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[OM] Panasonic GX-7, was: DX 14-54 on MFT

Subject: [OM] Panasonic GX-7, was: DX 14-54 on MFT
From: Chuck Norcutt <chucknorcutt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 14 Mar 2014 16:59:41 -0400
I've forgotten now.  I know you have a new camera.  Did you give up your 
E-M5 for the GX7?

I did download the user's manual and re-read the DPReview article.  I 
think that ergonomically it would be an improvement for me, partially 
for where the viewfinder is but especially for the placement of the 
AEL/AFL button on the back which is in pretty much the same place as the 
AEL button on the Canon 5D which is what I use to focus.  But in reading 
the GX7 manual I could not figure out how the AEL button becomes the AFL 
button and vice-versa.  The descriptions seem to have lost something in 
translation and the actual steps involved in moving through the menu 
system and customizing this button are not shown.  So far, I'm only 
assuming this button can be used to directly control autofocus but I 
can't prove it from what I read in the manual.  (for that matter, the 
5D's discussion of custom function 4 leaves much to be desired as well).

To illustrate how the E-M5 has not totally displaced the 5D I've had two 
events in the past week where I chose to use the 5D rather than the 
E-M5.  One was an event we hold each year called "Fun Day" which is a 
day of fun and games along with a parade in silly costumes which is 
capped off by lunch and (since it's Florida and strawberry season) a big 
serving of strawberry shortcake and ice cream.  I try to shoot the 
entire event and capture as many of the park's residents as I can.  For 
me it's moving much faster than usual and the 5D (even after 15 months 
of the E-M5) is still my ergonomic favorite.  My fingers just fall 
naturally to where they have to go on the controls without thinking 
about it much and I still love that Tamron 24-135 as a great walk-around 
lens.  I did the same last year after owning the E-M5 for only 2 months 
but was mildly surprised when I chose the same now, a year later.

Also, a few days prior to that I also chose the 5D over the E-M5.  But 
that time it was due to depth of field control.  I was asked to take a 
photo of a couple of (more) elderly residents who were selling their 
home here since they felt they were getting too old to make the annual 
trip to Florida and back.  The photo was to become an 8x10 portrait of 
them standing in front of their home and be placed inside a 16x20 matte. 
  The matte would provide space for other residents to sign their well 
wishes for the future.  I decided that I wanted to place the camera at 
particular distances from the people and their home such that the people 
were in sharp focus and a significant bit of the home would be visible 
but a bit soft focused.  As it turns out, a 50mm lens on the 5D at 
f/2-2.8 with the people at 15 feet and the house at 25 feet is a good 
solution.  But substitute the mZuiko 12-50 at 25mm and f/5.1 and there's 
no solution... far focus extends 15 feet past the house.  Even using the 
Zuiko 24/2.8 wide open doesn't work either.  Less DoF but the house is 
still in sharp focus for an 8x10 print.

But I'm not about to give up on 4/3.  I love the size and weight and, 
for most of what I do, it's the right size camera.  Better ergonomics 
for me would remove one of the barriers to leaving the 5D behind.  The 
DoF problem would still exist but that one could have also been solved 
with a little PhotoShop blurring work.

Chuck Norcutt


On 3/12/2014 11:37 PM, Moose wrote:
> On 3/12/2014 12:23 PM, Ken Norton wrote:
>>> >>I plan to stop and see Don Holbrook on my way back home from Florida.
>>> >>I'll get a chance to see and hold an E-M1 and see if it's a worthwhile
>>> >>upgrade (for someone who doesn't have any 4/3 lenses).
> I suggest you and Peter take a close look at the GX7, you for left eyed 
> viewing, Peter for responsiveness.
>
> The viewfinder is on the far left corner and virtually all controls far to 
> the right. As expected, there is absolutely
> no shutter shock with the shutter on electronic, and it sounds/feels much 
> quicker without the 1/8 second anti-shock of
> the Olys.
>
> Whether it's really faster, I don't know, but feeling that it is responsive 
> may be part of the battle. Then, viewing
> right eyed, the left eye is free to view the scene in human real time for 
> catching that elu/decisive moment.
>
-- 
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