Upgrade Options

Greetings everyone. I’m in the market to upgrade my ancient Oly E-PL1 and am stuck with some indecisiveness given the myriad of options that are currently available. My job currently has me working in Europe for the foreseeable future so I need a camera that can do a little bit of everything—travel, street, museum, landscape and general everyday use for capturing our kids (still and/or video). I want to stay in the M43 ecosystem since I like the portability of the form factor. I’ve spent the last few weeks researching on the internet as well as these forums and DPR camera reviews and have essentially narrowed my options to the following based on availability and a budget of $900-1000 and potential reuse of my 2 existing lenses.

1. E-M10 mark ii w/14-42mm kit lens and a Oly 17mm f/1.8

2. E-M10 mark iii w/14-42mm kit lens and 40-150mm zoom (would upgrade my existing lenses from my E-PL1)

3. Pany G7 and a 25mm prime

4. Pany G85 w/12-60mm kit lens

5. Buy some combination of lenses for my current body (researching the Oly travel lens kit is what started me on this journey in the first place)

Of these, options 1 and 4 are where I’m being indecisive. On amazon, both come out at the same price.

I’d appreciate any and all thoughts on these options (or any others that I may not have thought of)

Thanks!

Falcon04 wrote:

Greetings everyone. I’m in the market to upgrade my ancient Oly E-PL1 and am stuck with some indecisiveness given the myriad of options that are currently available. My job currently has me working in Europe for the foreseeable future …

LUCKY YOU!

4. Pany G85 w/12-60mm kit lens

Best bang for the buck. Excellent handling and ergonomics. Weathersealed… great for travel, hiking, beach, etc.. Excellent kit lens. Excellent video.

You can’t go wrong with that kit!

Keep using your EPL1 lenses, too.

Jonas Palm wrote:

Falcon04 wrote:

Greetings everyone. I’m in the market to upgrade my ancient Oly E-PL1 and am stuck with some indecisiveness given the myriad of options that are currently available. My job currently has me working in Europe for the foreseeable future so I need a camera that can do a little bit of everything—travel, street, museum, landscape and general everyday use for capturing our kids (still and/or video). I want to stay in the M43 ecosystem since I like the portability of the form factor. I’ve spent the last few weeks researching on the internet as well as these forums and DPR camera reviews and have essentially narrowed my options to the following based on availability and a budget of $900-1000 and potential reuse of my 2 existing lenses.

1. E-M10 mark ii w/14-42mm kit lens and a Oly 17mm f/1.8

2. E-M10 mark iii w/14-42mm kit lens and 40-150mm zoom (would upgrade my existing lenses from my E-PL1)

3. Pany G7 and a 25mm prime

4. Pany G85 w/12-60mm kit lens

5. Buy some combination of lenses for my current body (researching the Oly travel lens kit is what started me on this journey in the first place)

Of these, options 1 and 4 are where I’m being indecisive. On amazon, both come out at the same price.

I’d appreciate any and all thoughts on these options (or any others that I may not have thought of)

Thanks!

Option 1. and 4. would be my preferred alternatives. Go for 1. if you’re not into video. The GX80 with 12-32 is a really inexpensive and capable option, and if you are looking at the higher end, the PEN-F is just a lovely camera to handle.

Yeah, option 1 or 4. I have had both. I started with a G85 w/ 12-60. I switched to the E-M10 ii because my wife has a G7, which covers 4k video. I just wanted a more compact travel kit.

If it's your only camera and you want it for video and family I would get the G85 kit, no question.

Greg

Thanks for the viewpoints and opinions everyone.  After all that, I was leaning toward the E-M10 II... and then I saw the Pany GX85 on sale with the double kit lens for $598.  I've spent alot of time researching both across DPR and other sites.  Both cameras seem to be roughly equivalent with the notable exception being the viewfinder on the GX85 being questionable for some people.

So my revised options ($900 budget) are these:

E-M10 II (body only) + $450 for len(ses) [reusing my E-PL1 lenses 14-42 & 40-150]

or

GX85 w/12-32 & 45-150 kit lenses + $300 for len(ses)

Thanks again

jeffharris wrote:

Keep using your EPL1 lenses, too.

I would hesitate about the 14-42mm mark I lens that I believe was the kit lens for the E-PL1. That lens had the worst shutter shock. While modern cameras now have options for shutter shock, it probably isn't much of a bargin to use that lens.

In terms of the G85, I have one. Note, if you are very comfortable with the Olympus way of doing things, you will need to relearn some things (different menu layout, dialing in exposure compensation occasionally, lenses zoom ring goes in the opposite direction, etc.) with the G85. It isn't completely different, but it is different.

Note, in your later post you mention GX85.  Note, the GX85 and G85 are different cameras.  I only have experience with the G85, not the GX85.

Falcon04 wrote:

1. E-M10 mark ii w/14-42mm kit lens and a Oly 17mm f/1.8

2. E-M10 mark iii w/14-42mm kit lens and 40-150mm zoom (would upgrade my existing lenses from my E-PL1)

This was my upgrade path, we'll. EM10 mkii.. . Menu is basically the same layout  though more extensive. The tone curve is similar, though not as contrast y. The files. Are very pliable.

This would be a significant upgrade

Of these, options 1 and 4 are where I’m being indecisive. On amazon, both come out at the same price.

I’d appreciate any and all thoughts on these options (or any others that I may not have thought of)

Thanks!

Falcon04 wrote:

Thanks for the viewpoints and opinions everyone. After all that, I was leaning toward the E-M10 II... and then I saw the Pany GX85 on sale with the double kit lens for $598. I've spent alot of time researching both across DPR and other sites. Both cameras seem to be roughly equivalent with the notable exception being the viewfinder on the GX85 being questionable for some people.

So my revised options ($900 budget) are these:

E-M10 II (body only) + $450 for len(ses) [reusing my E-PL1 lenses 14-42 & 40-150]

This option would give you more for other lenses

or

GX85 w/12-32 & 45-150 kit lenses + $300 for len(ses)

Thanks again

Good evening everyone. I wanted to close the thread with an update on my purchase. After much consideration I went with the E-M10ii with 14-42 kit lens and a Pany 20mm f/1.7. Thank you for all the viewpoints and recommendations.