This seems like a nice combination

[rpcrowe]

As most of the regulars on CiC know, I am opposed to any camera which allows "only" live view on the LCD for framing images.

This new Panasonic allows both eye level viewing AND an articulating LCD. However it seems to go this one further by having an articulating eye level viewfinder.

http://www.adorama.com/ALC/BlogArtic...l073113PanaNPA

Perhaps, other cameras have this combination but, I haven't noticed it.

Now that would be something that might interest me!

OTOH. I would feel really restricted shooting with a lens that has an f/3.5-5.6 variable aperture. IMO, this places the camera in the P&S or expensive bridge camera category... I didn't like that lack of capability when I was shooting with a 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens on my Canon 10D. I really enjoy having a constant f/2.8 aperture in my mid-range zoom (17-55mm f/3.5-5.6) and a constant f/4 aperture in my telephoto zoom (70-200mm f/4L IS).

[inkista]

dpreview has their quick look up on the GX7.

http://www.dpreview.com/articles/859...essions-review

OTOH. I would feel really restricted shooting with a lens that has an f/3.5-5.6 variable aperture. IMO, this places the camera in the P&S or expensive bridge camera category...

The DMC-GX7 is a micro 4/3 camera body with an interchangeable lens mount. (I know, the Lumix threw you off). Not only are there constant f/2.8 zoom lenses in the range (24-70 & 70-200 equivalents), but Panasonic also just announced a Leica 42.5/1.2 (i.e., an 85/1.2 equivalent), and there are the 17.5, 25, and 42.5 f/0.95 Voigtlanders. So, not lacking for the fast lenses.

It's a system camera, which is why there's so much interest in it. It has a ton of firsts for Panasonic micro 4/3: IBIS, built-in corner (tiltable) EVF, tilt-screen, focus peaking, wifi NFC, etc. Not to mention the 1/8000s max. shutter, and 1/250s sync speed (the previous model, the GX1, only went up to 1/4000s, and 1/160s sync, and had none of those other features).

For us m4/3 shooters, this is a definite contender to the OM-D. Especially since it's rumored to have the same video quality as the GH3. The rangefinder looks and $1000 (body only) pricetag combined with the functionality of other top-end mirrorless cameras all in one body is extraordinarily tempting for those of us who shoot m4/3. The only downside I can see is it's still contrast-detection AF all the way. No on-sensor PDAF.

[MrB]

Am I correct in thinking that an add-on tilting EVF has been available for some Lumix models (including the LX compacts) for quite a long while? Although I don't have it, there is one that fits my LX7 - I believe it slots into the hot shoe, where there is an extra socket, and shows whatever would usually be displayed on the rear LCD.

Philip

[inkista]

Am I correct in thinking that an add-on tilting EVF has been available for some Lumix models (including the LX compacts) for quite a long while?

Yes. The LVF-1 (which came out with the GF1, iirc) and the LVF-2 (which came out with the GX1 and was not backwards compatible with older cameras). The big deal with the GX7 is that its EVF is built-in, not an add-on that adds $200 to the pricetag or uses the hotshoe, and it's a corner EVF, like the NEX6 and NEX7 have, rather than a lump on top of the camera. The only other m4/3 cameras with built-in EVFs have been the Panasonic GH and G series and the Olympus OM-D/EM-5, where the EVF is placed where the prism hump on a dSLR would be.

It's kind of a pain not to be able to use your viewfinder and your flash hotshoe at the same time, or to have the small/portable/pocketabilty of the camera with a pancake lens compromised by an additional protrusion outside the "box" of the body.