Replacement for Canon G12

petrolhead

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I have the upgrade bug again and fancy a micro 4/3 system or APS-C

I have been looking at the new Panny GX1, however someone also suggested I look at the Sony 5n. Now looking at the test results the Sony looks better to me, especially at High ISO which is something I feel is important.

However I prefer the look of the GX1

Can anyone year help and give me a some guidance, also have I missed any other camera in a similar price bracket?
 
Purely on body the 5N is the better camera, but the MFT system has a much better selection of lenses. If you think you'll be happy with just the kit lens on the Sony then go for it. But if you like your lenses then the MFT system may be a better bet.

You might also consider the Canon G1X
 
Yeh the G1x was an option howver its price starts to pit it against Olympus ad TBH is out of my price range.
 
You know the more I read reviews the more it looks like the Sony is the better camera. There is a small 16mm (27 equivalent) pancake lens and then other zoom lenses
 
I have the GX1 and have been using it just on Auto for a few days now (it's basically a posh compact for work). Indoors performance and metering seem to be pretty good, it does have a tendency to under-expose but there is some latitude in the files to correct in post-processing.
I compared to the NEX5n and went with the GX1 on the basis of ergonmics. The NEX5n is the better sensor (obviously) but I checked out the G3 photos on Flickr and that was the decider. You can nit-pick over image-quality and the Panny 16mp sensor whilst not as good as the Sony it's still very good indeed. I carry the GX1 with 14mm F2.5 pancake in my suit jacket pocket and it's fine.
 
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I have looking harder at the two and yesd the Sony has a lot going for it however I have found a great site that compared camera at different ISO setting and yes the Sony is better but not by miles,

I prefer the look of the panny, the small lenses and the choice of lenses plus its cheaper.

So I may try to sell the Canon g12 and give the Panny a go
 
I am still confused as to what to do
 
Petrolhead

I am in the same position as you.
Have you decided yet and if you have what was your choice and why?

If only the Panny had a tilting screen it would win it for me as I like the idea of a Leica lens. ( Or at least a lens that Leica had some say in).

I had a TZ3 which, while limited, had a good lens and I found the ability to electronically tilt the screen very useful.

Dear Lord give me the six numbers then I can have a M9 !!

Nick
 
Is an M9 that good?

No, I am in a quandry.

What I want is the GX1 body with the NEX-5N sensor and tilting screen. It seems that I can either have a nice body whose photos are a little soft and higher ISO is just Ok or a not so sexy body with first rate photos with excelleint ISO photos a tilting screen but lenese that make it big and poor, poor light autofocus.

Even if I up my budget to £1000 I don't think there is anything that fits the bill :(

So maybe I just need to get this whole upgradeitus out of my head and be happy with the G12
 
I had a brief encounter with a G10 (owned one for 29 days before returning it to Jessops!) and my over-riding memory is a great deal of chunk for not a lot of grunt! The image quality between the GX1 and the G12 is literally night and day; the 5n obviously more so. Two things put me off the 5n, the restricted number of lenses (although this is changing) and the form factor (too slippery, felt strange with a big lens on the front). There is no doubt that the bigger sensor of the 5n will give you better pictures but the GX1's are still very good. If you want the flip screen then why not go for the G3. For me the GX1 is basically a posh point and shoot - it gives great results in its iAuto mode but all of the manual controls are straight to hand if required.

If you up the budget then you have the new Olympus OM-D which is a tad over a grand with the new 12-50 kit lens; now that is a serious bit of kit - flip screen, EVF, etc.
 
Interesting, the G3 is starting to get big and I already have a 7D

I am awaiting a review on the new Olympus however I also think it may be a tad too big
 
Also consider the samsung mirrorless options like the nx11/nx200 that system also has the larger 1.5x crop sensor and the lenses are cheap and sharp, the 30mm f2 pancake is a real nice lens
 
Well I popped into Jacobs on Friday and did some test shots at hight iso on nthe GX1, 3200 and 6400 and to be honest dissapointed. Loved the look and feel of the camera but the photos on close inspection were soft at the edges and grainy.

I am going to get the NEX-5N today from Jessops as its the last one and they are in short supply. If I like it I will keep it
 
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Thanks for the feedback. I hope you get the 5N and of course we shall all be very interested to hear your opinions.
I see from a recent issue of Amateur Photographer that CSC cameras are getting lots of interest from the independant lens manufacturers such as Sigma, Tamron and Tokina. Also there is Chinese company making more and better adaptors so that all manner of legacy lens can be used. A lot of these adaptors are allowing metering, focusing to take place etc.

Nick
 
Here are some sample shots, most at ISO100 however the calculator is a ISO2000
 

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Thanks for the feedback. I hope you get the 5N and of course we shall all be very interested to hear your opinions.
I see from a recent issue of Amateur Photographer that CSC cameras are getting lots of interest from the independant lens manufacturers such as Sigma, Tamron and Tokina. Also there is Chinese company making more and better adaptors so that all manner of legacy lens can be used. A lot of these adaptors are allowing metering, focusing to take place etc.

Nick

Sigma have announced two of their mirrorless lenses (the 19mm and 30mm I think it is, both F2.8) but unfortunately neither look very good as they're not compact nor fast. Which is a shame as the Sony system would be a lot more appealing if it had compact lenses aside from the 16mm to go with the compact body.

John
 

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