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Comment by mjhoy | Hacker News Reader

Craig Mod's reviews convinced me to get the GF1 many years ago, and I am still very happy with that camera. Though it has interchangeable lenses I often use it with a prime 20mm (film equivalent of 40mm) which, I discovered, are simply a joy to use: the lack of the "feature" of a zoom can free your mind in the moment of exploration.

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I should have replied to your comment, instead of posting a new one. I agree with your sense of freeing, but if, as the author talks about, you'll crop many of your shots, it doesn't sound so freeing then.

I was also surprised about the cropping! For my own photographs I never crop, I don't really see the point. But perhaps he is publishing photos, in which case I understand it.

>> you'll crop many of your shots, it doesn't sound so freeing then.

Is that really the case though? The fixed prime is small and compact, and still frees a photographer from carrying a bulkier lens.

That you can crop/digital zoom in a pinch is freeing, provided you've got enough resolution to do so.

Yeah, I have a GF1. In fact, hilariously, it's Alex Rainert's old one with Panny 20mm pancake which he was selling on ebay. That camera has been absolutely awesome, and about 2 days after I bought it was used to take the picture of my youngest daughter coming into the World.

m43 cameras in general are a good compromise on image quality and size. GX1's and GF1's in particular are not especially expensive used.

Me too! He's a great photographer and writer. I sold the GF1 because I found it awful to use in daylight, though. Still miss it. And I will never have money for a Leica :)

Same! (Though I was cheaper and it convinced me to get the Lumix G2 with the same pancake.)

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