Panny G1 or G3

walter g · Joined: 20 Feb 2010 Posts: 2463 Location: NC, USA

I'm thinking about doing a little side work to get the money for a new G1 or G3. About the best deals I see right now are G1 kit with lens USD $520 with 14-42 lens or G3 with 14-42 lens for $595. Both are free shipping.
I've started reading what info I could find, but I'm still not getting the answers I want.
Which would you recomend and why. This will be my main camera for my Minolta lenses.Minimum usable ISO has to be atleast 400.
I will be using lenses fom W/A 17-24 MM to 300mm primes.
Thanks for any advice you can give.

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

Used G1 body less than 200 USD usually, I definitively not buy new one in case of you.

I did use years G1, excellent camera, but... Samsung NX way better due 1.5 crop and better sensor. If you need EVF there is NX10 or NX100 if EV finder is not must to have.

or SONY NEX ....

yinyangbt · Expire: 2012-12-27

Walter , I am a nex3/EOS user last year , but the m4/3 still has its strengths ,if... Ok , I think that there is a "if" here
If you have those money and want the Panny , get the G3 .See DPreview it seems that the new sensor of Panasonic is much better than the previous , and the G3 stays much better at the High ISO quality than it's 4/3 sensor brothers , and even that the older APS-C sensor cams :Better low light/high iso than Canon EOS 500D ,practically same low light performance as the EOS 550D .Impressive ,for a m4/3 "thing" isn't it?
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicdmcg3/page19.asp
I have too that "itch" Laughing

But I'd like a stabilised little body , and maybe waiting for the next Olly EP-L 3?

walter g · Joined: 20 Feb 2010 Posts: 2463 Location: NC, USA

walter g · Joined: 20 Feb 2010 Posts: 2463 Location: NC, USA

stingOM · Expire: 2012-12-27

geoffox23 · Joined: 29 Oct 2008 Posts: 30 Location: QLD, Australia

Definitely try the G3 in your hand before buying, and don't be tempted by the specifications or a "good" price alone, as I was.

I have both G1 and G3.

I still like the feel and function of the G1, (I have two of them) but I did not like the feel of the G3 from the unpacking and still don't.

My biggest G3 niggles are the lack of eye sensor for automatic EVF/LCD detection, the need to consciously position fingers to avoid pushing buttons and thus changing settings, movie button placed too close to review button, being unable to remove the SD card whilst mounted on my tripod, and the battery life is short.

I do appreciate the single wheel push to select magnified MF, improved image quality and higher ISO capability, and faster AF, though.

Obviously the GH2 would have been a more suitable upgrade.

(OTOH my wife uses the G3 with 14-42 and 20mm lenses to point n shoot and loves it. Never uses the EVF nor a tripod and will not manually focus.) Rolling Eyes

boatman · Joined: 23 Apr 2011 Posts: 15 Location: Windham, NH USA

I owned a G1 for about two weeks before I bought my GH2. I bought the G1 at amazon Warehousedeals.com for $400 back in early 2011 and I haven't seen it that low since. I sent it back because I wanted the 14-140 lens. Other than that, since I don't do much video, the G1 would have been an adequate camera for 1/3 the price.

If you want video, get the G3 for sure. If you don't do video, it's a more difficult choice since the G3 is newer. However the 14-45 standard G1 lens is a magnificent piece of glass. Way better than the 14-42 and somewhat better than the 14-140. The G1 has two control dials, front and back, which is a much better arrangement than the single click-to-switch dial on the GH2 and, I assume, the G3.

I don't know what G3s are selling for, but if you can pick up a good used G1 for about $400, you won't be unhappy with it. It is a very good camera.

walter g · Joined: 20 Feb 2010 Posts: 2463 Location: NC, USA

Thanks guys for the advice. In the end it came down to price. I couldn't raise the money I hoped too, because of some unexpected bills.
I bought a G1 off of the Bay for USD $147 used.No lens but it has all the software, intstruction, etc. This was too good of a deal to pass up. It should be here by the end of the week. I already have on order a M4/3 to MD adapter, that should get here at the same time.