Confessions of 35mm photog

[vintageslrs]

I have been putting this off for sometime now, but now I must come clean.

About a month ago, I purchased a Panasonic Lumix G1. For those who do not know it is a Micro 4/3 digital camera. It is mirror-less so, technically it is not an SLR. But for for all intents and purposes it acts and looks like an SLR.

I thought this was my entry into serious digital photography. It was affordable and I thought I could cut way back on the amount of processing costs I would incur in the future...well...read below for the results......

OK...after owning my Panasonic Lumix G1 for about a month, I must tell you my true feelings.

I am disappointed. But not with the quality of the product or how it does what it does. It is very well made and has superb build quality.

I suppose I was naive, thinking an old time film photographer could make the transition from film SLR's (manual focus) to a micro 4/3 digital camera and make it successfully and seamlessly.

My disappointment can be summed up by today's activities. After doing an errand this morning, I arrived at home and said OK...although we have many feet of snow everywhere, I would like to document the amount of snow we have and the 2 huge icebergs in my driveway which are my 2 (old) Volvo's which I do not drive in the salt crusted winters. I want to take some photographs!

Ok...out comes the G1. Now it is a bright, very bright sunny day and bright white snow is everywhere. Instinctively I bring the viewfinder up to my eye ( like most veterans of 37 years of 35mm SLR users might do) and then I remember...oh forget it---the viewfinder on this camera is pretty much useless. So, I open the LCD monitor and flip it over and put in back in place so the screen is flush to my camera back. Alright now I'm ready--it is so bright outside I cannot see anything on my screen. So my viewfinder is useless and my LCD monitor is useless today too. How the @#$%&* am I going take photos today with this marvel of 21st century technology?

OK...out comes my Minolta X-700 35mm film SLR. Obviously the same conditions exist. I bring the viewfinder up to my eye and am greeted by the most beautiful sight one can imagine. A working viewfinder--very bright--subjects wonderfully see-able. And with the split image spot and the microprism band--I can focus with pin point accuracy any subject I wish to, today. I take about 12 photos in zero degree temps and I am a very happy photog and satisfied with my short but very enjoyable photo session.

So, where does that leave my G1? Well, it leaves it (to me) as a real nice indoor portrait camera for photographing our 8 pets and our 2 and soon to be 3 grandchildren.

But sadly, that is not what I envisioned it to be when I purchased it. It is not my every day, outdoor, go to camera!

And that is why I am disappointed. I hope I have not offended anyone. I hope I have not angered anyone. But these are my true feelings.

all the best
Bob
__________________

[Randy]

Sorry to hear that Bob, I like my Sony Alpha DSLR, it's just like using my X-700.

[daveh]

Bob,

I have just been taking some photos today using the Canon 7D (digital SLR) and some using the Canon EOS 30 (loaded with reversal film). There really isn't that much difference between the two. Both are true SLRs. The only real differences are:
1) instant playback of the result on digital to check it;s okay.
2) minimum delay printing out on digital.
3) it costs nothing to keep shooting on digital - film is getting expensive.
4) the 7D is more sophisticated (but much of what is in it would be a film camera if that were just manufactured).


I do not like cameras that do not have an optical viewfinder. The electronic type that are on the Lumix are okay, but are not a substitute for the real thing. It can be useful as well being able to use the screen to view, especially if it flips out.

Bob, I don't think your problem is that the camera is digital - it's that it is built for "digital people". It's amazing how many people pick up the 7D and don't know to put an eye to the viewfinder.

Perhaps you should have gone for a proper SLR. I can lend you a Canon 30D for a while if you want to come round, pick it up and see what you think

Dave.

[mickeyobe]

Bob,

My sympathies are with you and your disappointing G1.

I have maintained all along and so stated several times in CC's threads that I would not have a camera without an eye level viewfinder. The LCD panels are next to useless for framing and manual focusing and, in bright light, merely seeing the subject. Having to hold them away from the body makes steadiness an accomplishment based more on luck than skill.

Do you remember the no draft windows on cars? They managed to keep you reasonably cool on hot summer days. But their elimination led to the proliferation of much more expensive air conditioners.

Similarly, the elimination of viewfinders has led to the necessary introduction of much more expensive image stabilization.

I am an old, old time photographer.

I have taken to digital photography like a trout to a mayfly. I don't believe there is a single thing that a film camera and its subsequent processes can do that cannot be done by a digital camera and its processes much, much better, much more efficiently and much more quickly.
The enormous and I mean gigantic savings in costs is a major advantage that can not be ignored.

Give digital a fair chance Bob.
Sell your G1 or display it on a shelf. Get yourself the cheapest DSLR you can find. I'll wager you too will become a fanatical convert.

Mickey

P.S.
I admit that I sometimes take out my wonderful Canon T90 and put a short roll through it. It is still a great instrument and feels so just right in my hands.
M.O.

[nikonbob]

Bob

Sorry to hear that you are disappointed with the VF on your G1 but you did not say why it is useless in bright contrasty conditions. I had an older Panny FZ50 with an EVF that was not quite as good as an optical VF but not useless either. IIRC there is a control that you can turn down to help with the EVF to keep it from blowing out in very bright conditions. I am just guessing that this might have been what was making your EVF useless. Big changes take a lot of getting used to.

Bob

[daveh]

The panasonic FZ1 and FZ20 can be used eye-level or with the screen. Both views are digital, the EVF is not as good as optical - but it is okay and certainly better than those with screen only.

One thing, even with the Canon 7D: I suspect that the delay time is fractionally longer than with a film SLR.

Viewfinders: of the cameras I have, or have used the Canon 7 rangefinder is probably the best of all. The 7d shows 100% and has 1X magnification Most SLR are about 90 something percent and 0.9 ish magnification.

[vintageslrs]

Thanks Folks for your thoughts and concerns.
The G1 has a eye viewfinder which for some reason just doesn't
ever appear clear for these eyes. It is small and when I use legacy lenses with an adaptor
it isn't sharp enough for me to use to focus.
It also has a rather nice, large LCD monitor and that works beautiful indoors. Indoors, it is bright, sharp and clear. But outdoors, in extremely bright conditions like I had this morning, with super bright snow and super bright sun it can barely be seen. I think my eyes have adjusted to the extreme bright light and with that the LCD screen is nowhere near bright enough.
I think I will be sticking with my first love......the 35mm film SLR's.....for quite a while longer.

Bob

[herron]

Bob -
Have you thought about one of the pop-up LCD screen protectors?

www.delkin.com/products/popupshades/

[herron]

You can also use one like this ... it works really well!

www.screen-shade.com/digcamshad.html

[photax]

I agree in opinion with Mickey, I would also not have a camera without a viewfinder. I myself waited until the last minute to purchase a DSLR camera. About two years ago my son bought one and I tested it for some shots. I bought mine on the following weekend . Today 35mm film can only be found in specialist shops, while Memory cards can be found at the supermarket. So I took up my Pentax SLR`s and my Nikon F70 / F90 into my collection with a heavy heart. I think in 10 years you have to go to a pharmacy to get a 35mm film

MIK

[SidW]

Bob I'm guessing here, I've never used a Lumix nor a digital viewfinder. You say you have problems getting a sharp view - is their a diopter adjustment for the viewfinder so you can set it for your eye and not have spectacles getting in the way

[Deleted]

Bob:

A person with as much experience as you have with film SLRs probably isn't ever going to be happy with anything except a DSLR or or a digital with a good optical viewfinder. I know in my case I simply cannot shoot the way I want to shoot with a camera with an electronic viewfinder. Plus, most cameras of that sort have at least some shutter lag. My advice with be to find yourself a used DSLR (the brand really doesn't matter) maybe a generation of two behind the latest model --which saves a lot pricewise. I think you will find that a 6 MPX camera of that sort will outperform a 12 MPX camera with a smaller sensor.

I'm just the opposite now. The other day I acquired a beautiful Nikon FA SLR and decided to shoot a roll of film--my first in maybe a year. The film came back exposed correctly and the camera was easy to use. But it cost me eight dollars to get the film processed and a cd with 240 ppi 6x4 inch images. I suspect the FA will now sit in a cabinet and look pretty for a long time.

W

[daveh]

Sid, I'm sure there is a dioptre adjustment. I'm also sure the later lumix are better than the two I have - the viewfinder ccd having more pixels now. That said it isn't quite the same as a big optical finder.

[vintageslrs]

SidW--you are correct. There is a diopter adjustment for the viewfinder and it helps some.
I would say perhaps it helps enough to compose a photo and it's OK when using
a micro 4/3 lens--which are all auto-focus.
But it is not sharp enough for me to manually focus my vintage lenses on the G1.

And Ron--thanks for those links. Items like that may solve the issue of the LCD monitor not being useable on a super bright day. I will look into them.

Thanks all you folks for your suggestions as some of them may make the G1 more useable for me. It is a very well made camera and Panasonic did a nice job with it. I just would have found a way to make a brighter viewfinder and have it include a split image spot and a microprism band.

Bob

[daveh]

Bob,

My FZ20 has "focus assist" which magnifies the central part of the screen. It does help a little when using manual focus, but I have hardly ever used anything other than autofocus. The FZ20 doesn't have interchangeable lenses so it's very seldom that there is a need to manual focus.

I have the "same" problem in getting something new - not finding out how the product really stacks up till I have started using it. All the tests and reports in the world can never tell an individual whether that camera is right for them. I would hazard a guess that you are one of only a few who are using manual focus lenses on that body.

As has been said, get yourself a proper SLR in digital form. The handling is hardly different to an analogue SLR, except they have more gizmos to play around with. I must sometime get the Topcon lens to Canon body adapter so I can use the wonderful 58mm f1.4 Topcon RE as a portrait lens (equivalent to about a 90mm lens).

Dave.