I've spent the last two weeks putting Panasonic's newish G9 camera through its paces and I've been impressed. It's fast, has great eye detection autofocus (which makes it a really good portrait camera), has great color, delivers lots of detail and is an all around winner when it comes to still photography. It's less a "hybrid" camera than it's sibling, the GH5 and looking at the files I think it's obvious that the package has been optimized for photographers. That's not to say that it's an incompetent video camera; it's better than most DSLR video out in the world, and not that far behind other cameras in the family. And that started me thinking...
I have a job starting Monday, and continuing for the next eight days, on which I need to do quite a bit of airline travel. Most of the flights are between smaller cities and the majority of them will be on dinky commuter jets which lack overhead compartment space, or any space at all. I've been down this road before and it usually ends up with a very insistent flight attendant demanding I either gate check my rolling camera case or, perhaps think about renting a car instead of flying....
Yesterday I wrote that I would try to pack up a complete Nikon full frame system with two cameras and five or six lenses and I'd try to stuff them, a laptop, and a bunch of batteries into an Amazon Basics photo backpack. Well, I stuffed everything in and weighed it and it tipped the scales at 22 pounds---which is just too damn much. Then I looked at the skinny zipper that the Amazon backpack uses and couldn't get the vision of a a failed zipper and spilled camera contents out of my mind. So the little wheel in my head started turning faster, looking for other options.
I went back to the eighteen portraits I shot this week in raw in the G9 and had a good look. Then I spent some time looking at some G9 street photos and urban landscape photos and comparing them with similar shots from the Nikon D800's and several old Sony's. I squinted at images at 100%. I looked at them sideways. And I decided that the G9, used with great glass (hello! Olympus Pro lenses) would be more than just "capable" of doing the kinds of images I need to do on my upcoming project. In fact, the G9 files are some of the best photographic images I've seen, and the image stabilization, in concert with some Panasonic lenses almost obviates the need to bring along a tripod. I decided that it was time to pack lighter and smaller if I am to continue to enjoy the profession while on the road without running myself into the ground physically. I'm also not looking to create any shoulder or lower back issues while trying to emulate a youthful Sherpa with a weighty backpack.
The camera that made the most sense to me, for both this assignment and also the upcoming adventure in Iceland, was the G9. That, and the really great Olympus Pro lenses I keep praising. But there were a couple of flies in the ointment. First of all I like to travel with a certain amount of redundant back up gear. Nothing sucks more that being on a remote photographic location, surrounded by clients and their bosses, and having a camera or lens brick and become nothing more than a tool for weight bearing exercise. One camera and three really cool lenses (the 8-18mm Panasonic/Leica, the Olympus 12-100mm, and the Olympus 40-150mm) is a great start but..... we can do better.
With my mind made up I hustled up to Precision Camera, oblivious to the Austin music festival traffic, and found my personal camera sales consultant, Ian. In short order we assembled the following: A second G9 body, a Panasonic/Leica 12-60mm f2,8-4.0, a Panasonic/Leica 15mm f1.7 and a Think Tank backpack. Now I have an identical back up body, a back up standard zoom lens (the workhorse focal lengths of the system: if the other lenses all bite the dust I could actually do the job, somewhat uncomfortably, with either of the mid-range zooms. The Pana-Leica 12-60mm gives me a wide ranging back up lens that covers critical focal lengths well) and, with the 15mm, a fun lens to leave on one of the cameras during travel. The last step was my acquisition of a much hardier backpack with a much more robust zipper. And a better internal layout for my computer.
It's kind of funny that I don't take the two card slot camera thing seriously but always demand to have a back-up camera while traveling on jobs. Now I've extended my paranoia by adding the need for a back up standard zoom to the mix. Having already angered the kitchen gods with my hubris this week ( couldn't find the coffee scoop) I'll avoid taking chances and cram 128 GB Delkin V90 cards into every available card slot on both cameras and attempt to back up everything.
What ultimately pushed me toward the Panasonic G9's instead of twin Nikon D800's? A combination of things. The size and weight, of course, but also the eye detection AF for perfect portrait focus every time, and also the glass. The lenses. The optics. My two Olympus Pro lenses are the sharpest zooms I've ever used, in any format. The Pan-Leica 8-18 is much better than the 16-28mm Tokina lens I've been using for my full frame, super wide needs, and I surmise from various reviews and from my nascent trials with it that the Pana-Leica 12-60mm f2.8 is no slouch either. Finally, if we have the opportunity to try a little video sample, on location, with this client I'd much prefer to do it with the 4K ability of the G9 instead of the cumbersome process and much more parsimonious video codecs of the Nikons.
The Think Tank backpack is a result of anxiety. Once I'd decided on the Panasonic kit for the assignment the Amazon Basics backpack became the weak link in the system and I couldn't sleep until I replaced it with a more robust option.
Now that I have this camera inventory squared away I can get back to worrying about how to best pack the lights, stands and grip gear. That's a different nightmare.
Did I bend the family financial rules and toss thousands of dollars of photo gear on a convenient credit card? I did not. I paid for it directly. No interest accrual that way. Paying cash helps one keep a lid on reckless spending. And even if you blow the lid off you don't have the credit card hangover to contend with once you realize what you've done.
Big, traditional cameras and lenses. Beginning to think that as time speeds by they'll be relegated to studio work and only location work steps from the car. Work that doesn't have to be done quietly.
We're in an age of hyper change and we need to constantly question what we need to bring to the table. Today, for me, it's this. Some Panasonic stuff.
10 comments:
Excellent.
I look forward to your review of the 12-60mm. I have been looking at that lens for a long time in paralysis between the 4 options. The cheap kit version which is weather sealed, reported to be sharp, but a stop slow. The Leica you picked up which is 4x the cost of the kit version. The Olympus 12-40mm, which is excellent but just not long enough for me or the Olympus 12-100mm which is on the large side and reported by all to be bad for IR.
The G9 is the one camera that's beckoning me away from my Fuji gear. I travel internationally a lot and the Micro 4/3 lenses are great and so much lighter. It's time to make a change - my X-T1 is well worn and my 18-135 just bit the dust (awaiting insurance options) - and the G9 looks so very tempting.
I, too, will be looking for your assessment of the 12-60. I owned the cheaper "kit" version and was pretty well pleased with it. (Actually I had two of them -- like you I am paranoid about backup.) I made what I thought was a move up to the 12-35 and 35-100 and rediscovered that I really dislike swapping lenses anytime I go past 35. Recently I've gone to the Olympus 12-100, which is every bit as good as you say. I love it on the job, the very few jobs I do anymore, but find it heavy and bulky to carry around. Which has me looking at the 12-60 again. I may come full circle.
FWIW, my current backup to my Panasonic M43 is an FZ1000. Probably not up to your assignment, but for the personal portraits I do it works fine. Gives me a backup to both body and lens, plus longer reach than anything I own for m43 and native high sync speeds for outdoor flash.
Kirk,
If you are in belt and braces mode on the new backpack, get a luggage strap (or maybe two). It doesn't look cool, but it will keep everything together, if you need to check the backpack, and it gets tossed around too much. Just a thought. That having been said, I have several Think Tank products, and they are all almost Billingham-level sturdy.
Chip
When you started your journey towards the G9 and the improved color, I took another look at it, with an eye towards replacing my G85 with the G9.
It all looks good on paper, but for me, there is one giant stumbling point. I use my G85 to record event 1080p videos every so often. Nothing in your league, but I mostly record the videos of performers at a small renaissance faire on a tripod, and break in between each song. I also have recorded my niece's wedding gratis since they couldn't afford a photographer or videographer. And a friend who puts on a show every so often asked me to record his show.
The G85 is great for this because it doesn't limit the video to 29 minutes and 59 seconds like Olympus does. My niece's wedding went to 35 minutes. If I had a camera that limited the video, I might have lost part of the wedding as I would have had to restart the video after it stopped, and with Murphy's Law it likely would be a part people want to see (the first kiss, walking down the aisle, etc.).
Ditto for my friends show, it ran to 1 1/2 hours. In the limited post that I do, I did break it into 16 smaller videos that are more manageable for viewing. But there was only one show, and I didn't know where the breaks were (unlike singers/story tellers where it is usually obvious where the break is, and also I've heard many of the performers a number of time, and I know their act). One of the performers from the faire also had a 30 minute segment, that went over, and it too did not have a break I could tell when to stop/start the shutter.
Getting back to the G9, it does limit both 1080p and 4K 30fps to 29 minutes and 59 seconds (4K 60fps is limited to 10 minutes, but that is presumably a heat issue or to protect the GH5/GH5S). Originally, I thought perhaps the manual just didn't mention going longer, since many of the Panasonic USA models don't have the limit. However, people over dpreview tested their G9's, and it does stop at 29 minutes and 59 seconds.
For me, that is an issue, when I shoot live events that might go on longer than planned. If I want to upgrade the G85, it looks like the GH5 or GH5S are the cameras to look to. I suspect for most videographers that work on scripted material, it is not an issue, as you shoot many takes, and edit them to make a cohesive final product. Presumably if you are spending the majority of time in the video world and not doing both stills and video, you would want the GH5/GH5S any ways because it has more video features.
Friends returned from an Iceland tour recently. Chilly and wet. They're recommendation: pack the Gore-Tex. (My wife and I were luckier on weather in 2016, but June's 23 hours of daylight were a bit hard to get used to.)
I'm going through a similar camera rationalization process, having just returned from a long Eastern Europe tour. Not being a commercial photographer, my criteria are somewhat different from yours, but the process is the same. My thinking so far, for next trip, next year: update our 5-year-old phones, get a DXO ONE, take the LX100 (avoid lens swaps), forget the laptop, forget the tripod. (Car trips, I can afford to lug the old Nikon, plus M4/3 and a collection of lenses, and a sturdy tripod.)
Thanks to you, I got my own G9 last week. I have used it with two lenses so far, the Panasonic 12-35 f/2.8 and the ever underrated Olympus 45mm f/1.8. The files look just beautiful. I especially love the rendering of greens. It took a day to get used to the touchy shutter button, but now I have adjusted. Later today the Olympus 12-100 Progets it’s turn. My favorite micro 4/3 body ever, and I have had a lot of them.
Two sd slots don't mean anything if the camera fails. Better to have a backup camera than a backup sd slot. It's nice to have one, just not necessary. I think a backup camera is a necessity if you are being paid for your work.
First off I love the tower block photograph, makes me green with envy when I look out to dreary sky. I just got two GX80's (GX85) for their small size and being of the style I like, nose does not hit the screen. The 12-60 I think is a great little lens, you will be pleased with it. Don't disregard the 12-32 if you want a tiny tiny zoom, the two copies I have had have been quite shocking in how can something so small and cheep be so good.
I am surprised the 8 to 18 is in your wheel-house. I am courious what focal length you shoot most.
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