Hello all, This coming week I will be doing a head to head test of the Samsung NX100 and the Panasonic GF2. We have tested both cameras individually, but I wondered if there was anything specific that you want comparing between the two cameras? Please either reply to this thread or send me an email at tim_coleman@ipcmedia.com I Look forward to hearing your ideas! Tim
Ah, now this is a comparison that does interest me. What I really want to know is - which feels most like a proper camera that gives acceptable quality.
Thanks Nick. By acceptable quality I presume you mean outright image quality? And by proper camera, the handling and the way it feels in the hand? The test has now expanded to also include the Sony NEX5, so will now be a three way test. If you guys have any more thoughts then do let me know.
Indeed - I'm not really fussed about minor differences in image quality, so long as all of them manage a respectable level. More important to me is the ease of controlling the camera as a camera, rather than as a gadget - for example, I think the Nex cameras are dog's dinners in this respect - fine for snapping away in auto, but a swine to take control with. Well, that's my opinion, but although I've also tried the Samsung - which seems a lot better - I've not had the chance to compare them directly, and haven't tried the Panny - and incidentally the reason I ddin't buy it's predecessor was that I wasn't convinced by its control system, either. I've so far stuck with DSLRs on one hand, and my Canon S90 on the other hand, all of which give me the control I want the way I want - and that's what I'm looking for in a CSC.
Hmmm, I've had a fairly extensive "play" with all of the current brands of CSC's. The Sonys are a real dog's breakfast to use with their user-hostile controls and menus. Panasonic and Samsung seem most like a DSLR to use although I struggled a little with Samsung's menu system. I settled for an E-PL1 mainly due to the excellent results it produces and the onboard flash (and the lowest cost when I was looking round in December 2010). It's a little difficult to use as it's button-only to make adjustments, but the new E-PL2 addresses this; so long as you don't want an eye-level viewfinder, you should find it does all you want. If OTOH you want something that looks and handles like a DSLR, look at the Panasonic G2 and Samsung NX10/NX11
In terms of manual control my old Digilux D2 took some beating, shutter speed dial, aperture ring, focussing scale, manual zoom, focal length with marked positions etc. But the GF1 isn't that far behind, if you don't mind twiddling a bit. However not being a serious photographer I leave mine on aperture priority and leave the twiddly bits for the camera to sort out, life's too short.
I have tried to like the GF1, I really have, but it just doesn't seem quite right to me - although I'm not sure quite why.
