I am a VERY big fan of the Micro four thirds cameras, it is quite simply the most capable camera system available for the price anywhere, unless you are heavily bought into another system or genuinely have VERY high end pro needs, this is where you want to be. I recently treated myself to this gorgeous GX1 as a backup to my OMD-EM5, but in all honesty, my kit has a very easy time of it, so it has gone unused, currently bearing just 572 shots!
The Micro Four Thirds system is a new direction in system camera design, the first system to discard the heavy and bulky mirror/pentaprism assembly for a super high resolution 3 inch monitor with full time and properly integrated live view, giving us what we now know as a Compact System Camera. The original G1 took an SLR derived design, but thanks to the elimination of these analogue elements, Micro four thirds can offer body designs much smaller: cue the GF series!
After the incredible success of the GF1, which was a real photographer's camera, and which still has many, many fans, using it every day, (If you fancy a look at one, I have a Minty example for sale in my other auctions) Panasonic chose to go a more automated route with the succeeding GFs, 2/3/5, meaning that the GF1 remained on a unique pedestal as the enthusiast's rangefinder style digital of choice.
Until Panasonic finally relented and launched the GX1, a sort of rebooted GF1, incorporating three years of advancements and representing a quantum leap forward, while remaining faithful to the original design brief. The GX1 is developed, fine tuned and uprated, with higher ISO and various other enhancements, including the mindbending 20fps high speed mode, all wrapped up in that gorgeous aluminium clad rangefinder style body!
This particular GX1 is in excellent condition, having seemingly had only sporadic use and is supplied with its original Panasonic Battery and charger. As you can see, there is some loss of the anti reflective coating on the LCD, but this seems to occur on all GX1s and make little to no difference in use.
You have doubtless absorbed the dry specification of the GX1 from elsewhere, but I will simply say that at the image end, where it counts, it produces amazing images up to 16 megapixels in JPG, RAW or both, with the added benefit that with the use of adapters, it has more compatible lenses than any other camera in history, happily using lenses from Nikon, Canon, Leica and many others. The liveview monitor is pin sharp, while with Panasonic lenses, the new lightspeed autofocus system as close to instant as I can't tell the difference, while manual focusing is easy on the super clear screen, thanks to the automatic MF assist function, which with a tap of the thumb dial, blows up your chosen 10% of the screen to make things if anything even easier than on a traditional SLR focus screen. Battery is superb, small, but perfectly formed and charges swiftly, providing around 400 shots per charge. The GX1 is also the first camera compatible with the new UHS (Ultra High Speed) SD cards.
Ergonomics are excellent, Panasonic have created a camera which uses the strengths of the MFT system to create an SLR level camera in the form factor of a compact, there are no compromises but many benefits, the GF1 is very light, compact and has a large battery and low power consumption, with carefully placed manual controls which keep all the most important controls close to hand despite the camera's compact proportions.
Along with all the usual aperture priority, shutter priority, full manual and scene modes, the GX1 has an 'iA' (Intelligent Auto) mode, which does all the thinking for you, for those moments when you fancy a simple point and shoot experience. It is features like these, which make the GX1 such an easy first step from the convenience of a compact towards the creative freedom of an interchangeable lens system.
So there you have it, A rare opportunity to acquire an excellent Panasonic GX1, I should keep it really, as the received wisdom is that it will become a true classic, as indeed it is already in many quarters, but I am not about to let this lovely thing languish in a drawer, it is just too much fun not to be putting a smile on someone's face!
Hopefully, the description and photos will answer any questions you may have, but please feel free to drop me an email if anything needs clarifying further.
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