One of the most frequently asked questions I receive is, “What camera do you shoot with?” People are often surprised to hear that I still use a Panasonic Lumix GF1 for all of the product photos and most of the photos you see here on the blog. It's a small micro four-thirds camera but it packs a big punch. The 20mm f/1.7 pancake lens paired with the compact body makes it a small but versatile camera for using in the studio and out traveling without having to sacrifice quality.
This review by Craig Mod a few years back is what originally got me interested in trying out this camera. He goes into much more depth about the performance and technical specs, so I won't rehash all of those details.
The GF1 is built like a tank and feels super solid in hand. The physical dials and buttons for manually adjusting the aperture and ISO are super handy. At first it was tricky getting used to not being able to zoom with the lens, but it has actually taught be more about composing each shot by simply moving my feet. The only thing I wish I could improve on his camera is having a built-in viewfinder. I've thought about adding this external viewfinder in the future. Panasonic has since released newer versions of the camera which I haven't had a chance to try, but I've heard mixed reviews.
Why I personally like the Panasonic Lumix GF1:
• It's compact size actually seems to makes me bring it with me more often • Solid build quality • F/1.7 lens works great even indoors in low light • Physical buttons and dials are easier to adjust rather than touch screen controls • Large clear LCD screen makes it easy review photos
The micro four-thirds camera market has exploded in the last couple of years and there are a lot of other great options out there that I’m tempted to upgrade to, but for now the GF1 does everything I need. It’s not always about having the latest and greatest gear, it’s what you do with the gear.Check out these studio tour photos for some sample photos I've taken with the GF1.
This post is part of a series called Things I Like. Sign up for the Ugmonk Newsletter to stay in the loop.