Moving Spouse up from P&S, to smallish M4/3?

[jay moussy]

Spouse's Canon P&S has developed a rash on the lens.

I am thinking of setting her with a M4/3 system, but looking to stay small, as possible.
She is likely to stay with a kit lens and may, at times, borrow a bigger zoom from my own (small) Lumix set.

One possibility is the Olympus Pen series. The model designations vs. features are a bit confusing.

Other candidates?

 

[David Brown]

Lumix GX85

 

[mshchem]

I have a now antique Canon G15, takes awesome pictures.

 

[jay moussy]

Lumix GX85

I was about to write about size, but now I see your point!
She's gonna upstage my G85...!

 

[Cholentpot]

Got my little sister a Canon Rebel with a 40 pancake. T2i I think, maybe the 3.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

I you sure moving her up is what she wants. Does she like to keep her camera in her purse? You might consider the Sony RX100 VI or another model 1" sensor 24-200mm equivalent with 4K video, high speed video (960fps), built in flash and EVF. Fits in my breast pocket. Just a thought.

 

[lantau]

A pen will be small. I still have my old Pen EPL 3. My first proper camera. It's older 12MP sensor isn't strong in low light, but the current models do much better there. In normal light it's still a great camera and tiny. If you want to buy a current model they will be just as small, but come with built in view finder.

They have a pancake version of their kit lens, also. It extends to the same size as the normal one when in operation. But it makes the combo really small when you switch it off and want to tuck it away.

 

[wiltw]

I think folks miss the point when they comment about any brand of small camera other than one which accepts the Micro Four Thirds lens mount...OP owns a Lumix, and he wants his wife to be able to borrow his lenses.

 

[jay moussy]

I think folks miss the point when they comment about any brand of small camera other than one which accepts the Micro Four Thirds lens mount...OP owns a Lumix, and he wants his wife to be able to borrow his lenses.

Yes, that's part of the idea, small body based on Micro Four Thirds. Large-purse friendly, maybe with a ad-hoc protective pouch...
The GX85 would work, but seems a bit more pricey than the Pen E option, and over-featured for the job, as I see it.

 

[MattKing]

I see used versions of some of the earlier Olympus Pen models (which don't have a built in viewfinder) selling for really low prices on Craigslist around here.
I'd be tempted to look for one that can work with an accessory viewfinder - for when I needed to borrow my spouse' camera.

 

[faberryman]

...for when I needed to borrow my spouse' camera.

Which seems to be the whole point of this exercise.

 

[MattKing]

Which seems to be the whole point of this exercise.

Well, I think the original post was actually talking about the "borrowing" going in the other direction .

 

[blockend]

The GX85 would work, but seems a bit more pricey than the Pen E option

The older compact Panasonics are worth a look. The GX80/85 is a current (2016) model, hence the price. This guy likes his LX3: https://35hunter.blog/2019/12/02/one-month-one-camera-december-2019-i-panasonic-lumix-lx3/

 

[David Brown]

The older compact Panasonics are worth a look. The GX80/85 is a current (2016) model, hence the price. This guy likes his LX3: https://35hunter.blog/2019/12/02/one-month-one-camera-december-2019-i-panasonic-lumix-lx3/

I agree, I have an LX7. (My GX85 was the "upgrade".) An LX is not m43, it has a smaller sensor, and it does not have interchangeable lenses. However, it is even smaller than the GX, and has perfectly good image quality, including RAW. YMMV

 

[jay moussy]

I agree, I have an LX7. (My GX85 was the "upgrade".) An LX is not m43, it has a smaller sensor, and it does not have interchangeable lenses. However, it is even smaller than the GX, and has perfectly good image quality, including RAW. YMMV

+
OP here, I too have a lovely, feature-rich LX7, and that's why I opted for AND ADDED the G85, recently!
Actually, one of the first photos with the G was a close-up of the LX which was on the table next to it - and discovered how much dust was on it!

 

[wjlapier]

The Lumix GF-1 with the Oly 14-42 EZ lens ( or the Lumix 12-32 ) is small enough and cost is pretty low. I have this combo and occasionally use it. Alternatively, the Olympus AIR A01 is really nice too. Operate it through an iPhone. It's a m4/3 mount.

 

[jay moussy]

The Lumix GF-1 with the Oly 14-42 EZ lens ( or the Lumix 12-32 ) is small enough and cost is pretty low. I have this combo and occasionally use it. Alternatively, the Olympus AIR A01 is really nice too. Operate it through an iPhone. It's a m4/3 mount.

+1 on the Gf-1 idea... thanks.

 

[wjlapier]

Here is the GF-1 and 14-42 EZ lens and the Oly AIR A01: