I own the GF1 and GH2 so I'll be comparing with those two cameras. I like the rangefinder-like body but as with using a camera, the photos and image quality comes above all. That's the reason why I use my GH2 more often than the GF1. But now with the GX1, it seems like Panasonic is finally able to put GH2 capability into a GF1 body. That's something I've been looking for.

- BUILT

The GX1 construction is sturdy. It's a metal body and now comes with a new rubber grip that I like. You get a firmer hold when using heavier lens.

The GX1 is slightly slimmer than GF1. At 272g, it's 13g lighter than GF1 and 120g lighter than GH2. By the way, the LVF2 is 36g.

Buttons behind are rearranged a bit. I've read a few reviews saying the buttons are cheap and misaligned, but I don't think that's so with my set.

The new flash can now be tilted back for a bounce lighting so that's useful. But the flash films filmsy. I seldom use it even with my GF1... Read more

A conversation with a friend on Sony's Nex 7 started my journey into a full week research on these new mirrorless compact interchangeable lens cameras. My choices went from the Sony Nex 7, Samsung NX200, Olympus EP3, Olympus EPL3, Pentax Q, Fuji X100 (lens not interchangeable), Nikon J1 and the V1.

I'm looking for a pocketable camera that can take good pictures. I can sacrifice a few things if it means I'm more likely to carry the darn thing with me. The m43 fits the bill with their smaller lens. To counter the previous reviews, the build quality on the GX1 is excellent. I purchased the camera from my local Samys where I got to hold and play with the Olympus, Nikon and Panasonic cameras. From the bunch, the Panasonic felt the best. It has enough weight to feel legitimate in the hands. The hand grip is just right for this size of a camera. The mode dial is firm and not likely to shift when maneuvering in and out of my jacket pocket. It has customize-able dial... Read more

I normally don't post reviews, but I've been surprised at how few reviews of this camera there are on Amazon. Some of the negative reviews have also been a bit bizarre, IMHO, so I wanted to share my opinion with other photo enthusiasts. Specifically, I'm writing to people who loved (or still love) the discontinued Contax G2.

My gold standard for a mirrorless (ie. rangefinder) camera is the Contax G2, which is a film camera. It stopped production when Contax died some time ago, but it still has a cult-like following. Some called it the poor man's Leica, but it's really an excellent camera. The mechanics were mostly very solid (the viewfinder housing was flimsy), the focus was confident and fast, and it had a suite of outstanding lenses. It was easy to hold, durable, and very pretty. I took a lot of photos with my G2 that I'm very fold of. Then I sold it because I got tired of scanning film.

I've been hoping someone would come up with a digital camera like the G2... Read more