It's been a long week. We got prepared for Christmas and I wrapped up a couple of last minute jobs. We spent some time traveling and seeing relatives. Today was the first day of swim practice since monday and I was ready to work out some kinks, dissipate some routine aggression and get out of breath for an hour or so. But by mid-afternoon I was itching to get out of the house and go for a walk through the Austin downtown.
I wanted a camera that wouldn't hang on my arm or slow me down and I wanted something that was a straightforward, good street camera so I cobbled one together. Something light and quick but competent and highly usable with older, manual focusing lenses. I grabbed for the Panasonic G6 and headed out the door.
Why do I like this little camera so much? Well, it may be because the focus peaking is really good and convenient. It may be because it has a really nice EVF and, combined with focus peaking, it creates a focusing/viewing system that rivals any other manual focusers I have. It could be because the chunky little battery seems to last forever. I keep putting a spare in my pocket but now I have to remember to rotate batteries because I never seem to get around to using the pocket back up.
It may be because the files are nice and neutral and able to take a good bit of post processing before falling apart. It may be because the function buttons are well labeled and everything I want to push or rotate falls right where my hands think the switches and buttons should be. It may be because the +/_ compensation control is perfectly placed and designed.
But to be honest I like this little camera so much because it feels like a real camera and it looks so cool. It seems to track my philosophy that the camera should recede instead of being the center of your attention or the center of the subject's attention. Since the entry price was so cheap I don't worry about the camera being damaged or lost. It just works. And when the camera becomes more and more transparent making photographs seems to get easier and easier. And, on the off chance that you don't see anything you want to shoot on your walks the camera is so carry-able that it makes affable company even with the lens cap on. That's my take today.
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7 comments:
I really like the patterns and shapes that you see and capture in your photos. I really like that photo of thee Mandarine oranges!
Another inexpensive, small camera you might like---and that I think is quite a bargain for what you get---is the Olympus E-PL5.
Hi Kirk
I have had a G6 for a couple of weeks and I'm not getting files out of it that look as good as yours. I'm sure I'm missing a trick when it comes to setting the camera up or in my post-processing but I can't figure out what.
I agree with your view that the camera has a really good interface even though I do seen to hit the display button whenever I pick it up.
Allan Jackson
I wish you could send me a box of those Delites. Our local Whole Foods can't seem to get them.
Nice, saturated, and crisp pics! I've got to get out with my G6 more often!
hallo Kirk. i get a G6 at the same time as you, but I've seen this after. And I have o say that you're right at 100%. I also use Sony gears. for serious work, but the g6 is the camera I was searching for long time. Quite and fast, great files, stellar EVF and cheap. The kit lens is good and soon i'll take some good primes.
I enjoy this camera and I feel free to go anywhere taking photos, by live view or evf there is no difference. the custom fuctions are impressive, better than Sony A77 (I do not understand why it's not possible on Sony to assign IS to a fuction button). great camera, best in 2013, for me, with A58.
I have to confess that after a couple weeks with the G6 there is something about it that bugs me. The noise patterns seem really unusual to me and more objectionable under some circumstances that my GH2. I love everything else about it but got an RMA to send it back. At first I thought there was something I was doing wrong. Pity because I love the wireless features, time lapse and everything else about it. Probably going to look at the RX10 as my hybrid shooting platform.
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