Micro 4/3 Dazed and confused for next camera (GM1, GX7, RX100ii)...

thepinched

New Member
So we had a baby girl and decided that the t3i was too big so I sold it. I was never a super photographer, but now with the baby I want to capture the best photos I can. But I know if it's too big it won't come out with us...and god knows we already lug a ton of stuff with us for her.

I've narrowed down to the GM1, GX7, and RX100ii...I know there is a size/quality trade off. but a few factors are important to me...low light, video, articulating screen (might be able to live wo hence the GM1). I know that a prime lens or 2 would be needed for capturing those baby moments. If the kit gets too big...ehhh might stay home again. Never really shot with primes, but maybe a 20mm and 45mm would be enough especially if I need to keep the RX100 at 28 for optimal low light shooting anyways...

So I'm torn essentially between these cameras...I'm a little concerned with the lack of stablization for video on the GX7. Maybe a small Olympus with IBIS??
 
My advice: either E-M5 or GX7 with Pana Leica 25mm prime. Hard for me to choose between them though!
 
for low light and focus speed one of the current m43s should be good.

Maybe you can narrow it down by which one has the quietest shutter sound? (Don't want to wake the baby :) )
 
so is my reasoning of the RX100 correct regarding needing to keep it at 28mm for better low light shooting. because i'm starting to understand (after a lot of research) that if i kept a prime (20mm/25mm) on at all times the size difference isn't huge. in that case the prime + m43 body would be better...but again size is important too

Olympus epl5 over the gx7? missing HD video maybe that way?
 
If you want evf, then it is gx7 or e-m5. You can use gx7 silent and it has in-built flash vs e-m5 has better IBIS/face detection. If you want a cheaper body, e-pl5 will be a good option and I think it is more usable then gm1 w/ IBIS/grip/additional evf option. Lenses I prefer Oly 17mm/45mm compared to 20mm (slower af) or 25mm 1.4 (bigger lens). You can check 25% off refurbished Olympus deal which is available today.
 
Tilman's right about the shutter sound. For sleeping babies, SLRs or other cameras with loud shutters will wake them up. The RX100 is very nice in this regard.

But, as you note, the RX100 is only f/1.8 at the wide 28mm end. At ~45mm it's more like f/3.2. 28mm is fine a lot of the time, but if your baby is like mine, they end up behaving very differently when a camera is in their face. So after the first couple months, you'll want big max apertures at longer lengths.

GX7 seems to be the right call, since it's an interchangeable lens camera.

Which doesn't mean that you wouldn't love having an RX100 also.

But if you have to pick between one or the other, I'd go with the GX7.
 
For fast focus and low light shooting, I'd go with an m43 body over the RX100. Olympus has better face detection than Panasonic, but it's not a huge difference - both are quite good, but the Oly system really seems to nail the closest eye and it makes some difference. Panasonic has notably better video for people who KNOW video, but for idiot mode video (my specialty!) the Olympus EM5, EP5, or EM1 is probably better - what it lacks in sophisticated controls it more than makes up for with the near steady-cam camera stabilization. On balance, though, taking price into a account, I'd go for either a GX7 or a discounted EM5. The GX7 does have the great silent mode, though, which I really like personally. For lenses, get one or two fast primes. If one, it's hard to beat the Pany 25mm f1.4, but if two, I'd go for the Oly 17mm and 45mm, both at f1.8. The 45 is a great portrait lens for when you don't want to get too close and interrupt the moment and the 17 is just wider enough than the 25 to get some good environmental portraits...

-Ray
 
For now we need to pick one...the little one has eaten into disposable income lol!!!

fast focus/low light/video are needs at this point. so it seems logical that m43 is the right way to go...one decision down. the RX100 = GR or X100s if I'm shooting at one length all the time for the 1.7...just without the larger sensor.

So what is important for me would be wifi, articulating or tilt screen, small lenses (also not L expense...that's why we never really bought more lenses for the t3i...), video, low light, fast focus...and if i could have jpegs that are good enough i'd be gold...i'm not sure i have time to PP photos except for a crop lol...i already don't have enough time w the little one around.
 
Out of all the cameras discussed in this thread so far, one seems to fit all your wants:

Fast focus/low light/video = GX7

Wifi, tilt screen, small lenses = GX7

Stick the Oly 17/1.8 on it, and you are good to go. The Pany 20/1.7 would make your combo smaller, but the AF makes more noise and its focusing ability is not as good as the Oly 17/1.8, especially in low light.

Like Ray, I also recommend the Oly 45/1.8. It'll allow you to take photos of the baby without getting as close. The AF is still silent and fast.

Just make sure to get the all black GX7 and the black Oly lenses! Much nicer looking than the silver and black, in my humble opinion.
 
I'm leaning heavily towards the GX7 at this point.

2 quick questions:
1. video - will the lack of stabilization make a difference
2. GX7 on camaresize.com looks not much smaller than the t3i I sold (due to bulk)...anyone have hands on with it to provide feedback in that regards...
 
GX7 is small, but the grip is VERY comfortable (although ugly looking). I like it better than the EM1's grip. I never handled a T3i, so can't comment on that.

I'm not a video guy either. But you can always use a stabilized Panasonic lens for video, if that's a concern.
 
1. video - will the lack of stabilization make a difference

There are plenty of cheap camera stabilisers out there if you're concerned about shaky video footage. But if you were to use a tabletop tripod or a monopod, those ones would work really well as a stabiliser with the GX7 which is a really small and light camera compared to a heavier filmmaking type camera that weighs about 15kgs or more.

When I suggested the tabletop tripod or monopod, what I mean is mounting the GX7 on the tripod/monopod and holding the monopod/tripod near the base of the GX7 to stabilise. It's basically how Steadicams work in a filmmaking application.
 
So went with the rx100ii (wife had final say lol). Wow can this thing be anymore complex. So many menu layers. And no touchscreen. I somehow overlooked that. Baby brain for sure. Thinking it might go back for the gx7. The touchscreen will outweigh the size difference.
 
So went with the rx100ii (wife had final say lol). Wow can this thing be anymore complex. So many menu layers. And no touchscreen. I somehow overlooked that. Baby brain for sure. Thinking it might go back for the gx7. The touchscreen will outweigh the size difference.

FWIW, it took me several weeks to get acclimatised to my RX100 (Mk1), and I had - during that time - frequently contemplated selling it. However, I persevered, and I now regard it as one of my best-ever cameras. The RX100 is an astonishingly good camera, but of course, it's not for everyone.

I would recommend giving it a decent try, before you decide on whether to keep or return it. Just MHO, of course.:)
 
When I started with the RX100 and I was trying to make it do what I wanted, sometimes when I was short of time or getting a bit flustered it was just easier to switch the camera to iAuto and let the RX100 do what it wanted to do instead. It usually did a pretty good job.

-R
 
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