Buyer's Regret: GX8

Tommi K1 wrote:

Fulcanelli wrote:

Wow, what a disappointing camera!

I thought the GX8 would be much like the GX7 and with improvements. The GX7 was one of the most enjoyable cameras I have owned.

Mistake the Panasonic IMHO did was to release whole GX8 as GX8 instead as totally another name.

They should have sticked the GX8 name to the GX7 Mk2 aka GX85/GX80 and just skip that.

As I have perceived the GX8, it has got like 60% negativity and 40% positivity. First example DRP didn't review the whole camera for like half a year or year after release, and then the shutter mechanism got the news circulation and then there was the negative talks about its size as a "brick". And then came the PEN F that stole the thunder.

Many small things went wrong with the GX8 and IMHO Panasonic should have just discontinued it and put the GX85 as GX8.

Part of the confusion is that Panasonic switched to their new naming scheme of single digit names ie #=Pro, ##=enthusiast, ###=consumer STARTING with the GX8. Everyone assumes the new naming scheme started with the GX85 and Panasonic made no announcement to clear this up.

If you look at it that way then, in fact , the GX8 is a NEW line of camera, it's the new PRO, rangefinder style, photo-centric body. With weather sealing , best in class sensor , IBIS etc, which didn't exist before. Unfortunately the name makes it look like the sequel to the previous Enthusiast camera, the GX7, which, under this new scheme would have been called the GX70. Similarly , under the new scheme the G7 would have been called the G70.

With this realization the product lineup now makes sense...

SLR Style Video-centric cameras (G/GH)

Enthusiast: G70 -> G80 Pro:GH4 -> GH5

RangerFinder Style Photocentric Cameras (GX)

Consumer: GX850 Enthusiast: GX70 -> GX80 Pro: (New class) GX8

Remember the 80/85 monikers just represent regional differences.

In terms of the timing of it's release , I do wish they had waited and used the GX80's IBIS. Once the GX80 came out it made the GX8 seem out of place. A flagship class product with lesser technology than the lesser enthusiast version. I'm sure that cut into sales as people now expected a quicker refresh of the body to appear with the updates from the GX80/G80.

Now in terms of the GX8 itself. I too have one and I love it. There are two additions I've made to it that improve the ergonomics for me, The extended Eyecup for the EVF and the leather half-case. The eyecup makes it a lot easier to use the EVF during bright sunlight and the half-case fills out the grip nicely.

https://youtu.be/or2qkWSdFmE

I'm personally anxious to see what Panasonic does with the GX9 to compete with the EM1-II and other photo-centric cameras in it's class. The pricing will need to be cheaper than the GH5 since it would be expected to have all the GH5 photocentric features w/o its advanced video codecs etc.