Review - Panasonic G2 & G10 Side by side

[ortega]

Product: Panasonic DMC-G2K and DMC-G2K

I had a chance to play with the camera for a couple of days and here are some shots to help you
decide.

EXIF data is intact. I made some errors in my methodology, some of the images shot with the G10 are smaller in size than the G2, but i corrected it when i found out. All images are just resized and add USM with the exception of the ISO tests shot which are 100% crops. All images are shot a couple of minutes apart using aperture priority mode.

 

[ortega]

 

[ortega]

 

[ortega]

 

[ortega]

bokeh tests using the kit lens, shot at max focal length and min focus distance (approx)
both cameras come with the same kit lens (LUMIX G VARIO 14-42 mm / F3.5-5.6 ASPH. / MEGA O.I.S.)

 

[ortega]

Difficult lighting situation

 

[ortega]

 

[ortega]

these are 100% crops at various ISO speeds
this scene was lit only by an incandescent bulb

 

[ed9119]

Thanks so much Ortega for starting this thread ........ and handing off the cameras to both Headfonz (i/c at the 4/3 subforum ) and myself .....

Disclaimers (to manage some of your expectations) :

Ortega, Headfonz and myself will be putting these 2 cams through their paces over the next few weeks.

The field trials/tests will be mainly from a shooting perspective .....we will:

1. have some 100% crop samples in various situations (eg noise at various iso) which is simple enough to execute but dont expect too much pixel peeping
2. discuss about what we think about the user interface of both cameras
3. discuss about how these cams handle in our asian hands
4. see how far, how much we can use these cams BEFORE REFERRING to the provided User Guide
5. see if we can live without some/all of the bells and whistles in the G2 that is not in the G10
6. how suited are these cams when used in our local shooting situations/locales/climate
7. BOTH G2 and G10 review cameras are fitted with the kit lens 14-42


Similarities between the G2 and G10

BOTHhave SAME sensor
• 4/3 type MOS ('Live MOS sensor')
• 13.1 million total pixels (G2) 13.06 million total pixels (G10)
• 12.1 million effective pixels
• RGB (Primary) color filter array

BOTH have SAME image sizes
• 4000 x 3000 (4:3) L
• 2816 x 2112 (4:3) M
• 2048 x 1536 (4:3) S

• 4000 x 2672 (3:2) L
• 2816 x 1880 (3:2) M
• 2048 x 1360 (3:2) S

• 4000 x 2248 (16:9) L
• 2816 x 1584 (16:9) M
• 1920 x 1080 (16:9) S

• 2992 x 2992 (1:1) L
• 2112 x 2112 (1:1) M
• 1504 x 1504 (1:1) S

BOTH have SAME processor
• Venus Engine HD II

BOTH have SAME Aspect Ratios
• 4:3
• 3:2
• 16:9
• 1:1

BOTH have SAME specs in video Motion JPEG:
1280 x 720, 30fps
848 x 480, 30fps
640 x 480, 30fps
320 x 240, 30fps

BOTH have SAME ISO range
• Auto
• iAuto
• 100-6400

BOTH have SAME Focus modes in these areas
• Auto Focus (Contrast AF system)
• Manual focus
• Face Detection
• AF Tracking
• 23-Area-Focusing/1 Area Focusing
• MF Assist (5x, 10x)

BOTH have SAME LCD dimensions (G2 is articulating LCD while G10 is fixed)
• 3.0" TFT LCD monitor
• 460,000 dots
• Approx 100% coverage

BOTH have SAME Bulb exposure max duration
• 4 mins

BOTH have SAME Drive modes
• Single
• Continuous H (3.2 fps)
• Continuous M (2.6 fps)
• Continuous L (2 fps)

BOTH have SAME physical dimensions
• 124 mm x 84 mm x 74 mm

----------------------------------------

MAIN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE G2 and G10

• G2 has a fold-out tilt and swivel LCD screen while G10 LCD screen is fixed

• G2 has larger viewfinder (1.4x, 0.7x in 35mm equiv) compared to G10 (1.04x, 0.52x in 35mm equiv)

• G2 has touch-sensitive LCD screen ....................... G10 does not

• G2 has touch AF ................................................ G10 does not

• G2 has AVCHD video at 1280x720 , 60/70 fps ........... G10 does not

• G2 has Stereo audio via external mic connector .........G10 does not

• G2 shoots in • RAW • RAW + JPEG Standard • RAW + JPEG Fine • JPEG (EXIF 2.2) - Standard • JPEG (EXIF 2.2) - Fine

• G10 shoots in RAW • RAW+Fine • RAW+Standard • Fine • Standard

• G2 viewfinder automatically switches between eVF and LCD screen when you put your eye near/away from the eVF (altho' the switch is there) .... with the G10, you have to manually switch between eVF and LCD screen

• Approx SG$300+ price difference (Body + kit lens combo ) between the G2 and G10

• On the G2 ....."Lefties.... for the FIRST time .... are able to trigger the shutter with their LEFT hand fingers" ha ha ! Street/candid shooters will love this (I do, the moment I found this feature) as I can pretend to be fooling with reviewing images with right hand finger AWAY from shutter button when I'm actually shooting crazily away with the left hand

There probably ARE a few other differences BUT imho not significant enough to come to mind...... but if you do feel or find some differences or similarities that I have not listed above ..... send me a PM ..... I'll verify it and adjust the above accordingly.




---------------------------------

Here are the test cameras....... from the front, G2 and G10 markings aside, both look identical

Although bigger than a Point and Shoot both G2 and G10 (identical in dimensions) are small cameras
Compared to an EZ Link card, it gives you an idea about the dimensions we're talking about

 

[ed9119]

G2 back of camera

G10 back of camera

---------------------------------------

G2 top right

G10 top right

---------------------------------------

G2 .... Colors rendered and metering ........ accurate and precise ..... man, is it JUST ME or was Spot Metering a luxury item barely 7-8 years back ?

 

[ed9119]

G2 top left

G10 top left

--------------------------------------

G2

 

[ed9119]

G2 Landscape outside my balcony

G2 100% crop of part of above pic

G10 .... SAME scene outside of my balcony

G10 100% crop of part of image directly above this

------------------------------------------

 

[ed9119]

G2

G2 100% crop of tennis court area above

G10 same scene

G10 100% crop of above scene

 

[sinned79]

will u be getting the two cams free for this review? (just kidding: poking fun here from the recent ruckus created by food bloggers)

on a serious note: i find G10 photos more brighter and constrasty then G2.

 

[ed9119]

well brother.... we're NOT EATING the cameras if thats what you mean ha ha :bsmilie: :bsmilie: :bsmilie:...... these are loan sets to get an Asian perspective on how typical users feel about what we think about these cameras ......

Anyway.... we will start shooting with these cams more seriously from this weekend onwards.............. comments and feedback will follow thereafter

 

[sinned79]

well brother.... we're NOT EATING the cameras if thats what you mean ha ha these are loan sets to get an Asian perspective on how typical users feel about what we think about these cameras ......

;p

side track a little.. ermm is GF1 possible to use adaptor to mount leica m mount lens?

I dun fancy sony cams (nex3 or nex5), and leica m9 is beyond my reach now so i guess GF1 is my next possible target. :sweatsm:

Any reviews on GF1 as compared to G10 and G2?

I am a panasonic user before I moved on to DSLR. :heart:

 

[ortega]

Not at the moment but we do have a LX5 review on the way, are the lens mount of all the micro 4/3 cameras the same?

Btw in Order to eat free cameras, we would have to blog it, yes?

 

[sinned79]

Btw in Order to eat free cameras, we would have to blog it, yes?

u can start here: http://www.blogspot.com :bsmilie:

 

[ed9119]

G2 ISO tests

Shot at widest 14mm focal length of kit zoom lens with 2sec timer shutter release indoors under constant light

Before we start......... this is the anchor pic directly below ..... the others following are all 100% Crops at various ISOs

ISO 100

ISO 200

ISO 400

ISO 800

 

[ed9119]

ISO 1600

ISO 3200

ISO 6400