Can't seem to find the right m4/3 camera

jwilliams wrote:

Max5150 wrote:

Looking to downsize. APS-C bodies like the Sony 6500 are a good size but the lenses still too big. I was looking at the Panasonic G7, GX8/GX9, and GX85 in the store. I like the size and handling of the G7 more than the GX8/9, but want higher spec. G5 is too big - might as well buy an A7iii at that point.

Is there a higher spec G7 sized model in Japan that I'm not seeing here in the USA?

I could also go Olympus 10miii or 5mii, but their menu and a few other things has me leaning Panasonic. Not sure what's coming out in the near future either, but I usually stick with what's been out for a little while. I'm more interested in stills than video, but do take video as well.

Any suggestions about higher spec Panasonic in Europe or Japan markets?

out of luck really. If by higher spec you mean having the latest imaging tech, then only a few cameras meet your criteria and you just removed the only one that isn't basically as big as an APSC or FF camera.

The GX9 is the smallest camera with the 20MP sensor. Not tiny or really light, but smaller and lighter than all the others. If you don't like that, then you only have to choose from mostly older m43 models with the 16 MP sensor. The difference between the 16 and 20 MP sensors is small, but it is there and if doing things like shooting in lower light levels is much appreciated.

I just recently acquired a GX9. I haven't had it long enough to give any definitive advice. IQ seems a very small step up from the 16MP cameras and I don't see any glaring problems, but haven't used it much so not a lot else I can comment on yet. I'm guessing you prefer the DSLR style of the G7 and if so then the GX9 just isn't what you want.

I played with an EM10 III in a store recently and was surprised how much I liked it. It does however have the older 16MP sensor and really isn't high tech in any way. It has a pretty good EVF, a built in flash and handles pretty good with smaller/lighter lenses. Larger lenses will be a bit mismatched and there is no add on grip for this model.

The G85 is kind of what you are looking for (similar size/shape to G7), but it has the older sensor and the imaging pipeline is not as good as those in the most recent Panny cameras. This is a camera Panny needs to update pronto, but they have shown no interest in doing that publicly. A G95 with the imaging hardware from the G9/GX9 would be great, but it is nowhere on the horizon and may never happen.

Both Panny and especially Oly have fallen behind in the updating of their camera to be competitive with the rest of the market. Most have 6 year old sensor tech and Panny while recently updating its image processing, have only rolled that out into a few cameras.

This is the major problem facing m43. I am sure lots of folks like you are going to go to something like the really good Fuji XT3 because m43 at the moment just really is not competitive in most aspects.

Well said Jonathan, and I am still buying Panasonic bodies as well  Despite them being so out of date ....  must be mad.