Which?: Why choose a Micro Four Thirds camera?

[mtnLarsen]

Why would you hold the lens like that? Why not support it from underneath instead of pressing down on it....

[JakesSillyMontages]

Thanks Kirk Cameron. 

[NewAgeDirector]

Great video keep up the good work.

[dabstrat]

I worked at a company called Tetracam which pioneer the first commerically available digital camera.

[contactdavee]

I need to get a british accent. Instantly makes you sound like a professional.

[kurai6]

@contactdavee Or a chav if you get it wrong :p

[Handford]

@contactdavee Hey, I'm British does that make me officially (someone who at least sounds like) a pro?

[kurai6]

are micro four thirds cameras better than cameras such as canon g12 or samsung ex1?

[MrPlaystationboy]

is $350 a good price for lumix g2 whit 14-12 II lens and a camera bag?

[rocketpowerjerk1]

you look like harry potter

[jcstepro]

Frodo Baggins?

[ClactonPier]

@jcstepro lmfao

[44deluxe]

You are a nice man.

[terrystubbsjnr]

Hey excellent video! I picked up my Lumix g10 for £270 with the 14 - 42 mm lens kit included. The camera is just fantastic and low light pictures are excellent. On video mode it will continuously AF unlike many DSLRs which is very handy if you are a budding indie film maker. I found the HD movie quality to be fantastic (albeit 720p) - overall super happy with a micro four thirds.

[BoxxyFan]

Why would anyone want a m43 camera? They have tiny sensors and bad quality ISO in low light. People are better off getting the Sony NEX or Samsung NX or even the Fujifilm x100 because they all have full APS-C sensors. The funny thing is that the Sony NEX-5 is actually smaller than any m43 camera! It's smaller and has a bigger sensor! m43 FAIL.

[shadow0466666594]

@BoxxyFan The Panasonic gf3 is the smallest camera, not Sony anymore. And btw, Micro four third have better image quality than Sony NEX and Samsung NX. Fuji x100 is a different class of camera, so not fair to compare Fuji x100 with m43.

The biggest thing is m43 have dozens of Leica and Zuiko lenses available, if you know what that means? :)

[BoxxyFan]

@shadow0466666594 Nope, the Sony NEX-5 and NEX-3C is actually smaller. Also, APS-C sensors (used in NEX/NX/x100) will ALWAYS have better image quality than the very tiny and small m43 sensor. Sorry to break it to you, buddy.

[shadow0466666594]

@BoxxyFan Mate I used to own a NEX-5 and returned it in favor of PEN, and extremely happy I returned it. Sony NEX is smallest APS-C camera, but GF3 is actually smaller (and has a built-in flash). I understand APS-C is a larger sensor, but 80% of the image quality depends on the lens as well. And Sony will never be able to get even close to Leica and Zuiko.

I will definitely buy NEX again if Zeiss produces at least 3 different lenses with E-mount. Current line of E lenses frankly speaking is POOR

[BoxxyFan]

@shadow0466666594 Sony will be releasing a 40mm f/2 pancake and a Carl Zeiss 24mm f/2 pancake by the end of this year.. Those two lenses alone will beat the shit out of anything m43 has. With those 2 primes and the current Sony 16/2.8, you'll have an extremely compact set up of 3 lenses, smaller than the GF3, excellent optics with the Carl Zeiss, a much larger sensor and better control of DOF thanks to the superior sensor. Enjoy your tiny sensor toy camera!

[shadow0466666594]

@BoxxyFan I already have 1 Leica and 2 Zuiko's and by the end of the year I'll have may be 2 more. It is a good news Zeiss will release a lens for NEX, but it's too late for many people. m43 already occupying over 70% of the sales of Mirror-less, Sony is far behind with their "APS-C sensor" camera. But may be you'll never understand how a good lens can make difference, since you have never used a good lens.

Larger sensor is not much different from "More MP marketing" that worked for goofs.

[BoxxyFan]

@shadow0466666594 Are you kidding me? In the short time Sony has had the NEX in the market, it has dominated the entire mirrorless market.Theyre currently selling more NEXes than Olympus and Panasonic combined. Larger sensor is not much different from 'MORE MP marketing'??? LOL ARE YOU SERIOUS. Larger sensor = better noise control (M43 cameras at high iso look like watercolour paintings) and better control over DOF (you cant get any useful shallow dof with M43). You obviously dont know anything.

[shadow0466666594]

I'll give +1 to Sony for larger sensor, but +25 to m43 for the range of high quality lenses, lenses that Sony can only dream of.

If you knew "a little" I repeat "a little" about photography, you would know how lenses make all the difference. You're an illiterate moron.

[AdurianJ]

The DSLR look-alike makes no sense on a 4/3 system without a viewfinder. The E-P1 is a much better sollution and smaller.

[someharleyguy]

Goodbye micro four thirds, your time on earth is done ....enter the XZ-1!!!!!! (excellent video BTW!!!)

[MedicAlv1]

Between the EP2 and the Canon g12 Which would you go for? I am taking a trip to Italy this summer and I'd like to take something smaller than a DSLR but better in image quality than just any point and shoot....thanks and great review...

[gecmartins]

@MedicAlv1

You might want to take a look at the Panasonic LX5 and the Olympus XZ-1, too. The latter being my compact o'choice.

[GarbageState]

panasonic lens vs olympus in-body image stabilization? which is better?

[gecmartins]

@GarbageState

You can get any micro four thirds lens (Panasonic, Zuiko, Leica) for your micro four thirds system, so I would go for the in-body image stabilization.

[kalargyi]

Got my GH1 Last week @ Panasonic site, for $375 including 14-42mm lens.

[MrTuxedo93]

I have taken photo's with G2 and GH2. Both are excellent even in low light conditions thanks to the excellent software build-in. No 35mm camera can touch this performance. Maybe modern DSLR can do it better but the price difference is also hughe. So comparing should take the price (G2=540€and GH2=999€ lens included) in account and the fact you can change lenses.(my biggest photo enlarged was a A3 format). This is a photo camera that will satisfy 95% of all the people. (01/01/11) I

[video4rainydays]

can i buy you a drink so you can explain this again in person? i love your eyes!

[miguelk12]

wow your voice is so soothing

nice info thanks

[NickTrop]

I just don't think the 4/3rds cameras are all that much smaller than the current crop of compact APS-C DSLRS to pose any significant useability benefit, justify their higher price, or use of a smaller (than APS-C) sensor. This is especially true when used with a zoom lens. With the Oly displayed here, you can't even use a viewfinder and flash simultaneously... and both are pricey accessories.

[cprostudio]

great review

[T0mmyDavis]

about to buy this camera sunday, is this as good as any dslr for 500$ (yes i found it for 500 with the kit)

[iamjeffhong]

@T0mmyDavis Where?

[T0mmyDavis]

@iamjeffhong the sale had ended but it was at costco.com

[iamjeffhong]

Harry Potter makes videos?

[VINTONGFX]

as he predicted. we now have 6 m4/3 cameras in the market, also a kit that cost $599 with lens (OLYMPUS EPL-1). panasonic has announced two more models and Olympus will come out with a professional m4/3 camera this year

[sonofthedestroyer]

'limited to looking through LCD'?

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SLR users are weird. LCD is so much better. I dont want to stick on eye into a flippin narrow eyepiece thanks

[FinlandApollo]

but picture in LCD isn't real, but from viewfinder it is. That why viewfinder is better

[tuckerjeffrey]

Great video, I really enjoyed the informative video and presentation that you did here. Thanks again.

[minaitsekukin]

These comparisons always forget to mention the built-in stabilization on the e-p1. This means you can use IS with all lenses, even fast lenses like the panasonic 20mm f1.7 or legacy glass from film cameras.

[MissJagUR]

I think Which should buy you a nice new shirt for Christmas! (something more colourful) Thanks for the info though!

[testdasi]

You forgot 2 VERY important points:

1. The EVF of GH1/G1 is extremely usable and bright with 100% coverage. It has certain limitations but to briefly mention it as an EVF is like saying a quad-core CPU is just another CPU.

2. The GH1 is expensive because its kit lens is a 14-140mm 10X zoom. It's not like Nikon/Canon entry-level DSLR kit which includes cheap bad kit lenses.

[WhichWebsite]

The comment was being made more on the fact that the Olympus doesn't have an EVF rather than that the Panasonic does.

On the price point we still consider it to be expensive despite the good lense you get with the kit. It is still around a grand for just the body.

[TooMuchButtHair]

The 14-140mm lens in the U.S. sells for $849.99, which is more than half the total $1499.99 price. The lens isn't particularly fast, so it's safe to say that the price has much to do with the engineering that went into making a lens that would work with the HD movie mode, and it is worth noting that the micro four thirds cameras are the ONLY large sensor cameras with a usable movie mode.

If the Nikon D90 had a movie mode that's usable like the GH1's, it would be perfect, but until then...

[XSVPro]

@WhichWebsite At the time the body was not available on its own (still isn't i think), so saying its a grand for the body isn't true, it was £1200 with a very decent lens and the kit lens is very very good, like l series glass from canon, it was a little pricey but when i came to buy mine i got it for £899 with the lens.

[shredmiester4000]

@WhichWebsite You forgot the fact that it actually has autofocus in video..