Camera Labs

The tripod mount on the Olympus EPL-1 is not aligned with the lens axis, but is located off to one side.

Q-1: Is this same misalignment on the EP-1 and EP-2?
Q-2: Same on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 ?

Thanks
richardmaple

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Panasonic DMC-GF1, Pentax 35mm Spotmatic, *istDS; Nikon 2200 Coolpix; Zeiss model W microscope; 8" Newtonian f6.25 telescope (built from scratch); South Bend 9" lathe (for making parts); Photoshop, etc.

I can confirm the E-P1 tripod mount is a little offset from the plane passing through the middle of the lens, and would assume the E-P2 is similar in that.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

Popo thanks for the feedback.

Does someone know if it's the same with the Lumix DMC-GF1?

Thanks
richardmaple

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Panasonic DMC-GF1, Pentax 35mm Spotmatic, *istDS; Nikon 2200 Coolpix; Zeiss model W microscope; 8" Newtonian f6.25 telescope (built from scratch); South Bend 9" lathe (for making parts); Photoshop, etc.

What are the drawbacks to having the mount off center? I can only see a problem if you're doing a panorama... but even so, photoshop has such powerful algorithms that its not a problem. I mean I've seen people make panoramas without even using a tripod!

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E-3!
12-60 2.8-4.0
12-60 2.8-40 [Also going]
40-150 3.5-4.5
70-300 4.0-5.6
Fl-48

Atomic, thanks for your question.

I do a lot of macrophotography and also imagery through a microscope using eyepiece projection, and at prime focus of a telescope. Sometimes you can clamp the camera via an adapter and extension rings directly onto the microscope---sometimes you can use a tripod or (in my case with the telescope) a homemade gadget that mounts the camera on the telescope to keep everything aligned.

There is a long list of cameras with the tripod mount aligned with the lens axis and I would prefer to not have to fabricate new parts to allow for non-aligned versions. The trade-off might be worth the trouble, but only if the Panasonic DMC-GF1 also has a misaligned tripod mount.

Does someone know for sure if, on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1, the tripod mount is aligned with the lens axis?

Be well,
richardmaple

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Panasonic DMC-GF1, Pentax 35mm Spotmatic, *istDS; Nikon 2200 Coolpix; Zeiss model W microscope; 8" Newtonian f6.25 telescope (built from scratch); South Bend 9" lathe (for making parts); Photoshop, etc.

The GF1 does has the tripod mount aligned with the lens axis

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Nikon D5000 and D300 with 12-24mm, 35mm f1.8, 50mm f1.4, 60mm f2.8 Macro, 18-200mm, 17-55mm f2.8 (all Nikon)

Jeremy,
Thank you very much for the information and hooray for Panasonic.
Be well,
richardmaple

_________________
Panasonic DMC-GF1, Pentax 35mm Spotmatic, *istDS; Nikon 2200 Coolpix; Zeiss model W microscope; 8" Newtonian f6.25 telescope (built from scratch); South Bend 9" lathe (for making parts); Photoshop, etc.

...as a follow up, I bought the micro 4/3 Panasonic DMC GF1. It arrived and it is truly an awesome machine. The biggest negative so far is the manual.
Thanks for your help.
richardmaple

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Panasonic DMC-GF1, Pentax 35mm Spotmatic, *istDS; Nikon 2200 Coolpix; Zeiss model W microscope; 8" Newtonian f6.25 telescope (built from scratch); South Bend 9" lathe (for making parts); Photoshop, etc.