John Matthews

The S9 seems like a winner... EXCEPT (this list is long). We all wish it were just slightly better in some way, but it's not. Still, Panasonic is selling tons of them I believe. Sadly, it's at the detriment of the MFT line IMO. As you said, the EM-5/GX85 lines just need some small updates. I think the sensor and battery are the major hiccups to get that 25MP sensor in a small body. I'm sure they've been trying, but they haven't had success on getting something "releasable".

If it were to only take videos, I could make do with the camcorder and a phone. However, I find the phone too limiting and ergonomically a black hole of no return. Like you say, "thread the needle" is the name of the game on holiday and travel. Don't want to get too noticed by family or others. There are a couple of lenses that can make the MFT system unique for this purpose: Olympus 75-300mm, at only 423g, it covers a lot; Panasonic 12-32 kit lens, at 70g, why wouldn't to take it?; A favorite fast prime; there are many- just pick and choose your favorite(s). There are lots of options and I often find myself in the weeds.

I'm back from holiday. In retrospect, although the camcorder was fun, I suffered from "camera paralysis", a horrible disease where you don't know what to take with you. In the middle of my stay, I realized the GX800's display couldn't cut the mustard in any sort of bright conditions on the beach or in the Palouse area of Washington State. I did the right thing by obtaining a E-m5 iii, an old fav from a few years ago that I had sold. I'm now reconverted to MFT. I'm not sure what to do with my S5ii. I'll probably sell and pay down my car. Might sell the GX800 too (though it's a fun camera). Or, not sell anything. Next time, I will be bringing MFT lenses that cover ultra-wide to 600mm equivalent and I'll have no need for the camcorder.

Funny enough, the LX-10 is more expensive than the E-m5 iii (if you already have M43 lenses) on the used market. Also, no EVF.

So, something came up during holiday... I need some more serious landscape photos and... I bought a used e-m5 iii. I'll be making some high-res shots of various houses my family used to live in going back to the 1850's in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. I don't intend on going back to that area anytime soon. The E-M5 iii is a camera that I've used before (for over 2 years). It's amazing how great that camera still is and all the features it has over the GX800: An EVF (I've been really struggling on the beach, only seeing the histogram and just trusting the camera finding a face) Shutter going up to 1/8000, 1/250 for flash vs. 1/500 mechanical and a ridiculous 1/50 for flash Proper down-sampled 4k covering the entire sensor High-res photo mode on a tripod Great IBIS Dials and buttons galore (comparatively speaking) The only major things I miss on the GX800 are the flip-up screen and the fact it's 145g lighter. I'll still be keeping the GX800 until I get back to France or maybe longer.

Something strange: the Panasonic GX880 is going to be back in stock on July 27, 2024 at Fnac.com, a major French retailer. It's listed at 449 euros with the kit lens. This makes me believe no small M43 cameras are set to be released. It's understandable as the sensor is probably more expensive than a FF one. Still, I want some (not all) newer features. https://www.fnac.com/Appareil-Photo-Hybride-Panasonic-Lumix-GX880-Noir-et-Argent-Objectif-Lumix-G-Vario-12-32-mm-f-3-5-5-6/a14139329/w-4 Here's Richard Wong's take on it:

Haha! Clearly, the S5ii had been filming the wrong things. I was also contemplating this option until I realized the price of the 28-200mm in the USA (and it's sold out almost everywhere) because that would be an option. One lens to do it all, the ultimate travel setup IMO. You still need to worry about getting mugged, just not in Japan. That's a crazy good price. I'm sure you'll get remarks about how you should have to pay taxes on it. Please let us what you think of the OIS and Sigma FP. Judging from that video, it looks great, especially for micro-jitters.

You're definitely more serious than me. I understand kids leaving the home as I'm down to a 12-year-old who's not always keen on being photographed or filmed. That sounds interesting, especially nowadays. I'd be scared of significant confrontation (even when it's legal). It would seem you can do anything with a phone, but when it's a "camera", people think the worst.

Last time I went on the same trip, I took my E-M5 iii and a GX880. I also had the kit lenses with a couple of primes. They worked great. My only "problem" was indecision- I would go out not knowing what to take, first world problem for sure. Some are right in saying I could just leave the camcorder at home. I'm going to take it, but I don't use it much, I'll sell it when I get back. I don't think that'll be the case though.

Crap, I knew I forgot something! Thanks for the reminder!

What are you going to take on holiday this year, Kye?

There's something about a camera that doesn't "look serious". People tend not to notice them as much. I figure that the camcorder allows me to look like the old guy who couldn't afford a phone or something.

Yes, the XA50 looks like a great setup that don't really have to fuss too much with. The internal ND is a huge bonus. Camcorders, in general, are so easy to use. For the VX-981, I got a magnetic VND filter for it and just slap it on to get the shutter speeds down a little. It's certainly not a perfect camcorder (lack of any exposure tools, even no histogram), but it's small.

That camcorder is just so much fun and it has decent IBIS, something that the GX800 lacks. I'm going to take a mini tripod for it for that reason. To get out to 600mm equivalent, it would require the Olympus 75-300mm, which I also have. The problem is that it's the same weight as the VX-981 and it's near unusable on the GX800 unless on a tripod. The only thing that could "replace" the VX-981 is the 14-140mm or the 100-300mm due to their OIS. Also, I just love camcorders now because how versatile they are. I should also add that the audio on the GX80/85/800 are not great whereas the VX-981 has great audio.

So, I've been racking my brain trying to choose between taking my Panasonic S5ii and a couple of lenses or a combination kit of my trusty camcorder (Panasonic VX-981) and M43 camera (Panasonic GX800). I'll be going to the Seattle, WA area. I've decided to take the latter due to these primary reasons: Weight If I take just the Panasonic S5ii with the kit 20-60 lens and nothing else, it comes to 1090g. However, I'll need my ND filters, a strap, an extra battery, and cables, bringing the total to about 1500g. The GX800 with the kit lens is 450g (including an extra battery), and the VX-981 is roughly 500g (including an extra battery and accessories). This leaves room for an audio recorder and my Olympus 17mm f/1.8 for low-light photos. Concerns about theft Seattle is usually a very safe place. Still, the unexpected can happen. I spent roughly $2000 on the S5ii, whereas the GX800, VX981, and lenses were only $1000 (and used). Convenience for photos Hand anyone a camcorder, and they'll know what to do with it. The flip-up screen on the GX800 is perfect for selfies with family. Greater depth of field I want to see the environment much more than familiar sights from home. Not having a big-sensor camera means I need to be more careful about framing, but I get to see everything there. Versatility with more equivalent focal lengths The kit lens on the GX800 is a 12-32mm (24-64mm equivalent), and I also have a 0.79x wide-angle adapter for video that works well. The VX-981 has a 30-630mm integrated lens. The S5ii, even at pixel-to-pixel, won't reach anywhere near that. Enough said. It's for fun, not work (who cares so much about quality, yeah, "only" 4K) Without a doubt, the S5ii blows away the other combo in every way in terms of image quality from 20-60mm. I even reckon the proxy files are better than the 4K files on the VX-981, but somehow, I have more fun shooting with the VX-981 and the GX800. Maybe it's the challenge of it; I'm not sure, and I don't even understand it myself. Any thoughts? Is this a huge mistake?

That seems like a good setup. I'm sure you'll get some good content. Let us know: 1) how the content turned out; 2) how your arms and back felt after a full day of to doing it. Those are the two points where I think FF can fall short in terms of expectations. I still very much like the idea of M43 regarding these two points, granted the savings in terms of weight is not so great when comparing your E-M1ii and S5ii setups (a 285g difference and more reach with the Olympus).

I did the same, but in the opposite. I took a GH6 on holiday. Why? I care about the actual files I create. I don't want to look back on them and say "I wish I had taken my camera". I don't see that feeling going away anytime soon either. Sure, phones are getting better and in a pinch, why not? But when I can, I'll take the camera for its quality, better shooting experience and its authenticity (no AI crap going on that I have NO control over), not to mention I think I look like a douchebag when I use my phone.

Look no further than the music industry. Songs can now be made up on the fly in the style of X musician/group and according to some, they sound good enough. The same is done for stock photography and video. The real question is: will the masses pay for such material in the long term; or, will it be viewed as "it should be free because they stole it anyway"? If the past few years is an indicator, many people are looking for more authentic means to interpret reality: film cameras, adapted lenses, point and shoot digital cameras of old, camcorders from the early 2000s, etc. Also, people are still looking for ways of remembering family events. Sure, a photo can do the job, but I cannot imagine it'll ever really compare to the "authentic" photo or video (even if it's digital), never mind the experience of shooting a photo on a phone versus a real camera. My bet is: if there's not enough buyers for mirrorless and some companies close up shop, the prices for current digital and old stuff will skyrocket, not the opposite. Why? People don't want to interpret reality through AI; they want something more authentic. Stock up while you can!

I no longer shoot 4k or higher video for people, unless the whole point of the shot is detail in the skin and eyes. Sure, I could add a blur mask or something, but I'm quite happy with the 1080p resolution. For anything not people or wide shots, 4k makes more sense IMO.

I'll do it too.

Is anyone else finding that the best image from the S5ii or S9 is 1080p 422 for medium shots of people? I'm finding the 4k and 6k images have WAY to much detail in the face, requiring a gaussian blur. I have sharpness turned all the way down. I guess I could filter the crap out of the image, but I don't see the point of 4k and 6k for this.

I moved on years ago now. It was simple. They started their BS subscription crap and I moved on very quickly to DXO photolab for photos and Final cut x for video. Lightroom was getting so slow anyway. Now, I just work with folders with DXO (SSD required). IMO, it blows away Lightroom for many things, especially noise reduction. I've saved so much money by not going to the subscription service. I purchased DXO PL5 and 6 over the span of 5-6 years. I just "published" all of my edits and kept all of my raws.

Look no further than the GH8.

The e-m1x is now cheaper than the iii. Just food for thought. I've also heard the e-m1x has better C-AF than the iii, due to the dual processors?