Is this the most Important Camera of the last 20 years?

[@jimmazurek5589]

NikonD700 - the best camera of the last 20 years. Awesome, tough, sans sticky stuff!

[@martyzielinski1442]

AGREED!

[@PeterPanoramics]

Nikon D1, started the ball rolling, i went to New York to buy it and made a good living at horse shows with a campervan , 12v inverter and a printer, enabling me to print onsite in the middle of a field at a equestrian event, i was in demand all over UK .

[@jimmazurek5589]

@@PeterPanoramics I had a D1x for several years, but the small lcd screen and terrible battery life were very frustrating, and so I eventually sold it. I still use my D200 and D700 a lot. Tough, sanes batteries. And both give me great images

[@williamburkholder769]

The G1 was brilliant in concept. It did (ultimately) spark a wave of change. It's the first mirrorless SYSTEM camera, not the first mirrorless. before SLRs and TLRs, cameras did not have mirrors. What the G1 and Micro 4/3 did was to establish the mirrorless interchangeable lens camera or MILC category. Fast forward to 2024 and look at the Lumix GH7, which is a work of sheer brilliance. It combines excellent still photo and advanced audio and video capabilities into a body little bigger than the G1. It gives us all the advantages and disadvantages of Micro 4/3, but with AV features unheard of in many other cameras in its price range.

[@philfuture3549]

Totally agree with you. So, I kept-collected my GH1 with its 14-140mm (2009). Still working, not mint but almost. But battery was ... not too much (like GX9). I shall kept-collect my GX9. Friendly.

[@philfuture3549]

2/ ... keep-collect ..

[@vinceriggio72]

Excellent 'class' on the history of MFT. I myself have just jumped into MFT with several Olympus Pens. Now I will look much more closely at the Lumix line. Thanks for the video.

[@gideonliddiardphotography]

Many thanks

[@raymondlau2065]

The touch screen of the G1 is way ahead of its time.

[@GreenCurryiykyk]

😂

[@chris5706]

Great video very informative

[@gideonliddiardphotography]

Glad you think so!

[@markkasick]

Usually I would take to task and say prove it. But you already did that for your style of photography. My pick would be the Canon 5D MKii- which the resolution was as good as film.

[@hamradioop5777]

The Canon 5D MkII is still an utterly superb camera. It also introduced full frame HD video, where the nearest 'professional' HD video camera was $40k plus at the time. Using the Magic Lantern firmware the 5D MkII remains highly capable for both stills and video.

[@BunnyUK]

@@hamradioop5777I have the 5D2 and will never get rid of it. Takes sublime photos.

[@jjaylad]

Coming out of film, followed by a Canon G3x (with a battery life of about 30 shots for me), the Fuji s100fs was like 'geni in a bottle'. Still have 2 that work perfectly (one with 3/4 million images that died, triggered a panicked replacement, then was resurrected by my repair guy by giving the battery contacts a wipe). On shoots with my newer equipment, there's always an s100fs in my bag as a backup. 11mp but batched through LrC & Photo Ai, and they come back at 24mp hard to tell from my newest gear. Sports, extreme cold winter sports, weddings, events, and general commercial work, and it never let me or a client down. I respect that old workhorse.

[@petermach8635]

The Hasselblad SWC ..... it changed the way I could work. The Linhof Technikardan ...... it made large-format photography easier for the solo landscape and architectural photographer ........ as I know very, very well.

[@miguelbazaaranaantunez4608]

Gracias por su video!! Para mí la mejor cámara construida en los últimos 20 años es sin ninguna duda la Nikon Fm3A. Una verdadera joya.... Creo que es un poco cuestión de gustos. Jamás habrá otra camara para mí que reemplace a la Leíca M3.. es mi mejor cámara después de años y años de usarla.. Saludos desde México..!

[@bondgabebond4907]

Lumix? The camera that really made a difference and got people taking photos is the Nikon F, followed by the F2. I still have my F2, built in 1979. Another camera that rocked the photo world was the Canon AE1. And the camera that rocked my boat when I finally entered the digital world was the Sony a6000, a mini-Leica. There are many wonderful cameras that are fantastic, but it was the post-war Japan that really got things started. After the war was over, during the US occupation of Japan, as Japan's optical companies copied and improved on the Leica, servicemen bought the SLR is droves. It was a time when people had a love affair with their cameras and film. Like all beginnings, it was exciting. Digital is an extension of the film camera, and I am glad it happened. With Kodak basically gone for most of us, digital is a godsend.

[@gideonliddiardphotography]

I don't think the Nikon F (which I discuss in the video) was released in the last 15 to 20 years!

[@neoseyes]

Thankyou for the great history lesson

[@gideonliddiardphotography]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@dunnymonster]

I bought its follow up the G2 in mint condition with the box, charger, kit lens and accessories for just £75 from a charity shop a few years ago. I still use it now and again and the results are perfectly acceptable. I do agree with you that the G1 is an important camera having paved the way for what has become the mirrorless revolution. Odd really that it took Sony to push the concept and become arguably the market leader in this sector. Somewhat ironic that Lumix's share of the mirrorless market is perhaps the smallest of the main brands. 🤪

[@thomaseland3136]

Exacta were the first SLR with interchangeable lens and then finders.

[@JayTsPhoto]

This popped up in my feed and i recognized the name.....had to think, Snappieness forums!

[@bernhardh6184]

Digital photography became serious with the EOS350D and the 8mpx sensor. Finally when the same sensor was released in the 20D, built quality met the high Canon "pro" standards. It was in 2005

[@MarttiSuomivuori]

"What is the camera I feel emotionally attached to in this moment?"

[@gideonliddiardphotography]

Not sure what you're digging at, but the G1 is certainly not a camera I'm emotionally attached to, but thanks for the engagement, the algorithm loves you too.

[@ThatMicro43Guy]

Actually with a 12Mp sensor I’d be very happy making large prints, yes, even wall sized as long as they were viewed from a reasonable distance. However the down side of my G1 is the level of noise which is poor in low light compared to cameras even just a year or two newer. Still very usable though.

[@kangzau1006]

It's an impassionate thesis for the lumix. Suffice to say that photo industrys mirrorless transition is quite fascinating in a business/craft that has had endless ground shattering transitions and revolutions.

[@rogerking7258]

Good, well argued video - thanks. I totally agree with you about the importance of the G1 as the first mirrorless camera as we understand it today, but not for its being Micro 4/3. The system has an uncertain future and I for one would not wish to put any money into it. One of its main drivers appears to have been the cost of producing FF and APSC sensors, but that is far less of a factor now and the disadvantages of the inability to shoot with an extremely shallow depth of field and its relatively poor low light performance are effectively unsolvable. Second hand though, it could make some sense. You were good enough to point out that others may have different opinions on the matter to yourself and I must add the proviso that I may be proved wrong too.

[@gideonliddiardphotography]

M4/3 does have its limitations, and depth of field is certainly one, but I would argue regarding low-light level performance, I shoot gigs exclusively with M4/3 and have published, exhibited, and sold my work.

[@simonbealing]

Yes there are bargains out there for these and other early g series camera's. I just picked up a 14-42 lens on ebay for £75 to use on my g2 (£40) which is probably slightly over the odds for that lens but it had a working g3 attached to it. They are all great little starter cameras and very user friendly. Great video:)

[@julianhughes6511]

Just bought one with kit lens for £32! I want the 14-45 lens rather than the body which I'll sell on. But I agree it is a very significant camera. In the previous century I used Minolta SRT, XE, XD, XG then in the 2000s Canon Powershot G2 and Konica Minolta 7D. These days Lumix mirrorless cameras with EVF are my favourite. My GX80 has a decent viewfinder, the G80's is as good as any film SLR I ever used (am familiar with Olympus, Pentax, Canon, Nikon film SLRs) and the Lumix GX8 possibly has absolutely the *best* viewfinder of any camera I've used except medium format roll film SLRs. And it's weatherproof too!

[@andrewcroft2570]

Great video, but I've just never got on with micro 4/3's, but you are quite right great camera to learn on.

[@brentwestbrook]

My transition from film to digital was with a Konica Minolta Dynax 5D from a Minolta film camera. I bought a Sony SLT-A57 in 2014, then later a A77 then a A58. These are all A-Mount so all the lenses fit. I have Minolta, Tamron, Sigma and Sony lenses. They all still work perfectly. I mostly use the A77 for video but only use Sony lenses as the others are somewhat noisy when using AF. Solution is MF! These are all old now but produce perfectly acceptable results.

[@northof-62]

i got the G1 for my wife when it was released. It has a very good kit lens, the 14-45 mm .(not the 14-42) The only niggle with this model is that it turns off the rear screen when it is close to the body. They fixed that on the G3, which I also have. (Don't know about the G2) And it was a chore to rub off the sticky goo from the (blue version) body. Still works great. Better handling than the smaller G2 and G3. Cheers!

[@keiththewheelman]

the Panasonic G1 and the Fujifilm f300exr - the birth of mirrorless and on-chip phase detection focusing, respectively (I typed during the intro)

[@meganet3]

I still have my cherished G1.

[@martyzielinski1442]

My vote....either Sony A7 (first full frame mirrorless) and the Nikon D-700.

[@Michel-r6m]

For me Canon 7D, Sony A7 and Canon EOS M with ML. Just my take 🤠

[@theoldunsshot1005]

I agree with you if you modify the genre slightly to Mirrorless SYSTEM Camera rather than just Mirrorless Camera 😁. There is one historic game-chanding film camera you missed out in the introduction: The Minolta Dynax/Maxxum 7000, the first practical autofocus SLR camera. I've never owned a M4/3 camera but I appreciate the results I've seen from some of them. Great video Gideon. Keith

[@gideonliddiardphotography]

To be honest I missed quite a few cameras off the list, the 7000 among them, and you are quite right if I was doing an exhaustive list it would certainly be on it.

[@ChrisBrogan]

What a great video! You lured me in from the start. I loved it. Thank you for sharing this and for your point of view. I loved the whole thing.

[@gideonliddiardphotography]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@terrym540]

No mention of the Topcon RE Super, the first 35mm SLR with TTL metering. Plus it had a removable prism which could be replaced with a waist level finder.

[@rawhides]

Nothing like the build quality of the RE Super/Super D/Super DM. They are a joy to hold but I don’t want to let the secret out hahahaha.

[@terrym540]

@@rawhides Not just the cameras but also the lenses. Focussing on them is as smooth as silk. I think it was Topcon's obsession with quality that caused it's financial difficulties, and downfall.

[@gideonliddiardphotography]

To be fair my list of significant cameras was far from exhaustive.

[@thomaseland3136]

I thought Pentax Spotmatic was the first TTL SLR

[@terrym540]

@@thomaseland3136 The Pentax Spotmatic was introduced in 1964 whereas the Topcon RE Super was in 1963.

[@jeremyrichards8327]

Nikon D800 is my take as a diehard SLR user.Good to see a Don McCullin book on the shelf.

[@robstammers7149]

This is is a contentious claim. I see you have a Minolta Dimage 7i. I've had the 7i for just over a year, and I love it, in my humble opinion the Dimage 7i is one of the most critically digital 'mirrorless' cameras ever made. Beautifully designed and again critically, ergonomically near perfect, sporting a fixed Minolta GT short zoom lens. I get great results from the 7i and it's a little older than the G1. For me mirrorless doesn't truly mean it has interchangeable lens ability. Even my Sony DSC R1 would give the G1 a run for the money. Sorry, Can't agree with your choice. Regards Rob.

[@gideonliddiardphotography]

Fair enough, but I wouldn't agree that the Dimage's are ergonomically near perfect (quite the opposite), and it (and similar bridge cameras) didn't drive the move towards mirrorless cameras with interchangeable lenses replacing DSLRs. I've shot both and a quite clear difference exists in image quality, and it doesn't favour the Minolta

[@351linzdoctor]

I agree with everything you said except it should have been the Dimage A1 it being the first camera with Sensor Image Stabilization and it had a full size Vertical Battery Grip that took 2 batteries, it had a PC Socket to connect to studio flash, a View Finder that could tilt to the waist level position, had a TTL Hotshoe, Wireless Off Camera Flash and Controls setup like a Digital SLR too!

[@peterwilliamson2488]

I noticed that Canon did not get a mention ,which isn’t surprising because you did say that you were talking about important cameras.

[@gideonliddiardphotography]

To be fair to Canon my list was far from exhaustive, and I can think of two that are contenders. The EOS 650 (first dedicated AF lens mount) and the EOD 5D (first true consumer FF digital), both of which I have and are great cameras.

[@artmoments3834]

Hate to say it but probably the iPhone in sheer number of units from Apple, Samsung etc that came from it, Unless you go further back and look at the Ericson P series, the first smartphone. But if we are talking proper cameras the Canon 5D must be up there as would the Hasselblad H1 (leading to 400mb shots) and X2d a 100mb walk around camera with colour quality that no one else comes near to… Then there are the Leica M monochromes, yes niche, but probably the only digital one piece camera that gets to the basics of pure photography, especially if you have no screen. Then there is the Alpa TC, (or the more exalted ones) digital - with more Mps than you could ever require on the largest sensors we currently have, or film - even without batteries.

[@pembridgehouse]

The G1 is a nice camera. I love mine.

[@productguru8323]

Great point!

[@freekdeniro8623]

I would say the iPhone is probably also one of the most important cameras on the whole continuum of camera history.

[@HartponderJr]

Not if making prints is a big deal.

[@freekdeniro8623]

@@HartponderJr as far as a camera in many hands goes…it democratized image taking. It has a profound place in the history of photography.

[@mixiepalms8338]

i still love my sony a6000 with my sigma 30 mm f1.4.

[@brynbishop4888]

Excellent presentation

[@gideonliddiardphotography]

Glad you liked it

[@HartponderJr]

I disagree, The first mirrorless camera was the Epson R-D1 in 2004 with Lieca M mount lenses. 6.1MP was a game changer. For me, the Fujifilm XPro 1 made EDC a joy again.

[@gideonliddiardphotography]

How can a digital range finder, a type of camera that's never had a mirror box, remove something it's never had and become mirrorless? The RD1 also had no live view on its rear screen, as such, as good a camera as it is, it doesn't meet the USPs of mirrorless.

[@Quark.Lepton]

To sum up, I’d say it’s “Pretty Damn Good”. 😉

[@MorningNapalm]

Fujifilm X100, Sony A7, Fujifilm GFX50S, ...

[@buckgreen6028]

Fastforward to 2:57 to learn the identity of the camera.

[@joecarey7123]

I got one of these on eBay for under £6.00, last year. Awful timegetting the sticky gunk off it, but it went perfectly as a car glovebox camera with a Panasonic 14-42 PZ lens. Tiny and very effective grab and go. The PZ lens is horrendously expensive for what it is, but a watch of the marketplace got me one for £30. I like that it doesn't do video!

[@Ozone280]

Canon R5 is head and shoulders above any other camera around, past or present.

[@Moonrakerd]

technically rangefinder has several mirrors :DD

[@gideonliddiardphotography]

Technically it could be argued that most have prisms doing the reflecting rather than mirrors ;-)

[@zeissiez]

EOS300D

[@apistosig4173]

Bought a G1 as a travel camera (lighter & more compact than my Canon's AE1+Ps) - in IA mode its terrific but in manual mode gave me the friggin' shits. I shoot in JPG - not RAW

[@blazerbarrel2]

Kit

[@richardvallonjr.6716]

The G-3 of 2011 was going tobe a grou ndbreaking camera-= but the factories that produced it were destroyed in the Tsunami. . i hink Fuji has picked up the ball and ran with it...

[@swampscott2670]

Ok. So it’s mirrorless. Maybe the first. How does that make it important?

[@gideonliddiardphotography]

How many DSLRs are being developed and released Vs Mirrorless systems right now? Aside from Pentax it's zero, so I'd say a camera than started that change is pretty damn important (and all of this I said in the video).

[@throughmyeyes9940]

Polaroid

[@TexpatOTG]

It took 3 minutes to get to the 'important' camera.

[@gideonliddiardphotography]

Approx 10% of the run time on an intro, how terrible (you might want to check the same % on your most recent video!)

[@TexpatOTG]

@@gideonliddiardphotography Mine are too long too. I am changing over now to a zero-logo or intro format. Am going to just jump in with the main point. I was thinking about peoples attention span ... commercials on YT are very short. I noticed this by looking at the analytics and how the drop off at 30 seconds is pretty bad in most of my 460+ videos. I am going to test my theory over the next 3 months and see if there is a significant change. Sorry to seem so critical, I enjoyed your video a lot. I've been heavily involved in photography and videography since 1960, so have owned a lot of hardware. I have just been doing testing on intros to see if getting right to the point improves views.

[@yadevolkram]

Surprised it still works considering how much you bash it about.

[@philfuture3549]

😂

[@Beaversnapper]

stop banging the camera!!

[@garnieross9958]

Too funny.

[@colingerard7863]

If you had titled the video "Why I think the G1 is the most important camera of the last 20 years" I would of been curious. I stopped watching after 1:16 and went to the comments to find out. The prospect of waiting god knows how long until you get to the point means you have lost this viewer. You could be a good guy, making good points, but you have fallen into the clickbait trap that a lot of people are fed up with.

[@kevinslaney486]

Na....Sony A7...full frame mirrorless. Until mirrorless went full frame it was never going to be taken seriously by the pro's

[@gideonliddiardphotography]

...and without the G1 laying the way it could be argued that Sony would never have taken the leap to make the A7.

[@kevinslaney486]

@@gideonliddiardphotography Your right of course...maybe the A7 wouldn't have happened without it. Both very important developments in the world of cameras

[@gideonliddiardphotography]

@@kevinslaney486 100%

[@kevinslaney486]

@@gideonliddiardphotography Not knocking MFT by the way...great stuff. Had a lovely Oly pen F until recently, and the Oly EM 1

[@g10col92]

Micro four thirds pushed the technology envelope first for in body stabilisation, first touch screen, first articulated screen, first 4k video, first in camera focus stacking, first in camera ND filter and with the OM1 mk 2 first in camera graduated filter.

[@carlitosodell]

No.

[@gideonliddiardphotography]

A fantastically well rounded and articulately considered rebuttal, I salute you.

[@ArthurJS123]

Typical gear centric mindless gearhead based video.

[@gideonliddiardphotography]

Someone does know what my content covers it seems, but thanks anyway for the engagement and insults

[@binkyboobosh1]

The Contax TVS Digital. Digital cameras became fashion statements... I have the G2 which is better. One bonus is that old lenses can be used with appropriate adapters. The mount and lens/sensor gap allows for this without issues.

[@stevenjohnson4283]

Useless tid-bit of information dude. There were mirrorless sensor cameras well before that going back to the 80's and its actual a Sony from the 80's thats the first mirrorless camera.

[@gideonliddiardphotography]

They weren't digital (80s Mavicas converted the sensor signal to an NTSC analogue signal before writing it to a floppy) or interchange lens (apart from two £10k pro models and these still had optical viewfinders) and are more accurately video cameras that capture a still image. As such, while still significant cameras in the history of photography, they didn't impact on the change from DSLRs to mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras in the way the G1 did.

[@philfuture3549]

Another step in that history.