to the web, so if that is something you have been waiting for then this will be useful for you. For me, I doubt I will use it. As an aside, the EM1 was even easier to set up and includes an additional feature of geo-tagging you photos with your phones GPS coordinates. This is something I might actually use.
M4/3 cameras are so small and light that I use them with a wrist strap instead of a neck strap. It is kind of a shame that neither Panasonic nor Olympus have figured this out yet either. I saw one reviewer commenting on how you need two hands to shoo this camera. I don't think that is true. While the grip is not as steady as the EM1, I can shoot the 75 f/1.8 comfortably one handed all day. With, the wrist grip on you don't worry about it. Just keep it in your hand.
The build quality of this camera is top notch. Panasonic's best so far. It has a quality fell and weight to it and is a real pleasure to hold. The grip is nice enough but I prefer a bigger grip when using the bigger lenses such as the 100-300. The EM1 grip is a lot better in my opinion. The switches all feel really nice. As far as handling goes, I feel Panasonic's handling is far superior to DSLRs. To me DSLRs are like dinosaurs compared to the Panasonic's. I always liked the push to click adjustment wheel on previous Panasonic so I am sad to now see a 2 wheel system. With the one wheel, I always knew what I needed to do and could make it happen with out looking. Changing exposure value was so easy. With 2, I always forget which one does shutter and which one does aperture. Panasonic always got bashed, by so called people in the know, for only having 1 wheel so now we get 2. Too bad in my opinion as the new system is far inferior to the G1, GH1, GF1, GH2, G3, etc. The setup used to be everything was viewed at once in terms of exposure data (Shutter speed, aperture, and EV). Now when you press on the wheel, shutter speed and aperture go away and all you have is EV. Boo to Panasonic for listening to so called experts who don't recognize an improvement when they see one because it is different. The quick menu system works great and the touchscreen is useful. Panasonic used to have the best handling going but I am now going to have to say the Olympus EM1 handles better than the GX7.
One thing I have found is if you are using the back screen and you are holding the camera on the left, it is easy to trip the eye sensor and have the back screen shut off. The solution for this is either to make sure to flip the EVF up when using the back screen or adjust the sensitivity down to low in the menus.
Speaking of EVF, this 2.4 million dot EVF is beautiful. Many pros sites say they prefer the view from a large FX prism. In most cases I actually prefer EVF. For one thing it covers the full frame. For another it actually magnifies the picture better. But for me the big thing is it is somewhat What You See Is What You Get. That means if you set a manual WB and then forgot to change it when you changed settings, you will see that in the EVF as the picture will look either to yellow or blue. I use it as a very fast method of setting exposure. Move the light sources around in the frame until you see the exposure you want and then lock it in. Recompose and shoot. This is an exceedingly fast way to play with your exposure. Tired of taking pictures with people too dark because of a bright background. You will see that in the EVF. If you want a Silhouette then you can see that before you shoot. This is actually less likely to happen with the GX7 because the facial recognition and facial exposure works exceedingly well.
I do need to mention an occurrence I just had happen on AWB with the GX7. I was shooting low light sunlight through a gold curtain which makes the light orange. In the EVF the image looked great, however, the JPEGs were way too orange. I reset the WB to incandescent and the images looked fine. The EM1 images looked great even in the strange light. Also, I remember seeing some test images that looked too yellow on a review web site. No one has reported any AWB issues with this camera, but I would make sure to check your photos in weird light. You might need to use a manual WB. This is an issue that Panasonic can and should be able to fix with a firmware update.
All in all this is a fantastic little camera, that handles beautifully, takes great pictures, and is, in my opinion, the best all around camera for most people. Since the E-M1 is about to come out I will comment about that also. In most cases, this camera being $500 cheaper is the better way to go. IQ is the same, features that are important to most people are the same and you save a ton of cash. There are a few situations where the E-M1 might be better for you than the GX7. 1) If you have 4/3 lenses, the E-M1 is a no brainer. If you don't know what I am talking about you don't have any. 2) If you need the extra battery life of the grip or you take tons of portrait orientation pictures, the E-M1 is the way to go. If you want the best IBIS in any camera system, that will be in the EM1 (I nailed 100% 75mm shots at 1/10 of a second. I've seen talk of being able to shoot at 1sec hand held. I will update when I test that). If you want the most weather sealed m4/3 camera that will also be the EM1.
Pros:
Very Fast Auto Focus (Best low light I have every shot.)
Range-finder Style Camera
Build Quality
Image Quality
IBIS
Small
Handling
Len System
Cons:
AWB needs a Firmware Fix. In some rare instances it gets confused and is too orange.
Only one SD slot
More expensive than NEX6 and cheaper DSLRs
Below is a buying guide recommendation.
Panasonic GX7 - Panasonic's best still camera to date - Great construction, 1/320 flash sync, 1/8000 shutter speed, blazing fast focus, WIFI, IBS, focus peeking, great handling, etc. This camera does cost $150 more than the NEX-6, which is similarly specked (Sony must be giving them away). However, m4/3 lenses are always going to be quite a bit smaller and lighter than NEX lenses. Additionally, the m4/3 lens system is the most complete outside of legacy 35mm systems from Nikon and Canon.
Panasonic G6 - Great little camera for a nice price ($740 with lens). IQ not quite as good as the GX7, build quality not as good as GX7, and has slower flash sync and shutter speed. It has a tilt and swivel screen which in my opinion is actually nicer than the tilt only screen on the GX7, EM5, and EM1. If you want to get into the system, this is a good way to start. Save money on the camera and spend it on a nice lens.
Panasonic G5 - Right now if you look for the clearance sales you can get them for $300-400. Not as good as any of the other cameras here but still a great camera which takes nice pictures.
Olympus E-M1 - Looks to be an absolutely brilliant camera. If you have 4/3 lenses (not to be confused with m4/3) this camera is a no brainer as it is a huge upgrade over the E-5. The camera has the best in-body stabilization (IBIS) of any camera period. Also, for event photographers, the additional battery grip is a must for better battery life. However, at $1400 if you don't have legacy 4/3 lenses and have no plans to get any, and you don't need the battery grip, then the GX-7 is $500 cheaper and almost as good. (Although, the GX7 doesn't have as good IBIS).
Olympus E-M5 - this camera has now been outclassed by the GX-7 and costs the same. So while this is still a brilliant camera, the GX-7 is better for the same money.
Olympus E-P5 - Has no built in view finder which for me is an absolute no go. If you add the external viewfinder, you have now paid $1500 which is more than the EM-1. And add on accessories always get lost. (I can never find my E-M5 flash) So this camera is way overpriced (as all of the EP cameras have been) and I don't recommend it. Get either the GX-7 or EM-1
NEX-6 - Really nice camera - Focus is not as fast a m4/3. Sensor is bigger so for higher ISO and large sizes, it will have better IQ. Price is great. However, this camera does not handle as well as the Panasonic. While the camera is small, the lenses are not so this system is not as small and light as the m4/3. The lens system is nowhere near complete as the m4/3 system. If price is your only consideration, then the NEX-6 is probably the way to go. If size and weight are the primary consideration, the GX-7 is the way to go.
Any DSLR - Bigger and heaver - DSLRs are dinosaurs when compared to mirrorless cameras. I really hate going back from shooting my E-M5 and shooting my Nikons. They are big, the focus system is obsolete (not phase focus, but the focus points and how they are arranged). Their, live view is terrible, most of the viewfinders are smaller then the newest EVFs, and are lacking some of the features of the mirrorless. Tons of people buy Nikon and Canon because that is what is around, however, my opinion is the vast majority of families would be much better served by a m4/3 system. If you know why some of the DSLR features are better than m4/3 then a DSLR may be for you. However, if you are looking to step up from your phone and get a camera to take pictures of your family and daily life, then m4/3 is the system for you. If you really need, shallow DOF, then full-frame may be the way to go. As far as event photographers go, we often shoot at f/4 or f.5/6 to get the DOF we need. With m4/3, you can shoot f/2 or f/2.8 to get the same DOF so you can shoot 2 stops lower ISO. The DSLRs have 2 card slots which is very nice, however, with WIFI, you can shoot with your GX7 or E-M1 and upload to your phone while taking pictures. DSLRs also have a better battery life.
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* Start thesis on Sensor Size
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Is a FX sensor better than a m4/3? Is a m4/3 sensor better than a FX? The answer to both those questions is "It depends." Anyone who tries to give you a one size fits all answer either has no clue what they are talking about or are trying to sell you something. I will attempt to try and explain the relative merits of each so you can make an informed decision. I am really only going to discuss FX (AKA 35mm or mislabeled as full-frame. Whatever that even really means as there are medium format cameras and large format cameras with much larger imaging circles.) as what I say about it will apply to DX to a lessor extent.
The 4 major components of IQ are Resolution, Color Depth, Dynamic Range, and High ISO. You can if you want go to DXOMark and look at all the sensor data. I will give you numbers for the best of breed of each size. D800 36mp, 25.3 bit color depth, 14.4 Stop Dynamic Range and 2853 ISO. For D7100 it is 24mp, 24.2, 13.7 and 1256. For EP5, 16mp, 22.8, 12.4, 895. Higher is "better" and so by numbers the IQ of the FX D800 is best. (I am using the EP5 because there is not DxOMark Score for the GX7. Before, we move on to some other items concerning sensor, let me show you the numbers for the 2006 35mm Canon 1Ds MkII. Before I show them to you, you need to know this was a pro-camera that cost $8000 when it came out and at 16.7mp was the first 35mm digital considered capable of shooting double-truck ads for national magazines. Here are the numbers for this camera 16mp, 23.3, 11.3, 1480. So, based on objective numbers, the m43 sensor of today is about equivalent of the camera used for pro work in 2006 to 2008. It actually has a better dynamic range than the 35mm camera does. (A comment I want to make concerning the ISO numbers. I am not sure how these are computed or relate to each other. I shot with the 1Ds MkII extensively and I can without a doubt say the files from the EM5 look better than the 1Ds Mk II at 6400 ISO. Also, you can go to DPReview and see 100% magnified files shot at various ISOs and various cameras. The files from the D800 look to me about 1 to 1.5 stops better than the EM5. That is the D800 files at 6400 look the same with regard to noise as EM5 shot at 3200.) Just for info purposes here are some of numbers from some other older cameras I shot with. Canon 30D 10mp, 21.5, 10.8, 736 and Nikon D300, 12mp, 22.1, 12, 679. As you can see the EP5 outclasses both of those cameras based on the numbers and yet I got really nice pictures with both those cameras. (Going back to that ISO number again, I shot extensively with both of those cameras and their files at ISO 800 were about the same as the EM5 at 6400. The EM5 is about 3 stops better yet the DxOMark ISO values are about the same. Also, the EM5 6400 JPEGs are sharp and clean. Very nice.) If all you care about is IQ and you need all that IQ, then by all means the D800 is even better than the best medium format except in color depth used for portraits so get the D800.
However, as I showed you with the 1Ds MkII, the IQ of sensors, long ago exceeded what we need for home use. So the fact of the matter is, most people don't need the IQ of the D800 and there are, to me, more relevant reasons why the D800 is not something most people would even like. The first is 36mp files. Shot in 14bit RAW, you are looking at around a 65MB image file. Roughly, 15 of those images make 1GB. Even the JPEGs are huge around 15MB each. That is a pain to store and a pain to process. What do most people do with their images? I would say the number 1 thing people do is is to put them on the web or their phones. The biggest monitors are around 2.5mp. To print a 300dpi 8x10 requires around 7mp. Requires. That means if you view the picture on a 2.5mp monitor you giving up 33.5mp. (This is not entirely accurate as the image is interpolated down and you do clean up noise when you do that.) That is for a full screen image not the little happy snaps you text or put on facebook which are more likely to be around 1mp or less. Do you really think you need 36mp? If so, then m4/3 is not the right format for me. I personally, like the 10-12mp range (and wish they would make a 12mp m43) but 16mp is more than enough for me. I mentioned earlier, that when you downsize an image it is interpolated down and this helps clean up the image. Well that applies to the m4/3 images as well. So even though the D800 is 1 to 1.5 stops better for noise, when you interpolate the images down, you are very unlikely to be able to see that on your screen or even on a print except at ISOs greater than 6400 or maybe 3200. So I think we have established the FX sensor has better IQ than m4/3 but I hope I have established for most people it just doesn't matter because the m4/3 sensors are more than good enough for tasks most people use cameras for.
As a fun test, I have posted 3 images from the GX7 under the customer images. One was shot at ISO200, one ISO6400 and one was shot at ISO25,600. See if you can tell which is which. I will say at full screen on my 27 inch monitor I can tell the difference between them. However, the 25,600 still looks really really good and is very usable for web images. The difference between ISO 200 and 6400 is not really noticeable. If they weren't side-by-side you wouldn't even be able to tell on was shot at 6400.
So what are the downsides of FX sensors. The first and most obvious is price, although with Nikon's D600 fiasco, you can get a FX sensor for around $1500. However, the other costs associated with the FX sensor are the lenses. The best lenses are very expensive. Also, the imaging circle of a FX is roughly 2x the size of the imaging circle of m4/3. That means, the lenses are going to be bigger and heavier and the difference is not trivial. A D800 with a 70-200mm f.28 is going to set you back about $5300 and around 6-7lbs. A GX7 with a 35-100mm f/2.8 will set you back about $2300 and around 3lbs. I can and have carried 4 m4/3 bodies with 2 fast zooms and 2 fast primes in the same bag I can only carry 2 DSLR bodies and lenses. I also carried several extra lenses in that bag. The weight of that bag, bodies, lenses, and iPad was 10lbs. Two FX bodies and fast zooms alone are going to weigh more than that. If you really feel like you want to lug all that around, then by all means get the FX. All that weight also means you will be carrying around a heavier tripod if you use one. Do you think if maybe you had to hike your camera in somewhere that maybe the smaller sensor might be better? If you are traveling somewhere and carrying your camera all day, can you see how the smaller sensor would be better? Something to think about.
Next, the contrast autofocus use by m4/3 is on the sensor and it is exceedingly fast. What this means, is you have focusing points throughout your frame. The phase detect systems used on FX DSLRs only has points clustered around the middle. The corners are excluded. Also, the phase detect systems are separate from the sensor. Therefore, with FX you have back focusing and front focusing issues. The so called live view systems on the DSLRs are really the only accurate way to auto or manual focus and is terribly slow (What you see thought the prism is not what the sensor is seeing it is what the autofocus is seeing.) That means the only way to quickly frame and focus a FX DSLR is through the viewfinder. Forget holding the camera over your head or down at your feet.
The next issue is with dust on the sensor. With all my DX and FX sensors DSLRs, dust has always been an issue (Talk about a way to ruin image quality). It was so bad on the D600 they have had to significantly drop the price on that camera. In almost 5 years shooting m4/3, I have never had 1 single problem with dust on the sensor.
Another "benefit" of FX is the shallower Depth of Field that can be achieved for the same aperture. The reason I put that in quotes is that in a lot of cases the DOF on a FX is too shallow and you need to stop down the lens to f4 or f5.6 to get the DOF you are looking for. In these cases, a m4/3 is clearly superior as you can stay at f2 or f2.8 to get the same DOF. This means you are collecting 4 times the light and, therefore, you can turn your ISO down 2 stops (According to the images on DPReview, a 100% EM5 image at 1600 looks better than a D800 6400 image). Also, for flash or lighting for video filming, a 2 stop ISO difference means 4 times less light power is required for the m4/3 senso
Up until recently, taking digital pictures came down to an upfront choice: either get great quality (carry the DSLR) or travel lightly (pack the point-n-shoot). There really wasn't any middle ground between these extremes, until around 2011, when manufacturers started making higher- quality compact cameras with interchangeable lenses.
Of all these incompatible systems, the Micro Four Thirds (MFT) format currently has the most backers and lenses, so this new Panasonic was a promising candidate in my attempt to retire both my DSLR and the point-n-shoot.
------------------- PHYSICAL IMPRESSIONS: **** (4 of 5) -------------------
The camera is about the same size as old film rangefinders, which makes it just about not pocketable, even when paired with a pancake lens. But it's a good size to use with both hands (right hand on the grip, left one under the lens). It's possible to use it single-handedly, but at almost 1.2 lbs even with the lightweight kit lens, I end up curling my pinky finger underneath the body to support it. So to me this Panasonic is a two- hands camera just like an SLR. That said, the weight and size advantage is very noticeable: on my first city walkaround with a shoulder strap, I often had to check whether somebody made off with it!
------------------- ELECTRONIC VIEWFINDER: ** (2 of 5) -------------------
My immediate impression of the EVF was "wow, small". I thought that maybe I would get used to it, but then someone handed me a Nikon SLR to take their picture on a hike and I was wowed by the view through the glass. I know that's an unfair comparison, but it made me realize the EVF inadequacy without a doubt. It doesn't help that trying to use the GX7 viewfinder with glasses is almost impossible, and that the diopter is hard to adjust as well (slider instead of dial).
There are a few more minor annoyances (such as insufficient eye shielding which makes is hard to use in direct sunlight, or an oversensitive proximity sensor), but the "small and hard to adjust" aspects are what kills it for me. That said, If you do have 20/20 unaided vision and manage to adjust the thing, you'll probably get more out of it than I do.
------------------- BASIC OPERATION: *** (3 of 5) -------------------
Many photographers (I'm one of them) just use the basic (M, A, S, P) modes, so they should just work as expected. I found some problems with this.
- In M mode, the ISO doesn't adjust automatically. It's been pointed out to me that this is normal, and perhaps historically it has been, but with today's noise- free sensors, ISO is just the third exposure variable. I have a Fuji camera that cost half of this GX7, and it does have auto ISO.
- Both dials do the exact same thing by default. You have to go to the menu and reassign the second dial to exposure compensation, at which point it works as expected.
- I found that popping up the flash strangely overrides your exposure comp settings, AND upped the ISO for no apparent reason, often resulting in overexposed and noisy pictures. This only stopped when I set the "flash exposure compensation" to ON.
Luckily, all the above things are software problems! It stands to hope that Panasonic fixes these in firmware.
------------------- TAKING PICTURES: *** (4 of 5) -------------------
Overall, the camera acts pretty snappy, although it's not on par with my 9- year old clunky Canon DSLR! In particular, switching from EVF to LCD, or from view to shoot, powering up/down, or waking up from sleep mode all seem to take a second, whereas the olde DSLR is always instantly ready. But once the camera is in the right mode, it's fast.
The autofocus (single- shot at least) is formidable for a non- phase detect system, especially in low light. It just snaps to focus and doesn't hunt at all, which is especially great for movies! As is common these days, it has decent face- detection as well, or you can tap on the touchscreen to focus (unlike a reviewer stated, I don't think tap-to-focus works when you look through the EVF though).
The menu system is workable, and the camera highly configurable. Not up to (crazy) Olympus levels where you can reassign every button, but there's plenty of customizations available, including "virtual" buttons on the touchscreen. On the downside, I find the display very cluttered. For example, it shows the microphone levels in picture mode (!), as well as a plethora of other useless icons (like the aspect ratio being STANDARD). Changing shutter or focus brings up colorful bands which I'm sure are somehow clever, but basically they're obstructing the picture. The histogram is draggable on the LCD screen but so coarse and nervous it ends up being inferior to my point-n-shoot's histogram. All these are software problems I know, but honestly this needs work.
One last nuisance: even though the battery is rated at 1025mAh and the camera has a middle- of- the- pack CIPA rating, I find I run out of power in no time. Barely lasts me 1/2 day! I've tried setting everything to "eco" as well as use the EVF exclusively (which shuts off rather fast when not in use), but it didn't help much. You gonna need a spare which currently is priced rather highly, even though mine says Made In China (the camera is made in Japan).
------------------- KIT LENS: *** (3 of 5) -------------------
The kit lens is made of plastic (in China) and contrasts quite a bit with the camera body. Optically, it's actually not bad, with no sharpness or aberration issues that I've noticed. It has an optical image stabilizer that gets me surefire shots at 1/10", and down to 1/2" with a little luck (in wide positions). My main quibble with the lens is that it starts at F3.5, causing the camera to increase the ISO quickly and therefore undoing some of the advantages of the state-of-the-art sensor. Given that many small compacts now have F2.0 lenses (or less!), I feel that Panasonic could perhaps have offered a better kit lens in a second bundle (much like Olympus does - you get to chose cheap or nice kit lens). Again, it's not bad for what it is, just a little mismatched perhaps.
------------------- WIFI: ***** (5 of 5) -------------------
Contrary to at another reviewer who deemed it "terrible", I find WiFi a great feature. The camera can either create its own network (out in the woods, say), or join an existing one. Once connected, you need an app to connect to it; on the PC side this is "PhotoFun" (included), and on the iOS side "Panasonic Image App" (free). The latter works particularly well on an iPad: there is a live view, ability to adjust parameters, shoot(!), delete, download, or upload pictures. The latest version even adds gps track logging so that your images can be automatically geotagged.
------------------- MOVIES: ***** (5 of 5) -------------------
This camera's movie mode is more than an afterthought. It can directly write MP4 files and record in 60fps, with impressive results. It's clearly not intended to be the the enthusiast's choice (evidenced by the missing external mic socket), but for casual videographers the results are quite impressive. Having that no- hunt autofocus and image stabilization (lens only, sensor stabilization is off in video mode) helps a lot.
------------------- PC SOFTWARE: ** (2 of 5) -------------------
The accompanying DVD contains two notable software packages:
- The RAW editor (SilkyPix v3.1.19.2) left me rather underwhelmed. It is slow, it doesn't offer specific GX7 support such as automatic lens correction or leveling, and I'm missing functions such as quick preview, rating, or basic image editing. I know I sound spoiled, but Canon ships a RAW editor with their $300 cameras which has all those things! On a positive note, I find SilkyPix' noise reduction terrific; it seems to remove the noise without blurring the picture.
- The photo/video suite (PHOTOfunSTUDIO v9.2) is basically an organizing tool with many convenience functions. For example, there's face recognition, social media upload, date imprinting/decorating, DVD burning, and a function to make a movie out of your pictures. The video piece has GPU acceleration. Overall it seems like a pretty ok app, if you don't already have a photo organizer.
------------------- THE VERDICT: **** (4 of 5) -------------------
My disappointment is with the EVF, but the overall build quality, outstanding movie mode and snappy autofocus have put this camera back into the "I like it" category for me, even in its kit configuration.
Now, in order to get to the next level, one would have to invest in a better lens and RAW converter software, at which point we're solidly in Canon / Nikon midrange SLR territory. And as much as I like this Panasonic, I don't think it can compete with the old boys in terms of speed, quality, and bundled software just yet. So if you want maximum camera per buck, I feel that this is not it. If you're looking for a high- quality compact though, consider this GX7.