Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2

Opinion: I had previously the good G1, I have now the G2 for more than a year, it is a good successor to the G1

I liked the implementation of the touch features

Image quality is really good for this sensor size, and ergonomics are good as the built quality

Other thing I am pleased with is the quality of the Panasonic Lumix lenses and the ones made by Panasonic and Leica

For those who don't need video much this is a very good choice and now the price is really good

I don't fell the need to have more than 12 megapixels, so I must keep this camera for a long time

Metering is good, colors are good and the AF is precise and fast

Opinion: One year ago one of the reasons for choosing the Panasonic G2 was that the range of available lenses was better than that for Sony NEX or Samsung NX cameras. The micro four thirds lens range currently covers 35 mm equivalent focal lengths from 14 to 600mm and contains macro and fisheye lenses and as well as four other fixed focal length lenses, including the f0.95 Voigtlaender. Thus the lens range continues to improve and is still superior to the mirrorless rivals.

Though the G2 is relatively large compared to some other mirrorless cameras, it includes a respectable integrated flash, a chunky grip, as I prefer, and a high quality, integrated EVF.
Sony NEX cameras are smaller and lighter but have neither flash nor EVF. The G2 weighs approximately 585g, including card, battery and the Olympus M-Zuiko 9-18mm superwide lens. This total weight is less than the body-only weight of many SLR cameras.

I have used EVFs for several years previously, since owning a Minolta Dimage 7i, where I noted that being able to magnify the image in the viewfinder enabled me to obtain precise manual focus of subject such as damselflies.
The G2's EVF provides a clear view of which areas the AF has focused on and I have found the AF to be rapid and accurate with both my Panasonic and Olympus lenses.
The use of the high quality dioptre corrected EVF in the G2 brings many advantages over conventional viewfinders. The mirrorless camera with EVF eliminates the problems associated with non-TTL viewing that characterised mirrorless cameras in the film era. The layout enables a shorter back focal distance than would be possible with a reflex camera. Smaller lenses (the M-Zuiko 9-18mm being a good example) can be designed and many legacy lenses can be used via adaptors.
The EVF gives a 100% view of what is on the sensor and enables the view to be customised to e.g. show the histogram or grid lines.
For me the most important advantage of having the dioptre corrected EVF is the magnified view which enables accurate manual setting of the focus prior to exposure. Viewing of the image at up to 16X magnification after exposure enables one to make absolutely sure that there are no problems of blur or inaccurate focus. This has enabled a manual focus 50mm f2.8 Pentax macro lens, previously used with my film SLR, to be used with great success on this camera.

The sensor performance of the G2 is not on a par with the latest APS-C sensors. The G2 sensor is not at its best in low light and I tend to avoid ISO above 1000, though this is less of a concern for me since most of my photography is done outdoors. Over exposed highlights can occur in situations when the subject has high dynamic range, I find the best results are found by shooting RAW and monitoring the histogram.

The 14-42 mm standard lens gives good crisp results at all focal lengths, when stopped down a little. At full aperture, there can be some unsharpness at the edges, but the central area still looks good. The image stabilisation system is useful to enable use of lower shutter speeds and also is used to detect whether the camera was used in the landscape or portrait orientation.

One feature that I have found useful is the HDMI link to a television. I have used my Sony TV to display the images and AVCHD videos. Once connected the TV remote control is used to navigate and display images. 720p videos look impressive when viewed full screen on TV.

I find the supplied Silkypix software is quite useful for processing RAW files and is worth a close look, if you are not already in possession of Lightroom or Photoshop.

I still regularly use a Bronica RF645 with leaf shutter lenses and of all the mirrorless cameras I have used, the G2 is by some margin the loudest. Not as loud as an SLR maybe, but methinks that they could improve the shutter mechanism in future generations to make the camera more discreet.

It seems likely the G2 will be available for some time, as the bottom of the range EVF camera at a lower price than the G3. The G2 is good value at the current price.

Opinion: After owning a olympus epl1.a ep2 witch i really like.I decided to buy a G2 and i coulden't be happier the G2
is faster to focus then either of the olys and i can use the oly lenes also.I got the 14-42 with the G2 and it's a nice lens.

Opinion: This camera is good, but flawed. First of all, its handling is excellent. Panasonic's designers must have spent quite a long time studying how people interact with cameras. Every button is in its place, most of them feel very different and are easy to find by touch only. I also love the drive mode lever, it makes it very easy to go from single-shot to continuous drive to self-timer (for tripod pictures). Tilt-and-swivel LCD is great for street photography! I can't imagine going back to a camera without this feature. Panasonic G2 is also very fast for a non-SLR: shutter lag, AF speed and everything else compares to entry-level DSLRs favourably.

What I don't like is its image quality. Panasonic's 12MP sensor is very old and it shows. Images are OK up to ISO 400, at ISO 800 they start to fall apart and ISO 1600 upwards is good for B&W only. Panasonic's JPEG engine is also not very good, you have to shoot RAW to get the best possible IQ. But the worst offender is its extraordinarily tight dynamic range, especially in highlights. To make things worse, the camera doesn't show proper exposure onscreen, you have to set exposure by watching your histogram.

I hope Panasonic G3 will be a better camera.

Opinion: I purchased this camera from amazon for £504 with an additional £30 cashback which represented good value at the time, I am of the general opinion that this camera was more over priced compared to the competition than usual and if it were not for these reductions I would not have purchased this model at this time, by the time you read this prices will have dropped even more no doubt and it should be even better value

The camera is easy and fun to use, and should appeal to point and shoot users as well as those seeking some creative control, image quality is generally very good, but given what is availble on similar priced entry level SLR cameras, is not exceptional. The big selling point is the AVCDHD Lite video and the touch screen. While the HD video is good its not Full HD and no better than that on cheaper Panasonic models.

Images are very detailed and the autofocus and exposure systems are excellent, Images noise is well controlled up to 800 ISO and approaches that of similar priced SLR type cameras that compete for your money. As a stand alone camera with perhaps an additional telephoto lens this is all that most people will need, but it is never going to be as expandable as the Nikon of Canon range, upgrade lenses are far more expensive and there is a much smaller range. While smaller and lighter than an SLR camera it is still quite bulky and those not looking specifically for the benefits of this breed of camera will need to really consider if this is what you want, there are so many great compact and superzooms out there for half the price, and if this is going to be your only camera I would recommend further research.

WHATS GOOD

Excellent intelligent Auto mode
Detailed images with minimum lens distortion (processed out by camera)good for portraits and landscapes
Excellent exposure and autofocus, Images acceptable straight from camera
Good noise control up to ISO 800
Effective Raw mode, for those that can be bothered to edit every picture
Very good viewfinder and good swivel LCD, not dependent on Touch screen, which is useful in some situations, but you can easily survive without it
Generally good build quality with some questions marks ie power switch/kit lens
Good control layout, dedicated movie mode and intelligent auto buttons
Flash performance
good grip and user ergonomics
Reasonable performance, but keep to 2.2 frames per second burst mode or below to avoid screen blank out between shots
Good battery life
Pleasing HD video mode, suitable for spur of the moment videos but not up to the standard of a dedicated HD camcorder
Printed full operating Manual

A very good camera but still not quite as good as most entry level SLRs, that said its a lot smaller and lighter, so if you are looking for a creative lightweight near SLR quality camera that while not pocket sized wont strain your neck and can be carried all day in comfort this camera ticks the box. As a general family camera it may prove over complicated and the need to change lenses to gain any telephoto shots may not suite many. Given that this camera retails at the same price as most basic SLRs, some people may find that route more approprate, while families may find a superzoom like the FZ38 or travel camera such as the TZ10 more practical and fun (and half the price)

Opinion: Good camera in a whole new class of cameras.

Two of the "reviewers" apparently never owned the camera which is why I rated it somewhat higher than I might have otherwise. Don/t trust any review that doesn't say when they got the camera.

DoctorJerry

Opinion: The mediocre quality of the lenses, very slow processor , and unsatisfactory in-camera jpeg processing have convinced me to move away from the micro-four thirds system. If Panasonic’s technological / optical / user interface improvements were half as good as the superlative hype which surrounded the announcement of this camera, it would be by far the best photographic instrument out there. As is, the G2 has minimal real improvements over G1 / GH1 (indeed it has taken a step backward in some areas like plastic lens mount, lens quality, smaller sensor area, rear control dial), and it certainly does not live up to my expectations or hopes to downsize from a full fledged SLR system for good.
The G series continues to target P&S users who upgrade, but I don't see it as a serious alternative to SLR system users looking for a smaller / lighter system. This is really unfortunate, because 90% of the shortcomings listed below would be easy to solve and make it a great system. Alas, like Canon, Panasonic is adding real improvements one at a time so you have to buy another new camera a year from now to get another miniscule improvement... Built in obsolescence and waste of resources!! This is also borne out by the fact that Panasonic refuse to sell the camera body only, so if you switch from a G1 you are forced to pay for another crummy lens .

The four thirds format is severely handicapped by the smaller senser (1/3 less than APS). Limited dynamic range and detail will always be an issue, no matter what. To compete with traditional SLR’s, four thirds lenses have to match the best optics provided by best camera / lens manufacturers. If they don’t, the system will never produce comparable image quality? I recently had a chance to take some pictures with my niece’s Nikon D40 with kit lens. The dynamic range, detail, sharpness, and overall quality of jpegs produced by an older, entry level SLR was far superior to what I can get out of the G series.
It is truly unfortunate that Panasonic refuses to take the leap to seriously improve image quality and performance, because size/weight ratio, handling, user interface on G1,G2, GH1 overall are excellent and it would be such an easy thing to improve whatever shortcomings there are.

Positives: Addition of video feature over G1, 1:1 aspect ratio, improved placement of video button over GH1, compatibility with other 4/3 lenses via adapter (At least on paper. The disclaimers on their website that AF may still not work and you may have to switch to manual, are not very promising... Haven’t had a chance to put this to the test). The touch screen is a “nice to have” and can be seen as an improvement, however, it is not a breakthrough in any way. It can make focusing and some of the menu changes faster, when using the camera on a tripod.

Opinion: Solid Build, Excellent feature set, great handling. I'm very happy with the G2. When I needed an upgrade from my superzoom cam I wanted the features and feel of a DSLR but I don't like all the bulk (I'm used to my old 35mm SLR) so the G2 fit the bill perfectly. I'm really impressed at how quick and snappy this camera is compared to a few DSLR's I've used, I think it can compete with any entry level DSLR's and even some mid-range ones. In my opinion Image quality is on par with anything in it's price range and produces sharp and well exposed shots very consistently.

Opinion: This is my second 4/3's camera. I had owned an E-P2 with it's fantastic EVF, for about 7 months before it got stolen last week when traveling thru Vancouver.

Taking a ton of pictures in Toronto, Banff & Vancouver, I was starting to grow accustomed with the E-P2's cumbersome menu system and then suddenly it was
stolen. That's life I guess.

The jpegs from the Oly were great out of the camera without pp and I only took RAW in really difficult indoor lighting where I had difficulty with the white balance.

Anyway, when i had to replace it, it was kind of "been there, done that" scenario, so after some indecisiveness over NEX 5 vs G2, I opted for the G2 primarily due
to it's easier to use menu system and user friendly number of "on camera" buttons.

The touch screen is a bit of a novelty, and it's great for magnifying the image. However, I'm still more accustomed to using the "on camera" buttons for most funtions as its quite direct for me. However, I do find the touch screen very user friendly than the OLY when using my manual "M" mount Zeiss or Leica or CV lenses. Just touch the screen and the image is magnified, for focusing, just have press the shutter button and it returns to normal view mode. The Oly had a few more button presses.

I had the 14-45 & 20mm Panny lenses along with the Oly 9-18 lens kit, which all got stolen :0(, so I can offer a comment on the new 14-42 over the older 14-45.
In terms of rendering, sharpness, contrast, I don't pixel peep too much nor make gigantic prints, so I can't say the new 14-42 is much different from the preivous version. The 14-42 has the plastic mount which hopefully will hold up well with use.

The EVF works, but is definitely less bright & clear than the Oly. However, the thing that was a bit inconvenient with the OLY EVF, was that I liked to have it permanently mounted on the E-P2. With that configuration, I did find that it added considerable height to the camera, making it rather bulky so that it never quite fit in to my mid size camera bag. Yes I could carry a bigger one, however, I have a preference for light, which is why I dumped all my SLR gear a few years back and switched to rangefinders and new also have the 4/3's to supplement when I want a zoom.

Performance wise it has a faster startup time and has a higher fps than Oly. The lack of in body stabilization for using non-stabilized lenses really bites, as all these primes are of course much better than the kit lens (which are ok for a kit lens), but I do appreciate the ability to get more keepers with the body/sensor stabilization of the OLY. Perhaps when the E-P3 comes out the EVF will be built in and it will have a "useable" flash. Currently a big advantage is the built in flash on the G2, although I prefer to use available light, it is usefull for those occassions so I don't need to always lug around my Nissin flash.

I find low light ISO capability to be similar to the E-P2 (non-scientific tests), stick to 800 or below for colour jpegs, perhaps 1600 in a pinch using RAW and for B&W anything you want up to the max. However, I am trying to keep it simple as I'm treating the 4/3s as a muchly improved P&S. (if you're looking for something with control in a much smaller package and not as good as the 4/3s, try the Canon G11 or S90) At this stage, the micro 4/3s is not going to best the SLR or Leica M8 or M9 in terms of image quality.

I'm not a big video fan, but when I need it the 720 is sufficient for my needs.

It's a great 4/3's camera and extremely user friendly. I'll have to wait and see at the end whether I prefer the E-P2 or the G2. I do know I'll miss the in-body stabilizatoin of the E-P2, but not the bulky EVF.