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Good cheap second to my g85

Started Dec 16, 2020 | Discussions thread
Tatouzou
Tatouzou Senior Member • Posts: 2,081
Re: Good cheap second to my g85

Isonychia wrote:

I have researched this to death. The G85 is my primary for video and action wildlife shooting as well as some starry nights. I am looking for a smaller and cheaper "backup" camera. The Gx8 is obviously the answer having the microphone input but it appears it can no longer be had aside from high connoisseur used pricing. Maybe one day there will be a real replacement. The Gx7 seems adequate as a backup and used around $230 vs the Gx85 which is about $350 used but not sure as a backup camera is worth the extra $$ As someday I'll use the G85 as the backup and when I can afford it, the Gh5 my mainstay.

It's 2020, is the GX7 still adequate as a backup or will the GX85 DFD really be important for photographing moving objects? Is $450 a reasonable price for used GX8, all things shutter shock considered?

I suggest you also look at the G7.

Its design, ergonomy, size and handling are very close to G85, it has 4K features, nice OLED EVF, fast DFD-AF, microphone port, fully articulated screen, same battery as G85, making it worth as a second camera for a G85 owner.

https://www.dpreview.com/products/panasonic/slrs/panasonic_dmcg7/review

As it doesnt have IBIS and may show shutter shock with some lenses, it can be had for very cheap, even new in some countries.

Got mine in 2017, bundled with 14-140. I used it a lot until I bought a new GX8 in a firesale.

Shooting with Pany OIS lenses, I get confident sharp shots at 1/10 at the wide end (12-14), and 1/25 at the long end (100/140). With the e-shutter, there are no shutter shock issues, even with the 14-140, which is said to be very prone to it between 1/60 and 1/320.

Some G7+14/140 in the 1/60 to 1/320 SS from my dpreview gallery:

Some other from my flickr gallery showing OIS effectivity on G7+14-140:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/70066783@N06/32753987767/in/album-72157691094528173/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/70066783@N06/32754065437/in/album-72157691094528173/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/70066783@N06/47697324061/in/album-72157691094528173/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/70066783@N06/32774143157/in/album-72157691094528173/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/70066783@N06/47717974141/in/album-72157691094528173/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/70066783@N06/47665056362/in/album-72157691094528173/

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