GM-1 Review

[ned]

About time someone really slams control rings. It's not just the GM-1 but others such as my Olympus EP-1 (now my daughters) and EP-3 (selling soon). I just can't use them. My thumb slides along the wheel sometimes turning it, sometimes not and usually setting something I didn't want set. Give me four buttons like the EM-1 and I'm set.

[John Camp]

I was ready to go out and get this camera, pending a good review. It would fit well with the rest of my Panny gear. The kit lens possibly could be replaced with the 20mm, and I can get along without IS, but there's nothing to be done about the rear LCD and the bad dial, except re-design. I wonder if they could build and sell a similar-sized camera with a viewfinder, but no LCD, using the saved space from the LCD for the viewfinder and its electronics? Perhaps a flip-up viewfinder like on the GX7, that is carried flipped-down into a body notch? Probably increase the cost, though, and given the training everybody's gotten with camera-back LCDs, maybe it wouldn't be possible (in terms of marketing) to omit one, even if you could chimp through the viewfinder. Another possibility would be a built-in lens hood, I suppose, but I don't have much faith in that idea.

Rats. I was looking forward to this.

[TEBnewyork]

If an EVF is what you want then the solution is the GX-1. I can't really fault Panasonic for not having an EVF on this camera when clearly they have already given us the alternative.

I haven't had a lot of trouble with the ring but I know others have.

[stever]

Michael, I hope your prognosis for more built in evf is not wishful thinking.  Given the inexcusable omission in the Sony RX 1 and Canon's elimination of the ovf in the G1X ii, plus Oly's failure to provide a built-in evf in the PEN line it seems to me that all of the manufacturers are focused on price and figure most of the sales are to the generation who think you hold a camera at arms length.  An add-on evf might be okay if it were properly integrated but no one has thought to try that yet.

I also think the trend to retro- look mirrorless cameras with sharp, protruding faux prism housings is a design abomination.  Bah Humbug!

[barryfitzgerald]

If an EVF is what you want then the solution is the GX-1. I can't really fault Panasonic for not having an EVF on this camera when clearly they have already given us the alternative.

I haven't had a lot of trouble with the ring but I know others have.

I can, it's £600 odd and it should have a viewfinder end of story. I'm glad reviewers are starting to take the gloves off a bit.
When I first saw the GX-1 I though yes this is nice..but then the no VF news arrived and I wandered off uninterested.

Very obvious mistake from Panasonic

[AlfSollund]

I have to say that this is one of the best reviews I have read. Straight to the point, and extremely useful for me looking for a compact. Well done.

[buhfie]

I would say it's a VERY subjective report and I am glad there are some very compact cameras that do not have an EVF.

[jjj]

I was very excited about the prospect of this camera. Finally a pocketable camera with a decent sensor and wide lens.
A few mins playing with it and it was crossed straight off my list because of the dreadful controls. Never used a camera that could let you mess up settings so easily as this one.