Day 5 with the GH1
I’m getting used to shooting with an SLR type camera again. I used SLR film cameras for many years, and after transitioning to compact digitals, never thought I’d go back to lugging around a big camera again.
Enter the GH1. I’m still trying to come to grips with it, and I’m not sure that I will shoot with it as much as I’d hoped, because it is in a completely different class, size-wise. Nevertheless, it’s definitely on the smaller side of the DLSR type cameras. And I’m finding some things that are coming back from the old days with an SLR. Things that I didn’t know that I missed. And yet it’s not quite an SLR (which another reason I bought it, rather than a DSLR).
One of those things is the viewfinder. I’m sort of surprised that I am using the viewfinder as much as I am. As viewfinders go, I like it a lot. It’s big and bright and shows a 100% view of exactly what the sensor is going to give me. With the overlaid histogram it’s particularly nice. I was picturing today during a fairly bright, sunny day, and it was a pleasure to be able to see clearly the monitor (via the viewfinder–it’s an EVF). I even found myself reviewing images in the VF.
And the AF: you would not know this was contrast detect AF. It locks fast, with no hunting. I haven’t played with the focus tracking, face detection, etc. Generally, when I get a camera I set it to a single AF point in the middle of the frame and leave it there. This AF works so well that I am tempted to play around with the other modes a bit.
Another thing that has impressed me so far is the flash. The GH1 is the first camera I’ve used in a long while that has a decent onboard flash. I think I’ll be using that quite a bit.
I haven’t even ventured into the video yet, which is another reason I was very interested in this camera. There is a lot to digest here, and I am just getting started.
Red Skies at Night 
Hi Eric,
I got to play with the little brother of that camera last weekend. the one without video. I too was really impressed with the EVF. I tried it in very low light, and it worked really good. I also noticed how good the AF works. The contrast AF on my Pentax K-7 (when using LiveView) feels like something out of the Flintstones in comparison.
Cool picture by the way. It looks like it is Photoshopped, but I guess it is not. If I remember right, I have a print from that exact point stored in my “print exchange box”. It was a silouette of some kids jumping if I remember right.
Thanks, Kjell.
You remember right–that is a slightly different angle on the same location, a popular swimming spot on a tiny island park in the bay. The only editing was to lift the levels a bit.
Good to hear from you. Hope your growing family is doing well!
–E