"Stay this madness"!

Gandalf and Denethor.
Also me and cameras.

I've been thinking - that's never a good start to a paragraph on this site, but true nonetheless. I really like the 12-60mm Lumix lens.. But I have no wx-sealed body for it. I also really like the eP5, and that's the first Olympus body I can say that about with little hesitation. (OK: I wish it were sealed. Happy now??) But the 12-60 is kinda bulky on that body.

But Hey: an E-M1 body is sealed, has a better grip for improved handling and has PDAF focus points for my 35 macro and 70-300 ZD (4Thirds Classic) lenses. Maybe I should

[Cue Gandalf]

The voice of reason demands to be heard, and commands to reconsider!

I have enthusiastically purchased OM-D EM5/10/10b - and let them go quite soon after, with very little remorse. In each case my research indicated it was a great idea: excellent feature set, top-notch sensor and the cameras were pretty much beloved by owners. The E-M1 is just like them: greatly admired, talented, good ergonomics, all that stuff.

Two quick facts and a history 'lesson'

• The dxo website shows that the eP5 is its equal within dxo measurements. 
• The camerasize site shows just how large the eM1 is in a relative sense (for more humour check this one!).

and a "history lesson": my 10-year history of owning high-quality digital gear (dSLR and mirrorless) reveals that 1) every time I have had a  bargain camera in hand that I dumped for "better" stuff it has been deeply regretted (e.g. my $20 K-r), and 2) despite all my best research and logic the OM-D Olys have not suited me. Hm - come to think of it the G7 and G85 struck me the same way, unlike the gx1/7/7b bodies. And the ePL bodies were almost right but for the second dial circling the 4way pad..

So maybe just this once I will break with my (admittedly stupid) tradition and keep the bargain camera that I really like more than I expected? Maybe even let the slightly oversized 12-60 depart and use tiny primes (14/20/30 +45-150 zoom) or the nice, tiny 14-42ii instead? What a concept.

Madness, indeed.

the value of planning

.. is pretty much zero in this household.

That applies to many things, but here I'll stick to cameras.

The G85 has arrived, which should put an end to acquisitions for some time*. The 12-60 covers most of my needs and seals up the camera for foul weather, and the 45-150 takes care of nearly everything else. For now the zD 70-300, a large 4Thirds native lens, can loiter about as the long-range option; since it does transmit data via the adapter unlike my Pentax options, it can tell the G85 how to best stabilize its images without me typing in a random number that pretends to cover any shot from 70 to 300mm. That's handy.

* But wait -

there's more.

image from review at
https://www.wimarys.com/olympus-pen-e-p5/

The cruel dealers and forum members informed me of a dumpsite deal on the Oly Pen eP5 body. Yes it's pretty old in camera years - but it features the talented Sony 4Thirds sensor, it's tiny, it has a tip screen, and it has Live Time for versatility the Lumix does not offer. It has nearly all the omD-EM5 features except weather seals and an attached viewfinder. Not bad. I've tried nearly every om-D body and found it cramped; I've also tried many PEN bodies and found them less so. The EP5 has dual dials in a sensible pattern unlike the PL versions, so that also will be a positive thing. And I believe I even have a spare battery from my brief EM5 phase!

And if I cannot bear it? 

Off it goes!

Yes the extra expense (and lack of shopping control) hurts - a little. However!

I will soon be offering up the Pentax gear, the YI M1 (and now the GX1) to others. My plan was to grab a 20-25mm m43 lens with that purchase. Well, not so much: it will now pay off the EP5 instead.

Why so many GX?

Yeah, "funny" story.
So we have two GX1 bodies as my wife fell hard for a cute pink GF2 instead of the matched-set GX1 I bought for her. The GX1 market is rather flat right now :~| so here they sit.

In the meantime I fell for a cheap-bid GX7 mark ii (aka gx85) at Auctions R Us..but the seller silence stretched out a few days. I sent a data request, fearing some incident had forced a w/d from the deal. At that moment a GX7 Classic was 2h from ending its auction so I added a low bid. Of course that won also - and soon I heard from the mk.ii owner, who was heading to the post office.

And so they all gathered before me.

First impressions were not as I hoped from either new acquisition until I reset both and fine-tuned a few settings to my taste. At that point images turned out very well, and I could make an informed choice.

Both vintages of the GX7 are excellent cameras. The original is the best overall body and most reviewers agree on that; the larger grip and extra buttons/AF switch/Custom settings make that body superior for making speedy adjustments.

The mark.ii added 4k video and still-image extractions at 8Mpixel resolution, in-camera charging and much improved stabilization inside, changed the grip and buttons, removed a couple of Custom setting slots and chose to use the same GX7 viewfinder but in a fixed position, and those choices disappointed many GX7 fans (especially since the GX8 had appeared with weather seals and a superior 'finder). Those improvements they did put in are pretty convincing though, so the mark.I is now for sale. I may not use 4k as a video option but I've already tried 4k post focus; my test wasn't great but it shows very nice possibilities!

Four GX bodies: fun while it lasted, I suppose.
And oh yes, the K-50 is still here too - and the wet season is upon me!

the GX trio

the GX1, GX7 and GX85 (henceforth aka GX7,ii)

Not shown (as I cannot afford more) - GX8, GX9

Image taken with the still-present K∙50

more lame excuses

Three points I make incessantly as Vital to me are weather seals, image stabilization and convenience. Pentax is most familiar to me, has sealed gear in my price range and ibis always. In order to keep up via µ43, I'd need a newer =rather expensive Lumix or an EM1/EM5 camera. The EM5 did not suit me like the em10 had, but buying that would mean one Vital item was lost. I would gain live bulb and live composite which sound cool.

from this blog, 2½ years ago. Nice kit.

A lower price Lumix option was a G7 with 4k video. That model has many features from the GX7,  which I mostly liked. The g7 was down two Vitals though, which really spoiled its otherwise fine spec sheet. I keep pretending that video is important, though so far it's been a happy afterthought that gets little use; having 4k video is even more of an abstract joy that both interests me and repels me, as computer upgrades would be nearly as expensive as a new-lens habit.

The GX7 still had its fine points, especially EV-4 'Starlight AF', nice setup options and other niceties like in-body IS.. and only misses seals for its Vital list. The price was higher now however, thanks to new µ43 being priced much higher and keeping used gear high as a result. Buying an EM10 mk2 would be priced similarly to a GX7 with better stabilization and those 'live' options - but less flexible video. Hm, video again, still not a strong justification right now.

from this blog, 18 months ago. Nice kit!

My wandering struck a good deal at last - yes it's another black GX7. The price is very good (as is its condition). I liked it once, then less so the second time for no clear reason. Third time = charm? Hm.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

from this blog, two+ years ago.
Nice kit, for a mark I..

But wait - there's more!
While awaiting the arrival of the GX7 I had a chat with a Canadian em10.ii seller. Her price is only about $35 more than my GX7 bargain price! Better sensor, better stabilization, better eVF, decent enough (and stabilized) video, not-quite-as-good AF, bizarre menus. Something new to consider.. how 'nice'.

After further review and negotiation: I sent the GX7 back and will get the E-M10 Mark ii instead.



This wasn't all that hard, in fact.
I'd prefer to have two decent µ43 camera bodies, one of each brand. By keeping one of the GX1 bodies I retain the Lumix ergonomics that I'm used to, plus its higher-spec 'hacked' HD/FHD video capabilities. (The eM10b isn't bad on video specs, much better than many Olympi, so it's not a bad thing if it attends events by itself.) The eM10b brings live time +composite shooting, better stabilization for stills and video, peaking for manual focus and a great viewfinder. For now I'm thinking the LVF∙2 finder can be sold with the other GX1 body, as the eM10b will serve best when a viewfinder is important.

I will miss the EV-4 'starlight AF' of the GX7, but for other features the eM10b simply has too much good stuff to disregard.

Another new issue comes up with lenses. The 'new' eM10b will arrive with the Oly 14-42EZ lens. Reviews are uneven, but that's common with kit lenses. In the interim I picked up a Lumix 12-32 for just over $100 - so three kit lenses will be here briefly, one to depart with the GX1. Since my wife has a 14-42ii Lumix with her GF2, the other copy is the most likely to leave. We'll know more after a week of careless tests which will lead to subjective evaluations - like it should be! :^)

And just in case it wasn't clear before - the K50 must go. 

Believe that at your own risk, clearly you're new here..

dueling banjo-cams

I went to a baseball game with GX1 and K-50 cameras and reasonable telephoto choices. Both took decent photos but the K-50 was easier to set up to shoot past the chain-link fence; I suspect that greater Pentax practice is the reason as center-point AF is available on both systems. Even so, I ended up using manual focus and pre-focusing on the base of choice for most of the shots, and either camera can manage that sort of work.

I won't say that I learned anything convincing about either camera. Both did just fine, neither exceptional nor lousy. It's a fact that more modern µ43 systems have improved their AF systems faster than Pentax, but in my budget range the choices are limited in both models. The Olympus E-M1 would have phase-detect points but its price remains consistently above my limits, while Lumix DFD contrast technology is a bit closer to my budget. If a true deal appears I could be swayed.. perhaps?

I am once again standing with a foot in both systems, with neither foot firmly settled.
Sure wish I'd get past this position..

For shame. Timeout.

I've just skimmed my past posts* and learned just how big a problem I have with holding on to camera gear. Several absurdly excellent kits were tossed back into the pool for pathetic reasons. I called myself out several times, and then excused my behavior as financially driven. That's only true because I overreached when I already owned really nice gear but wanted more - and that's entirely on me and my collecting/hoarding illness.

* Of course I don't read my own blog, I write all this for mythical others.. or so I've told myself.


Therefore read, and Learn!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Could anything embarrass me more than this note from April 2015?

For a total of $118 I have two |k-r|bodies in like-new condition with a total of 130 shutter actuations.  

Well perhaps this from July of 2011?

The k-x became a k-r, and several lenses came swiftly. Some were bargains, others simply irresistible - but the result was too many lenses, especially considering that family health issues kept us from traveling to photogenic places. I took some great shots of the yard and my bike commutes to work.. but any camera could do such things justice.

Or even Nov 2010?

So why don't I just buy more Pentax stuff with that gift card? Fact is, I'm all out of 'needs' there.   I have modern lenses (16-45, 50-200 and 55-300) plus a half-dozen manual primes and intermediate zooms.  I have a nice tripod and a flash sufficient for my needs, and several SD cards.  Not only is that enough, it's too much - especially as I've been homebound and not able to use much of this.  
A smaller camera with decent IQ would provide just as much camera satisfaction and be a smaller cash drain.

The occasional great image I've taken in the intervening thirty months since I owned the K-r would certainly look no worse with that camera. Or a K200d and Sigma 18-200 (March 2011). Or the K100d, 16-45 and 55-200 Sigma (June 2010).

What cameras have I owned in the past five years? Let me gasp as I count them - and several were owned more than once..

• Pentax 200d/k-r/7/5/5ii/5iis/3ii/s1 
• mu43 pm2/pl5/pl6/em10/em5/g7/gm1/gx7/gx1 
• fuji f550, nikon-1, oly e500 and Samsung NX300 
• lenses: easily a few dozen in K mount, perhaps twenty µ43/4Thirds
• imaging-related tags in this blog: ~190

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

What have I gained from all this? Precious little.

What I lost: time energy.. and now, self respect.

And with this fresh in my mind,

I shall walk away from 'gear talk' on this blog for a spell.

GX1 Gemini

The matching GX1 bodies are now at the same address.

Initial settings are almost in place to make them clones, but a few items are not in alignment yet. I sent the manuals to a print-shop so I can learn a few new things (more precisely un-learn a few newer things that  the GM1 and GX7 taught me!) so at some point I'll know why some settings are greyed out on the newer body. I think we now have five batteries for the two cameras, so running out of power is not a safe option to claim.

As shown here the spousal cam has the silver 14-42ii on it and my GX1 has the svelte 45-150 attached. I need to order the hot-shoe/dataport cover soon for comfort's sake - or plan B: attach the VF to the spousal cam and take her cover! Clever boy.

It's interesting what changes from year to year among cameras. The GX1 has the stiffest control rings I've ever owned - the power switch and mode dial are almost scary-stiff compared to what I am used to. It's strange that the GX7 did not feel as tight; one would think this was something that most people would appreciate. As I noted before, some responsiveness is lacking in the older bodies, to no one's surprise. It's not a major concern, and the K-5 is as spry as ever in that regard so I have choices. That's seldom bad, unless it leads to paralysis (or another budget crisis!).

setting up the GX1

After doing the custom settings for GM1 and GX7 bodies, it took a bit longer to find a good combination for the earlier GX1. Many features of the earlier camera are more primitive or just not invented, so settings just took a bit longer to find or make use of. Features like the touch-AF work fine but are not as quick, and the touchscreen is both lower resolution and less precise. For example, the first time I tried video with touch-AF it didn't seem to work - but the touch sensitivity and slower AF had me briefly fooled.

I now have things the way I like. For now. I shall save the custom settings for later, but when the second GX1 arrives I'll set it up to match; that way my wife and I can shoot the same things and compare results.

News flash - the 12-32 has left the building with the GM1! More cash in for future considerations. I shall replace it with.. something, but for now GX1a will have the 14-42ii while GX1b muddles along with the 14 and 30mm primes. Not a bad situation!

more trading of horses

I found someone with a GX1 and interest in our GM1. Neither of us was interested in parting with much cash, but in the end I get the body and a 14mm Lumix pancake. That's a lens with a good reputation and pairs nicely with the 30mm Sigma.

This nearly brings the team-camera concept back in alignment. Not quite though, as we have a 12-32 and 14-42ii for the two GX1 bodies. Close enough for now I think, and quite handy for trips where those wider or longer focal lengths would be missed! I do wish one were silver for the 14-42 though, both bodies are black.

The whole two-system mess was quite an accident, really. 

I planned to get another GM1 once the GX7 left, but nothing could be found for under $500! I then found the K-5 for just under $200, I already had lenses covering 28-300 in K mount, and a 50-200WR came silly cheap for $50.  Yaay! But then I decided the 12-60 sealed lens made little sense with a GM1 so sought out a trade - and a GX1 was offered a day after the K-5 deal. 

And why not give it a try?  The GX1 uses an older 16Mpix sensor compared to the GM1/GX7, but still a talented one. And the clip-on viewfinder came along in the trade, which was a nice touch since it can be removed for a simple camera. This made me wonder how much my wife really liked 'her' GM1 since a viewfinder has been a big deal to her. When the GX1 arrived I handed her both cameras and she immediately remarked that the GX1 was the best fit of any camera I had given her; that's important since we'd tried Pentax Q, Samsung NX300 and smaller K-body SLRs. The viewfinder clinched the deal - and here we are now.

• Pentax: K-5, 28-80 1:2, 55-200WR, 70-150, 100-300, 50/1.7 and 100/2.8

• µ43: GX1×2, Lumix 12-32, 14-42ii, 14/2.5 and 30/2.8 (also a 46mm adapter to make the 14 into a 10.5 and the 30 into a 23?) plus 45-150mm zoom and any Pentax lenses I choose to adapt!

not again yes again.. not

Recall the short time since my K-5 departed and I embraced the µ43 for the third time, more or less. If you'd rather not click I will stipulate that it was mid-December, six short months ago

Also recall that I am not sane, and occasionally stressed financially.

All set?

No surprise to you then to learn that a K-5 is on the way here, and the gx7 is gone. Yes 'tis true.
Someone had a Want to Buy offer when I had a dollar crunch, and gx7 plus 20mm have departed.

I returned to µ43 for several good reasons, and one important factor was low prices. I could pick up an Oly PEN with 16Mpix sensor for under $250. This time the low prices swung to Pentax: I let the two items go, picked up the K-5 and put $250 in the bank! My 'new' K-5 has over 50k clicks on the shutter, but that's either quarter or half of the rated lifespan - and per the first paragragh I'll likely let it go for some good reason before I've put 5k more on it. Sad.. but true.

This leaves me* with a K-5 and several lenses that failed to leave with the previous camera (including a da18-250), plus the GM1 and a few decent Lumix zooms - and some of that Lumix gear is changing again soon.

..something like this?

I've decided that for me smaller µ43 is better, so the gx7 plus 12-60 are not ideal. I offered the 12-60 in trade for a gm1 or a baby kit lens, and an offer came back for a gx1 and 12-32mm pancake zoom. Not sure yet about the body, but kit lenses come no smaller than that 12-32! I've now read up on several "GM1 or GX1?" threads, and many prefer the GX1 ergonomically despite the newer sensor and a few added GM1 tricks. Plus a viewfinder can be added to the GX1. Perhaps that deal is worth a test drive in any case!
Deal agreed to, GX1 and 12-32 for the 12-60. O what fun!

*Kit update, FWiW:

K-5 + 17-28FE,, 28-80 1:2 and 100-300 Σ, 70-150 Rikenon - 25-450mme

GM1, GX1 + 14/2.5, 14-42ii, 45-150, 30mm Σ, -- 28-300mme

small shifts

I like my small primes.
The Oly 17/2.8 and Sigma 30 are both small f/2.8 lenses that do great work. Being f/2.8 keeps them small and I like it that way; the 12-60mm zoom can handle the tasks when versatility beats speed and best-possible image quality.

However.. the appeal of the newer Sigma 30/1.4 was beginning to get to me! Events that really could use faster glass have come and gone, forcing me into the higher reaches of ISO to pull off. The Sigma small-30 has been a great fit for many reasons, so seeing it under such pressure is sad - but it was a good candidate for replacement with a faster lens. The Sigma f/1.4 is still pretty new and in demand, so used deals are not likely at all - and it adds more cubic inches and 100g to the bulk of my kit. Not unreasonable, but still less convenient than the little f/2.8 version.

The pressure has now been relieved - but not in the way I had expected. 

A couple of deals on used Lumix 20mm f/1.7 lenses appeared online, and I ordered one of those instead.
This is perhaps the original 'must-have' lens for the µ43 system, with compactness and great image quality offset only mildly by a 'slow' AF system. I've offered up a few other spare parts in exchange so the final expense for it should be quite small.

One of those 'spares' is the Olympus 17. I'd be very hard pressed to differentiate between times when the 17 or 20 would take precedence, so better to skip that part. Thankfully the odd 46mm filter size on the 20mm matches the Sigma 30 (and their 60/2.8 for that matter) so a new pile of filters will not be needed. And on the GX7 the little primes are stabilized!

I plan to seek out a Lumix 14/2.5 in the future* for wider shots. That one is another early model semi-fast pancake that I've owned before and felt good about. That leads to 14-20-30 and 45-150 for the tiny kit, with the 12-60 for handy wide zoom. Turning the 14mm vertically and stitching 2-3 images would cover to perhaps 9mm for those rare times when that would be of value.
Here's a 'blog post from someone who looks over the Lumix pancakes and has enjoyed them for a while!

* some slight risk that a fisheye will appear instead for the wider shots.. we shall see..

learning the GX7

After a few weeks and too little use, the GX7 still feels unusual to me. I'm hoping to change that, and also change a few settings to make it more precisely mine!

Once the basics were fleshed out (date & time, focus preference, image size/quality and such) it was time to toy with the function buttons. I've tried a few choices already but time needs to be spent before deciding which items stay or go. I've set the eye-sensor to High in the hopes that the main screen will go blank less often when my thumb passes near the viewfinder, and that custom button has returned to its original spot rather than shifting WiFi there. My custom Q-Menu is now mostly set as well. With four hard buttons and five more on the touchscreen, plus Q-Menu and 4-way pad presets, it's incredible how many settings can be accessed!

from review at cameralabs.com

I've discovered one new interactive item that I like very much - I can pop into and out of spot metering at the touch of a button! It's a touchscreen feature that you can select to change the exposure point for an image. Point to a bright object and watch the screen darken, then point elsewhere (or turn off) to return to matrix or center-weight metering. Very cool!
On is set to Fn2, reset at Fn3!

And finally - at last! - on to the Custom settings. Three positions on the mode dial can be preset to however you choose. I've owned many cameras with this feature, but have almost never put them in play - so it's time, and well past time, to make sensible use of them!

again from cameralabs

For now at least, here are my settings:

1. Aperture priority, auto ISO to 3200, AF via rear button not shutter, standard image type
2. Shutter priority, auto ISO 800-6400, AF on shutter (birds and other action setting)
3. Aperture setup similar to #1, shoots RAW plus jpeg monochrome

The third position actually has two other options that are accessed via C3+touchscreen; I'll contemplate the possibilities later on those.

So far I'm holding strong on the 2-zoom, 2-prime kit. It fits quite snugly in my Tamrac Jazz 36 bag, though any additions will put me over the top. That might not stop me from buying more, but it does provide some incentive at least!
It has two compartments plus the center section for cam+attached lens; when a prime is attached the 2nd prime goes below it, otherwise the primes stack in one of the side compartments. The side pockets hold lens hoods while the front pocket has extension tube and spare batteries with a USB charger. I need to determine which filters need to come along; if many are needed I'll have to reassess my pocket uses for a safe place. 

Fun fact: GX7 plus the four lenses rounds nicely to 1 kilogram!

resistance is difficult

I feel very good about the current µ43 kit - which is a good and a bad sign.

For some reason it's the last few pieces to my kit that have forced a reassessment and ultimately the utter derangement of said kit. Adding a single item can make others look in need of an update. Yes that sounds bizarre and counter-intuitive, but I've been there, more than once. A new piece makes old ones look old - or too large/slow/irrelevant - and suddenly the kit spontaneously combusts!

I'm sitting pretty with 17 and 30mm primes, cute little things that can fill in when the 12-60 isn't the right choice. Both f/2.8 primes are faster than the 12-60 at any point in its range, so low light makes them worth having. They also work nicely with the 45-150mm telephoto zoom: (almost) 15-30-45mm steps.

But what about the low end? Shouldn't something in the 8-12mm range be a good fit? Well.. maybe. For that matter a 24mm Wesley could give me (almost) 8-16-24-32 steps, and more steps means less gaps..

-no No NO!! This way lies madness. Take the 12-60 and NO gaps happen!
I was overjoyed in my film days to go as wide as 24mm - what has changed to make me so FL-greedy?

Primes are 'better' for image quality in general but zooms exist for a good reason. The 12-60 can focus closely with no attachments and keeps me from changing lenses in the field. And Lumix cameras can do panoramic shots, meaning that the 12-60 can be used in portrait mode for wider, stitched shots.

Yes I'd love a fisheye type, and at some point one may appear. I also really like the Sigma 60mm. I like gear, OK? Just don't get back into the rut of acquisitions that force other sensible choices to fall apart.

micro's last stand

I've tried and enjoyed the micro 4:3 gear, but it's clear that Pentax gear fits my hand and brain just right. I've tried Lumix at least 3 times, and recently gave Oly gear a full workout. Since the NX300 is my wife's clear choice I let all that go, so we're pretty locked down for small-body big-sensor imaging.

from imaging-resource review

 A post recently spread around about the demise of the Lumix GM series. It's since been clarified to mean that Panasonic is redefining the product lines and only the letters "GM" may be demising. Anyway, the GM is truly as tiny as can be with the 4:3 sesnor, and especially when paired with the 12-32m, owners have really liked it.

As I was unable to sell all of my micro gear, a used GM1 is coming soon in order to make use of the 'spare parts'. It can be the telescope cam (with my 1¼" eyepiece to m43 adapter), the ultra-tiny cam (with 9mm body-cap fisheye lens), and a true pocket camera.

I chose to skip is the 12-32mm collapsible lens though. It's wonderful and all that, but the 20mme difference for longer shots is too much to bear. I found a 14-42mm lens at a great price - but which one is it?? It was labeled as the 14-42 II, which I've tried and liked; the shipping order shows the X-Vario 14-42, another collapsible design that would be handier for pocket travel & also gets good reviews. I won't lose as either 14-42mm will serve nicely.

In Samsung news the 16-50 PZ now has a 50-200 III to keep it company, and the 16/2.4 will be here in a bit. Other than the 30/2 that should be enough fun for that setup. Easy to say, now prove it..

the temporary trio

Interesting how the new Lumix lenses have contracted, compared to both earlier versions and the Olympus counterparts! It's decently smaller but still has OIS inbuilt. The 14-42/II shows the same reduced-cubic-inch design philosophy, and reports are great about improved IQ for both lenses.  Nice!
That 14-42/II will arrive early next week, racing the silver em10 to my door.

So much for sense

Many options exist for the wide end of µ43. Tiny 12-32mm, fast 12-35 or 12-40, versatile 12-50 or 12-60 - or simple 14-42 or 14-45 kit lenses.

Of the 14-42s this makes the most sense to me:

This is 14-42/II, the 3rd-generation Lumix 'kit lens', assuming the PZ version is #4. This one has neither 52mm filter threads nor an OIS switch, but it's smaller sharper and better made than the others in this range - even the Oly IIr that I own now, according to reviews (ir, pz). Sounds like a good match for the 45-150. I'll survive with two filter sets, I have done so before.

No to go back and edit the last few posts to match up with reality. Yes i am rewriting history, again.

Equiv. focal length.     28-84mme
Optical construction    9 elements in 8 groups inc. 2x aspherical 
No. aperture blades    7 (circular)
min. focus      0.2-0.3m (max. magnification: 1:6)
Dimensions    56x49mm
Lens Weight    110g
Filter thread    46mm (non-rotating)

micropriorities

Although my transition to micro-four-thirds gear was not planned to be a complete kit makeover, the budget insisted that some changes be made. It turns out that shooters on a budget can do quite well in the µ43 gear pool! Finding a Pentax dSLR for under $200 takes one back many generations, but I'm managing to find Olympus Pen and Lumix G/GF bodies in that range pretty regularly. Basic m4:3 lenses and my Pentax primes can make up a decent kit in a hurry.

So despite the siren calls from forum folk and advertisers, many products just don't resonate with me.

• Fast Zooms will not find a place for me. Yes the 12-35 and 12-40s are quite compact and perhaps one awaits me in the future. Definitely not the heavier f/2.8 telephotos however. I like this gear because it is compact and still talented, so adding big zooms will damage both budget and shoulder strap.
• Ultrafast Primes also don't speak to me. The primes that reach f/1.7 (and even Sigma's f/2.8 trio) are enough for my sort of subject isolation, so f/0.95 just is not my style.  This excludes the speed-booster anticonverters as well.
• 4k video cannot get much traction with me either.  The G7 swayed me with that call, but I have neither monitor nor TV screen that can show me the benefits. And pulling 8Mpx stills sounds wonderful.. but I so seldom shoot video even at 720p that I can recognize it for the gee-whiz feature that can grab my attention but only briefly.

So this list leaves a lot of gear available even at good prices. What do I expect to reach me next?

• probably a Pen Lite, whether ePL5 or ePL6 it's hard to say. The pm5 is available at an excellent price, and it has enough features to challenge my need for the weather-sealed em5 I have now. It has the same internals, the tip screen and several more assignable buttons that the pm2 did not have, and if a viewfinder is needed it's a $100 clip-on option.  Even if this does not unseat the em5 it could take the NX300 out of the back room and send it away, so from a budget viewpoint that's a plus. The PL6 includes time-lapse functions; I always liked Pentax for including those, and used the feature perhaps.. twice? Maybe this is why I recognize the 4k feature as a must-have-won't-use option..
• if the em5 survives the PL5/6 reality check, a sealed lens would be valuable.  The 12-50 is the easy and cheaper option so that's the nearest thing to a plan right now.
• Primes.  Sealed primes would be a wonderful thing that even Pentax has not yet offered, but a few great primes would be very nice. I've found the Sigmas and the Oly 17mm (all f/2.8) to be sufficiently excellent for my needs, and the price & bulk that I avoid are both highly valued.

Just don't ask me to do this again tomorrow.  I hate seeing how those siren calls can sway me!

kit evolution / devolution

My wife went into the hospital for two nights with double pneumonia, and soon after arriving home one of my teeth broke into pieces.  Needless to say the budget for other items just contracted big time!

So much for the conversion to Lumix lenses when I am already covered by M.Zuiko.

In fact my shots with the 35-100 were not showing its best side.  That could well be a conflict of IS protocols or a firmware issue (what an odd thing to say about optics..) - but shots with the 40-150 Oly were just a pinch better in the same range. Since my caregiving and dental task-list is pretty full right now I'm going to send the lens back and hope the next person can make good use of it.  I really like the size when retracted - well it's nice when extended too! - and I still prefer the zoom direction of the Lumix lenses.  I shall manage with the reverse rotation while scraping up my loose change for the medical folks, and in a few months I can (hopefully?) consider my options from a better position.

Hmmm I thought that last month too, didn't I?  I do wish life could be a bit less hectic, just for a decade or so..

a not-really-fun fact:

• this is a lousy time to learn new photo tricks.

My 30-day window for returning the G7 is up next week, and I will probably send it back.  No issues with the camera, the old line  'it's not you it's me' is definitely in play.

No, this dog is Not too old for such things.  I often look forward to doing things in new ways.  It's simply that I know the Pentax methods of doing what I do often, and I like them!  The G7's methods still work fine, it's just different - but different is hard right now in a home where nearly everything is a whirlwind of 'different'. Case in point: I did not realize just how often I shoot, replay & immediately adjust exposure and/or crop.  Those things are a simple down-arrow away in Pentax play mode, but I had to hunt to find 'cropping' and then zoom to crop instead of .. well anyway.  Different.

It's also been more expensive than I planned for a reasonable mic4:3 system; it's nearly at $1000 now, vs. about $300 for a K·50 and a WR lens or maybe two (plus what's still on my shelf).  I was falling victim to the usual concepts that elude me - a few excellent deals on individual lenses still adds up to several hundred dollars total.  I was just outbid on a $400 lens that was up for $225, and I feel good that I shall lose!

And of course - nothing that I have purchased has any weather resistance.  That would require a different body, different lenses.  Yet again - different.

We'll see in a day or two how this pans out.  Stay tuned.. or don't!