I need some help ...

I post it here since my main gear is m43 - EM1, 12-40, 25 f1.8, 45 f1.8 and 17 f1.8. Also a 40-150 f4-5.6 kit zoom.

I've be pretty happy with the EM1 and don't plan to replace it anytime soon. Also, the lenses that I have cover all my needs. Maybe later on I will add a macro and fisheye, or a UWA lens. But nothing critical. I am quite satisfied.

Recently, I started touting the idea to get a camera that I could carry everyday with me.

I started looking at GM1 and GM5. Of course, I am not rich enough to not to consider cost. To me, $400 for the GM1 and $500 for the GM5 seem too much for what it is. The more important thing is, once I mount my 17 on them, they are not really that small.

I bought a used x100. It's a nice camera and I really like the color of the pictures from it. especially, ASTIA for portrait. But the x100 is not very 'pocketable'. With a hood, it's not that easy to slip in a jacket pocket either. However, I really like this fuji. It got me started thinking of getting a fuji body and couple it with a pancake lens - 27 or 18mm for carry around. Yet again, this will be as big or bigger than the x100 that I already have.

Then I bought a GX1 and EPM2, thinking I could settle with one of these. But same as the GMs, they get pretty thick with the 17mm lens for daily carry.

My problem is that I want to use my 17mm if I get another m43 body, maybe? Should I just get a pancake lens - the 20mm or the 14mm? They ought to make the GX1 or EPM2 very pocketable, I think.

Should I get the Ricoh GR? I am very tempted to buy one, but the price has been pretty high recently. Is it a lot smaller? Much easier to carry?

Or maybe, this idea of having something pocketable is wrong? I seem many are happy with X100 as daily carry.

I am also trying to convince myself that I don't need to get into another system (fuji), as it will not help my skills. But something about the pictures out of the x100 is making me want to try it. A used x-e1 with the pancake lens won't be horrible expensive...

I need help

So many options and no bad choices.  Only you can decide.  If I was looking for a back up for my EM1 it would probably be the GM5.  I would love to try one.

What kind of pictures do you want to take with your carry-anywhere camera, and when will you not have your E-M1?

Ultimate portability is something like an iPhone and in many conditions, that can give excellent results.  But presumably you need to cover conditions outside of those. What are they?

jor23 wrote:

I post it here since my main gear is m43 - EM1, 12-40, 25 f1.8, 45 f1.8 and 17 f1.8. Also a 40-150 f4-5.6 kit zoom.

Just base on your needs, you may be happy with this camera

Camera has very decent sensor, ZOOM range, and many features you may use sometimes, and at the same time it can be called pocketable.

EVF is not great, but quite usable, price is a bit high, but, I'd buy this camera for myself.

Your 'issue' is your lens choice.

I've a GM1 and for ultimate compactness, the 9mmBCL is it.  But the FE is not optimal for general use.  I use the 14/2.5 instead.  I also use the 17/2.8 when 14 is too wide but in general, I like the 14 better.

Your 17/1.8 is never going to be compact no matter how badly you want it to be 

The GM1 with kit 12-32mm is very pocketable in its hard case. It needs a jacket side pocket but that works for me. It is slightly larger with the 20mm f/1.7 or the 7.5mm fisheye. With those, it would go in my small padded shoulder case.

There is no EVF but that works for me and the pop up flash is really useful.

It's a proper camera and seems to AF Canon lenses using my MB4 adapter. Handy as a back up, since Canon is my second choice for the A7R, after native lenses.

There are so many small cameras, it really depends what you really want and what compromises you are willing to make.

$400 seems a lot for a used GM1 kit.  Mine cost me £250 as an open box ex demo model.

Happy hunting

Andrew

The GM5 with the 12-32 kit lens is a nice combination.  That lens is sharp, not especially fast, but it delivers good images.  There are two lenses that I can think of which are available used for not too much money and those are the 14 2.5 and the 20 1.7.  Before you turn your nose up at the 20, remember that it is a Panasonic lens and that it seems to work better on Panasonic bodies.  The GM5 rides backup for a lot of M43 bodies and it can operate with any lens that you have.  It may not be "pocketable", but it is not a toy either.  If you want a pocket camera, Canon has a whole slew of silver P&S cameras (I calll them bars of soap) which do a pretty decent job...but, they are not interchangeable bodies and they will not return the image quality of the GM5.

Since you already have a set of Olympus lenses, you could be like me and wait for the EPL7 clearance. Judging from the EPL6 history, it might be possible to get one for $250. Not as small as the GM series, but the EPL7 should still be easily jacket pocketable with one of the flatter or pancake lenses.

There's no EVF however (unlike your X100).

Gonna be hard pressed to find something substantially better than the x100.  The gm5 is comfortabely jacket pocketable with the 17 1.8, and that's my usual go to combo.  It's my go everywhere camera as I find the em10 still just a bit to large to Take with me in any situation.  Throw it in my messenger bag with a small bag of primes(45 1.8 + 50 1.7) and I'm good to go.