[Leica] OT Pana GF1 (20 pancake) & Ricoh GRD-III Mark's views now he has a GF1

[mark at whitedogs.co.uk (Mark Pope)]

Mark Rabiner wrote:
<quote>
A GF1  is a great camrea to have if you are operating on a budget and 
don't have an M9.
I can't imagine having an M9  in my actual possession and  then  going 
out and shooting with a  Panasonic GF1 ! Becaue its my latest toy? Why 
buy on in the first place?
For images as shown 600 x 900 pixels  as seen here it certainly makes no
difference. But then so would images made with a credit card camera look
about the same at this size.
For a serious use like an 11x 14 or 11x17 inch print it does.
Having scored an M9 I find going out and getting a camrea like a 
Panasonic GF1 calling it a " smashing piece of kit" and shooting with it 
instead just plain odd.! When does photography became crafting a fine 
image and not conditional consumption and playing around?
</quote>



I don't have nor do I see an M9 in my possession for quite some 
considerable time Mark, if ever.  For me, the GF1 isn't a replacement 
for an M9 or M8.  Rather it is something that complements it, being more 
compact and capable of offering very good image quality for the price 
and size.  Note I said 'very good image quality' not better than or 
equal to the quality of the M8/9.

I don't see what's wrong with calling it a "smashing piece of kit" and 
shooting with it instead of an M8/9.  It's well made, is easy to use 
(when you ignore all the pointless modes) and the 20mm lens is a good 
performer.  So I stand by my appraisal of the camera.  Now if I had 
called it a "pile of fetid dingo's kidneys" and then shot with it 
instead of an M8/9, then that would be odd.

I take some (not a lot, but some) exception to your "conditional 
consumption and playing around" comment.  With regard to 'crafting a 
fine image', I don't just produce 600x900 jpegs for the web.  I may not 
be a professional photographer, but I try my best to produce images that 
when printed are of the highest quality I can achieve.  When I do 
achieve it, then it gives me get a great deal of pleasure and 
satisfaction.  If others like what I do, then that's fine.  If they 
don't then that's fine too.

I haven't tried an 11x14 or 11x17 inch print yet, but based on the 9 
inch  prints I've made so far,  my bet is that the GF1 is capable of 
producing good results at that size.  The camera that the GF1 is 
'replacing', a Canon G9, isn't capable of achieving that level of 
quality IMHO.



Mark Pope,
Swindon, Wilts
UK

Homepage               http://www.monomagic.co.uk
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