skysark21z

I have used the GX1 for about the last year and it is a good little camera...check out the link below for my comparrison to the other mirrorless cameras out there. http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=4311656;page=unread#unread As for the photo quality compared to the D3200... you can find reviews of both out there and check for youself, but for general photography they both do the job. The pansonic GX1 takes a bit of tweaking to get it how you want to shoot, but on the whole it is a good camera in a form factor and weight size that is better than a standard DSLR.

Trunk, Thanks for putting that together. I currently own the Panasonic GX1, Sony Nex 5N, and the Olypmus E-PM1 and have used the Olympus and Panasonic For skydiving and wanted to add my thoughts: Panasonic (with 14mm Pancake lens) - My current favorite of the ones i've tried it has the best remote connection and controls and the pictures turn out well. Pros: Good external controls - as well as menus within the camera. Best remote connection. Cons: Heaviest of them all(but still lighter than a DSLR). Battery and card door are on the bottom - if you are using this for work and have to give an editor your SD card this could be an issue. Really right stuff makes a nice plate for this camera that allows access. Get Hypoxic just started offering a remote adapter, or you can put one together with a 2.5 mm to 2.5 mm Female adapter from radio shack and a cord off of a cheap remote you can find on amazon - no splicing or cutting of wires involved just plug and play(I have the link if anyone needs it). Olympus(with 14mm pancake lens): Pros: Good photos, Fast FPS Cons: User interface isn't that great, can't use the remote with some settings. Remote connection is not very good - I had to stop using mine because the connector kept coming out in freefall. Card/Battery door on bottom. Used the same thing to make a switch adapter 2.5 to 2.5 mm female from radio shack and a remote cord from a camera switch for olympus(no cutting or splicing just plug and play). Sony NEX 5N (haven't used this in freefall yet) Pros: Best photos of the bunch(but not by much), Fast FPS, Lightweight (olympus is lighter). Best video options (1080p at 60fps) . Cons: In menu camera system (I like external controls). Have to have the camera switch installed (i'm not willing to do that). Lenses are heavy - not as a good a selection yet as the M43 system either. Card/Battery door on bottom. Overall Recommendations: Panasonic if you want a camera that has a no hassle remote option and takes good pictures. Olympus if you are going for the lightest possible setup - Tape the connector in and never take it out (or find someone to make a right angle connector) Sony: Only if you are a fan of sony's and this camera and don't mind spending the time or the money to modify it (I am not). I plan to use it for high quality video in freefall when I need a step up from my CX110 or go pro. (Google Sony NEX 5n video and see what some people are doing with this camera for normal cinematography)

A panasonic GX1 (Micro 4/3 interchangable Lens) can also be used with a switch. You'll have to buy an adapter but it only ads about $20. The GX1 with the 14mm Pancake lens is super low profile and lightweight.

I bought a PEN E-PM1 last September/October right when they came out so I've had some time to figure out the quirks and here are my thoughts on it. Form Factor: Its form factor and weight are awesome compared with the standard Canon entry level DLSR that most skydivers use - you definitely notice the weight difference (I have a 4 year old canon). I have my E-PM1 mounted upside down on a carbon fiber plate that I mounted to my Cookie quick release plate - I'll try to get a picture or two posted and it makes for a very nice weight distribution with nothing to snag on the sides. The battery and card slot are on the bottom of the camera next to the tripod mount which would make it a bit of a pain for working photographer (I just jump for fun so it hasn't posed a problem) but I think you could probably make a cut or figure out a way to mount it that you could have easy access. Lens - The 14-42 kit lens is ok - but it is very cheap feeling and it extends out rather far when its at 14 mm - I haven't jumped it and don't ever intend to. I bought a Panasonic 14mm Prime and it makes the whole package very small and light weight and the panasonic feels much more solid. The 14mm on a 2x crop factor give you a 28 mm field of view which is wide enough for most stuff - if not they do make a couple of fish eyes. OS - I'm not a big fan of the menus and OS of the camera - there are some quirks that annoy me, but I've pretty much just got it set up how I want and then leave it and shoot so I don't really mess with it too much. Continuous speed/Photo quality - The continuous speed is up to par with most DSLRs and I've had very few issues with it. I get one or 2 more out of focus shots then I do with my canon, but it also fires a bit faster (and I think it may be user error more than anything else). The photo quality is good - not as good as a brand new DSLR, but definetly comparable to one a couple of years old - if you are upgrading you wouldn't notice a difference or it would be better. Down side. The only downside so far is the camera trigger port - it is not designed for Skydiving at all. It uses a proprietary olypmus connector. I managed to use a cheap adapter cord and a 2.5mm female to female connector to get my standard mouth switch to work so that wasn't a big issue, but the connector itself just isn't in there very solid and has started to come out midway through jumps. If they made a right angle connector you could tape it in, but I haven't been able to find any. I'm still working a solution for this, if I find anything I'll update. Recommendations: The Olympus PEN E-PM1 makes for an pretty good skydiving camera. I however would go with the Panasonic GX1. It is slightly heavier, and slightly bigger, but not by much. It has better sensor, but the biggest advantage is that it has a 2.5mm remote switch port. Cost can be mitigated as well - the GX1 is more expensive, but if you buy just the body and the 14mm Panasonic lens you will only spend maybe 50 to $100 more than if you bought the E-PM1 and the 14mm Lens. I'm going to try and get one in the next month or so to test out. I hope that helps out - Let me know what other questions you have. James