Great photos everyone. I do not have that issue with my G1, wonder if there's a setting somewhere or if you have the latest firmware...mine gets pretty dark when it's dark. Issue I have with G1 is focusing in the dark with viewfinder dim, wish they'd have put an infinity lock on the lens. I hate trying to take a shot and getting that insipid red rectangle and it won't even try, but then it will take out-of-focus shots when the auto-focus gets fooled by something that moved. It is a bit on the wrong side of the amateur/consumer line for me.
MF is the way to sanity with the G1. Also, if you MF back and forth a bit and then settle in the middle, on P it will lengthen the exposure to attempt more DOF, compared to just snapping. This works even if the it's set to AF, but I half-press the shutter and then focus with the lens ring. Nice touch that says there were photogs around when it got designed.