another gathering

I believe this will be my third copy of the Olympus 17mm f/2.8 that is coming soon. It always seemed so tiny - yet its specs are now matched by the 12-32mm Lumix zoom!  That's pretty amazing. In any case it completes my prime setup (for now): 17, 35 macro, 50 and 100. This time the 17/2.8 will come in black, which is handy for differentiating it from the zoom.

Also returned from the past is the Lumix 45-150mm compact zoom. Another non-speedy zoom, it reviews very well and maintains the µ43 penchant for keeping the overall kit small. I had planned to keep the Sigma 55-200 working as my telephoto of choice despite issues with slow focusing, but my lone bid at auction brings me this telezoom at a silly-good price. In fact the $90 in filters that comes with the lens is about the price I paid for the lens and filters! Several of the 45-150s have been offered for under $100 - at that price any user of µ43 cameras should own one. This lens looks cool in silver, but those were not going for the right price - so black will do nicely.

Now that I have a Panasonic camera in hand, it reduces my interest somewhat in an Olympus body for weather sealing. The Lumix line of sealed bodies is thin and expensive right now though (gx8 or g85) so I'm suspecting that an em5 Classic would be the better choice for the rest of 2017, after which a weather-resistant successor to the gx85 might come along. No proof of such things, yet that sounds like a reasonable next step (gx85+ seals+20Mpix sensor?). While the EM1 would allow my 4Thirds lens to come out and play more, I'm thinking that small is what I seek most with the micro setup - so the 45-150mm will pair up really well with the 12-60. The system offers no budget-type sealed telezooms right now, which is a bummer. Well OK the II-series 45-200 is now out, but at $449 I'll just say no.

switchback

Someone was selling their GM1 to make room for a GX85, so the GM1/12-32 is coming and ePL6 going. So much for plans to 'keep gear until next Christmas' - but Olympus menus are too much for me to bear. Hence the GM1 will hang out until a newer GX can be had, and my wife gets the GM1. Smart? Like a slug in a snowstorm, that's me! Wait that's rather uncomplimentary.. I think?

I really disliked having to let go of the last GM1, so that's a good sign that this one will stick with me.