The rumour mills are reporting that a new micro 4/3 camera the GX1 will be released on 8 November - photos and basic specs are on the various rumour sites. It will be bundled with the new X 14-42 lens. About GF1 size, it restores all the buttons and appears to represent the first release by Panasonic of their proposed splitting of the micro 4/3 line into separate consumer and professional lines.

I have been waiting for the X lens to appear in the shops before I bought a new camera. I was hoping for a GF3 bundled with X lens but this looks unlikely now. As more of a happy snapper than serious photographer I am now tending to the GF3 with a 20mm prime and buy the X 14-42 as an add on.

Hi Mark,

Yeah, the GX1 looks like a significant release for Panny. In addition to what you've mentioned, it will accept the new high-resolution EVF (which won't be back-compatible with earlier models) and very importantly, is rumored to have better image quality than any previous model, including the GH2. We'll know soon enough.

(What I'd really like is something like this from scandal-plagued Oly with a built-in EVF, Oly's IBIS and the E-P3's AMOLED display. I'd also like a pony.)

Cheers,

Rick

Mark, Amazon shows that the GF3 with the lense you want will be available Nov 8th in stock.

Thanks Craig for the heads up. The Amazon seller doesn't ship to Australia but the same combination has now appeared on eBay through Kenmore Cameras at a similar price - cheaper than the Australian price with the old 14-42 lens even after paying freight. I think I will wait until the release of the GX1 on Tuesday to get the full specifications so I don't regret my decision although I expect the rumoured better image quality of the GX1 will come at a considerable weight penalty. Weight and bulk are quite high in my priorities.

GX1 will be rolled out next week, presumably in tandem with several preliminary evaluations and test images. One rumor site says this:

"But the best news I got from two sources says that they tested the image quality of the GX1 and the jpeg high ISO quality is visible better than what you get from any other m43 camera. And one source said it’s actually surprisingly close to the Sony NEX-5n jpeg quality. Let’s hope this is true because theSony really shines in that aspect!"

In design and control layout it looks quite a bit more like the GF1 and LX3/4 than other recent Panny µ4/3 bodies.

Cheers,

Rick

Unless Panny fixes their dynamic range deficiency and colors I am not interested. Have GH1 and was underwhelmed for what I paid for it. Sure hope this cam succeeds though as I think the m43 is a wonderful format allowing far smaller lenses for us backpackers.

Then again I pretty much got it for the video. =)

Then again I can still get very good images from it. Just takes post processing if you don't want saturated greens and unrealistic blues.

BTW, I have largish(wide) hands and cannot operate the GH1 with a thin glove on without a wrist loop. Even then its highly problematical. Just an FYI for small cams and folks hands.

I know most here are summer backpackers and such a camera will not have this issue in that condition.

Should be out soon, I wonder how long it will take the major reviewers to get their hands on it and compare the IQ to other cameras.

DPReview has a page set up for it ready to go, with a lot of specs in place...

http://www.dpreview.com/products/panasonic/slrs/panasonic_dmcgx1

Image Resources...(they've definitely got one in their hands right now)

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/GX1/GX1A.HTM

Panasonic have videos of it up now. The touch screen AF performance looks excellent!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Js2SAAgBJKU

Edited by oysters on 11/07/2011 00:33:40 MST.

Thanks Adam, saves me waiting until tomorrow - so much for release dates.

After a quick look at the specs on the Panasonic site I am now thinking that for the better sensor, same number of images per battery, ability to add the new LVF etc I can justify a 50g weight penalty over the GF3 - it should lighten my wallet by the same weight.

One thing to consider is the viewfinder. If, like me, you prefer to hold a camera up to your eye, rather than at arms' length, some sort of viewfinder is necessary. I have the EVF for the original GF-1, and while it works, having another piece of gear to purchase and keep track of is something of a PITA. And it makes the camera much more difficult to fit in a small bag or waist pack, with the large square thing sticking out the top.

I see that Panny has also announced a new, higher resolution EVF for the new camera. That's nice, the better view is good, but it's still another thing to carry and get in the way (and potentially lose.)

Having been waiting for this announcement, I think I'll order a G3. That camera is around US$615 with the 14-42 lens at Amazon today. I think that will be a useful second camera in the m4/3 system.

Its a tough call, and I'm glad I can't afford a new body now anyway as I'd probably struggle to choose.

The interfaces look pretty similar and impressive. I've looked at videos of the touch screen AF performance of both and they are both blindingly quick and accurate, and more than good enough for me (I get by with my dog AF on my E-P1...).

So far I'd lean towards the Oly...
1. IBIS
2. Oly's great exposure and colour balance.

Negatives reported for the Oly...
a). apparently the OLED Screen doesn't have the greatest colour correspondence with the image. If I'm shooting off the screen, I'd prefer WYSIWYG. Maybe that will be fixed in firmware updates, or maybe its down to the sample that DPReview had.
b). Image quality cf the GX1. We don't now yet, but its likely the GX1 will leave it quite behind. I think I'm happy with the resolution and sharpness (and JPEG) from the Oly, but I can't help but feel that I want more and more dynamic range, and as sensors get better, that also tends to get better.

1x2 above means that I'm more likely to get the shot I want every time according to how I control the camera, which is something I love about my E-P1. However a), could lead to systematic errors in shooting that I can't account for in the field, which scares me.

I'm using E-PL1 and have been quite happy by a polarizer, or by exposing to the sky method to overcome its DR limitation. I believe that if a scene has extreme tonal range, neither m43 or even NEX sensor could contain all those information. The only answer is only a large sensor camera, a 35mm full frame is a minimum.

Edited by ismailfaruqi on 11/08/2011 02:16:35 MST.

Unfotunately for Oly, their accounting scandle has spun out of control and has put the entire company in jeopardy. Possible now they may have to sell off camera division.