It's time to replace the carry around camera

Louis_Dobson wrote:

Your comments on the GX7 are interesting. It doesn't sound TOO bad then. If it can be crammed in my top biker's waistcoat pocket then it will serve as a pocket camera AND it's quite a serious device and can come down the beach with me to work with Panny lenses that flare on the E-M1. I'd decided against the GX7 but now you have me thinking again. It's about 280, but you get a viewfinder in that!
The GM5 is 280 odd without VF, and that's too much just for snaps.
To be honest, I'm starting to the think the GX7 is A Bit Of A Bargain. The only question is, will it physically go in my pocket?
On the direct control / EVF front, on a pocket camera I don't care provided I can set the aperture and exposure comp quickly and it HAS an EVF. If the camera is doubling for serious work, as the GX7 would, then I get much fussier.

Big Ga wrote:

Louis_Dobson wrote:

SidSnot wrote:

Louis_Dobson wrote:

I loathe working off the back screen for anything except phone type snaps, and I don't like and don't use on camera flash.

Panasonic GM5 - perfect for a small carry around camera....

Looks fine as a camera but too new and hence too expensive. Around £280 as opposed to £150. It's only for snaps...

That camera was nearly double that price on launch. Its just recently taken the big price drop.

£280 isn't a bad price (I don't think it will drop a HUGE amount more), but I wouldn't buy the body only, you would be foolish to not get it with the stupidly light but optically pretty good 12-32.

Its only about £30-40 more with the lens.

Whether the camera will be too small, too fiddly, not enough direct controls, poor EVF etc, is another matter and up to you.

I am considering one myself.

I have the GX7. Its a lovely little camera, but the build quality is a little too good, so its heavier than a small pocket camera could be, and the eyepiece juts out a little too much to make it slip into a pocket as easily as it might.

From my experience, the GX7 is roughly the size of the EM5 when packing (I can't fit either in a pocket, but you may have larger pockets than me), so if you're considering that, you might want to consider the slightly smaller EM10 as well, which you can probably find at a decent price used for the MK1 model.

Personally, I wouldn't look at the EP* line if you want an EVF, by the time you add the add on EVF, the total size/bulkiness is bigger than a body with integrated EVF. If you don't need EVF, the Panasonic GM1 seems like the most logical choice.

For this purpose I have a Sony RX100 III, which you might be able to find at a decent price used, but if you absolutely must have an ILC it's not a good option.