One camera body, 2 lenses under $1000?

With the 16MP m4/3, it's easy to build a kit from scratch for much under $1000

A few months ago I bought (used) an EM10 II + double kit + 45 1.8 for 350 euro. I could easily find the 14-150 between 200 to 300 and the 25 1.8 is roughly 200 euro (grey market new)

I also saw local (so with official warranty) brand new offers that would be very interesting :

GX9 + 3 lenses for 900 euro

same as above but with the GX80 for 700 euro

E-M5 II + 14-150 was 800 euro

And I don't even speak of the G7 which is almost free with the 14-140 !

GX7 MkII. It's around $500 and comes with 2 lenses. Then you can buy a third.

csnite wrote:

Here's my options unless I am missing something.

E-M10 ii, 14-150, 17mm 1.8 (or 25 1.8 which I used and like but wished it was a little wider) New this is around 1250, but I don't have a problem with used and could find all of these pretty easily.

GX-9, 12-60, 25 1.7 (which I am concerned about because the EVF of the gx85 turned me off pretty badly)

I have a GX85 and while a nice camera that I enjoy its EVF (the same as the GX9.) is almost unusable for me. The E-M10 II EVF is so much nicer on my eye and for me I think this over time would have a more positive effect on my photography over 4 more megapixels from the GX9.

I do shoot video quite a bit with my GX85 and if video is important to you than the GX9 might be the better option.

If you had $1000 and wanted to buy a body, fast normal, and walkaround zoom, what would you buy?

Awhile back I bought a reconditioned E-M10 II, the 19mm, 30mm and the 60mm F2.8 sigma art lenses for between $600-$700. Later I added a 40-150mm F4-5.6R for $60 and a B&W International hardcase for $25 which I keep all the above gear in as a nice quick grab and go kit that is often placed in my car during the non winter months.

Also consider the E-M5 II. For me its ergonomics feels the best. Its weather sealed and has more features than the E-M10 II. My Sister recently bought one reconditioned for $399.

My most used zoom lens is the Oly 14-42mm EZ pancake.

My favorite M4/3 zoom lens is the Oly 12-40mm F2.8 pro.

thelightwriter wrote:

csnite wrote:

Here's my options unless I am missing something.

E-M10 ii, 14-150, 17mm 1.8 (or 25 1.8 which I used and like but wished it was a little wider) New this is around 1250, but I don't have a problem with used and could find all of these pretty easily.

GX-9, 12-60, 25 1.7 (which I am concerned about because the EVF of the gx85 turned me off pretty badly)

I have a GX85 and while a nice camera that I enjoy its EVF (the same as the GX9.) is almost unusable for me. The E-M10 II EVF is so much nicer on my eye and for me I think this over time would have a more positive effect on my photography over 4 more megapixels from the GX9.

I do shoot video quite a bit with my GX85 and if video is important to you than the GX9 might be the better option.

If you had $1000 and wanted to buy a body, fast normal, and walkaround zoom, what would you buy?

Awhile back I bought a reconditioned E-M10 II, the 19mm, 30mm and the 60mm F2.8 sigma art lenses for between $600-$700. Later I added a 40-150mm F4-5.6R for $60 and a B&W International hardcase for $25 which I keep all the above gear in as a nice quick grab and go kit that is often placed in my car during the non winter months.

Also consider the E-M5 II. For me its ergonomics feels the best. Its weather sealed and has more features than the E-M10 II. My Sister recently bought one reconditioned for $399.

My most used zoom lens is the Oly 14-42mm EZ pancake.

My favorite M4/3 zoom lens is the Oly 12-40mm F2.8 pro.

Why would you continue to use the pancake when you have the Pro lens?

Doom Scythe wrote:

thelightwriter wrote:

csnite wrote:

Here's my options unless I am missing something.

E-M10 ii, 14-150, 17mm 1.8 (or 25 1.8 which I used and like but wished it was a little wider) New this is around 1250, but I don't have a problem with used and could find all of these pretty easily.

GX-9, 12-60, 25 1.7 (which I am concerned about because the EVF of the gx85 turned me off pretty badly)

I have a GX85 and while a nice camera that I enjoy its EVF (the same as the GX9.) is almost unusable for me. The E-M10 II EVF is so much nicer on my eye and for me I think this over time would have a more positive effect on my photography over 4 more megapixels from the GX9.

I do shoot video quite a bit with my GX85 and if video is important to you than the GX9 might be the better option.

If you had $1000 and wanted to buy a body, fast normal, and walkaround zoom, what would you buy?

Awhile back I bought a reconditioned E-M10 II, the 19mm, 30mm and the 60mm F2.8 sigma art lenses for between $600-$700. Later I added a 40-150mm F4-5.6R for $60 and a B&W International hardcase for $25 which I keep all the above gear in as a nice quick grab and go kit that is often placed in my car during the non winter months.

Also consider the E-M5 II. For me its ergonomics feels the best. Its weather sealed and has more features than the E-M10 II. My Sister recently bought one reconditioned for $399.

My most used zoom lens is the Oly 14-42mm EZ pancake.

My favorite M4/3 zoom lens is the Oly 12-40mm F2.8 pro.

Why would you continue to use the pancake when you have the Pro lens?

I have an E-M10 II and the 14-42EZ pancake as well as the 12-40 Pro. The pancake is more often on the camera than the Pro lens, simply because of size. With the 14-42 EZ the E-M10 II is a nice compact unobtrusive kit that can serve well under most conditions and the image quality is very good.

The 12-40, while certainly a better lens as far as resolution goes, is much larger and although I use it when out on special photography only outings p, it seems out of place when I have my camera along for taking snaps of the family and friends on a social outing, which is more often the case.

gary0319 wrote:

Doom Scythe wrote:

thelightwriter wrote:

csnite wrote:

Here's my options unless I am missing something.

E-M10 ii, 14-150, 17mm 1.8 (or 25 1.8 which I used and like but wished it was a little wider) New this is around 1250, but I don't have a problem with used and could find all of these pretty easily.

GX-9, 12-60, 25 1.7 (which I am concerned about because the EVF of the gx85 turned me off pretty badly)

I have a GX85 and while a nice camera that I enjoy its EVF (the same as the GX9.) is almost unusable for me. The E-M10 II EVF is so much nicer on my eye and for me I think this over time would have a more positive effect on my photography over 4 more megapixels from the GX9.

I do shoot video quite a bit with my GX85 and if video is important to you than the GX9 might be the better option.

If you had $1000 and wanted to buy a body, fast normal, and walkaround zoom, what would you buy?

Awhile back I bought a reconditioned E-M10 II, the 19mm, 30mm and the 60mm F2.8 sigma art lenses for between $600-$700. Later I added a 40-150mm F4-5.6R for $60 and a B&W International hardcase for $25 which I keep all the above gear in as a nice quick grab and go kit that is often placed in my car during the non winter months.

Also consider the E-M5 II. For me its ergonomics feels the best. Its weather sealed and has more features than the E-M10 II. My Sister recently bought one reconditioned for $399.

My most used zoom lens is the Oly 14-42mm EZ pancake.

My favorite M4/3 zoom lens is the Oly 12-40mm F2.8 pro.

Why would you continue to use the pancake when you have the Pro lens?

I have an E-M10 II and the 14-42EZ pancake as well as the 12-40 Pro. The pancake is more often on the camera than the Pro lens, simply because of size. With the 14-42 EZ the E-M10 II is a nice compact unobtrusive kit that can serve well under most conditions and the image quality is very good.

The 12-40, while certainly a better lens as far as resolution goes, is much larger and although I use it when out on special photography only outings p, it seems out of place when I have my camera along for taking snaps of the family and friends on a social outing, which is more often the case.

Understand and agreed with you completely.

But it is a dependent case for me.

Back to use GX1, GX7 or GX85, whenever possible I put on 12-35 f/2.8 most of the time despite I have the 12-32 and 14-42PZ.

A GAS buy of G85 (stupid me ) recently, now I use 12-32, even recall the retired 14-42PZ, a lot more often, to compensate for the weight increase of G85 vs the GXs. IMHO it does not worth to carry the bulk around for casual shooting.

Doom Scythe wrote:

thelightwriter wrote:

My most used zoom lens is the Oly 14-42mm EZ pancake.

My favorite M4/3 zoom lens is the Oly 12-40mm F2.8 pro.

Why would you continue to use the pancake when you have the Pro lens?

Because it fits in my pants pocket. I often carry a E-M5 II with the Oly 14-42mm EZ pancake attached and the Oly LS-4 in my Wrangler Outdoor pants pockets when I run errands or when I want a competent kit at places I can't bring a camera bag to.

I find this setup to be a good compromise between lightweight portability and quality.

After reading the headline and befor reading your text I thought: EM 10 II (not III) + 17/1,8 + 1 zoom possibly second hand.

At the moment there is a great deal: Olympus PenF, which is a very very good camera - and 17/1.8 for 1.000€, if you buy a second hand zoom you have a very capable set at a little bit more money than you suggested - that what I would do.

You will not regret that!

csnite wrote:

Here's my options unless I am missing something.

E-M10 ii, 14-150, 17mm 1.8 (or 25 1.8 which I used and like but wished it was a little wider) New this is around 1250, but I don't have a problem with used and could find all of these pretty easily.

GX-9, 12-60, 25 1.7 (which I am concerned about because the EVF of the gx85 turned me off pretty badly)

If you had $1000 and wanted to buy a body, fast normal, and walkaround zoom, what would you buy?

12-60 can be combined with the E-M10 II as well, I used it a lot and it's a great lens.

If the 25 1.8 is too wide, you could opt for the 20 1.7 from Panasonic; but I would not advise using it in combination with the E-M10 II because of focus lock issues (fully pressing the shutter would sometimes take the shot before the lens properly focused - even with Focus priority set in camera).

I have both the E-M10 II and G80/G85 at the moment and will try these two for a couple of weeks to see which one fits my shooting style best.

I strongly suggest buying this stuff secondhand. Secondhand prices for my equipment were:

E-M10 II: EUR 250
G80: EUR 300
12-60: EUR 180
20 1.7: 120
45 1.8: 100
And actually the two primes I got for free because they were part of larger kits that I sold separately. And yes, everything is in a very nice state.

If size is not an issue, then a second-hand GX8 will resolve all your viewfinder worries, plus get you a great body with some wonderful features. Add the P12-60 and the P20, and you'll be good. You should have enough over for a second battery. If it's your only camera make it a proper one

DrHook59 wrote:

If size is not an issue, then a second-hand GX8 will resolve all your viewfinder worries, plus get you a great body with some wonderful features. Add the P12-60 and the P20, and you'll be good. You should have enough over for a second battery. If it's your only camera make it a proper one

I feel like this, or a second hand em5ii might be my best body options. I'm not really concerned about having a tiny camera, but a good evf, decent Ibis for still photography and water resistance are all huge plusses for these. I prefer the rangefinder style, so if I can find a good price on a gx8, that might be the way to go. If they had produced the gx9 with the gx8 evf or a pen f ii, I would save my pennies for one of those. Unfortunately it looks like neither may happen.

Probably not soon enough for your budget anyway!

I do not have any experience of Olympus bodies, but from what I read it seems the ergonomics of the GX8 seem to outweigh some of the advantages of the Pen F and OMD bodies. I love mine for its handling, and I adore its tilting EVF, which has to be used to be appreciated - if you don't like it, then simply don't use it, but for macro and tripod work it's a wonderful thing. I also don't care my GX8 has not got 5-stops of IBIS - what it has is still way better than what I grew up with....that's what adjustable shutter speed is for, right?

I won't bang on about the GX8 - you've probably read the reviews and watched the videos, but make no mistake, it's a hell of a camera for $400 or so if you can find one for that price. Get the right one and you might even be able to get better glass too.

Whatever you buy though, Panny or Olympus, have fun with your return to photography. It's all good.