Panasonic DMC-GM1 (45mm, f/1.8, 1/640 sec, ISO200)

Today life is tough. There is crises and disaster. There is still war somewhere, there is poverty and misery. The earth is screaming and warming up. Everything important has been discovered long time ago and if you, like me, grew up in Western Europe in the 70s everything was already there. Nothing to build up, nothing to do, nothing to achieve. Born at the wrong time?

I don’t think so and here is why: Honestly I think that I’m born at exactly the right time. I was raised in the 70s when everything was growing and life was getting better day by day. Of course there were no real computers or smart phones but that didn’t matter because there was no internet, no email or other distractions from life. Great times!

But there are a couple of things that are so much better today. One is technology. Today your phone takes better quality pictures and better videos than any professional digital camera or any professional video camera available 15 years ago. But there is still a good reason to use anything but a phone for taking pictures today: Cameras have become even more amazing! And because I was born at the right time I can appreciate it even more than todays kids that are complaining about noise in an ISO 6.400 shot.

Let’s compare THE professional camera of the early 90s with a professional DSLR of today.

The Nikon F4: 4-5,6 frames per second ( depending on the battery pack ( so after about 7 seconds your film was gone and it was time to rewind and reload )), ISO ( depending on the film from 40ASA to 1.600ASA ( but only of you were brave or desperate enough, or both )) to the Canon 1DX: 12 frames per second ( 14 fps without AF ), ISO: 100 to 204.000! ( and not too much loss in IQ up to ISO12.800. Or let’s just take the rather affordable Canon 6D: no speed demon but still 4 frames per second, ISO: 100 to 51.200 ( and not too shabby at ISO 12.800 either ). And the film can hold thousands of images.

But if I could time travel back to the 90s I would take this camera: The camera I just got for Christmas. The camera that would impress the people of the 90s even more than a Canon 1DX. The

Panasonic GM 1:

• 40 frames per second! Ok just 5 fps if you want to use the monitor
• ISO: 200 to 25.600
• 1/16.000 shutter speed!
• smaller than an average smartphone and just 200 grams “heavy”
• with a kit zoom lens that goes from 24 to 64mm, offers image stabilization and weighs 70 grams
• WiFi connection to your smartphone ( well don’t forget to bring your smartphone when traveling back in time )

Ok. Why the long intro? Because sometimes it is necessary to look back to appreciate what we have today. I do it all the time. It works. Well – at least as far as it deals with technology. It might be less successful in other areas.

Unless you don’t own a full frame camera your camera should be no older than one or two years to give you images that are as good or better than what you get from this tiny little thing. If you still think that you need big and heavy gear to produce good quality digital images it’s time to rethink. Break out of the bubble. ( I know I’m not using it correctly – so what! ) Today, amazing quality comes in small boxes. Get one of these little gems and enjoy life! I plan to write a detailed review as soon as I’m able to stop shooting.

BTW: Happy New Year!