G1X 'in a new category'

Sean Nelson wrote:

The Canon marketers may say that this camera has no competition, but it's pretty obvious to me that many of M43 system cameras are direct competitors. They have very similar specs, sensor sizes, body sizes (with the Panasonic collapsing kit zoom) - and in fact many of the M43 camera kits are actually cheaper.

It's mainly a question of whether you want interchangeable lenses or not. If you can live without, then the G1X has the advantage with its faster lens and wider zoom range (than the standard kit zooms of the M43 cameras). Otherwise, it's hobbled by the fact that it can't go ultra-wide, ultra-fast, or ultra-long.