Suggestions on gear

hello again ...

I recently posted a thread about the choice of a 2nd camera. I want to seek some more suggestions on gear here.

Sold all my Canon stuff a while ago and fully transitioned into the m43 world. After trying E-M10, E-M5ii and E-PL6, I settled on the E-M1. The lenses that I have right now are 17mm/25mm/45mm f.8 Olympus lenses, the 40-150 kit lens and the 12-40 f2.8 pro zoom. I am quite happy with these lenses. Maybe add a wide angle or macro later on.

The E-M1 is small compared to my old Canon 40D. However, it still feels handful in some occasions. So, I started looking into a 2nd camera that I can take with me more often. Tried Fuji X100 and Ricoh GR. Both were really good cameras. I felt the X100 was still too heavy and large to carry. The GR was great - IQ and size, but limited. Wonderful for street or landscape, but not so great for portrait, especially kids.

Then I bought an RX100 Mark I. It was good enough and made me sell the GR for its role as a second camera to the E-M1. Tried the Canon G7X as well. It's more expensive, has better lens, but the speed was too slow in RAW - 1fps.

All seemed good - RX100 + E-M1 was a good combo.

However, the problem now is that I rarely get to use my prime lenses. To use them, I have to bring the E-M1. So, I ended up shooting either with RX100 or E-M1 with the 12-40 zoom.

I thought the solution was a smaller m43 body. I had an E-PM2 and GX1 before. Neither clicked with me. But when I saw a good deal on LX100, I had to jump.

The LX100 is nice - the video, the handling, the IQ is as good as RX100 if not slightly better. But it is somewhat odd in my lineup. It's significantly larger than the RX100 and still doesn't allow me to use my primes.

I bought a GM1 ...

A friend of mine sent me a RX1 in the meanwhile.

So, to summarize, I now have

• E-M1 and GM1, with 17/25/45 primes, 12-40 pro zoom and the 40-150 tele
• RX100
• LX100
• RX1

I think I am happy with E-M1 being my prime camera. The RX1 is obviously gonna stay (loving it so far).

What about the others?

The RX100 is so small and I can see times when even the RX1, LX100, or GM1 is too large. It also shares batteries with the RX1. IQ is good enough for me.

The LX100 is nice. But as I said, it doesn't allow me to use my m43 lens. And it's large. But perfect for travel, when I don't want to take the E-M1. Maybe the RX100 can serve this role as well. Then, the LX100 needs to go. LX100's video is great.

The GM1 is good. I am still not sure if it's the right choice for me. Maybe a GX85 or E-P5 would have been better.

I am obviously sick with GAS. Any suggestions on what to do?

I like taking pictures of family and friends, plants. Started playing with street. Haven't been able to shoot a good video yet. A little bit of everything .

Seems like you have a good selection of gear... I'd say that maybe the best thing that you could do for your photography at this point would be to collect some more inspiration. Look at some books, go to some galleries, museums, web sites etc and see what folks are doing with the medium... maybe that'll give you some ideas on how to use what you already have.

jor23 wrote:

So, to summarize, I now have

• E-M1 and GM1, with 17/25/45 primes, 12-40 pro zoom and the 40-150 tele
• RX100
• LX100
• RX1

I think I am happy with E-M1 being my prime camera. The RX1 is obviously gonna stay (loving it so far).

I am obviously sick with GAS. Any suggestions on what to do?

I like taking pictures of family and friends, plants. Started playing with street. Haven't been able to shoot a good video yet. A little bit of everything .

Although I won't offer specific advice on what gear to keep, my general advice is that you need to make a specific list of what you want to shoot and then figure out what gear you need to realize the goals on your list.  So, from what I am seeing on your list:

• Pictures of Family and Friends -  That could cover a pretty wide range.  Where are you planning on photographing them?  Are you going to be traveling with them (and your gear)?  If you are traveling, weight is a consideration.  Are you thinking about portraits? Maybe a longer focal length is important. Action shots?  Maybe quick focusing would be a benefit. Are you going to photograph them in bad weather? At the beach?  Maybe you need something with weather sealing. Try to imagine some specific scenarios where you would want to photograph family and friends, and *then* think of what gear you need.  
• Plants - Are you interested in macro?  You probably need to think about gear with a lot of DOF.  You might also want to think about some lighting gear. 
• Street -- Something small and unobtrusive is probably good.  You don't need much reach. My choice would probably be a 17mm prime on one of the M4/3 bodies. Maybe the RX10 would be good. I have never used one, and so I can't say for sure.
• Video -- Which gear handles video the best?  My guess would be the LX100.

You seem to be pretty set on keeping the EM-1 (with lenses) and the RX10.   So, which of the remaining three will suit your goals best -- the GM1, LX100, or the RX100?  The main argument for the GM1 is that it would be a good backup for the EM1, but you sound as if you have never warmed up to the GM1. You could always use one of the other bodies as a backup.  That leaves us with the RX100 or the LX100. Basically, it's a question of which you value more: the smaller size of the RX100 or the video capability of the LX100. Only you can answer which is right for you.

Keep gear, take pictures, add lenses!

(see my gear list for details)

I highly recommend the GX85 and the GM5. Both have an EVF, almost the same menus, and are very flexible for swapping all your lenses...and are compact enough to take anywhere in coat pockets or a small bag.

I'm a gearhead too.  I used to hoard new gears the same way I'd hunt for new theme park rides - if there's a new one I've not tried, I'll be there, dragging my family along with me 

I've now trimmed down to 'bare' essentials by keeping it simple as much as I can.

• For streets and general photography: PEN-F + 2/3 primes(15/45/75)
• For kids' sporting events(basketball, swimming): PEN-F + 45(stills), GX85 + 25(video)
• For kids's non-sporting events: GX85 + 35-100/2.8, GM1 + 15
• For traveling: PEN-F + 9-18, GM1 + 15, with 40-150R + 25 + 45 + 7.5FE stored in a separate bag.  GX85 stays home as the HD video on PEN-F/GM1 is good enough.  I also have my Olympus TG-4 when water is expected - snorkel, snow, showers.
• For daily carry-around photography: GM1 + 15

For me, a LX100 or RX1 or RX100 or GR, though very nice on paper, doesn't really work in practice when I have the primes and bodies that can match or exceed any expectations the others got to offer.

In short, EM1 + GM1.  Add GX85 if you're into 4K video.  Add a 15/1.7 to bring new shine to your GM1.  Force yourself to use only the GM1 + 15 for a week or two - I did a month-long Asia trip using GM1 + 15 close to 85% of the time

... Perhaps the new E-PL8 would do... slap on a pancake prime, maybe add a VF 4 viewfinder to slip in your pocket...Good to go for street photography...

The menus are basically the same, except where the E-PL8 is lacking in features the EM1 has, color rendition and tonality will be similar if not the same.

It seems your concern is not using gear that you already have.

So what gear are you using the most?

If you don't use it then sell it and you can use the funds to feed your future GAS.

Barry

Well, the menus will be quite different, color rendition and tonality likely different. I should have mentioned, sell the GM1. but that's just my thought