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I need some help ...

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do you think GM1+17f1.8 would be much smaller, easier to carry than GX1+17f1.8?

I've had the GX1 for a couple of days. So far, I like the handling and size. Before it, I had an GX7 for a week also. It's just too large and the EVF made it hard to slip in a bag or pocket.

GX1+17f1.8 is a small package, but still, if I am not wear a jacket, I have to use a bag. It won't fit in pockets of my fleece nicely.
 
It just costs money, which I don't have unlimited supply of.

I was gonna get a used X-E1 and buy a 27 or 18 lens to test the water. Then, after reading some reviews, I don't think it'll get me much more than what I have with the x100.

I might still get one later on though. Keep m43 as my main gear and get a fuji body for fun. The x100 is somewhat different from my m43 gear and fun to play with.
 
Jor, I had the same problem, but with my E-M1. Tried every conceivable lens at the camera store, including the two BCLs. Finally settled on an Olympus 14-42 EZ. Turns my E-M1 into a rather large P&S ... still not exactly tiny, but small enough for its main use - social photography, parties and such like.

IQ is far better than the BCLs, not quite as good as (say) my 12-50 macro, nothing like my FTs 14-54 MkII (my normal walk around lens). Good enough! If I weren't using my tablet, I would attach some more samples, but here's one:



E-M1_JAK_2015-_C302165_Ew.jpg






--
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Appreciate the response.

I actually had that lens twice. There's something that I don't like about it, probably the zoom. Had the same experience with the 12-32.

For a daily carry camera, I probably will stick with a prime lens. I am looking into the 20mm, which I never had before. Tried the 14 once, but didn't like it.
 
Fuji X70.
 
jor23 said:
I post it here since my main gear is m43 - EM1, 12-40, 25 f1.8, 45 f1.8 and 17 f1.8. Also a 40-150 f4-5.6 kit zoom.

I've be pretty happy with the EM1 and don't plan to replace it anytime soon. Also, the lenses that I have cover all my needs. Maybe later on I will add a macro and fisheye, or a UWA lens. But nothing critical. I am quite satisfied.

Recently, I started touting the idea to get a camera that I could carry everyday with me.

I started looking at GM1 and GM5. Of course, I am not rich enough to not to consider cost. To me, $400 for the GM1 and $500 for the GM5 seem too much for what it is. The more important thing is, once I mount my 17 on them, they are not really that small.

I bought a used x100. It's a nice camera and I really like the color of the pictures from it. especially, ASTIA for portrait. But the x100 is not very 'pocketable'. With a hood, it's not that easy to slip in a jacket pocket either. However, I really like this fuji. It got me started thinking of getting a fuji body and couple it with a pancake lens - 27 or 18mm for carry around. Yet again, this will be as big or bigger than the x100 that I already have.

Then I bought a GX1 and EPM2, thinking I could settle with one of these. But same as the GMs, they get pretty thick with the 17mm lens for daily carry.

My problem is that I want to use my 17mm if I get another m43 body, maybe? Should I just get a pancake lens - the 20mm or the 14mm? They ought to make the GX1 or EPM2 very pocketable, I think.

Should I get the Ricoh GR? I am very tempted to buy one, but the price has been pretty high recently. Is it a lot smaller? Much easier to carry?

Or maybe, this idea of having something pocketable is wrong? I seem many are happy with X100 as daily carry.

I am also trying to convince myself that I don't need to get into another system (fuji), as it will not help my skills. But something about the pictures out of the x100 is making me want to try it. A used x-e1 with the pancake lens won't be horrible expensive...

YI need help
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To me, it looks like you are already set up? Did I misread?

i have the GX8 and the GH4 they are amazing. I loved my GM1, and regret selling it, but inbought on a day where if your Mom came.... don't get me started.

if you want a great pocket camera at an amazing price the 2016 Sony DCR DX100-M4 it's been in my bag since July 2015 and it's the best camera I own for its features vs $$ vs size

DBK
 
Any lens except the 9mm body cover lens will be hard to pocket and likely to be left behind in time. Get the GR.
 
The gm5 is roughly half an inch smaller in length and width than the gx1. I don't think it'll make much of a difference as the the lens will stick out by the same amount, which is the bigger issue.
 
jor23 said:
I post it here since my main gear is m43 - EM1, 12-40, 25 f1.8, 45 f1.8 and 17 f1.8. Also a 40-150 f4-5.6 kit zoom.

I've be pretty happy with the EM1 and don't plan to replace it anytime soon. Also, the lenses that I have cover all my needs. Maybe later on I will add a macro and fisheye, or a UWA lens. But nothing critical. I am quite satisfied.

Recently, I started touting the idea to get a camera that I could carry everyday with me.

I started looking at GM1 and GM5. Of course, I am not rich enough to not to consider cost. To me, $400 for the GM1 and $500 for the GM5 seem too much for what it is. The more important thing is, once I mount my 17 on them, they are not really that small.

I bought a used x100. It's a nice camera and I really like the color of the pictures from it. especially, ASTIA for portrait. But the x100 is not very 'pocketable'. With a hood, it's not that easy to slip in a jacket pocket either. However, I really like this fuji. It got me started thinking of getting a fuji body and couple it with a pancake lens - 27 or 18mm for carry around. Yet again, this will be as big or bigger than the x100 that I already have.

Then I bought a GX1 and EPM2, thinking I could settle with one of these. But same as the GMs, they get pretty thick with the 17mm lens for daily carry.

My problem is that I want to use my 17mm if I get another m43 body, maybe? Should I just get a pancake lens - the 20mm or the 14mm? They ought to make the GX1 or EPM2 very pocketable, I think.

Should I get the Ricoh GR? I am very tempted to buy one, but the price has been pretty high recently. Is it a lot smaller? Much easier to carry?

Or maybe, this idea of having something pocketable is wrong? I seem many are happy with X100 as daily carry.

I am also trying to convince myself that I don't need to get into another system (fuji), as it will not help my skills. But something about the pictures out of the x100 is making me want to try it. A used x-e1 with the pancake lens won't be horrible expensive...

I need help
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I have been carrying around cameras every day for years and I have the GM1 and the Ricoh as well as a bunch of compacts like the LX7 and Canon and Fuji superzooms.

This might sound ridiculous to you but for all day carry, my favorite camera is a compact superzoom or else the LX7 or Ricoh if I expect to be in shooting in lower light as well.

This is because these cameras are truly pocketable in a way that even the GM1 is not unless you use the 14mm lens on it and the controls on the Ricoh are way better than on the GM1. Not that I don't like my GM1, I do but it is a fiddly little beast and I tend to carry it with four or five lenses including a 7-14, so its not used as an everyday carry camera.

The amazing things with superzooms is that they are so versatile, sure the IQ is way off but if IQ is my goal, I now use a Fuji XT1 and some primes, to me every day carry is about recording and documenting random stuff and the camera needs to be small enough to be convenient to carry all day even though it may end up only being used a few times a day, it also needs to be versatile and superzooms are super versatile. The IQ from my Canon SX260 and Fuji F900 is more than adequate for screen use and far better than any mobile phone camera.

The new Canon SX720 is surely the best every day carry camera ever made with a 40X zoom and reasonable IQ throughout the zoom range. Add a tiny pocket tripod and low light is often no longer a problem either.

Compact superzooms are the most underrated cameras out there.
 
jor23 said:
I got an EPM2 with kit lens for $107 used. It's probably the same size as the EPL7. I had an EPL6 before. While it's OK, I didn't like the wheel on the back. They changed it on the EPL7, I think.

The problem for me is probably that I don't have a pancake lens.
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The Panny 14mm is dirt cheap and crazy sharp and critically it is tiny, its almost like a lens cap which is what you want on a camera that you carry all day.
 
for reference. They all seem to be comparable, with x100 being a bit larger.

060522ae26c9483fb3ede0184224baec.jpg

c1ffcaa90e4f40b99a9ac8a46616c5fc.jpg
 
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jor23 said:
I started looking at GM1 and GM5. Of course, I am not rich enough to not to consider cost. To me, $400 for the GM1 and $500 for the GM5 seem too much for what it is. The more important thing is, once I mount my 17 on them, they are not really that small.
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I agree that the EPM2 is simply too large, but the GM1 seems to meet your needs perfectly.
If you were willing to buy a used X100, then why not buy a used GM1? You can find used GM1 plus lens kits selling on ebay for even less than used X100 cameras. I even saw one sell for $188 that was just missing a charger. And those are not to hard find on Amazon for less than $20.

This camera is absolutely tiny, and when paired with a pancake lens is definitely pocketable. Your X100 is around the same height and width as your EM1, even if much lighter. A GMi is considerably smaller, and much easier to carry in a pocket.

You really don't need the more expensive GM5, unless you insist on having an EVF on every camera you own. Because the EVF is the only major difference between the GM1 and the GM5. But if you need one, then get a GM5 and pay around $100 more.

ff714ac483034a288fcef42f6685b73e.jpg

I use an EM1 plus a GM1, and I find the combination works perfectly together. Plus, you have the advantage of using 100% of your M4/3 lenses on this pocket rocket. So it can also function as a second body, whenever you don't want to change lenses on the fly.

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Thank you, Marty.

I should probably invest in a pancake lens. But both the 14mm and 20mm are somewhat redundant given what I already have (17, 25 and 45). I am having a hard time convincing myself to spend that $150. I don't want to sell either of my primes.

I think with a pancake, the epm2 or the GX1 would be much easier to carry. I plan to sell one, but not sure which one. I was sure that the GX1 is what I will keep. But after using both for a few days, I actually prefer the interface on the EPM2, even though it's less 'premium'. I also like the white color.

The X100 is obviously an impulse purchase. But once I started using it, I was very impressed. Something unique to that Fuji color. I almost bought an XE1 the other day. But was able to resist, barely. I don't know if it makes sense to keep the X100, as it's quite heavy and the focal length is covered by my 17mm. But it's such a nice camera ...

I think I would be satisfied if I get a pancake 20mm. But that means the 17 and 25 will see less use.

It's fun to have problems like this, I guess.
 
I received the 14mm that I ordered from eBay.

To my disappointment, it doesn't really change how I carry the camera. I mounted it on the GX! that I have. Compared to the EPM2 with 17mm f1.8 mounted, it is about half an inch shorter.





c6fdbfa0e38141d6a05ec64b426442ee.jpg
 
get something that fits in your pocket go for it. you will be happy.
 
gr would work although your m43 and a pancake lens may fit in a big pocket. it is nice sometimes to go small.
 
EPM2 + 14mm fits in a jacket pocket easily.

It's just that I can't carry it without being noticed. Maybe a GR will do it for me. I am having a hard time to find a good deal on it though.

It was 550 in January. Now, it's being sold for 680 ...
 
It really depends on your needs, and the size of your pockets (both for carrying the camera and figuratively for the cost of the camera). But in general, I tend to think of the smaller fixed lens cameras. Sure, you won't get those ultra low light/no flash shots, but it gives you the flexibility and it hides in the background.

I tend to go with my Stylus-1 for a pocketable camera rather than a small micro 4/3rds (E-PM2 in my case) with a small lens (Panasonic 20mm f/1.7). The pluses are:
  • It will easily fit in my jacket pocket;
  • it is unobtrusive when it is worn on the shoulder;
  • it has a built-in pop-up flash (no FL-LM2/LM3 that adds to the height), but with a hot-shoe and remote RC flash for when you need it;
  • it has an equivalent of 28-300mm f/2.8 lens (I have taken shots indoors with it without flash, while they are not noise free, they are certainly usable -- the f/2.8 lens helps compared to other compacts with a smaller sensor and f/3.5-5.6 lenses);
  • It is more advanced than many of the old Olympus compact cameras, and has the same menu structure (there are a few places where I wished it had some features that are in the Pens/OM-Ds);
  • If you have Pens, it takes the same BLS-1/BLS-5/BLS-52 battery;
  • It uses the RM-UC1 shutter release cord, and works with the Olympus OIShare smartphone wifi app for remote control;
  • It has a 1/1.7" sensor, and I've found it is acceptable to ISO 800 for normal shots, and ISO 1600 if you are willing to push it a bit;
  • It has an electronic viewfinder (EVF), which makes it taller, but it very useful when shooting in the sun (it is roughly the same EVF as the E-M5 mark 1);
  • It shoots RAW;
  • There was an updated model Stylus-1S that updated a lot of things, and except for the material on the grip, there was a firmware release that gave most of the 1S features. Until they started to close it out, the 1S wasn't sold in the USA.
However there are some disadvantages:
  • Unfortunately, Olympus stopped selling it last year, when they got out of the whole compact camera market except for the Tough line. There is an entry for it at the Olympus outlet store, they are currently sold out (perhaps they have some more and will restock -- otherwise you would need to used);
  • It is not weather sealed (at times I go with the E-M5 and 14-150mm II lens, which gives the same range, and is weather sealed, but it is bigger);
  • When it was sold, it was fairly expensive (I think I paid $800 for it), and so not a lot where sold. My salesman says it was primarily bought by people with a big DSLR or mirrorless setup, who wanted a small carry most places camera.
Other than the Stylus-1, perhaps look at the Panasonic DMC-LX100: https://www.dpreview.com/products/panasonic/compacts/panasonic_dmclx100/specifications
 
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