My GR came bundled with the VF, and I don't like using it. At wide angles like 28mm, I don't really need pinpoint framing. Also as someone mentioned, I've never had a problem seeing the screen in sunlight since its brightness can be set pretty high.
A few points
The Panasonic GM1 is quite a lot smalller physically than the GR. However the GR is a smaller camera simply because it folds flat. The GM1 with its lens mount and any lens whatsoever is bulkier. Therefore there is a lot of merit in the GR just as it is with fixed prime lens and a very compact packaging. Besides the GR is a very capable camera and also can be fine tuned to personal preferences.
However it does not go far enough for many. Once you sacrifice the compact mature of the fixed collapsing prime the size advantage flies out of the window. Much has been made of multiple GR cameras each with a different lens permanently fixed. There is some wild imagination that they will all be compact and perhaps folded like the present camera. Not possible I say. Any new lens would be just a lens and protrude just like any other lens. It might be possible to make folding lenses, even zooms, but they will take a while to get on to the market and they will be relatively slow. Ricoh just cannot have the turnover in market penetration to make this happen. Even if byy some form of wild speculation Ricoh decided that this was the way forward there would be a very long drawn out gestation of a range of suitable lenses.
On the other hand those that wish to do this can simply buy several quite reasonably prices Panasonic GM1 bodies and fit each with the lens of their choice from the wide range of M4/3 lenses already on the market and panting to be bought.
Weather tight and rugged will signify more size/cost for the former and a possible loss of perfomance in the other. People might like these ideas but they might not like paying more.
Dust sealing - well everyone will be happy. Maybe what is really needed is no dust sealing (a mount and exchangeable lenses) for that the inevitable dust can be readily removed?
Closeout sales? The closeout sale for the GXR went on for .... lets say "four" years in steps and stairs pricing - you can probably still buy a new old stock one today. Ricoh is not known for fire sale closeout and typically up to three or more of the old R and CX series cameras were marketed simultaneously at steps and stairs pricing.
The "old" GR if it is still around when "replaced" will be a bit cheaper (as it is now) but maybe never an utter bargain. Best buy now as maybe the new version will not appear until the stock of the current model reduce to a preset trigger level.
I also have not had a great deal of trouble with using the lcd on any of the GRD/GR models. But to hear some of the talk on other forums no camera is complete without 3-way (minimim) IBIS + evf + tilt/articulated lcd. I might wonder why such a backward camera as the GR is such a pleasure to use ...
