I too miss David's reviews, I do have a pair of GX8s but also bought the Peak Design strap fittings as a result of one of his videos. Unlike many other video makers David made a huge effort to reply to comments, my interest in photography was significantly encouraged by his work. My deepest sympathy to his family and friends.
People like David make the world a better place, he is missed. His hints of his history behind the viewfinder never did his actual experience justice. He would never inflate himself to make his opinions heard, which is what I loved about his videos - that and his wit.
Even now looking at old videos of A legend, I can't stop to think for much I miss his work , it certainly made me choose m43 for my daily adventures so many years ago
Your videos are like old wines. I watch them and then feel them. Your metaphorical expressions, punchline and quotations makes laugh. It's pure joy to visit your videos. Many thanks.
That ending line, sums everything up perfectly in this video. Considering that the Pen F here costs $400 more (body only!) than the GX8 with the 14-42 kit lens, it'll be a no brainer for me. Also very entertaining video, really really nicely done.
Thanks! Yes, if you buy on a performance/ price basis the GX8 wins hands down. When (if) Panasonic apply the stabilization and shutter of the GX80 across all their range they'll be hard to beat. But who knows what Olympus will come up with. that's why it is so good to have a camera standard with two competing makers.
you prolly dont give a damn but does anybody know of a way to log back into an instagram account? I stupidly lost my password. I appreciate any help you can give me.
@Jaxxon Finnegan thanks for your reply. I got to the site through google and I'm in the hacking process atm. I see it takes quite some time so I will get back to you later with my results.
Am I an old fuddy duddy for still being content with my old Pen E-P5? Great video. I loved the stop motion bits and your narrative is so pleasant to listen to. Subscribed. :)
+Robert LeBlanc I appreciate your kind words, Robert, thank you. If your Pen does the pictures you want to do there's nothing fuddy duddy about staying with it. There haven't been any _great_ advances in Micro Four Thirds sensor capabilities and the only really new thing has been 4k which is only of interest to a fairly specialist few. The great advantage of keeping a camera is that you get to know it and its controls so well. For day to day straightforward picture taking, the Pen is as good a camera as any other.
Thanks! I don't dislike the look of the GX8, which is not to say I actively like it. The Pen F is a looker but I much prefer to use the GX8. No pleasing some of us :-)
They are both attractive cameras, and I preferred the GX8 over the GX9, although if wanting to get a smaller rangefinder shaped body I think I prefer the LX100 M2 - smaller, and with a lovely and very versatile lens.
I watch a lot of reviews. From Unbox Therapy to others. Yours are the best by far. Judging by your ratings you should be doing this full time on other electronics. Keep up the great work.
I always admire your reviews. You take your time, speak about the pertinent aspects, and solidly"back-up" your views. All this in an easy-flowing understandable manner. Keep up the excellent work.
+Jerry Hughes Thanks Jerry. Yes, I always try to underline my subjective remarks by explaining why I think that way. Then, a viewer who doesn't think that way can see why he feels differently. There's no right or wrong in most of this, after all. I said in the piece and meant it, that I'd be happier if only one of these cameras was available to me, as it would be to most people, of course. I'm happy to use either camera, what I didn't like was having to make the choice!
When you say, "The Pen-F feels like the better camera, but isn't and the Panasonic doesn't but is", that leads me to think that Panasonic traded better cosmetics for better performance. I find this holds true with a lot of Panasonic products, including cameras. Their styling may be straightforward and 'matter of fact'; that is to say, 'not pretty', but beneath the staid cosmetics lies a lot of capability and reliability. Thanks for putting up a great and well put-together video.
Thanks, Steve. I think Olympus consciously made the Pen F with a Leica vibe in mind. It worked and the camera feels beautifully made with its hidden screws and made in one piece feel. It worked but when you are making to a price, something has to go. The GX8 is a bit of a brick in some people's eyes (not mine, actually) but it is a top performer and as you say, there's the difference. I wouldn't say the same thing about the E-M1 Mark II as compared to the G9, though. Olympus intended to make a statement camera with the Pen F and they succeeded. We're spoiled for choice!
Dedicating that much real estate on the Pen to the mode dial with such a limited function is completely absurd. When I handled it at a local store my finger kept scraping against it. I wanted to extend my finger and it basically became a terrible substitute for a proper grip. And why Olympus insists on putting the on/off switch in odd places is beyond me. Right now the GX8 is a huge bargain compared to the Pen or E-M1 II so I finally decided to go with that. Thanks again for your guidance.
Wonderful review and I must confess that owning a Panasonic G7 and loving it very much that I was secretly rooting for the GX8. I wonder why you turned off stabilization before your focus tests, yes stabilization might improve an ordinarily out-of-focus image, but from an end user point-of-view, does that matter? Do you think there would be any perceived difference in focus accuracy if stabilization were left on?
+John Roberts I turned the stabilization off simply because it takes a lot of processing power and turning it off put both cameras on a level footing. I was shooting at 1/4000th so it wasn't necessary anyway. Whether stabilization makes a real world difference to focusing I doubt but maybe scientific measurement would find some.
I've never tried a Pen F but I do like my GX8. Like you say the auto focus is so good (I use the Oly 40-150), even after months of using it, I still find myself laughing while I chimp my shots and find one that I can't believe the camera nailed it.
+Kevin Saruwatari In the near/far focusing test, the limitation seemed to be that I could only hose the camera around up to a certain speed before it became too quick to line up the focus point on target. I could have used multi-area but then the camera has to compute where to focus. In spite of having the camera set to not shoot if the image wasn't focused, when rattling off shots at high speed some of the images appeared in the EVF to be off focus. But, on studying the results, not a single shot was out of focus so It was a matter of my eye/ brain/ EVF co-ordination giving a false impression because of the speed of camera movement. Interesting too that the 40-150 Olympus and the 14-140 Panasonic worked as fast as one another, which means that the GX8's scorching focus speed is the camera, not the lens.
Hey David, Great Video. I think the OMD EM1 is way overpriced, so I was all in on the Pen F until this review. The Pen F is beautiful, sleek & Retro but besides street photography I do a lot of Macro in wet & damp conditions in swamps & marshes with the Oly 60mm. The weather sealing is a very important perk on the GX8 & I really need to protect my investment than impressing Hot Hipster Girls.
Hi Daniel - I wouldn't want to put anyone off the Pen F but the GX8's EVF and focusing (especially low light S-AF and C-AF in general are more effective). With that EVF and the 60mm, macro becomes quite a pleasure, doesn't it? Personally, while it doesn't match the Pen F for sheer style, I don't find anything unpleasant about the looks of the GX8, in fact I just find its look businesslike. Mind you, I hadn't thought about the hot hipster girls. I might get a Pen F now :-)
I bought the GX8 because of you. Unbelievable deal, a bargain I must say. 400€ for the camera and 14-140mm together in Mint condition. There is not a single scratch or dent in camera body or lenses. I still don't belive 😉. The camera is incredible, excellent handling and performance. It feels great in hand, and everything is logically placed, easy to use and reach. Feels like it was designed and idealized by a photographer. I do love your reviews, always informative, sincere and made to be understood. David Thorpe, you have the best micro 4/3 channel in youtube. Best Regards from Lisbon. 👌
thankyou sir. I shoot Australian Brown Snakes and Tiger Snakes. With both I can die very easily. It would be nice if my last photo was memorable. Also it would like to use a big lens and live... So perhaps I will choose the GX8 for it's video capacity. If I didn't live in the world of awesomely deadly snakes and White Pointer sharks, perhaps the Olympus. But both of these cameras are like 4WD vehicles - the result is up to the skill of the operator. After your review I am confident that the only limit on the result is the operator. Both of these cameras are very fine tools
+Edwin Henry Blachford They are indeed fine tools. Doing what you are doing, I don't think I'd be concerned about the camera so much as being able to mount the big Panasonic zoom set to 400mm, fitting a couple of doublers to it and instructing my assistant when to press the shutter by walkie talkie from a mile away :-) What can I say - Respect!
Enjoy it! The lugs are from Peak Design, very effective. You can use them with their straps but also they have a fitting so that you can use your own, if you have one you particularly like.
+mrsyclone Glad you liked the review. The GX8 and 12-40 make a good pairing for weight and balance but I'd probably prefer the 12-35 Panasonic overall for the dual stabilization and to a lesser extent the Depth from Defocus. In fact the 12-40 focuses faster on the Panasonic than it does the Olympus. Marginal, though.
Thank you so much for this video David, I've been looking for a decent comparison between these cameras ever since the Pen-F came out. I am still considering just upgrading my G5 to a G7, but the GX8 is a lot more tempting now.
+Hanzilla75 The G7 is amazing value but the GX8 is too at current prices. The EVF is the big thing but the 20Mp is nice too. I'd prefer the GX8 but if my budget limited me to the G7 I certainly wouldn't feel the camera inhibited me in any way.
You claim: "The Panasonic has clearly the better stabilization." I dare to doubt that quite distinctly. Regardless, I think your camera reviews are by far the best on the net. Thank you for both: passion and expertise.
David, Great review! Thanks for sharing. But i would have one annoying question. E-m1 mark II is to expensive. Looking for as fast afc and single focus shooting camera in m4/3 range. E-m5 mark 2 or pen-f or gx8 or maybe new g80/85? Thanks!
halo.. you prefer olympus 25mm f1.8 OR panaleica 25mm f1.4 for the best emage quality for the olympus Pen F? I plan to buy one of them for model and product prhotoshoot.
They are both razor sharp but the Panasonic is my favourite of the two. It's about the sharpest of all my lenses and completely usable across the frame at f/1.4.
wicked review David, they're guitarist nails correct? Have you tried pyramid strings, I believe they're made in Germany.I use the stainless steel on my electric and they're gold on my classical.
I bought the JB Camera wooden grip for my EM1, and it feels so good! Perfect fit for the hand with it. I also purchased the battery grip (got it by luck on insane sale in Duty Free while traveling for like a third of the price), but unless I'm using my two big rokinon lenses, I prefer the wooden grip. Light and durable, and looks pretty good.
David Thorpe No problem David. Since I enjoyed his product, I'd like to spread the word for them) I think it's a small private company, and they hand-make all the grips.
Damn it !! I was certain you were going to say that "the skies had opened,, the heavens had spoken and __________.was the perfect camera.."... Oh well.... Again,,, I enjoy your videos very much and they have helped me make decisions on what to buy and what I need.... And now that there is a gx9 out there,,, there is even more to consider. I feel ,,perhaps wrongly, that the gx9 has been brought up to speed in some technology areas but lacks a couple of the working photographers/videographers touches and tools. I've had my hands on the Olympus and it is just a thing of beauty... But personally, I think if I have to choose it would probably be the Panasonic just for the video capabilities. And lately ,,used gx8s are becoming bargains. By the way, I really enjoy the animations in your videos,, especially the walking bogen mini tripod in the accessories video... Reminds me of some of my single frame super 8 m m projects back in the 70s!!!
Ah, the perfect camera! It'd be awful if there ever was one. After all, part of the pleasure is the gear. You're not supposed to say it but aesthetic matters come into the choice of gear as well as the pictures it makes. I'd probably argue that the GX9 is the closest thing to a perfect camera so far, _taking all things into account_. The size is good, as are its technical capabilities for stills and video. It isn't necessarily best at anything but a superb all-rounder. On the other hand, the Pen F is less good an all-rounder but does feel lovely to use and is certainly a great looking camera. That has to be worth something. The GX8 is a real bargain now and a superb camera. I don't know why it hasn't been more popular. And the animations, such fun to make and it's that Super 8, old fashioned feel that I like. CGI is a bit out of my league but even in films find myself liking the old 'clunky' animations better than the overdone and too slick, too perfect CGI. That's my excuse anyway, Clint 😀
I noticed the Peak Design Anchor Links on your cameras. I am also enjoying Peak Design's products on my camera. Will a review of Peak's stuff be coming in the future? (BTW: I love your videos! Keep up the good work!)
Someone recommended them to me in a RU-vid comment. Yes very hand. I like the idea of using the same fitting for everything and using one strap on all cameras. Glad you like the videos!
Would you mind doing an olympus versus panasonic general comparison? I look like purchasing a M4/3 camera later this year and cannot decide between a panasonic GX8 and an olympus EM1. By general I mean the overall systems of cameras and lenses, as I will probably purchase the same brand of both. Liek if you purchase all panasonic is the stabilization of lens and body combined as good a olympus? also they both mention weather resistance but it is hard to find out any real details etc. Anyway I look forward to you next videos. Regards MarkL
A pleasant review David. What puzzles me however is the huge difference in jpeg color reproduction. Probably none of these cameras produces the real colors for 100%, but the GX8 does not look very pleasing at all! Probably a nice camera, but my goodness these three plastic balls have terrible colors. At least on my computer screen.
Neither are accurate (my monitor is calibrated, although that may or may not help with RU-vid). I tend to prefer the Olympus JPG, though I personally always shoot RAW so the colors are a matter for me to fix. The differences are more obvious in a side by side comparison. They use the same sensor, of course so any results that one can produce could be matched by the other.
I'm just in the decision between Gx9 and pen f as my only cam. Only doing stills. Pen f is 100€ more expensive. But so pretty. Can't decide. By the way I love your shots In Carcassonne.
Thanks Manolo. That's a hard decision. The Pen F has the better EVF but otherwise they are quite comparable. Given that you like the design of the Pen Fso much, I'd be inclined to indulge myself a bit and spend the extra €100. The IQ of both is unlikely to be bettered in Micro Four Thirds for a long time (as far as I know) so you'll likely keep either camera a long while by which time you'll have forgotten the price but you'll still be enjoying the look and feel of the Pen F.
The crappy evf is the big downfall with the pen f,,,,,,,,imagine me with my pen ep-5 and VF-4 evf downgrading to the pen f with a lower magnification evf. It wont happen because it would make my photography more difficult.
Thinking of getting one of these two as a second camera along with my Nikon in 2020. Articulating screen is a must. So GX80 and GX9 are not my options... Hard to choose :)
I like your review style a lot. Minimal and elegant. In a previous conversion you suggested that I get the gx8, but now I have been thinking of getting a premium compact as my first learner camera. Good or bad decision? I just want to be able to take my camera everywhere without thinking, as I do my phone. If possible just put it in my jeans pocket. Considering the lumix lx10, canon g7x, g9x and the sony rx100 series. What would you say to that?
No reason why not. You sacrifice a certain amount of image quality compared to Micro Four Thirds just as you do Micro Four Thirds compared to full frame. It's all about trade-offs and what you consider the main priority.
I had no clue that there were 20.3 MP cameras from M43... and these both are! 16MP is good, but a legitimate concern of stills when doing brand comparison.
The 203.3MP has been well done so the noise level has remained the same while the detail has improved a bit. As you say, not crucial but if there's no IQ hiit, why not?
Hi David great video as always, I looking to buy a second body to go with my G9 maybe sometimes to use a second lens, I'm thinking about the GX8 as it's pretty well priced now secondhand or pen-f which I also like the editable colour profiles. What would you recommend? Also have your views on these cameras changed since your review? Would you recommend anything else. Thanks Justin
The Pen F is beautifully designed and has a nice feel but the EVF is noting compared to the GX8's. I'd recommend a GX9 but you'd want to check that you could live with the smallish EVF first. The IQ of the GX8 and Pen F is as good as the latest Micro Four Thirds models - but I think the GX8 is better value for money now.
I discovered you by chance today. Your last sentence is still reverberating around my head. I'm coming from a Panasonic bridge camera, the FZ200 (fab piece of kit) looking to build a 4/3 system based on Olympus prime lenses (12, 17, 42.5, 75). Until this review, my eye was firmly fixed on the Pen-F. I've considered the G8. Discovering your review is timely indeed. Cheers for posting it, David.
I have handled both. If you went to M4/3 to reduce camera size be warned that the GX8 is a bit of a box brick. It is large. May as well go Sony full frame.
Sony full frame has much larger lenses (laws of optics) but also the GX8 is only one MFT camera. Too big? How about the GM5? Also, take a look at the price of the avail;able lenses. And from my point of view, earning a living with cameras, I just want a tool that does the job. Why use a full frame sensor for web/ normal print or commercial use? When I wanted to large print I'd use a Hasselblad. When I don't, MFT is more than enough. I'm still discarding pixels even for new 4k screen/
Being an Olympus fanboy, E-M1 owner and lover of rangefinders, I ought to crave the Pen F. It does look nice, but it brings nothing to the table for me. Your honest and unbiased review confirms it. Its seems too small to handle the pro lenses but too large for a pocket camera. Stylish looks and more mega pixels for how much??. E-M1 mkII is what interest me, then the wait for the price to drop. Thanks for the review.
+Michael Gent Thanks Michael. It'll be interesting to see how well the Pen F sells and to whom. People who already have Micro Four Thirds equipment will know that in terms of spec, it's not good value compared to the E-M10ll or the GX7 (or 8). But for people looking for their first and only mirrorless camera it could be a winning mix of upmarket looks, feel and performance. Maybe they'd always hankered after a Leica and here is a nicely made acceptable alternative that doesn't need a mortgage. Team it up with Olympus's 17mm f/1.8 and it starts to look like Cartier-Bresson in a box. For me, obviously you and I think many experienced photographers, I'd find an E-M10ll or G7 would perform much the same and I'd spend the rest on lenses. But hey, there are plenty of pretty actors and actresses in Hollywood who can't act but it doesn't stop anyone going to see their movies :-) E-M11 - I wonder when?
Excellent review. I will say that I am a stills shooter and never considered the EM-1 over the GH4, so while the GH4 might be a great video camera, I think baring IBIS, which I don't need in my work it holds in own in the stills department against the EM1 and the specs seem to show that as well. The GX8 EVF makes me want to grab it over the GH4 because it looks so good even though I prefer the controls on the GH4.
+Mark James Yes, the GH4 is so capable for video that people overlook its still capabilities, which, leaving aside the stabilization, are as good any Micro Four Thirds made.
I don't know anything but I want to learn and get started. Was looking at the gx8. Although your conclusion is what I want to hear, I preferred the photos you showed with the Olympus a lot more.
Now that Panasonic has announced the GX85, I think I'm experiencing buyer's remorse with respect to the GX8. I was after an upgrade to my GX7, but I didn't really want something as big as my GH4. not did I want a fully articulated screen. I'm curious to know how the GX85 will compare to the Pen F. This could be a job for .... Mr Thorpe
Interesting, so Stabilization in the body is actually as good as the Panasonic dual mode... That's a pretty good feature right there! I wonder if the Pen F dual mode goes even further. Of course, 98% AF Accuracy is also a nice selling point for the Panasonic but it seems like it is more of a quick focusing situation and both will do well if you have time to setup the shot. Anyway, good review!
The Micro 4/3 party is final starting to die, the GH 5 has failed to have anything like the sales of the GH4 and it strikes me that Olympus has thrown in everything they can making their cameras more and more complex - what do you think?
The figures for both DSLRs and mirrorless dropped by 80% between 2010 and 2016 but while 8 times as many DSLRs were sold compared to mirrorless in 2010, the figures in 2016 were 12m DLSR, 11m mirrorless. That doesn't include compact cameras whose sales have fallen off a cliff due to smartphone imaging improvements. The EM1 Mk2 appears to be the fifth biggest selling camera with 4 DSLRs above it. There aren't any breakdown figures for Micro Four Thirds but my friendly camera dealer tells me that he sells more MFT equipment than other mirrorless with Olympus selling a bit better than Panasonic. I've never seen the MFT system as a party thing, it's just one choice among many and many people I know have two systems anyway. The figures on the GH5, it hasn't been long enough on sale to know anything yet but my book sales on it are running at about the same level as my book on the E-M1 MkII so that's the only reliable knowledge I have. Figures have a way of showing what the person using them wants them to show so I don't trust any of them overall. Given the investment Panasonic and Olympus are making in camera lenses and bodies, they plainly think the system has a future. So do I but I'm no guru!
Your concluding remarks about what your instinctive choice between the two on the desk I find the most valuable part of this excellent review. That kind of gut-personal response tells me more than the technical numbers. Thanks. Also valuable was your emphasizing the difference and the pleasure of a big, bright finder. And how central this experience is to bonding with a tool.
+Richard Bresden Hi Richard - yes, I've had both cameras around for a while and I was trying to think which one I preferred rationally. One has this, one has that. and so on. But the answer wasn't in what I thought, it was in what I did. The two prime things are to be able to see what you are photographing and when you see it, catch it. The GX8 does that in spades. A tool, as you describe it, is a good term for it.
Very nice review. I think the Pen F is a great looking camera but at that price I would hope for better auto-focusing performance. I'm new to MFT and recently bought an OM-D E-M5 II and am somewhat disappointed with the auto-focus on it. Sometimes I think an old Canon Elph point and shoot I have seems to do as good job.
+richdt The Pen F, E-M1 and E-M5ll are similar in S-AF performance. The GX8 and other Panasonics are about as fast as S-AF can be. It's not a massive difference, even so. If your old Canon is as good, I think there must be something wrong with the Olympus!
Brilliant, eloquent & concise as usual. I always look forward to your next upload and your thoughts definitely colour the decisions I make in "justifying" changes in my bag. Thank you
It does show the problem under some circumstances but use of the electronic shutter obviates it. Auto shutter does it for you. I use the e-shutter as standard except for fast moving subjects but for those you are using shutter speeds of 1/500th and up where shock doesn't occur anyway. So, it exists but isn't really a problem.
@@DavidThorpeMFT Great, today i have buy it 😄 used of course, i will use it mainly for reportage, wedding photography, portraits... My question is, is possible to use this camera with flash photography? About 1/200s...1/250s whit the bounce flash tecnique, or off camera flash. It freeze the subject? Thanks a lot.
@@LucioBusaPhotography Yes, the GX8 will sync up to 1/250th with a flash. There are proprietary models and others from third parties Metz etc that will operate as you expect and control other, external flashes if you wish. Keep in mind that Micro Four Thirds is a standard so equipment so designated will work with any other piece of equipment so designated.
Dear David, Much as I enjoy all of your videos, your very precise appreciation and comments on the gear and lenses and your invaluable experience as a photographer, I have a question that may be very easily solved, what are those red and black circular dongles hanging from the sides of your cameras? Many thanks!
Now I’ve watched a few of your videos, I see what the fuss is about. You are unusually succinct, eloquent, and always relevant in your reviews. Much appreciated!
I prefer the GX8 for video. Sharpness is down to the lens, really and I think the Pen F and GX8 probably use the same sensors. Autofocus, the GX8 is better in C-AF but for video they are much the same, since fast autofocus is not desirable.
Both Pen F and GX8 have quieter shutters than the GX7. The GX8 and Pen F shutters are similar in loudness but the Pen F's is deeper, a bit less clacky in character. Nothing between them, really.
Quite frankly I find the need for all these "bells & whistles" hilarious. I am now 82yrs old and have been involved in photography for over 60 yrs. The only controls I had were focus, aperture, film speed and flash and I still produced perfectly good wedding photos.
I've been in the business since I was 17, starting out on 5x4 plate cameras. I've never done a wedding but I can say that there is nothing on a modern digital camera than means you can't use it manually and have as much control or lack of it as you ever did. If I take what a bare bones Nikon F cost when I started using them in Fleet Street (not that I had to buy my own I'm happy to say) it comes out an equivalent of about £4,500. We don't know how lucky we are today. For weddings the 'F''s motor drive would be hilarious but I can assure you that in the middle of a conflict or riot it is not. There are always people who can make use of the bells and whistles. Like a car that will do 120mph, there is nothing to say you have to go that speed and it wouldn't cost any less if it was slower. The downside is that digital can lead to deskilling but if you'd seen the work of some wedding photographers that used to come into the office when I was on local papers, you'd know that lack of skill is nothing new :-)
Brilliant comparison - you worked hard to help us make an intelligent buying decision. The camera I'm really interested in now is the forthcoming GX85, aka GX80
+Lyndon Smith Thanks Lyndon! There seems to be a lot of interest all round in the GX80/85. From my perspective, the stabilization and new shutter are the headline items.
I have come across it personally, yes, so it does exist (sometime). On the other hand, it is really only viewable at 100% viewing and use of the electronic shutter between about 1/60th and 1/400th takes care of it. Auto does that for you in fact. The bottom line is, would it stop me buying a GX8 and to that I can answer a definite no.
Also, the GX8 has a clean 4K output/live view over HDMI. It can also connect to a TV and be navigated with the TV remote, which was very unexpected and quite nice.
Thank you David for the enjoyable and informative video. The guys from the Camera Store TV claimed that based on their testing the pen F's continueous focus does not work well. They suspected it was that way as they tested the non-production version, but then they repeated using the production version and got the same results. Have you experienced issues with the AFC?
Glad you enjoyed the video. If you take a look at my comparison video of the Pen F and GX8 - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-49nC9VW3bAQ.html - you will see that I found the focusing of the GX8 better in every respect than the Pen F. Of course, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the Pen F's focusing which of itself is excellent. It's just that Panasonic have a definite edge at the moment. Remember though that this shows itself at the extremes. In day to day use the Pen F is already faster than you'd mostly need. Having said that, one of the main reasons I use the GX8 as my go to camera is the confidence I have in its focusing - down to ridiculously low light levels. When I tried the two cameras, I was surprised by the results and went back and tried again. With the same result. And, interestingly, it was the same with either brand of lens.
Great reviews. I have had my eye on the Pen F for quite some time . I have been looking for something compact to be a positive digital shooting alternative to shooting film, and at a more reasonable price point than a Leica. I recently purchased the LX 100, the sony alpha 63000, and have intentions of getting either the GX8 or Pen F to test. The Sony alpha 6300 was a bit difficult to operate, I liked the lx 100 for it's simplicity , build quality and presets. However, based upon the specs , the image quality may not stack up to the Alpha. 4k video is nice, but I am leaning towards the Pen F for the sake of image quality and build quality. A question for the Pen F, is it easy to operate ( menu etc..) , say easier than the Lumix? I lean towards the Lumix and favor the ease of use of their cameras, but am weighing it against the pros of the alpha and the creative abilities of the Pen. Albeit all of the talk, the Sony seems to be very difficult to operate, very confusing. Any advice would be much appreciated, I enjoyed your reviews very much. In the meantime I suppose I will keep shooting with my XA, and Minox ML to get my rangefinder fix. Cheers, Mike.
Thanks Michael! My preference is the GX8 for sheer speed of focus and ease of operation. Plus a superb EVF which makes me use it all the time. The Pen F has identical image quality but a less intuitive menu system (most agree, but not all). Build quality, the Pen F feels better but it is the GX8 that has weather sealing. Definitely try them both but note the EVF differences. I have both and like them both but I'be been out today and which camera do I pick up? 9 times from 10, the GX8. Having said that none of the cameras you mention would be a _bad_ buy. No-one seems to make lousy cameras any more :-)
Yes, true, as do most Panasonic cameras. In the video, I am referring to one that are immediately selectable on the mode dial. The 'tucked away' C3-2 and 3 mean delving into the menu so it is is often just as quick to change a parameter as change to a Custom 3-2 setting.
+Oren Hazi No, I didn't but I use the electronic shutter mostly. It is something I ought keep in mind, thanks for the heads-up. Certainly it'll be of interest when compared to the new shutter on the GX80.
Thanks very much! Personally, I'd go for the GX8, especially if I had Panasonic lenses which then give you similar stabilization quality to the Pen F. The Pen F is a very stylish camera but you pay quite a lot for the looks. It is beautifully built, though.The GX8 is a fair bit cheaper now too.
I've watched all you videos and you have made me make several more informed choices. I appreciate your dry humor and you make a longer videos enjoyable and informative, thankks for all the time and effort.
+Jeffrey Peckham The answer to that is.....with difficulty. My daughter has some strong thread, linen sewing thread and I fed one strand of that through the camera lug, looped it around the PeakDesign line and back through the lug. Then, holding both ends of the thread with a pair of pliers I just tugged...hard...and with a bit of jiggling about it came through. I won't be taking the fittings off in a hurry! The sewing thread is standard stuff but incredibly strong.
and absolutely superb comparison review; very thoughtful and fair - and elegantly constructed. Your reviews of all M4/3 equipment are the best. I could watch them over and over. Thanks for making and sharing them with us!
Great comparison / review. They're both wonderful cameras, but if I had to get one it'd be the gx8. A dedicated filters button is a bit much to stomach and the gx8 viewfinder is magic. Currently have a gx7 and em10 ii. Will eagerly anticipate your gx80/85 review. If it is as good as the "hands on" previews say, will sell both and get that. Not really that bothered about 20MP vs 16MP to be honest.
+Sion Hannuna The bigger sensor doesn't bother me either. If it is there that's fine. I was glad that IQ stayed about the same, I'd have been annoyed if they'd upped the size at the expense of more noise. What I'd have liked more would be the 16mp and less noise. Not that I find it it too noisy, it would just seems a more useful development to me. From first reactions, i think the GX80/85 will float the boat for a lot of photographers.
as always, great review David! think you forgot to mention the GX8 has weather sealing - of you have a matched weather sealed lens it's a no brainer for nature walks, hiking etc.
+guyo68 The system was recommended to me in a comment. It's from Peak Designs www.peakdesign.com/ It's not cheap but it's one of those things that once bought will last for years.
David, I love when I’m researching a topic on RU-vid and I find that you’ve already released a video on it! As a professional musician, producer, and engineer, I’ve had the displeasure to record a lot of voice over production...I could listen to your voice all day! Thanks again!
Notice the warped shape of the cars when using single shot AF? That's the electronic shutter working it's "magic" i.e. the bottom of the photo is captured later than the top half. Great review by the way.
Thanks Jack. Yes, the noted 'jello' effect. It's present on all focal plane shutters too but they travel fast enough nowadays for it not to be noticeable! Lartigue's race car shot from 1913 was the first time I'd seen it. Not in 1913, though!
I've seen some really weird looking sporting shots that are bent and warped with the electronic shutter. It's actually quite artistic in a funny sort of way :-)
Lartgue's shots were liked because people felt it gave an impression of speed. That was on a plate camera, of course. It's a different kettle of fish when all your shots have the effect!
Happy New Year, Thomas! I'm glad you find the reviews helpful. With so much choice a pointer is very handy, I know. Luckily there is little out there today that could be described as bad so I try to put the item in context as well as take a lot of pictures with it,
Panasonic and Olympus make fantastic 4 3 cameras, I'm right on the verge of buying the G7 ; but I have a problem. I have searched high and low for compatible flash systems. I get no meaningful response from Panasonic or any of the flash manufactures. You would think that Panasonic would have a list of compatible flashes for their weird camera. It makes no sense to me that they chose not to use pins and firmware that would be compatible with Nikon or Canon. I will not buy the camera until I am sure I can buy something other than a Panasonic $600 flash. I'm going to start looking seriously at Canon, Nikon and Sony. Panasonic shouldn't have made it so hard to find a flash.
Metz make some very good ones. I use their 15 MS-1 but they do lots of others. I don't know what country you are in, Ed but if you got to SRS Cameras Watford they have a couple of pages of Micro Four Thirds standard flashes. Remember that MFT is a standard so any flash that fits Panasonic will fit Olympus and vice versa.
David Thorpe Thanks for the tip. I really want the G7. I've been looking at the 750D (Rebel T6i) ; this is a nice camera. The Canon kit cost $250 more but the lenses and other accessories are much cheaper. There are pages of Canon accessories on C/L and EBay. Every camera accessory manufacturer makes stuff for every Canon camera. I see a G7 in my future, but I'm going to wait for Panasonic to take the pain out of buying accessories. It would have been so easy for Panasonic to make the flash system compatible with Canon or Nikon. I have watched every one of your videos two or three time, great stuff. Thanks again.
Thanks ed. It wouldn't be Panasonic's decision about the flash standard but a joint decision on Panasonic and Olympus's part. Canon and Nikon are not as advanced electronically as Micro Four Thirds so the MFT standard probably allows for future developments. Cameras with mirrors have inherent limitations in some respects - no electronic shutter for stills for example, so the flash requirements may well by divergent in the future. I'm not suggesting that the DSLR is inferior (or superior) simply that one camera is basically mechanical and the other electronic in nature.
David Thorpe You just pointed out some of the reasons I like MFT. I think electronic cameras are the future. But for now the accessories are to limited and expensive. It is a lot cheaper to set up a 750D the way I want to use it than to set up a G7. There is no end to the quantity new and used accessories for the Canon DSLR line of cameras. No doubt I will one day own a Panasonic GH"4" or G"7". If I had $3500 to $5000 to spend I'd buy the G7 today!.
Yes, Canon and Nikon are very complete profesional systems and have been around for ...well...ever. I was using Nikon Fs more than 50 years ago! So they have built up a very complete system in that time and many of those accessories from 50 years ago will still work today. For Micro Four Thirds makers, there is little reason to build very specialist lenses such as the 2000mm I used occasionally since they would sell in tens and thus be too expensive to be economical. Ditto accessories. No camera system can be everything to everyone and Micro Four Thirds suits my needs well, given that I am no longer out there shooting riots and fashion.If you have more specialized needs then a DSLR is the obvious choice. I often get people complaining that you can't shallow depth of field with MFT (it has become a it of a fetish to some). I can only reply that it would not make sense to buy sports car to drive up a farm track and similarly, it would not make sense to buy MFT if your main concern was shallow depth of field. Why make like difficult? Common sense would be to use a FF system.
+morpheusmorph I don't have much in the way of pictures from those days because they were commissioned jobs and belong to the clients. In the case of Paul McCartney, for example my contract stated that all work I did for them would be processed at their chosen lab and was, of course their copyright. What's more, if any unauthorized use of the pictures was made, it would be down to me! I do have plenty of stories, though. Maybe I could do a blog on them.
thank you for your answer. It just seems to me that you could also teach photography tips very well. Maybe a photowalk or an evening with a band in which you (voiceover) comment on your techniques (what to look out for, what is your workflow, certain pitfalls, etc.) while shooting. Your tremendous amount of knowledge would certainly be interesting for followers of your channel. Maybe you can consider it.
