Micro 4/3 - choices and opinions

[JJ!]

Honeymoon next year and a few trips away this year means it's time for some Micro 4/3 in my life!

Budget - £800 max to include lenses.

I know ukaskew has a thread already - but didnt want to clog that up with all this!

Have narrowed the bodies down to the following (other sugestions welcome - but not the sony):

Panasonic:

G3 - probably my current pick - like the looks and the fact you have a fairly decent EVF:

£469.95 with 14-42 OIS lens

GH3 - Not quite sure I like the overall look of the camera, but still a nice little package.

£379.95 with 14-42 OIS lens

Olympus E-PL3 - pricey but nice looking bit of kit.

£625 with 14-42 II

Olympus E-P3 - even more pricey - not sure I dig the retro looks though, so probably not a contender.

£773.23 with 14-42 II


Then once purchased I will need a pancake!

Which one? 20mm f1.7 seems a good bet? At £280, I could afford that and the G3 or similar with th 14-42.

Any user opinions would be great!

 

[Brazo]

I think they all share the same sensor, Olympus looks nicest too me, very old school look! For reference the Sony isn't m4/3 rds its APS-C (like a dslr)

 

[SamP]

A second hand EP for me personally.

 

[ukaskew]

Oooooh exciting. I would do this for £800...

Panasonic G3 - £490
Panasonic 20mm 1.7 - £290

I was torn between suggesting the G3 or one of the Pens, but the EVF on the G3 makes it a safer bet. the 20mm 1.7 is a no brainer, great piece of kit.

 

[ChrisR]

I'm having a similar dilemma at the moment.

Originally between going whole hog with a Nikon 5100, or going M4/3 with the GF3 (the GH3 isn't out yet ). But a G3 could be a possibility as well.

GF3 works out at £430 (that includes £50 cash back) with the 14-42 lens and the 14mm from Jessops.

 

[JJ!]

Had a play with the G3m and 14-42 lens in jessops today. My god its tiny! Build is fairly decent and the EVF performs ok! Tried the GH3 too, but the G3 just seemed better in the hand. Think thats my choice sorted! Will get the 20mm too and maybe the 40-150 in due course!

 

[unofficialPete]

Took the first couple of shots from my GF-3 & 20mm f/1.7 tonight. Can't see myself missing the 40D and lenses, this should cover 95% of my shooting and getting used to no viewfinder very quickly. Face recognition is also pretty cool!

Have you thought about the new Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 OIS pancake, if you have to go zoom, this lens on a GF-3 is a mighty small combo.
http://www.dpreview.com/previews/panasonic_x_14-42_3p5-5p6/

 

[ChrisR]

I'm probably going to wait to see how much the new pancake zoom and body bundles are before deciding, also started looking at the E-PL3 tonight too...

 

[JJ!]

I did think about the power zoom, but still think the 14-42 OIS is best bet for me. Plus I like the G3 body design very much!

 

[ukaskew]

Honeymoon next year and a few trips away this year means it's time for some Micro 4/3

A bit OT but where are you off to for your honeymoon? I went Micro 4/3 for the same reason, we're doing NYC this Christmas and then Las Vegas/Hawaii/San Francisco for our honeymoon next August so it felt like a good time to go M4/3s.

I hated carrying my DSLR stuff around on our USA road trip last year, and it was always frustrating that my best lens (70-200 2.8) was far too big to take anywhere but sporting events.

 

[unofficialPete]

I did think about the power zoom, but still think the 14-42 OIS is best bet for me. Plus I like the G3 body design very much!

pancake zoom, not power zoom.. the new 14-42!

As for the standard 14-42, I've never held something so un-inspirational*, the 20mm f/1.7 on the other hand makes me want to go out and play!



*I only borrow one for a few hours and didn't put it through its paces

 

[JJ!]

Not seen that one! All I can find is the pancake 14-42 with motorised zoom.

 

[JJ!]

I have taken the plunge! G3 on it's way with kit lens and 20mm. Hearing battery life is poor so need to get a 2nd battery. Panasonic official ones are so expensive though!

 

[Revels]

I thought one of the reasons you guys were picking these was price. Look at the cost of them!! I'll just carry my SLR! Lol.

 

[ChrisR]

You can spend a fortune on them, but it's largely the size factor I think why people want them.

A Panasonic GF3 with the 14-42 kit lens and 14mm F2.5 can be had for £430 which isn't too bad, with a free copy of lightroom.

 

[ukaskew]

You can spend a fortune on them, but it's largely the size factor I think why people want them.

Absolutely, I had a 7.5mm 3.5, 14mm 2.5, 20mm 1.7, 45mm 1.8, 100-300mm and two bodies in my little Crumpler for the Britcar 24hr and it hardly felt like I was carrying anything.

The little 45mm 1.8 is incredible, impossibly small yet the image quality is stunning.

 

[ChrisR]

I see the GF3X package is out very soon, GF3 body with the new 14-42 pancake zoom.

Looks like it'll be about £550 though, which puts it more expensive than an E-PL3 with the kit zoom, albeit not a small lens like the X series Panasonic.

Decisions decisions...

 

[JJ!]

I'm loving the g3! View finder is actually not too bad! It's so light too. Still trying to find a 2nd battery... Cheapest panasonc one is £60!

 

[JJ!]

I ditched the 14-42 for the older 14-45 lens. IQ is comparable, but the zoom ring, metal mount and OIS switch makes the lens much more appealing! Slightly smaller too!