Micro 4/3 Initial impressions of the Panasonic GX8 and 14-140

[Jock Elliott]

(Also posted at MU43)

It was this story in The Online Photographer that started this: That Addictive Little Sensor

Several reviews gave the GX8 high marks for image quality. KEH had one used, as well as a sample of the Panny 14-140 lens. I gave KEH magic numbers, and a box of goodies arrived today.

Initial impressions: the GX8 is big, heavy, and built like a tank. Ditto the lens. The two together feel solid, really solid; it feels like a real professional piece of gear.

The EVF is beautiful and tilts, making it easier to shoot at lower angles. The camera focuses like a bolt of lightning in good light and hunts sometimes in low light. The GX8 has a ton of buttons that can be customized to the user's preference. In addition, the GX8 offers 2X and 4X digital zoom on its 20 mp sensor. Those are the highlights.

So far, I like the punchy images this combo delivers. Samples below.

Panorama stitched together with ICE:

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1x, 2x, and 4x digital zoom:

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DMC-GX8 --- 140mm f/5.8 1/640s ISO 200

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DMC-GX8 --- 140mm f/7.1 1/640s ISO 200

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DMC-GX8 --- 140mm f/8.0 1/800s ISO 200

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DMC-GX8 --- 140mm f/5.8 1/320s ISO 200

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DMC-GX8 --- 140mm f/5.8 1/320s ISO 320

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DMC-GX8 --- 140mm f/5.8 1/320s ISO 320

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DMC-GX8 --- 19mm f/11.0 1/1300s ISO 200

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DMC-GX8 --- 41mm f/11.0 1/1300s ISO 200

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DMC-GX8 --- 19mm f/11.0 1/1600s ISO 200


Cheers, Jock

 

[bluzcity]

Congrats on your new camera/lens

 

[MiguelATF]

Nice shots, Jock. My favorite is the first one - your stitched-together pano of the clouds with the semi-silhouetted dark landscape beneath. Really nice.

Incidentally I am a fellow GX8 user, I was converted initially by the large and (to me) wonderful EVF - the best (bar none) viewfinder I have used in a digital mirrorless camera. (Though I undersand some Fuji's and Olympii are up there as well in the large-and-beautiful-and-eminently-usable category.) And I think Mike Johnston of the Online Photographer pretty much hit the nail on the head when he talks (in admittedly and wonderfully unscientific terms) about the sensor inside the GX8.

It's a fine camera. Thanks for posting these images - and congrats! Hope you continue to enjoy it