Thoughts on my new 7D vs micro 4/3
So I've recently taken the step (and the bonus just paid to me by work 
) to buy a 7D plus various lenses and thought I'd post my reasoning and thoughts after a few weeks of use.
Why? (who cares I hear you think) Well not because I think the Canon will make a great travel camera. m43 will continue to be the system I take on trips. A few photos below should be enough to explain why. The main reason is lenses and accessories or to put it another way, buying into a bigger system.
First of all, the m43 lenses, by comparison to DSLR counterparts are quite expensive. And (legacy manual focus lenses aside) there are few options. Telephoto for instance. With the Canon there are many options, and that's before you add Sigma and Tamron. With m43 there are basically two Panasonics (45-200 and now 100-300). Now admittedly the 100-300 gets you pretty amazing reach for its size (200-600mm 35mm equivalent). There are also few fast options, and none in zooms. This is somewhat in keeping with the point of the system (huge zooms don't really make sense), but it's something that has been starting to annoy me.
Add to that the option to rent lenses. Which isn't available for m43 (there are some options in the US), but the kind of lenses I would rent (300mm+ primes for instance) don't exist for m43 anyway. And then there's the used market, and borrowing from friends, etc etc etc. Didn't even think of these things when I started. On the other hand, with m43 I can use FD and OM and Leica M lenses and a zillion other lens mounts.
I don't think the Canon (or the lenses that i bought) will magically improve my photos, in fact I expect them to get worse for a while. And as I said earlier, as a travel system, I'll continue to use GF1/G1 with 20mm, 14-45 and 45-200 or 7-14 depending on where I'm going. It produces great shots in a very portable package.
That aside, initial thoughts.
Back row: 70-300L, 17-55 2.8, Sigma 30mm 1.4
Second row: 45-200, 7-14, 14-45, Voigtlander 40mm
Front row: 20mm f/1.7
Canon 7D with 70-300L vs Panasonic GF1 with 20mm f/1.7
Canon 7D vs Pansonic G1
) to buy a 7D plus various lenses and thought I'd post my reasoning and thoughts after a few weeks of use.Why? (who cares I hear you think) Well not because I think the Canon will make a great travel camera. m43 will continue to be the system I take on trips. A few photos below should be enough to explain why. The main reason is lenses and accessories or to put it another way, buying into a bigger system.
First of all, the m43 lenses, by comparison to DSLR counterparts are quite expensive. And (legacy manual focus lenses aside) there are few options. Telephoto for instance. With the Canon there are many options, and that's before you add Sigma and Tamron. With m43 there are basically two Panasonics (45-200 and now 100-300). Now admittedly the 100-300 gets you pretty amazing reach for its size (200-600mm 35mm equivalent). There are also few fast options, and none in zooms. This is somewhat in keeping with the point of the system (huge zooms don't really make sense), but it's something that has been starting to annoy me.
Add to that the option to rent lenses. Which isn't available for m43 (there are some options in the US), but the kind of lenses I would rent (300mm+ primes for instance) don't exist for m43 anyway. And then there's the used market, and borrowing from friends, etc etc etc. Didn't even think of these things when I started. On the other hand, with m43 I can use FD and OM and Leica M lenses and a zillion other lens mounts.
I don't think the Canon (or the lenses that i bought) will magically improve my photos, in fact I expect them to get worse for a while. And as I said earlier, as a travel system, I'll continue to use GF1/G1 with 20mm, 14-45 and 45-200 or 7-14 depending on where I'm going. It produces great shots in a very portable package.
That aside, initial thoughts.
- Boy it's big and heavy. That's all relative of course but it's a big step up. Especially the 70-300L (:lust)
- I feel the road of learning stretching out in front of me. Seems like quite a lot to understand. Especially in the AF area. Speaking of which...
- The biggest single (and immediately obvious) difference is the amazing AF of the 7D. It's night and day to the G1 and GF1.
- It feels like the 7D makes you work a bit harder for your good shots. I can't really justify this in any way, just a gut feel really.
- I don't find the viewfinder much of a step up, and in some ways a step down. I love the ability to review photos through the viewfinder in the G1 and I'm missing that feature. Also magnification for manual focus.
- I either haven't figured out live view, or it's very, very slow.
- I can't wait to get some flashes and learn about lighting.
Back row: 70-300L, 17-55 2.8, Sigma 30mm 1.4
Second row: 45-200, 7-14, 14-45, Voigtlander 40mm
Front row: 20mm f/1.7
Canon 7D with 70-300L vs Panasonic GF1 with 20mm f/1.7
Canon 7D vs Pansonic G1
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The AF on the 7D is much faster, and the files are much, much larger, but I can make nice 10-15 in prints from my GF1 if shot with care too. That 100-300 m4/3 is a very sweet optic - really needs a tripod and a cabpe release to make it sing, but I have uses planned for it.
I have several adapters for Canon EOS and FD to m4/3 but I rarely use them. Just too much trouble, when I can use a Lumix lens with autofocus.
Magnified Live view can be quite handy on a DSLR, like the 7D. But it is for use on a tripod, not really that useful hand held.
An L bracket for the GF1 is quite useful, as is a cable release. The hot shoe allows the use of PWs for off camera flash as well. Quite a nice little camera. I think B.D Colen uses a GF1 for his street camera too.
Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
I've mainly used adapted lenses to fill the 'fast prime' gaps in the m43 lens lineup. So the 40mm f/1.4 Voigtlander and the 85mm f/1.8 Canon FD are probably my most used adapted lenses. And I've quite enjoyed using them, although yes, it's more hassle and I get substantial numbers of missed focus shots. I'll happily trade them for lenses with autofocus ...
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