Analog Detox Day 3/Vintage Digital: Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1/20mm f/1.7.

I have been on a film burning analog tear with a recent acquisition. Things got out of hand with the last roll as I just started snapping pics of any and everything with little care. I will go back to it, but it was definitely time to take a break.

On detox day 1, I used the recently released Samyang/Rokinon Remaster Slim kit. Of course, recent products performed well. Day 2 involved an MFT camera from 2013 that I really like. But what if I went back even further? To 2009.

Panasonic DMC GF1 - Lumix 20mm f/1.7 — Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 and 20mm f/1.7.

Bought half jokingly to see how far I could go back and how inexpensive I could go and still produce a pleasing photo. But on arrival I realized that this camera was no laughing matter. Sure it missed some features that I usually bang on about “needing”:

IBIS.
EVF.
Solid high ISO performance.
- 2009 era high ISO noise is a thing. (More on this below.)
Less a “need” but I had come to expect a touch screen.

But this camera and lens countered with some solid punches of its own:

Great IQ.
Truly small.
Well built.
Good looking (to me).
Bult in flash.
While not blazing fast it has surprisingly accurate AF with early face detect.
I really like this 20mm f/1.7 pancake lens. Great IQ and pleasing subject isolation.
A rather robust battery so large that it lasts days and I have not bothered to buy a backup yet.
Well thought out control layout perfect for one handed use.
And the party piece is that camera and lens combined can be had for around $400.
- As of the writing of this post KEH has several DMC-GF1 bodies available in excellent condition for less than $190 and MPB has one available in excellent condition for less than $130.
- While the Gen II 20mm f/1.7 is still available new, you can save a bit more by grabbing the OG version (which performs about the same as far as I can tell from reviews) for a little over $200 at KEH and about the same at MPB.
- This brings the added perk of…
Not being precious.
- Drop/break, lose, or it grows legs? I will be on KEH or MPB ordering another immediately.

And for that $400 this combination can produce these images…

…while easily slipping into a pants pocket.

Ok, I brought up noise above. I have found a recent tool at my disposal does a great job counteracting this concern. Lightroom AI Denoise. Check out these club pics taken in cave lighting.

Or these taken in “downtown” (Former NYC resident snobbery at play here where I cannot refer to NC downtown areas without actual or air quotes. My affliction.) Raleigh.

Why do I say all of this? I am glad I imagined you asked. Because I think many new to photography may begin to think that this HAS to be a prohibitively expensive endeavor. Not so if one can constrain themselves. Admittedly being encouraged by my wonderful and exceedingly ~~enabling…~~ supportive wife I fall into this trap. But it does not have to be this way. As I have written about before in this space one can accomplish great things without a great amount of spend. There is nothing wrong with new gear of course, but an inability to purchase latest and greatest should not be a roadblock to the creative process.

Plus if you buy a reasonably priced portrait lens (My recommendation.) and flash (My recommendation.) you have quite the portable portrait rig. Later you can add some off camera TTL action as your experience grows with a Godox trigger and AD200. A great platform from which to practice your craft.

I had a friend recently ask me about upgrading from MFT to APS-C or even full frame. They also asked whether they should upgrade the current body to a weatherproof one. My advice?

Keep the current body and buy an old weatherproof body on the cheap.

It would be less expensive for him to buy a second old weatherproof OG body than trade his current body for a recent release. And then he would have two bodies. Always handy when you have more than one lens. Besides, the way I am built I can not take an expensive body out in the rain even when the manufacturer says it can take it. Would much rather take that risk with less spendy kit. Personal preference.

Another experienced mutual friend gave him even less spendy advice. Use a plastic bag. Brilliant.

Whoo! Got that off of my chest. Where was I?

Right… Analog Detox.

As usual I took it with as I went about my day. Chorus rehearsal run so many repeat pics. Here are the pics.

Thoughts.

I did enough of that above. I will leave this in from the last post.

And I genuinely like the results. Do I see a difference as compared to the latest and greatest? Yes.

Does that difference matter for day to day personal use? No.

Would my customers know the difference? Likely not.

At the end of the day the same dude is stood behind the camera and I will do what I do so the results will be comparable. My first actual paid work was with MFT. They were happy with the results, but somehow in my bent logic at the time it meant I needed to upgrade my gear. If they were happy with the work I evidently did not need to upgrade. Plenty of folks use MFT for paid work.

Such is the pull of the internets hype machine. Somewhere along the line I started believing I HAD to have full frame. Even APS-C would not do. Nonsense. Now I see the odd article here and there trying to convince me that digital medium format is now the holy grail. Pass. I am good.

Will I have a great purge and go back to MFT full time? No.

I am good with where I am.

That is about it.

Happy capturing.

-ELW