Panasonic GX1 fully tested at Dpreview (Silver Award)
The final full GX1 review is now online at Dpreview (Click here). It gets a 77% overall score and earns the Silver award. The reviewers are positively impressed by the image quality which in particular at Low ISO is close to the Sony NEX cameras (which have a larger APS-C sensor). The only big trouble they have is about the price. Why don’t get a Panasonic G3 instead of the GX1 when the G3 has the same sensor, but has a built.in EVF and a cheaper price? My personal answer is because of the smaller size and more sexiness 
Anyway, I am looking forward to see if the new Olympus E-M5 will beat the image quality of the GX1.
Click theese linsk to check the price of the GX1: Amazon, Adorama, B&H, J&R, eBay.
Starred
2 years ago |Even the sensor scores ok. Hopefully the E-M5 sensor will score even better
DonTom
2 years ago |Have to agree on the price issue. I feel
Panny was out to milk the “enthusiast” market with this body. The lower end m43 bodies have consistently delivered best “IQ for your buck” from both Panny and Olly.
But at least the GX1 makes the E-M5 look like good value!
SteveO
2 years ago |+1 on all counts. To charge $200 more for a body which eliminates such key features as an EVF and flip LCD display is simply highway robbery. Welcome to the upside down world of mFT.
josé
2 years ago |http://www.dslrmagazine.com/digital/camaras-evf/olympus-o-md-de-yokohama-a-amsterdam.html
Digifan
2 years ago |Impressed so far.
sneye
2 years ago |Looking good. Nice, robust DR.
George
2 years ago |Sorry but still way way behind nex 5n which is cheaper
sneye
2 years ago |Get a 5n then.
HifiNut
2 years ago |Come on. Weather proof, 5 axis IBIS, build-in EVF and Tilting OLED screen are well worth the $200 difference in price.
MJr
2 years ago |I’m excited about the E-M5 as well, but this post is about the GX1
Body only: NEX7=€1200 | NEX5n=€500 | G1X=€550 | G3=€480 | E-M5=€1000(probably)
chronocommando
2 years ago |The guys @dpreview do have an other opinion.
I have checked the ISO comparison(raw). Its really good and at least I cant see any disadvantage of the GX1 against Nex-5N/7 and Fuji X-100.
shuffnet
2 years ago |Appearantly you didnt see the sony pics I was looking at. I wast impressed with the sony images. All i hear is how good sony is but compared to whaat I saw the only advantage was a little dynamic range
Dana
2 years ago |George:
Zzzzzz
Renato S.
2 years ago |The problem with the NEX-5n is the lack of customizable buttons and dials, sometimes it’s very frustrating, I mean, I can live with that, but it would be nice if it had it, even more with the price tag and features, the NEX-5n should have more controls than the NEX-C3.
Renato S.
2 years ago |and lack of Lenses, of course. Awful new roadmap, something like 1 or 2 fast primes and a pancake in 2 years!
sneye
2 years ago |Congratulations. M4/3 is clearly there. Image quality is no more an issue.
askb
2 years ago |Would have bought a GX1 long ago had it come with a prime lens and not been priced so high compared to the other Panasonic cameras.
They were actually giving away the GF3 with the standard zoom for free, if you bought the 14mmm around Christmas time… Wish I had bought it so I had a lens to use with the GX1. Have had the 20mm on backorder since before Christmas.
AmandaNL
2 years ago |Compared to the G3 the GX1 is a much more solid camera.
I like it very much!
Esrhan
2 years ago |The GX1 body costs about 550€ in a local shop here in Finland. I have the impression the price has gone down quite a lot actually. I’d maybe get it now, if it came in red and were made in Japan like my lovely GF1…
frank
2 years ago |So, they say the GX1 is a very nice camera. This kind of camera can become a classic with the GF1 and GX1 in the lineup. It might be expensive, but I think a lot of GF1 owners given the choice would upgrade to the GX1. I would want it including the EVF, which adds to the price even more though. But then a G3 just isn’t as complete as this seems to be.
Kylberg
2 years ago |The G3 also has swivel LCD! Personally I do not have any sexual relation to my cameras as admin seems to have
Build quality and handling seems to be better on the GX1 than on G3. The intellectual choice including price is the G3 and for me built in VF is a pre-requisite. (The G3 EVF is not at all good though).
EM5? X-pro? Nex-7? I will decide for one of those as soon as more reliable evaluation is available.
The Pana GX1 is not interesting in the light of the new options. -Unless you are a point and shoot or have it as second camera.
Mr. Reeee
2 years ago |I finally got to handle a GX1 the other day. It’s quite nice and surprisingly small… but what a SHAME it lacks a moveable display! Even a basic TiltyScreen like the NEX, EPL3 or OMD would be adequate.
Agent00soul
2 years ago |I haven’t really missed a movable screen on an my E-P1. Having said that, I look forward to the tiltable screen on my next camera, the E-M5.
But as Panny already have the G3 with movable screen, I think it was a wise decision to omit it on the GX-1. There has to be enough differentiation between the camera models. Otherwise you confuse the buyer. If you want movable screen, just buy the G3.
Mr. Reeee
2 years ago |So, a G3 with an integrated EVF and a fully articulated screen vs. a body with NO EVF and a tilting (not articulated) screen would be difficult to tell apart?
I’ve used articulated screens for years (Nikon CoolPix 900, 950, and 4500) and already have a GH2. I wouldn’t mind a smaller body, but there’s no way I want a fixed screen. A tilting screen is fine, so that leaves the EPL3 or NEX-5N.
The other issue is that I prefer to stick with Panasonic, because I already know the GH2 interface and it’s a major hassle remembering 2 different interfaces, especially if I were carrying both cameras for some reason. I’ve traveled with my GH2, Olympus Tough and my girlfriend’s Canon ELPH and it’s a pain swapping around different cameras and fumbling around with different button and menu layouts.
So, it’s either using a fixed screen, buying into an entirely different system (I’d simply ignore NEX lenses and adapt my manual lenses) or losing substantial image quality to stick with a M4/3 body AND being forced to learn and use a different interface. I’ve tried the EPL3 and it’s not too horrible GUI-wise.
So, yeah, gimme a GX1 with a TiltyScreen™! Maybe the upcoming GF4 will have one!
Atle
2 years ago |It’s too bad pana doesn’t have stabilisation in the camera body, that is a bug plus with olympus IMHO.
Lily
2 years ago |Panasonic had all of their lenses on GX1′s at CP+ and I was unimpressed. It performed well but felt clunky. Maybe I just felt that way because I had just held the EM5 (which was surprisingly comfortable to hold, even without the grip).
Ru Elpser
2 years ago |I kind of like the gx1, there is one in the local classifieds for around 450 , shall i take it?
I predict gold award for the om-d
Vivek
2 years ago |A moveable display plus a built in EVF would have justified the price.
kesztió
2 years ago |Would somebody explain to me why the bigger (1,4×) and field-sequential EVF from G3 is considered worse than the smaller (1.15×) and more conventional one from E-M5?
Vivek
2 years ago |Olympus fans will someday find that out..may be they won’t. Some may actually believe in the rumors that Olympus have the “revolutionary” EVF technology.
Ulli
2 years ago |The OM-D EVF has higher refresh rate and prob Olympus spent alot of effort in the optics like in the E-3/5
Zonkie
2 years ago |They use different technologies. Panasonic’s EVF display RGB colors sequentially (one after the other), while Olympus one displays them at once. That’s why the first one shows a rainbow effect when you move it, while the second one doesn’t (I haven’t tried them myself so can’t say if it’s really better or not).
Esa Tuunanen
2 years ago |That rainbow effect is similar to what can be seen in single chip DLP projectors.
And just like with those projectors sometimes you doesn’t really notice but in other circumstances it keeps popping into your eye.
In any case Sony’s OLED viewfinder consists of full RGB pixels instead of field sequential and has higher resolution so Panasonic needs work on that.
Eric
2 years ago |I’ve not yet used the E-M5 (obviously), but according to some things I’ve read the field sequential EVF from Panasonic produces far more color tearing when panning compared to the Olympus EVF. I know the EVF in my G1 was very prone to color shifts. I was actually surprised when I looked through the EVF in the Nikon V1. I thought it looked far better than my G1 EVF as well.
But yes, I do wish Olympus would use the same magnification that Panasonic uses.
kesztió
2 years ago |You shouldn’t compare to G1, as G3 has double refresh rate so rainbow effect is much less pronounced.
reverse stream swimmer
2 years ago |I’m a bit surprised though, that Panasonic has dumbed down the video settings for this camera. That indicates to me, they want their GH2 not to be threatened, so I expect we’ve to wait another six months or more, until the GH3 is ready for the replacement of the GH2. I’m guessing GH3 to be introduced at Photokina in autumn.
Otherwise, the GX1 seems to be a fine camera for still photo.
Yun
2 years ago |I’m satisfying with my GX , don’t bother about silver or gold award fr DP . It really a hard pick when come to choose between NEX & M4/3 but consider optics superiority factor , I made an important pick that i still proud of .
It will even better if M4/3 can do more breakthrough in ImageQuality .
Let’s see if X Pro can score a Gold Award in Fuji’s account .
DR
2 years ago |If you wait a while, the price will come down, just like it did with the GF1/2/3
Looking forward to the image comparisons with the E-M5 when it gets tested.
MGuarini
2 years ago |I guess the E-M5 will have a weaker AA filter, then a little better resolution.
Bob B.
2 years ago |I LOVE the GX1 just the way it is. Is it perfect? No…but it does not need a built-in VF and an articulating (if you want that camera…you buy the G3 and save yourself a lot of money already)…it is small, very well built and laid out, EXTREMELY customizable and offers the perfect mount for all the MFT lenses. I agree with Admin…with the EVF mounted it is a very svelte. I do not understand why so many people want to take EVERY camera and turn it into their imaginary ideal camera.
That said, I think that the DPR review is on the money, they really did their homework and have touched on all the pluses and minuses…..but I see that, at least at this blog, it really doesn’t matter much because, if this were a retro remake there would be 400 posts here…and half of the comments that ARE here are talking about other cameras..not this one. (btw..I like the new OM, too..I can see the good and bad parts of that as well)…but give this photographer form follows function…not form follow 1970′s camera-with-a-mirror-in-it. LOL! These are “mirrorless” cameras after all.
C. Algor
2 years ago |+1
avds
2 years ago |The persistent image-doubling/blurring issue with the 14-42 X PZ they’re reporting looks somewhat similar to the problems reported earlier with the 45-175 X PZ. That’s disappointing! I wanted both, now I’m going to wait until Panasonic properly reacts to these issues with updates. They haven’t even acknowledged the problem have they?
Bob B.
2 years ago |I thought that Pany had a fix for that lens. I own the 45-175mm X lens and the firmware fix there was immediate and totally addressed the issue. Perhaps the problem with the small X zoom is a physical issue…to make something THAT small (which is impressive)…perhaps there is a sizable compromise involved? To date… the original 14-45mm is the Pany kit zoom of choice, of you could go with the 20mm to keep it small.
mahler
2 years ago |The results show clearly that Panasonic is able to beat Olympus’ competitors of the same class (in this case the EP-3) in almost every aspect, even in unexpected ones like performance and JPEG quality.
The often alledged superior JPEG quality of Olympus is essentially moot, all it comes down to, is personal taste and ergonomics. In the latter aspect, the GX1 wins hands down because of Olympus awkward multicontroller.
hiplnsdrftr
2 years ago |I handled the GX1 at B&H photo… really excellent build quality! Top notch.
Almost perfect design- compact, no bogus gimmicks like a flip screen to bulk or clutter it up.
While the rubber grip probably does make it easier to hold I would prefer it with out.
Looking at the price tag… I decided to probably just go for a used GF1 on eBay… body only can be had for about $250 US.
Bob B.
2 years ago |hey..I sold my GF1 body for $300 on ebay to help pay for my GX1! LOL! You are smart…the GF1 is still a GREAT camera if you are on a budget. No doubt. Hell it is a great camera if you are not on a budget….
Charlie
2 years ago |Still just a Silver Award.
And Gold for both NEX’s.
Maybe the OMG-EM5 will fare better.
question
2 years ago |Does anyone know if the GX1 hand grip can be removed?
I’d be very interested in knowing this, or if anyone has the camera and cares to examine their own
TIA!
lucavascon
2 years ago |well. Lack of manual control in video mode.
My interest on the camera is thrown back to Z E R O.
I would REALLY like a smaller GH2 with separate EVF.
To tell the truth micro43 is my side-system along fullframe Dslr.
I have to agree, as long time owner of canon A series with articulated screen I’d kill for a 5D mk3 with articulated, or… also removable screen!!!
wonderer
2 years ago |from my little research it seems the video is shot with the widest aperture available on lens (F1.7 in case of 20mm), ISO is chosen automatically, I don’t need to fiddle with shutter speed mostly – automatic as well.
+ You can ‘touch’ to (re)focus during recording – which is first remedy (I hate continuous af & focus hunt), also shutter works…
+ you can control Aperture via de-focus slider! (although you have to be in iAuto mode, more dpreview)
+ exposure compensation values are honored, but can’t be changed if recording began (I wonder if it is as bad as on Canon G12, once it is anything than default (say you changed it to -2/3) the camera ‘plays dumb’ in video, not altering exposure AT ALL no matter if you point it to sky/shadow), hopefully the camera will adapt to situation it is shooting AND add any exposure compensation you have set before recording – not clear from dpreview (very weak site on video reviewing feature – don’t know why)
wonderer
2 years ago |£500 pounds here with 14-42X lens kit – amazing price, unless this is fake…
http://slrhut.co.uk/product/ID833C4/
slrhut is rated high, I’m thinking about ordering one – just the lens is more than £300 so the deal is amazing (love the lens, I’ll use it *just* for the video)
too bad no manual video controls, even worse NO LIVE EXPOSURE COMPENSATION while in video – the most needed feature once recording difficult conditions (gigs)