GX7 upgrade

technotic wrote:

Looking to potentially upgrade from GX7 mainly for IBIS, 4K, quieter shutter, ideally faster AF and whatever else the new cams have. The GX9 is obvious choice but not heard great things about the IBIS. Also considering Olympus EM1 II because - well never had an Olympus and might be good to try something different. Could go for EM5 but I thought I'd go big and I would like 4K video. In UK the EM1 can be had for 915 at hdewcameras. Anyone else made this jump? Anything to report? Did it feel too big? I have a few lenses none big. All Olympus lenses except one Panasonic. I shoot mainly stills but would like to do more video. G9 also an option I suppose but seems like it's even bigger and heavier than EM1. I do want to keep size down. I shoot urban landscapes, some street, events, portraits.

A couple months ago i was planning my upgrade from an EM1 (still have the EM1). For the record in the past i have owned a GX7 on two occasions, and a GX8 in between those (the GX7 was way ahead of it's time). If i remember the GX8 doesn't use IBIS for 4k video shooting, if true you might steer clear of it since 4k is important to you.

So for my recent purchase i was looking at everything from the GX85 up to the flagships for both Oly and Panny. I had actually bought a GX850 just to have a front facing screen but returned it and ended up buying a G9, my final decision between the G9 and EM1-II was decided by a few things.

The G9 has, AFAIK, the biggest VF put in any digital camera, only matched when you look back at old film cameras. Some people say there's a pincushion shape to it, as if it's not good bc of that. I believe it's actually a curved EVF, so you see the curve line on top and bottom as it slightly wraps around. I think people are mistaking this for a flat pincushion design, which would be odd.

It's not a huge angle of curve and it actually looks more natural bc it's so freaking big. it's the only EVF i have used where i don't really miss an OVF. 3.7 million dots and .84x mag, it's awesome. Coming from the 16/9 GX7 EVF, you will feel like you are in an alternate universe, it's quite amazing. I also have an EM1 and i read the EM1-II has the same EVF as the mark 1. Not a bad EVF but it's not cutting edge, this mattered to me.

Another point was the top LCD on the G9. It's very convenient, it's much easier for me to glance at the top plate and adjust dials than adjust everyting through the EVF, and it uses less juice to do so than having the LCD on. Almost no ML have the top plate, i think just the dead NX1 and the medium format Fuji.

Also, from using my EM1 vs 3 Panasonic bodies, i think Panasonic has much better menus, assuming they didn't drastically improve the EM1-II. Another point, i don't now how important high rez mode is to you but the G9 can deal with object motion without those odd artifact lines.

One last advantage over lower end models (not sure if the new EM1 has it) is a full auto ISO design. One thing i loved about my Nikons is when using auto ISO in aperture mode, i could set my minimum SS to any setting. The G9 finally has it and it does one better, you can tie the minimum SS listing to any button (i have mine as up on the D pad), so one quick press and then adjust the dial to what setting you want. Even Nikon doesn't offer that, you had to menu dive to change the SS limit.

Im partial to Panasonic but the EM1-II is amazing too, maybe some Olympus guys can offer some advantages to that side. The way i look at it, if you upgrade now to a flagship, you are less likely to have GAS as soon in the future and the improved performance might allow you to capture images lower end cams can't. Good luck.