Advice please on G80 or G90 and 24-140 lens

Lilyanna wrote:

Thanks everyone for your advice. My macro is probably 105mm, it has been a long time since I looked at it. I hope that I can find an adapter for it.

What is your 105? If a Canon, you can find an adapter which supports communication so has AF, can set f/stop precisely on the body, and has f/stop recorded on EXIF.

If Nikon, a dummy adapter only. i.e., no AF, no f/stop on EXIF. Your lens is better to have an aperture ring for precise f/stop setting.

I have looked at several G90 and 14-140 offers and none of them say Mk11 or give serial numbers which is annoying. So I assume that it is probably Mk1. On Amazon Mk1 is £479 and Mk11 £449 on some sites and £620 on others as is Wex £620.

Is the 14-140 kit lens the same as separate lens or is it a special cheap one made for the kit, anyone know?

They are the same.

Mk-I has 3 versions in different finishing, gross, dull and a red HD etc, but all optically and are built the same.

If it is same as sold separately then even Mk1 means the camera would only then be £550, which is a good price considering G85 is £499 cheapest at them moment.

G85 is under big discount right now. A reason it triggered my GAS buy (I always wish to avoid the size of G series). I paid £335 in gray market for a new body after de-kitted the 12~60 a few months ago. In gray market a new de-kitted 12~60 is listed at £150~160.

A kitted lens very often is a good buy.

I have read several reviews, and G90 is alot newer so presumably better. Any reasons for one over the other?

To me IQ of G85 vs G95 is not a deal beaker. 4Mp more pixel, a new My Menu for easier menu diving, also Live Composite which is new for the 9/9? series of Panny that 8/8? does not have could be the major difference. Other than those, minor upgrade here and there.

Do you need those newer feature and more pixel at a higher price...?

Reviews said not alot of difference, but given price at moment of G90 14-140 then price difference not an issue.

The review said the grip is different than the G80, I found the G80 ok, is the G90 much different?

Of course I would like it cheaper but the G80 has taken a long time to drop in price and Panasonic don't seem to have done any significant promotions ( that I have seen) since Nov 2018 when it had cashback of £200 for a week. And I missed it due to dithering.

Before the current wave of discount on G85, Panny was busy on selling GX85 which seems a big success so far. After a brife period of inventory sales of G7 in earlier time, now is G85.

Do you think there will be any significant price drops or promotions soon? Of course this has dropped from £1200-1300 to £999 and may go back up soon.

In fact I saw gray market price on G95 is also coming down quickly. I guess 6 months or so later I can expect a £400/450 price tag on G95 (now is around £500~700 body only).

My Fz150 does quite nice pics on quite close subjects, so this will really be for more distant, but not too distant as will only 100-300 not 100-400 subjects, and not prime lenses. So I am still really trying to justify why I need a SLR again at this price.

On ILC, how close we can shoot is lens dependence. Panny 30 f/2.8, Oly 30 f/3.5 or 60 f/2.8 macro lens are great for macro shooting. Or a cheap AF extension tube, a close up filter, or a MF adapted vintage macro lens will all do.

Thanks