So, that just happened. While I’ve not yet tried every single micro 4/3 camera, of those I have tried, the GX7 is still my favorite overall. Wonderful Image quality, discrete size yet comfortable ergonomics, IBIS, Tilting LCD and EVF, wonderfully functional and intuitive interface, silent mode, focus peaking, WiFi, manual control, good video options blah, blah, blah. It has been, quite possibly, my favorite camera I’ve shot with period, which is saying a lot. It is with me all the time, and will continue to be for some time yet. Because of the combination of size, quality and features, I literally bring it with me everyday because I don’t need anything else.
On top of the $300 discount that runs through this Saturday, you also get a $100 B&H Gift Card. Seriously?! While I’m in no way disappointed that I bought this camera at full price about a year ago as it has allowed me to shoot with it as long, a $400 incentive is nuts for this machine. Okay, maybe I’m a little disappointed, more jealous I guess 🙂
Check out the deals at B&H:
Panasonic GX7 Body only $698 (reg: $998) HERE
Panasonic GX7 + 14-42mm Kit $798 (reg: $1098) HERE in Silver
Panasonic GX7 + 14-42mm Kit $798 (reg: $1098) HERE in Black
There are rumors that the GX line has been discontinued, but I think those rumors are crap. I don’t however see them replacing this camera in the immediate future. I just think that they’re trying to spur sales. It shares the same, current sensor with the new GM5 (and GM1) and I’ve done some pretty extensive comparisons between it and the current Sony sensor in the EM5/et al. You can read more of my thoughts on the Lumix GX7 below if you’re interested.
GX7 vs EM5 – Battle for my affection Part 1
GX7 vs EM5 – Battle for my affection Part 2
GX7 vs EM5 – Battle for my affection Part 3
If you’ve been on the fence, or have been waiting to upgrade I think that this camera, at this price is the best value in the micro 4/3 landscape hands down right now.
Let me know if you have any specific questions as well. I have certainly answered more emails and inquiries about this camera that I have for any other up to this point, so please feel free to fire away.
Thanks all and happy shooting,
Tyson
Tyson Robichaud Photo-blography 
I bought one (body only and a bunch of stuff) when you posted a few weeks back, and it is a great camera so thanks for inspiring me. I only have one regret; that they did not have the 14-42 kit lens deal at the time as the smaller size of the newer version lens makes it an improvement over the bulky version that came with my G5.
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Thanks Steve!
I’m not sure which other lenses you may have in your quiver, but the pancakes make this camera nearly pant, certainly coat pocketable. I even pocket this thing with the new PL15mm or the Oly45mm on there.
Cheers,
t
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I have a couple of longer zooms also, and the 14mm pancake, the Olympus 25 and 45, and the Sigma 60mm lens. The only reason I would also like the newer basic kit lens is for videos at the renaissance faire so I would have a bit of variety in a smaller size when shooting stage acts without changing lenses too often.
Speaking of lenses, I might some day feel like spending enough to pick up the 75mm Olympus lens, but until then that Sigma is a very fine lens for this system. I know you have shot with the 75mm, but in case there are readers wondering about the 60mm, it is a fine lens to have.
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I think Sigma has done really well with the lenses they’ve built for this system, and the prices are very reasonable. The Oly 75 is pretty amazing, but you do pay for it. I’d buy the Siggy 60mm before the Oly 60mm macro. Twice.
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I bought one a few days ago. A combination with the 20mm for a ridiculous price. Great little camera. Good looking too. Much nicer than the GM5 I think and it cost me two hundred dollar less for the body only. Good deal on a good camera.
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I’ve been drawn to the GF1, GX1 and now the GX7 personally because I think it provides such a great balance of size reduction and function. Everything one needs, in a very manageable form factor in my opinion. The GM series is certainly going for a different end game, and one that while I don’t prioritize as greatly as external function and ergonomics, it’s no less valid to those looking perhaps for the highest level of IQ in the smallest possible package. If I could only have one (between the GM1 which I own, and the GX7) it would be the GX7 all day long. There is very little about this camera that I find missing or in any way limiting. It’s been, quite possibly, my favorite camera that I’ve owned. It’s a joy to shoot with, and because of it, and the overall system’s size, I literally have it with me every day.
Thanks for the comment John, and enjoy the GX7 + 20mm combo. It is awesome.
Cheers,
t
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Hi Tyson!
Hope the family is well! As a previous Olympus OM-D E-M5 shooter, I was always intrigued by your series of posts comparing it to the Panasonic DMC GX7, especially since I owned a Panasonic DMC GX1 as a second body. My GX1 was ultimately replaced by a Panasonic DMC GH3 as I hoped to get more into video. Now that I’ve shot some documentary work with the GH3, I’m all-in on the Panasonics.
I picked up a black kit Panasonic DMC GX7 during this incredible discount and I’ll have my E-M5 and my GH3 listed used for Fulfillment by Amazon by late next week. I plan to dedicate these funds to a Panasonic DMC GH4 sometime early next year as my main video workhorse with my GX7 as my daily stills body and B-roll video body.
The Olympus OM-D line gets my heart racing from their visual and tactile design aesthetic. However, the Panasonic GX and GH lines are simply the most user friendly and enjoyable cameras I have ever owned. What they may give up as fashion statements, they far outweigh in their features and functions.
The OM-D focus adjust via the front/rear dials was a definite step up from the common D-Pad approach. However, the Panasonic GX and GH “offset” (not the “exact”) touch focus adjust when composing through the EVF is sheer bliss and it allows me to flick around the focus square with my right thumb while composing and dialing in my image settings without having to alter my natural hand position on the grip. This is really helpful for getting (and keeping) those wee ones in focus!
For the aspects I’m most familiar with, your extended review of the GX7 and comparisons with other cameras were spot on! I have not yet used my GX7 enough to know if I am able to achieve the same results with its 2-axis IBIS as you have. So I’m a bit nervous about giving up that 5-axis magic Olympus IBIS. I’ll also miss the deep, dull thunk of a shutter on the EM5. The GX7 shutter is certainly fine, but nowhere near as quiet and sexy as the EM5. No doubt I’ll miss my EM5!
Anyway, thanks again for helping to get the word out about the GX7. It’s a great imaging tool and I’m really looking forward to getting to know and use mine better in the months to come!
As for Steve’s comments about the kit lens…it’s worth every penny! It is small, light, and very sharp. I actually prefer the version II kit zoom to the Panasonic 14mm f/2.5 prime for those 14mm shots. I found myself rarely ever using the prime at full aperture as I want more depth of field in most of my wide angle shots. If I need more light gathering capability for indoor shots with family, etc., then I’m reaching for the Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 anyway. And for those more dreamy type of wide angle compositions, I’d rather have a more video dedicated and manual focus friendly lens (like the SLR Magic 12mm t/1.6 or the Samyang/Rokinon 12mm f/2.0).
Enjoy those GX7 cameras fellas!
Cheers,
Hal
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I think the only thing I’ve really missed from the EM5 is the IBIS in the viewfinder. Damn that was nice, especially when shooting longer focal lengths. While the mechanical shutter on the GX7 does have that decidedly Panasonic sound, the silent electronic shutter is awesome. Granted, it sucks for any quickly moving subjects as it does distort due to the line by line readout capture, but for street shooting or the like, it’s just killer.
Enjoy it, and I’m excited for you regarding the GH4! I want one even though I don’t know what I’d even do with the 4K… yet 🙂
t
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Indeed, that silent electronic shutter is incredible! For one documentary I did with the GH3, I shot timelapses of a sunrise and sunset using the electronic shutter. It’s nice to know you can take thousands of frames without stressing the mechanical shutter. I haven’t tried the stop motion animation feature on the GX7 yet, but I look forward to doing some type of fun animation with my oldest daughter!
I agree about the really fantastic IBIS in the EVF of the EM-5 during composition and video work. It came in very handy using an old Nikkor Micro 55mm f/3.5 lens for close up work. I’m holding out hope that at some point Panasonic may release a firmware for the GX7 which adds IBIS to the EVF and to video!
Out of curiosity, have you shot many timelapse animations? If so, do you have any advice on how to manage the exposure as lighting changes? I was slowly stopping down during the sunrise and opening up during the sunset timelapses, but it doesn’t look as smooth as I’d like.
Also, is there any way to set an Fn button on the GX7 to give one touch 1:1 zoom for checking pixel level quality on still image playback? I had this option on the EM-5 and its just not as fast to have to roll the rear dial to zoom each image.
Take care Tyson!
p.s. With the new 2.0 firmware for the GH4, Panasonic has made it even easier to capture 8 MP stills from the 4K video feed. Its like having 30 FPS bufferless JPGs. Between the new DFD autofocus algorithm and the stills from 4K, I think the GH4 offers a lot for still photographers.
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Hi Hal,
I’ve not yet used the stop motion feature, but it does seem fun. Regarding the exposure management, could simply shooting in Aperture Priority work? It should, (in theory anyway right?) automatically adjust at the time of exposure. I wish I had a better and more definitive answer.
Neither do I have an answer regarding the 1:1 zoom on playback unfortunately, other than the pinch zoom gesture. That has worked for me in the past, but not quite as slick as a single button press perhaps.
Anyhoo, the further expansion of usability on the GH4 by way of FW updates just adds value to an already remarkably priced 4K capable tool. Good on Panasonic.
Cheers,
t
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Hi, this is a great price for a fantastic camera. I have been away recently and shooting in a forest with the GX7 paired with the 45-150 Lumix zoom. There was a Muntjac deer not 5 foot away and switching to electronic shutter allowed me to get some extremely detailed shots, without scaring the thing off I know the max aperture of this lens is 4 but it performed extremely well in good light (as you’d expect). Anyway, this is a great camera at a great price and crammed full of great features.
Cheers tyson, chris
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Amen! It’s interesting, your deer story made me remember that I’ve actually talked to a couple people who’ve enjoyed hunting in the past, and have replaced their guns with cameras. To them, the basic goal was the same, they’d spend time tracking and stalking as they would have while hunting, but have chosen to limit their hunting for whatever reason (one’s was for a lack of need of food, the other for a change of heart regarding sport hunting, but both still loved the activity and being out in nature tracking elk, deer, etc). They had both spent some considerable coin on sound dampening housings for their dslrs… If I cross paths with them again, I’ll have to bring up the silent shutters 🙂 Stealthy.
I hope all’s well man!
t
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chrismostdeadly, thanks for sharing the story. I’m also finding the 45-150 mm to be a nice little zoom. That paired with the 14-42 mm II makes for a great daytime walk around kit. With good light or a good tripod and non-moving subjects, those kit zooms lose nothing on their faster alternatives when you need depth of field for your image.
Tyson, it’s funny you bring up that story from your hunting friends. The last time I had a chance to hunt with some family in Texas, I opted to go out with my EM-5 instead. While I love to eat venison, there is no doubt that I had WAY more fun shooting pictures versus shooting animals. Honestly, I think most thoughtful hunters actually feel mournful about the killing part and enjoy the simple pleasure of being in the woods with nature more. Hunting for anything other than food or habitat management (too many deer can be problematic for other species), and preferably both, just seems wrong.
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Yes thanks im all good, You? I do enjoy the silent shutter. Another thing I will be playing with is the image app. Nice level of control on my z3 with that feature. Also, No worries Hal.
Cheers
Chris
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We’ve been well. Busy and hectic, but well 🙂
Yeah, last night, I just set up a photo booth at an open house for the collective I work with as it is Design Week here in portland and ran it off of an ipad. Did the self timer 10 second x3 shots and people loved it, as did I as I didn’t have to sit there and take a bunch of photo booth pics 😉
The wifi features and ability to remotely not only shoot, but entirely control the camera is really cool. I just hope that in the future then can strengthen the signal put out by the camera as it has a very limited range as of now from my experience, but as long as the camera and device are close to each other, it works really well.
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Very true, I found the range of the signal to vary. It’s great as a cable release when you do a little photo booth (which by the way man sounds like it was awesome) but if you want to get in a shot aswell then it can drop the car connection. I’m talking family shots and landscape ones where you want to but a cheesey grin and through a pair of oldskool thumbs up! Yeh, life’s busy here too, my job is nuts and taking more of my time up at the moment but will even out soon I’m sure. Also broke a rib last week then got the flu. But that’s nothing, me and ally are great. Allys looking for a great low light point and shoot and I’ve been looking at the lx7 however do you have any recommendations? You are my Gear Guru so have come to you first man.
Work and the kids keeping you just?
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Busy, not just haha also at the start it should say ”great as a cable release and photo booth”not little. Joy of new phones huh?
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Broken rib, then the flu? That sucks man, I’m sorry.
The LX7 is an awesome little camera. I guess it depends on how well you want it to do in low light, and I guess what you’d consider low light. I used to have an LX3 and have played extensively with an LX5, but not with the 7 myself. In both the 3 and 5, I’d say that ISO 400 was about max for files that didn’t need a decent amount of noise reduction for anything larger than screen res or a 4×6″ print or so. I’d hope that they were able to get another stop in the 7, plus the lens is faster, so it could certainly be something worth looking at.
Of course the Sony RX100’s (I think they’re onto the third version now) have a good reputation and kind of changed the compact game with all the newer compacts moving to a 1″ or larger sensor. The new Canon G7X (funny how canon seems to copy Panasonic’s numerical designations) which all signs point to it using the same 1″ sensor as the Sony RX100’s, looks really cool, and the newer G1X II seems to be pretty good as well, but if you could handle a tiny bit more bulk, and the budget allowed, the new Panasonic LX100 looks insane. The lens, coupled with a nearly 4/3 sensor is going to blow most any fixed lens compact away minus maybe the Fuji X100’s or Sigma Quattros maybe for IQ, but still has the faster, more diverse lens… The price is reasonable considering the lens, but it is pushing into a different category.
I’d say compare shop the RX100 and see how anything else you’re looking at compares. Not to say the Sony is the best, but it is going to offer a lot for the buck, and most newer compacts have seen it as the king of the hill.
Good luck with everything man,
t
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Yeah, that’s pretty much what I was thinking on all accounts. I would love her to get the lx100 as that looks badass, price will push me towards the rx100 I think though. Thanks alot man. Yeah flu and rib issues at the same time does suck!
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It certainly seems as though the company wants to get them out the door. The GM5 is almost replacing the GX7 now, if you can find it convenient to hold.
I tried the GM1 a few weeks ago, along with the 15mm f/1.7 and found it to be convenient, although a bit lacking. I’d have to buy many, many extra batteries. However, it has a shock value. I would still love to mount it to my Four-Thirds Olympus 35-100mm f/2.0 on a tripod mount and use it next to my handheld equipment, just to get people’s reactions to it.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Panasonic are trying to clear out the GX7 stock ahead of an Olympus E-M5 replacement that is slowly coming.
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I think that we saw initially that they’d priced it a little high to begin with when it was competing with the EM1 and various Fujis released about the same time last year, but a year in, I don’t think it’s abnormal to see some price cuts from Panasonic as that seems to be modus operandi. I think the GX line will be refreshed, perhaps into a different designated title, perhaps amalgamating the G and GX lines as they both incorporate EVF’s which would give Panasonic three tiers with the tiny GM, the middle or the road GX/G and the high end video titan GH line. Oly on the other hand has seemed to start throwing stuff against the wall, entirely abandoning the Pen it seems, or maybe continuing the EPL line as the only in the Pen series, but then to have three similarly sized, DSLR styled bodies with the EM10, 5 and 1 all seems a bit unnecessary to me at least. Surely an EM10/5 hybrid could satisfy those who don’t want to spend a couple hundred more for the 1 series right?
I don’t know, but both Oly and Panasonic seem to be lost when it comes to defining their lines with expansion and contraction seemingly happening yearly, coupled with very little real performance advancements, new sensors, etc which just seems poorly planned out to me, but lucky for them, they’ve also built up an amazing system of optics, so they can throw as much pasta at the wall to see what sticks if they want to, I’d just rather see their R&D budget go toward sensor and performance enhancement while keeping body and lens prices at a reasonable level.
t
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