Pany G7 vs G85 vs G9

I'm with Trevor. The best cameras depreciate quickly--and most notably when they are replaced. Mirrorless cameras are replaced more quickly and that drives down the price before cameras on the used market are really very outdated or too well used. The G7, EM-1, XT-1 are the cameras that represent a great value to me right now. All about $450 used with many years left. Early adopters get gouged.

I have an Oly E-1, 11-22mm, 50-200mm that I keep around for sentimental reasons. I'm thinking about getting an E-M1 for $450ish just to keep using the Zuikos.  My main camera is a Sony A7. I like the form factor, price when paired with legacy glass and the IQ. My largest photography purchase to date was the Canon FD 500mm f4.5L for $1100 and adding the E-M1 would be like buying a 2x teleconverter for it. I've also considered the G7 because I think it's a bargain used (even new). I like the basic controls, articulated screen, and 4K.

I would love a G9 and have no problem with the price Panasonic is asking (compared with FF flagship bodies and lenses). I could never pay that much for one, because I never pay retail and usually wait for the used market to deliver a high value, but the very large VF would be really helpful with manual focus--a high priority for me. I really like the build quality, battery, dual slots, SLRish top LCD, dual IS, and refined processing engine. I'd love the 200mm f2.8 + 2x or the 100-400mm--neither are really in my price range, but more so than FF big glass that exists.

I have little money for hobbies by choice, though sometimes I'm jealous of people buying a bunch of new stuff every year. Even if I made a mint, I'd still probably buy cameras after initial depreciation curve starts to flatten out. I think the G9 used for $800 is the target for me. The G10 would have to be announced or on the market to get those prices, but if I wait it out it will still be a notable upgrade.

Cheers, Seth

Trevor Carpenter wrote:

I'm afraid I come from the Ebenezer Scrooge school of money management. I'm not actually tight but I do like to think I am getting value for money and I hate being ripped off. Because of that and my immense satisfaction with the g80 (I was more than happy with the G7 before it) I decided to forego the G9. There are things about the G9 that I would so like but I feel both Panny and Olympus are taking the mick a bit when it comes to pricing policy. I know people will argue that the G9 and the EM1-2 are incredible cameras but as I see it the difference in manufacturing costs are probably no more than 30% more. Distribution cost, marketing and retail costs are the same yet the G9 is three times the current cost of the G80 and even when comparing launch day cost it is 2.5 times. The EM1-2 was nearly twice the E1 on launch. I have no way of proving it but I suspect that if the G9 had been about £1100 it would have been a sales sensation and Panny would have still made out like a bandit.