I have gone through eight ricoh GRs (admittedly several older GRDs in that lot) over the last ten years. I basically only shot ricohs or Sony rx100s for about 12 years. Dust and lens motors dying were always what did them in. Even the aps-c sensor models had about the same failure rate. I fix machines for a living and I got very comfortable disassembling ricohs for sensor cleaning but inevitably the ribbon cables begin to wear and then you start losing random button functions. Eventually I ended up cannibalizing parts from some GRs to keep other GRs working and when I finally killed my last one (about a month ago) I saw this video and got myself a GX1 and the 14mm 2.5 (also the 7artisans ufo lens for my pocket) and have essentially eliminated all reliability concerns of the compacts while having arguably more functionality while shooting. It’s been a massive relief.
@@Screenshot1015 so do you think a fixed lens camera like Leica Q and Sony Rx1 will have the same lens dust and motor problem? Seeing they have a fixed lens which have no movement to stow their lens inside.
The Panasonic 20 mm is still my favorite all-time lens believe it or not. Slow to auto focus as a lens does not have a great motor but just an optical jewel and the only lens in my micro 4/3 kit that I will never part with.
The GX1 is a much underrated/ignored camera that can produce excellent results. I love using this camera despite having other more up to date options to choose from.
This is, bar none, my favorite lens of all time. The 40mm equivalent focal range puts it right in the sweet spot between portrait photography and street photography. Mine has survived through four different M4:3rds bodies, and while I'm muling selling the GX1X (getting old due to wear and tear), I'm keeping the lens against the possibility of getting a smaller M4:3 body later on.
fully agree, I have Canon L primes, Leica lenses... but this small panny is a perfect mixture of perfect ingredients. Fav lens of all times. It's a lens I'm never ever going to sell
love that you have rescued the GX1 and even more that you have been encouraged to compare it with the "queen of the streets". Yes, it is true that it is APS-C, faster focus, better dynamic range, but you condemn yourself to using a single focal length and, on top of that, you make sure you have dust on the sensor in short time. There are other cameras on your channel that could well replace the GR and save you a lot of money. Happy photos and trails.
It's actually 4/3 sensor so a bit smaller than aps-c, but that probably evens out pretty well as his Panasonic lens is brighter than on the Ricoh. The Ricoh is only a single focal length as well.... dust could be a factor, but at least with detachable lenses you can clean the sensor pretty easily.
@@tosvus I think he was talking about the Ricoh when he mentioned the sensor size and focal lenght. That's why he said that by choosing it over the GX1 you would get better features overall but you would be locked to just one focal lenght while with the Panasonic (or any other camera with interchangeable lenses) you would be able to explore different for lenses, both primes and zooms (and you would also be able to get dust away fron the sensor).
I have since moved on in the M43 world and primarily use a GX85, G95, or G9 depending on the situation. The GX1 was my first M43 camera and I bought it in late 2012 or early 2013. It was and is an excellent camera and I used it as a compact travel solution for years with a 14 f/2.5 attached. Single point AF is quite fast even when compared to newer models so long as the lens is capable, C-AF is a bit dated. In your case the AF slowness is due to the 20 f/1.7 which has a slow motor and doesn't support C-AF, even on the newest Lumix bodies. As you reported, it is still an amazingly sharp lens and is my go to for portable setups along with the 14 f/2.5 and 12-32 f/3.5-5.6. M43 is really an amazing system. You can be out with a GX1, GM5, or GX85 and a compact prime or zoom one day, and photographing a wedding the next day with a G9 and G95 plus a PL10-25, Oly 40-150 f/2.8, and a couple fast f/1.4 primes.
Thx again for great videos - you just have the best pace and its a joy to watch and listen to. Thinking the GM5 is also a very good alternative - it has EVF built in!
Love it. In fact (and I plan to post on the forum about this), I'm trying Micro 4/3 for the first time; coming this week is an Olympus E-M10 and the Panasonic 20mm f1.7. I've seen some samples that just blow me away; color-wise especially. Anyway, great plan and another great video!
Replying to my own comment here, I thought I’d note that while I really liked the E-M10 in almost every way, what ended up making me sell it was that when using auto ISO, you can’t set a minimum shutter speed. I’m just very used to using that from my Fujis.
@@denniscrommettNever done it myself, but I think you can set it. It's just not too straight forward to find the setting because they put it together with the flash stuff (as it's often used for that). But you should be able to set it and it should work regardless if you are using a flash or not.
Heard a lot of good things re the GX1 I’d recommend the GX80/5 also I’ve taken some of my favorite street shots with that paired with the 15mm & 25mm f1.7 lenses. That camera takes lovely 4K too I’ve seen it for as cheap as 250USD recently, about 12000php here in the Philippines. The 20mm is an interesting gap in my mft collection but reckon I’ll get the 25 f1.4 instead
That sounds sweet. I had the G85 (maybe you saw that, blinked and you would've missed it, haha). I bought it as my standalone video camera so I didn't have to keep using my Pentax's, but then sold to help fund my k3III splurge. I always planned to buy it back, but now I think I'll try the GX variant. The main difference for me before was getting a mic input, but now that I record the audio externally it doesn't matter.
Yeah, I use the GX80/85 with the 20mm f1.7 II lens for street photography and at family gatherings. I got both in a bundle at a major discount about 2 years ago.
I agree that the GX85 is amazing. I keep going back to GX7 and GX8 with flip up viewfinders. The flip up viewfinder seems useless but it’s great in the sun and remind me of my old 90s camcorders.
You can also snag the 14mm f2.5 and have both a GRIII and GRIIIx alternative. 14mm f2.5 is even smaller and cheaper than the 20mm f1.7. And then instead of the GRIIIx teleconversion adapter, you can pick up an Olympus 45mm f1.8 and have a wide/normal/portrait prime setup for less than the cost of a used GRIII. GX1 is fine, but there are some Olympus alternatives like the E-PM1 or E-PL5 that came with a slightly more modern Sony sensor and IBIS that should not be overlooked.
The GX85 is somewhat heavier, but incredibly versatile. That paired with 12 mm f2 Oly, 15 mm 1.7 and 20 mm 1.7 makes a dream street setup without breaking the bank
@@Fedorevsky I too have and use this body. It sports IBIS that I love. I use the Panny-Leica 15mm lens. The video on this body is very good but there is no audio Jack. Bummer. The dynamic B&W setting gives great contrast. It is more expensive than the GX1 as it is new. It also has an EVF. Mask On Nurse Marty
My GR alternative is an Olympus Pen Mini EPM-1 with a Panasonic 14mm f/2.5 lens. It's a 12 mp camera but those 12mp pack a lot of punch. It's even smaller than the GR. I have also been using the Pen Mini with the new Pergear 10mm f/8 lens, making for an even smaller package. The Pergear is a mild fisheye that is easily defished in post. It's an excellent tiny combo.
Robin Wong just made a video 'Ricoh GR III Alternative For $150 - Is It Good Enough?' using that exact setup. Although it obviously doesn't directly compare to the GR III, I do think it is a worthy budget alternative, especially for someone who wants to try out super stealthy street photography, someone who is just getting into photography, or someone who just wants a very pocketable camera for travel!!
I have this setup. Only difference is that my is in 90’s silver. It’s been retired for a couple of years now. I’ve since moved to its successor by a few generations, the GX-85. Pick on up if you come across one at a good price. It’s a worthwhile upgrade. The main advantage is the in-body stabilization. That and a fast lens like the 20mm f1.7 makes for a wonderful pairing. The built-in viewfinder reduces bulk. 4k video is good. Focus peaking makes using manual and adapted old lenses a better experience than on the body those were originally meant for. No need for align a central patch or split prism; no need to focus and recompose. Compose and do so with the aperture closed down. Have what you want to be sharp show the peaking outline. That also directly shows you what the depth of field is.
I had the g85 for a while for video and loved it. It was a short time though because I sold it to fund a fancy purchase. I went with the g85 over the gx so I could have a mic port, but now I record my audio externally so it doesn't matter. That compact gx85 looks very nice. I always planned to pick it back up for my main video camera again.
I had this lens years ago with my Olympus OM-D E-M5, and it was great. However. . . To me the whole point of the GR, anything in the GR series, is being able to carry it in a pocket. If a camera is not pocketable, then it's a different category. And if you are willing to carry an interchangeable-lens camera on a strap, then there are so many possible combinations that would fit the bill.
I gave up earning my living from photography after a satisfying quarter century career when digital came along, I was a wet process person and digital felt cold and impersonal. Last year I finally bought a digital camera and after much thought settled on a Panasonic GX9 ..... there's far more to life than megapixels and it does way more than I need but it does what I need very well indeed, along with the 20mm f1.7 that I bought as my prime lens ..... I wanted one "do it all" lens while I learnt about the camera .... and the lens is truly excellent for something so compact and reasonably priced, I can't recommend it too highly.
I've been shooting micro four thirds for more than a decade, and there are so many "obsolete" bodies available for so little cash. My favorite film cameras for street photography are the Canonets with the 40mm 1.7 lens, so the 20 1.7 Panny lens feels right at home.
I'm a big fan of micro four thirds. The sensor may be quite a bit smaller than APSC but they provide excellent image quality. I bought the Panasonic GM1 a couple of months back and paired it with my Olympus 17mm 2.8 pancake. There's no viewfinder but that doesn't bother me. It's so tiny, I can just get it into the side pocket of my jeans, it fits in the back one easily though. The GM1 is really small, without a lens, it's smaller than a pack of cigarettes but it's superb. It's got a brilliant touch screen and it focuses really fast to. To many people are hung up on big sensor camera's and don't consider M43, however, I think everyone should own at least one! 🙂
@@snappiness It is, if I get a chance, I'll pop on the forum later with some black and white images from it. I still use my Panasonic LX100 too which also has a M43 sensor inside, it's also got a damn sharp lens on it! I'd like to see more company's join M43 (and a phone manufacturer too 😍)
I rented a GRiiix. Wonderful camera, but decided to save my money and continue using my 10+ year old GF1 + 20mm for EDC. Even though I have an em1mkiii for serious shooting I prefer the GF1 because of the way it renders Jpegs. All the presets (std, vibrant, BW, nostalgia) are very film like in rendering and I don’t have Fujifilm envy anymore! Seriously check it out, also I wasn’t too impressed with the AF on the Ricoh GRIIIx, hunts a lot and misses even in decent lighting.
Totally true, i never buy a camera less than 7 years old since the lenses make more of a difference than the body in most situations. I am convinced that 90-95% of people cannot tell the difference between a 7 year old camera vs a brand new camera, especially if the photos are posted online! People aren't looking at the meta-data to decide whether or not to like a photo!!
I recently bough an Olympus Pen EP3 with the Panasonic 12-32 pancake lens as a run around camera for 170 EUR on mpb, it is great. And I can use the lens from my Oly EM1 on it too!
I love my Panasonic 12-32, although i don't use it much since i have an Olympus 12-40 f2.8 Pro, but every once in a while when I don't want the weight and bulk of the 12-40 Pro, I take the Panny!!
Alternatively the Olympus E-PL7 with the Lumix 20mm or pancake PZ14-42. And VF4 EVF. Won't quite slip into jeans pocket but will a jacket. With that you get 16Mp and IBIS, and a tilt screen.
I just swapped my old Lumix 25mm for a 20mm and I'm blown away by the sharpness wide open and the character of the bokeh (I would expect really clinical boring bokeh) but it looks like that of a vintage lens... In my opinion this lens has the best of both worlds when it comes to modern and vintage performance
The Panasonic 20mm f1.7 is the lens that sold me on mft. Although I’ve not paired it with a gx 1 yet. I used to have a gx7 though and it paired very nicely with that. The gx7 was sold as a kit with 20mm f1.7ii lens. That was a smart move by Panasonic.
Awesome video and its convinced me to purchase a GX1 body solely for my 20mm f1.7. One question i do have....your example pics in the video, are those straight out of the camera or how much editing did they get to achieve those great results?
For me the "poor mans" version was Canon Eos M with 22mm f2 lens. Thanks to all the reviewers focusing on the poor auto focus, I was able to get a camera that produces nice image quality.
I'm also a fan of the EOS M line. The original M is good; so are the M100 and M200. And there's the Ricoh GR II, used; that's an excellent camera if you are OK with a fixed lens.
Great combo and I think this is where micro four thirds shines. I have used the combo shown here, but in the end I went for and kept the Olympus E-P5 and 17/1.8 combo that would be quite similar in terms of size, age etc.. also has the optional EVF.
@@snappiness I like both lenses, very useful combination of small size, large aperture, general purpose focal length. I never did a technical side-by-side, but have used both quite a lot (20/1.7 2014-2018 and 17/1.8 from 2019-). Optically I think both are good, without any major flaws. Bokeh highlights on the 20/1.7 can be a bit highlighted sometimes - not too distracting to my eyes. The bokeh on the 17/1.8 can be a bit busy though, a kind of "double bokeh" effect at close focus - my only real complaint of that lens. For build quality the Olympus is for sure the better lens. Full metal construction, manual focus clutch, fast and silent AF. Slightly larger and heavier though. In the end I think they fill the same need and are both "good enough" (with a large margin), and I would go for Panasonic lens on Panasonic body, and same for Olympus. Feels more right so :)
Good video, some good photos. At current prices the GX1 with 20 1.7 lens and LVF2 viewfinder is roughly $450-500, a bit of camera specific inflation going on there I think. The LVF2 viewfinder in particular has always been pretty expensive probably due to low supply on the used market.
Great video. Unfortunately prices have gone up recently, looks like the body is around $125-$135, the LVF2 viewfinder around $150-$160, and the lens about $125 used. Or abut $400 total, which is at least still a lot cheaper than a GRiiix. You could of course skip the LVF2 viewfinder (I got a Lumix G5 body as alternative instead for less) since the GRiix doesn't have an eye level viewfinder either, or get an older Lumix body like the GF1, GF2, or GF5, all pretty good alternatives. The GF5 body is smaller and cheaper too but controls are more limited and the sensor isn't quite as good. So the GX1 is probably the best bang for buck and the 16mp sensor is generally better than the older 12mp sensor especially over iso 400. If nothing else get the 20 1.7 lens first and a body later.. Another smaller and lighter alternative body for the Lumix 20 1.7 lens is the Olympus Pen Mini 2, about the same price as the GX1 body, similar sensor with better jpeg processing, also gives you IBIS, which can be quite useful, but controls are a little trickier to use even with the Super Control Panel enabled. If you want a tilt screen and slightly better controls the Olympus E-PL5 is also around the same price but has a little more bulk and weight but not much. There are several eye level viewfinders available for the Pen series too.
Yes, the 20mm LUMIX is my favourite street lens. Gets me just close enough in most situations. I use it with a GX 85 because the built in Eye level viewfinder is a must for me. I have an Oly accessory viewfinder and an EPL 7, but the separate viewfinder is too fiddly for me in a camera I’m going to pull out Of a pocket. I also use the 12-32 LUMIX pancake zoom which adds versatility at the expense of lens speed and my overall favourite the 14mm LUMIX pancake for walking around cameras. In short, All the pancakes are worth exploring on your camera.
Stick the lens on a Pan GM5 and you will have a setup that will fit in your pants pocket, but also comes with a small yet functional viewfinder when you need one. I carry mine when I am out with my wildlife shooting Sony A7iv/200-600 combo, just in case I come across something intesting. I use the Pan 14mm for landscapes and an Oly 60mm macro that fit in various pockets of my camouflage jcket.
The Lumix 20mm is fantastic! Excellent IQ, a semi-wide without the distortion of a wide angle, small, light, cheap and unlike the 25mm does not have focusing issues.
Love it! Great set up for family shots and walking around. The lens itself has notoriously slow AF but if you can live with it the rendering, bokeh and colours it can produce are fantastic for the money.
I’ve got the Panasonic 25mm f/1.7 and it’s a very nice little lens. AF is decent on a 6 yo Olympus OM10 but the lens isn’t a ‘flat’ as the 20mm but that’s ok. I just wish the body was nicer to shoot with. I’ve never fallen in love with 4/3 system except for size.
I’m honestly not sure why people who really really want a Ricoh GR3 or GR3X don’t go for the GR2. I bought a used MINT GR2 for $200. Its my favorite camera and honestly with snap focus takes amazing photos. It has the coveted Positive Film mode and Moriyama style Hi Contrast mode and honestly it’s arguably better than the GR3. However, the ONLY downside is that GR2 is not the best in low light. But if you truly want a pocketable camera (and if it fits in womens pants it’s def pocketable…) and want the IQ of a great PnS, I feel like GR2 is a no brainer. At this point I think it’s just being a best kept secret.
I use a GX9 now but still rate the 20mm f1.7 lens the best value micro 4/3 lens . It is not the fastest to autofocus, but it is sharp, almost the perfect all purpose focal length, and amazing value. I have the Olympus 17mm f 1.8, which has better and faster autofocus and is a great lens but it is not the one I choose for street and candid photography. I don’t know quite why, but that’s what works for me!
I have this exact setup. The 20mm lens is slow to focus and borderline unusable for video, but that’s not what this setup is for anyways. The important thing is the lens takes absolutely beautiful pictures.
Cool that it's an option! The Ricoh GXR had an EVF option (which I now own too, by the way) but for some reason they stopped for the later GR series. Seems like there's at least some demand.
@@snappiness I see. How do they compare? I have the GX7 as well. Much smaller image in the viewfinder and no option for the LVF2 there, sadly. But at it's tiltable and that's a bonus..
I’ve owned this lens a few times and got used to the autofocus but I wonder if just making a newer better focusing version of this lens could almost cause a M4/3 resurgence. Just about all of the other Panasonic lenses focus very quickly for photography.
I have had the G1, GF1, GX1 and GX85. If I were buying one now, the GX85 would be the choice... it has a 16mp sensor with no AA filter, image stabilization, and really good 4k video (not so much audio) and a built in viewfinder (not the best, but it works). Also the built in flash can be pulled back to bounce off a ceiling which is an underrated feature. Another great travel lens is the kit 12-32.
That is the camera I am thinking to replace my video setup. I had overlooked it before because no audio jack, but now I record my audio off a different recorder anyway so it doesn't matter. Looks like a nice compact camera with some really nice features.
Ich habe auch eine GX80 (so heisst die europäische Variante, in Japan GX7 Mark II) und ich liebe sie! Ich habe sie im einem sehr guten Zustand gebraucht gekauft. Mit dem 12-32 und dem 35-100mm (nicht die 2.8 Varianten, dafür sind sie winzig) für schlanke 325€. Dazu das Panasonic 25mm 1.7 - ein grandioses Reiseset!
I see you haven't mentioned the Nikon P7700. After an eye injury l was looking to pick up a cheap P7800 but not many around and the last one for sale in Australia was sold for close to $300.
That viewfinder is not bad at all, it also fits the Panasonic LX7. Not only does it tilt, but it has a retaining button that stops it from being pushed off the camera by accident. Now I'm curious about getting a GX1!
Just bought the Olympus OMD EM-10 Mkii M4/3 as a secondary for street photography and the autofocus is very snappy, it has an EVF built in, vibration reduction, and a tilting screen all for £160 ($191) and takes crystal clear shots with the 40mm prime lens I bought for it, it had a few dead pixels when I bought it but since it has pixel mapping that wasn't an issue.
I got a great deal on a Canon M6II with a 22mm pancake Len. Which is similar size. But I had I sell it because the biggest strength of the GR is that it really will fit in your pocket.
This setup can also be had with a Fuji X-E1 or 2 or 2s with the Fuji 27mm lens. But the cost will be almost twice the Panasonic though good deals can be found and no need for an EVF add-on. I have the X-E2s/27mm and it's a great informal walk around camera.
I've had this camera since release. Was primarily my back up but I love it paired with my Canon fd 24mm 2.8. It's my go everywhere camera now. Always in ny car for the impromptu moments.
Any older GF or GX Panasonic with a 20mm makes a good GR IIIx alternative. Put Panasonic’s 14mm f/2.5 on and you have a GR alternative. The 14mm is a great lens. My GR IIIx alternative is a 40mm full frame Olympus Trip from the 1970s. Found it on a junk stall in Croatia for EUR35 a few years ago. Slightly dreamy photos if you get the focussing slightly off and super sharp if you focus dead on. Love it.
It is a very nice combo, the AF on the 20 is slow, possibly one of the slowest in the whole M43 system along with the Olympus 17 mm f:2.8. You can get both the III and the IIIX on the one GX1, just add the Lumix 14 mm f:2.5 to the 20mm. The 14mm adds about 50 grams to you load-out. It is the smallest proper lens for that system out there, excluding the lens like Olympus 9 and 15 mm Body Cap Lenses, which are more towards the toy-lens segment. :-)
I have owned a ton of cameras over the years, but never this one. I have always been curious about it, though, as it seems to have a cult following (here in Taiwan, anyway). I still see friends posting photos and love letters about this camera. No doubt it shows its age and has a few shortcomings, but it obviously has a certain charm and a lot going for it, as well.
Late to this video, but to answer your question: seeing as I just bought this camera body and lens and am now looking up youtube videos to take the edge off while I wait for my packages to arrive, I think I am very fond of this setup! XD
The 20/1.7 is a deservedly-lauded lens. I had one for years, and although I’ve since replaced it with the Oly 17/1.8, I miss how light & pancakey the Panny was. Along with m4/3 I’ve also shot with the confusingly-named Ricoh GR ‘digital’ IV, and it was a fantastic camera that I got some great shots out of, but I was a clutz and managed to destroy it on a trip to London. I’d love to try the new GR III but the price is just…yeah.
I just got my first M43 this year buying a cheap Lumix G9. I was so impressed by the lenses. I was also able to find a olympus ep-1 for £30 and a ep-3 for £60. The Olympus colours are amazing (not as good as Fuji). I'm on the look out for an Olympus ep-5 now which I think will be better than a Lumix GX1
I also have the G9. A very powerful body. The video is stellar. It has interchangeable lens capability so if you don’t like the 28 or 40 equivalent focal lengths of the GRiii or iiiX you can pick your poison. The G9 has a super EVF. The video is better and has great IBIS.The thing is the body is as large as a DSLR. As such, the G9 is not pocketable. This is one killer feature of the GR. As suggested above, the GX85 is my choice. The GX 90 or 95 will both do. Of course these bodies are much more expensive than the GX1. Mask On Nurse Marty
I have the first version of the 20/1.7 (yours is the second version, yes?) and it's one of my favorite lenses ever. The rendering of that lens still makes me smile when I run into an image made with it in Lightroom. I shot it with the GF-1 in a similar setup as yours, and I've been tempted to pick up a newer body just for the 20mm lens. Too many cameras though!
After using this lens I can see why. It really is fantastic. Yes, mine is the second version, although I don't know how much that really matters. I can't remember what the updates were but they sounded minimal. I just happened upon this one for a deal so went for it.
I had a GM5 with that 20mm. It was a great combo. I have both a GRiii and iiix now. The GRiiix is about 30% better IQ, and I love the pop out lens and better controls....
I use hyperfocal focus, set lens to manual focus at maybe 10 feet, use aperture priority at maybe f8, focus is roughly 5 feet to infinity. I've found the manual focus point remains the same after restarts too at least on the GX1 and E-PM2 but good to double check now and then.
The lens is very good, I've owned it in combination with the GM1, which looks very funny. A few month ago, a was looking for the exact combo like your's. Nice to see it now :D like always, great job!
How is the EVF? I have a gx85 that I stopped using because of the small EVF when compared to my E-M1 mkI and I haven't tested Panasonic ever since getting that camera.
I don't have an Olympus EVF to compare - might have to compare the specs. It's the Panasonic LVF2. I found it adequate. It's a neat option, especially for mounting manual glass and manual focusing. Being a GR user, I actually find myself not using it much.
Swap out the GX1 with the Olympus Pen E-PM2. The Pen has touch screen (for focus selection and shutter!), IBIS(!!), smaller than the GX1, better electronic viewfinder option, much faster auto-focus. I like the Olympus colors from the Pen better than the older Panasonic MFT cameras. I picked up two Pen E-PM2 bodies for $100 each.
I also have this lens and love it, also because 40mm equivalent is my favourite angle of view. I also own the very compact GM5 which has the advantage of a built in electronic viewfinder, which makes it a really compact combo (also with the 12-32 very compact zoom that came with the GM5, or the 14mm f/2.5.
Hey, that looks like exactly the camera I’ve bin looking for, am not convinced by the fuji Cams, or the price of them … (the ‘f’ is ‘cheaper’, but the lenses looks quite soft - althu I know some fans say that’s ‘poetic’ or ‘filmic’, but not convinced… And also I really liked your images, so I will investigate further .. Many thanks !!
Good video. I have a GX1, pretty good camera. But for a compact camera I prefer a Panasonic GM1 with Pan 14mm f2.5 or 20mm f1.7 or 12-32 zoom. Thanks. toronto canada.
That would be a nice little kit. I was thinking about picking up an Olympus PEN series camera for a super small setup. I have an Olympus E-PL5 that's broken and may have to get that up and running somehow. I did try to fix it but ended up making it worse by tearing a ribbon cable in the process I may have to pick up a Panasonic 20mm f1.7 for my Olympus E-M5 Mark II, looks like a really nice lens. I do like my Panasonic 12-32mm (24-62 FF equiv) f3.5-5.6 kit lens, the only Panasonic lens I have, being pleasantly surprised with its performance for a mid-focal range kit lens, and for being mounted on a non-Panasonic body. The auto-focus is super snappy (pun unintended, lol). I never would have thought to buy a Panasonic lens on my own but it came with my E-M5 and now I need more Panny lenses!!
Great video! I use 2 GF1:s vith 14 and 20 mm lenses, and one E-P1 with 17/1,8 lens. Love the output of all 3. I also use a pair of GX7:s and a GX8 with other lenses, love them too! / Regards Ulf
I'm very satisfied with my Panasonic Lumix GX8 and the 20mm Mark II lens because the combination is compact enough and the performance is excellent. My Ricoh GXR is more compact than the GX8, but its 50mm lens is far bulkier than the Panasonic 20mm Mark II.
I use a Lumix DC-ZS70 for street photography and a backup camera - just over 20mp and 30x zoom, Fits pockets well but might feel a bit heavy. I keep it in a case attached to my belt for an everyday carry .
love your channel, i'm trying to find an older/cheaper compact/point and shoot camera with good autofocus as a backup camera. The problem with most of them is the autofocus is bad.
I think you missed the all point of the gr series. It is not only portability but also snap shooting and DOF. Otherwise any compact camera with fix lenses like the Fuji x70 would do. The best alternative would be an other Ricoh like the gxr or first gr…
Looks like a fine camera and lens pair. But for me, if it won't easily fit into a shirt pocket, then I'm back to my Pentax DSLR. If you have to carry it on a strap, might as well go DSLR instead of any in-between sizes! Sorry, LUMIX! Sorry, Leica!
Biggest Lumix advantage - you can remove the lens to clean the sensor.
That is definitely an advantage worth mentioning ;) my GR original is really starting to fill up.
Good point!
I have gone through eight ricoh GRs (admittedly several older GRDs in that lot) over the last ten years. I basically only shot ricohs or Sony rx100s for about 12 years. Dust and lens motors dying were always what did them in. Even the aps-c sensor models had about the same failure rate. I fix machines for a living and I got very comfortable disassembling ricohs for sensor cleaning but inevitably the ribbon cables begin to wear and then you start losing random button functions. Eventually I ended up cannibalizing parts from some GRs to keep other GRs working and when I finally killed my last one (about a month ago) I saw this video and got myself a GX1 and the 14mm 2.5 (also the 7artisans ufo lens for my pocket) and have essentially eliminated all reliability concerns of the compacts while having arguably more functionality while shooting. It’s been a massive relief.
@@Screenshot1015 so do you think a fixed lens camera like Leica Q and Sony Rx1 will have the same lens dust and motor problem? Seeing they have a fixed lens which have no movement to stow their lens inside.
I love my GR but I’ve had to clean too much. If Ricoh made a camera the was easily disassembled to clean the sensor I would be a brand loyalist.
The Panasonic 20 mm is still my favorite all-time lens believe it or not. Slow to auto focus as a lens does not have a great motor but just an optical jewel and the only lens in my micro 4/3 kit that I will never part with.
I can definitely believe that after using it. It's one of the best lenses I've used on any system optically.
I sold mine a few months ago with an ep2 body and am regretting it now 😢
@@taylorbrawner2052 noooooo!
As long as it paired with Panasonic body. On Oly body it can have severe banding issues when shooting low light with higher iso.
I have owned the mark 1 version of this lens for 10 years and I love it to this day, I use it on Olympus bodies, no problems with that.
The GX1 is a much underrated/ignored camera that can produce excellent results. I love using this camera despite having other more up to date options to choose from.
A friend of mine showed me pictures from one of these back in the day when it was new and I have never quite recovered. Beautiful!
This is, bar none, my favorite lens of all time. The 40mm equivalent focal range puts it right in the sweet spot between portrait photography and street photography. Mine has survived through four different M4:3rds bodies, and while I'm muling selling the GX1X (getting old due to wear and tear), I'm keeping the lens against the possibility of getting a smaller M4:3 body later on.
fully agree, I have Canon L primes, Leica lenses... but this small panny is a perfect mixture of perfect ingredients. Fav lens of all times. It's a lens I'm never ever going to sell
love that you have rescued the GX1 and even more that you have been encouraged to compare it with the "queen of the streets". Yes, it is true that it is APS-C, faster focus, better dynamic range, but you condemn yourself to using a single focal length and, on top of that, you make sure you have dust on the sensor in short time. There are other cameras on your channel that could well replace the GR and save you a lot of money. Happy photos and trails.
It's actually 4/3 sensor so a bit smaller than aps-c, but that probably evens out pretty well as his Panasonic lens is brighter than on the Ricoh. The Ricoh is only a single focal length as well.... dust could be a factor, but at least with detachable lenses you can clean the sensor pretty easily.
@@tosvus I think he was talking about the Ricoh when he mentioned the sensor size and focal lenght.
That's why he said that by choosing it over the GX1 you would get better features overall but you would be locked to just one focal lenght while with the Panasonic (or any other camera with interchangeable lenses) you would be able to explore different for lenses, both primes and zooms (and you would also be able to get dust away fron the sensor).
I used to rock that exact same setup!! Oh man that takes me back!
I have since moved on in the M43 world and primarily use a GX85, G95, or G9 depending on the situation. The GX1 was my first M43 camera and I bought it in late 2012 or early 2013. It was and is an excellent camera and I used it as a compact travel solution for years with a 14 f/2.5 attached. Single point AF is quite fast even when compared to newer models so long as the lens is capable, C-AF is a bit dated. In your case the AF slowness is due to the 20 f/1.7 which has a slow motor and doesn't support C-AF, even on the newest Lumix bodies. As you reported, it is still an amazingly sharp lens and is my go to for portable setups along with the 14 f/2.5 and 12-32 f/3.5-5.6. M43 is really an amazing system. You can be out with a GX1, GM5, or GX85 and a compact prime or zoom one day, and photographing a wedding the next day with a G9 and G95 plus a PL10-25, Oly 40-150 f/2.8, and a couple fast f/1.4 primes.
Thx again for great videos - you just have the best pace and its a joy to watch and listen to. Thinking the GM5 is also a very good alternative - it has EVF built in!
Love this idea. Those old m43 cameras are really great.
the best part of this line of cameras is that the flash swivels up and down making for an excellent bounce flash in closed spaces.
Love it. In fact (and I plan to post on the forum about this), I'm trying Micro 4/3 for the first time; coming this week is an Olympus E-M10 and the Panasonic 20mm f1.7. I've seen some samples that just blow me away; color-wise especially. Anyway, great plan and another great video!
Replying to my own comment here, I thought I’d note that while I really liked the E-M10 in almost every way, what ended up making me sell it was that when using auto ISO, you can’t set a minimum shutter speed. I’m just very used to using that from my Fujis.
@@denniscrommettNever done it myself, but I think you can set it.
It's just not too straight forward to find the setting because they put it together with the flash stuff (as it's often used for that). But you should be able to set it and it should work regardless if you are using a flash or not.
Love my 20mm. Mated with my GX7. Always fun to use.
Heard a lot of good things re the GX1 I’d recommend the GX80/5 also I’ve taken some of my favorite street shots with that paired with the 15mm & 25mm f1.7 lenses. That camera takes lovely 4K too I’ve seen it for as cheap as 250USD recently, about 12000php here in the Philippines. The 20mm is an interesting gap in my mft collection but reckon I’ll get the 25 f1.4 instead
That sounds sweet. I had the G85 (maybe you saw that, blinked and you would've missed it, haha). I bought it as my standalone video camera so I didn't have to keep using my Pentax's, but then sold to help fund my k3III splurge. I always planned to buy it back, but now I think I'll try the GX variant. The main difference for me before was getting a mic input, but now that I record the audio externally it doesn't matter.
Yeah, I use the GX80/85 with the 20mm f1.7 II lens for street photography and at family gatherings. I got both in a bundle at a major discount about 2 years ago.
I agree that the GX85 is amazing. I keep going back to GX7 and GX8 with flip up viewfinders. The flip up viewfinder seems useless but it’s great in the sun and remind me of my old 90s camcorders.
You can also snag the 14mm f2.5 and have both a GRIII and GRIIIx alternative. 14mm f2.5 is even smaller and cheaper than the 20mm f1.7. And then instead of the GRIIIx teleconversion adapter, you can pick up an Olympus 45mm f1.8 and have a wide/normal/portrait prime setup for less than the cost of a used GRIII.
GX1 is fine, but there are some Olympus alternatives like the E-PM1 or E-PL5 that came with a slightly more modern Sony sensor and IBIS that should not be overlooked.
Got exactly the same set up since 2014, still use it everyday. In fact I have 2 GX1 the other one has the 14-42 fixed on it.
The GX85 is somewhat heavier, but incredibly versatile. That paired with 12 mm f2 Oly, 15 mm 1.7 and 20 mm 1.7 makes a dream street setup without breaking the bank
Definitely! That's the camera I rock too for street photography.
@@Fedorevsky I too have and use this body. It sports IBIS that I love. I use the Panny-Leica 15mm lens. The video on this body is very good but there is no audio Jack. Bummer. The dynamic B&W setting gives great contrast. It is more expensive than the GX1 as it is new. It also has an EVF.
Mask On Nurse Marty
My GR alternative is an Olympus Pen Mini EPM-1 with a Panasonic 14mm f/2.5 lens. It's a 12 mp camera but those 12mp pack a lot of punch. It's even smaller than the GR. I have also been using the Pen Mini with the new Pergear 10mm f/8 lens, making for an even smaller package. The Pergear is a mild fisheye that is easily defished in post. It's an excellent tiny combo.
Robin Wong just made a video 'Ricoh GR III Alternative For $150 - Is It Good Enough?' using that exact setup. Although it obviously doesn't directly compare to the GR III, I do think it is a worthy budget alternative, especially for someone who wants to try out super stealthy street photography, someone who is just getting into photography, or someone who just wants a very pocketable camera for travel!!
Very cool small camera!
I have this setup. Only difference is that my is in 90’s silver.
It’s been retired for a couple of years now. I’ve since moved to its successor by a few generations, the GX-85. Pick on up if you come across one at a good price. It’s a worthwhile upgrade.
The main advantage is the in-body stabilization. That and a fast lens like the 20mm f1.7 makes for a wonderful pairing.
The built-in viewfinder reduces bulk. 4k video is good.
Focus peaking makes using manual and adapted old lenses a better experience than on the body those were originally meant for. No need for align a central patch or split prism; no need to focus and recompose. Compose and do so with the aperture closed down. Have what you want to be sharp show the peaking outline. That also directly shows you what the depth of field is.
I had the g85 for a while for video and loved it. It was a short time though because I sold it to fund a fancy purchase. I went with the g85 over the gx so I could have a mic port, but now I record my audio externally so it doesn't matter. That compact gx85 looks very nice. I always planned to pick it back up for my main video camera again.
GX800/GF9 + 20mm f1.7 is the perfect for me
4k
Tilt Display
Compact
I had this lens years ago with my Olympus OM-D E-M5, and it was great. However. . . To me the whole point of the GR, anything in the GR series, is being able to carry it in a pocket. If a camera is not pocketable, then it's a different category. And if you are willing to carry an interchangeable-lens camera on a strap, then there are so many possible combinations that would fit the bill.
I gave up earning my living from photography after a satisfying quarter century career when digital came along, I was a wet process person and digital felt cold and impersonal. Last year I finally bought a digital camera and after much thought settled on a Panasonic GX9 ..... there's far more to life than megapixels and it does way more than I need but it does what I need very well indeed, along with the 20mm f1.7 that I bought as my prime lens ..... I wanted one "do it all" lens while I learnt about the camera .... and the lens is truly excellent for something so compact and reasonably priced, I can't recommend it too highly.
I've been shooting micro four thirds for more than a decade, and there are so many "obsolete" bodies available for so little cash. My favorite film cameras for street photography are the Canonets with the 40mm 1.7 lens, so the 20 1.7 Panny lens feels right at home.
I'm a big fan of micro four thirds. The sensor may be quite a bit smaller than APSC but they provide excellent image quality. I bought the Panasonic GM1 a couple of months back and paired it with my Olympus 17mm 2.8 pancake. There's no viewfinder but that doesn't bother me. It's so tiny, I can just get it into the side pocket of my jeans, it fits in the back one easily though. The GM1 is really small, without a lens, it's smaller than a pack of cigarettes but it's superb. It's got a brilliant touch screen and it focuses really fast to. To many people are hung up on big sensor camera's and don't consider M43, however, I think everyone should own at least one! 🙂
I think that's exactly right - for some reason the sensor size throws people off. That GM1 sounds super fun!
@@snappiness It is, if I get a chance, I'll pop on the forum later with some black and white images from it. I still use my Panasonic LX100 too which also has a M43 sensor inside, it's also got a damn sharp lens on it! I'd like to see more company's join M43 (and a phone manufacturer too 😍)
It looks really good! First time for me seeing this camera, and I am really blown away.
I rented a GRiiix. Wonderful camera, but decided to save my money and continue using my 10+ year old GF1 + 20mm for EDC. Even though I have an em1mkiii for serious shooting I prefer the GF1 because of the way it renders Jpegs. All the presets (std, vibrant, BW, nostalgia) are very film like in rendering and I don’t have Fujifilm envy anymore! Seriously check it out, also I wasn’t too impressed with the AF on the Ricoh GRIIIx, hunts a lot and misses even in decent lighting.
I loved the photos in the intro to the video. Congratulations on the channel!
Great video! Love the style and look of the photos! I think we forgot how good past cameras are even though they do not meet "todays" specs.
Totally true, i never buy a camera less than 7 years old since the lenses make more of a difference than the body in most situations. I am convinced that 90-95% of people cannot tell the difference between a 7 year old camera vs a brand new camera, especially if the photos are posted online! People aren't looking at the meta-data to decide whether or not to like a photo!!
I recently bough an Olympus Pen EP3 with the Panasonic 12-32 pancake lens as a run around camera for 170 EUR on mpb, it is great. And I can use the lens from my Oly EM1 on it too!
that 12-32 is tiny! Nice compact setup.
I love my Panasonic 12-32, although i don't use it much since i have an Olympus 12-40 f2.8 Pro, but every once in a while when I don't want the weight and bulk of the 12-40 Pro, I take the Panny!!
Alternatively the Olympus E-PL7 with the Lumix 20mm or pancake PZ14-42. And VF4 EVF. Won't quite slip into jeans pocket but will a jacket. With that you get 16Mp and IBIS, and a tilt screen.
I just swapped my old Lumix 25mm for a 20mm and I'm blown away by the sharpness wide open and the character of the bokeh (I would expect really clinical boring bokeh) but it looks like that of a vintage lens... In my opinion this lens has the best of both worlds when it comes to modern and vintage performance
The Panasonic 20mm f1.7 is the lens that sold me on mft. Although I’ve not paired it with a gx 1 yet. I used to have a gx7 though and it paired very nicely with that. The gx7 was sold as a kit with 20mm f1.7ii lens. That was a smart move by Panasonic.
I still keep an Oly EPM2 with the Pan 20mm in my bag for the same purpose.
My poor man's GRIIIX is a GXR with the A12 50mm. I bought it on a flee market, it was a bargain. I'm happy with it!
Awesome to find a bargain on one of those! I also have the A12 50mm. Very nice lens and sensor too.
I happen to have that setup, it’s very good, never thought compared to other cameras. Bout this system back when it came out.
Awesome video and its convinced me to purchase a GX1 body solely for my 20mm f1.7. One question i do have....your example pics in the video, are those straight out of the camera or how much editing did they get to achieve those great results?
I don't know about the camera. But the 20mm Lumix lens is very underrated.its an absolute gem
I just bought a GX1 and 20mm lenses in craigslist. I’m very happy.
Fantastic!
For me the "poor mans" version was Canon Eos M with 22mm f2 lens. Thanks to all the reviewers focusing on the poor auto focus, I was able to get a camera that produces nice image quality.
That Canon M series just seems to fly under the radar and doesn't get much attention. Nice find, sounds like a great setup.
Same for me (sort of). I have an M100, having previously owned an M10. They are fantastic, underrated cameras.
Same for me too, the original m and the 22mm is such a nice combo! Very underrated.
I'm also a fan of the EOS M line. The original M is good; so are the M100 and M200. And there's the Ricoh GR II, used; that's an excellent camera if you are OK with a fixed lens.
Great combo and I think this is where micro four thirds shines. I have used the combo shown here, but in the end I went for and kept the Olympus E-P5 and 17/1.8 combo that would be quite similar in terms of size, age etc.. also has the optional EVF.
How does the 17mm/1.8 compare then?
@@snappiness I like both lenses, very useful combination of small size, large aperture, general purpose focal length. I never did a technical side-by-side, but have used both quite a lot (20/1.7 2014-2018 and 17/1.8 from 2019-).
Optically I think both are good, without any major flaws. Bokeh highlights on the 20/1.7 can be a bit highlighted sometimes - not too distracting to my eyes. The bokeh on the 17/1.8 can be a bit busy though, a kind of "double bokeh" effect at close focus - my only real complaint of that lens.
For build quality the Olympus is for sure the better lens. Full metal construction, manual focus clutch, fast and silent AF. Slightly larger and heavier though.
In the end I think they fill the same need and are both "good enough" (with a large margin), and I would go for Panasonic lens on Panasonic body, and same for Olympus. Feels more right so :)
Good video, some good photos. At current prices the GX1 with 20 1.7 lens and LVF2 viewfinder is roughly $450-500, a bit of camera specific inflation going on there I think. The LVF2 viewfinder in particular has always been pretty expensive probably due to low supply on the used market.
Great video. Unfortunately prices have gone up recently, looks like the body is around $125-$135, the LVF2 viewfinder around $150-$160, and the lens about $125 used. Or abut $400 total, which is at least still a lot cheaper than a GRiiix. You could of course skip the LVF2 viewfinder (I got a Lumix G5 body as alternative instead for less) since the GRiix doesn't have an eye level viewfinder either, or get an older Lumix body like the GF1, GF2, or GF5, all pretty good alternatives. The GF5 body is smaller and cheaper too but controls are more limited and the sensor isn't quite as good. So the GX1 is probably the best bang for buck and the 16mp sensor is generally better than the older 12mp sensor especially over iso 400. If nothing else get the 20 1.7 lens first and a body later..
Another smaller and lighter alternative body for the Lumix 20 1.7 lens is the Olympus Pen Mini 2, about the same price as the GX1 body, similar sensor with better jpeg processing, also gives you IBIS, which can be quite useful, but controls are a little trickier to use even with the Super Control Panel enabled. If you want a tilt screen and slightly better controls the Olympus E-PL5 is also around the same price but has a little more bulk and weight but not much. There are several eye level viewfinders available for the Pen series too.
Yes, the 20mm LUMIX is my favourite street lens. Gets me just close enough in most situations. I use it with a GX 85 because the built in Eye level viewfinder is a must for me. I have an Oly accessory viewfinder and an EPL 7, but the separate viewfinder is too fiddly for me in a camera I’m going to pull out Of a pocket. I also use the 12-32 LUMIX pancake zoom which adds versatility at the expense of lens speed and my overall favourite the 14mm LUMIX pancake for walking around cameras. In short, All the pancakes are worth exploring on your camera.
For street photography I use the Lumix GX80/85 with the Lumix 20mm f1.7 II lens. Very similar set up. I believe it's the same 16mpx sensor.
Stick the lens on a Pan GM5 and you will have a setup that will fit in your pants pocket, but also comes with a small yet functional viewfinder when you need one. I carry mine when I am out with my wildlife shooting Sony A7iv/200-600 combo, just in case I come across something intesting. I use the Pan 14mm for landscapes and an Oly 60mm macro that fit in various pockets of my camouflage jcket.
The Lumix 20mm is fantastic! Excellent IQ, a semi-wide without the distortion of a wide angle, small, light, cheap and unlike the 25mm does not have focusing issues.
Oh James, you've just fed my GAS illness! I now need that 20mm lens. I don't just want it, I NEED it!!
Haha - oh dear 😟 It really is something else though.
Love it! Great set up for family shots and walking around. The lens itself has notoriously slow AF but if you can live with it the rendering, bokeh and colours it can produce are fantastic for the money.
Ah, so it's more the lens than the body. It felt pretty slow.
I’ve got the Panasonic 25mm f/1.7 and it’s a very nice little lens. AF is decent on a 6 yo Olympus OM10 but the lens isn’t a ‘flat’ as the 20mm but that’s ok. I just wish the body was nicer to shoot with. I’ve never fallen in love with 4/3 system except for size.
@@snappiness Yes, it is the lens. It also hunts quite a bit in low light on my Oly bodies. But I love it none the less!
Those 16mp M43 sensors have alot of personality.
Agreed. This is my first 16mp m43, I've only used old m43 bodies.
I’m honestly not sure why people who really really want a Ricoh GR3 or GR3X don’t go for the GR2. I bought a used MINT GR2 for $200. Its my favorite camera and honestly with snap focus takes amazing photos. It has the coveted Positive Film mode and Moriyama style Hi Contrast mode and honestly it’s arguably better than the GR3. However, the ONLY downside is that GR2 is not the best in low light. But if you truly want a pocketable camera (and if it fits in womens pants it’s def pocketable…) and want the IQ of a great PnS, I feel like GR2 is a no brainer. At this point I think it’s just being a best kept secret.
I use a GX9 now but still rate the 20mm f1.7 lens the best value micro 4/3 lens . It is not the fastest to autofocus, but it is sharp, almost the perfect all purpose focal length, and amazing value. I have the Olympus 17mm f 1.8, which has better and faster autofocus and is a great lens but it is not the one I choose for street and candid photography. I don’t know quite why, but that’s what works for me!
I have this exact setup. The 20mm lens is slow to focus and borderline unusable for video, but that’s not what this setup is for anyways. The important thing is the lens takes absolutely beautiful pictures.
I'm using a Panasonic GX880 with this lens. Put together for the same reasons :). You can also use the Panasonic 14mm lens to get your equiv 28mm.
That viewfinder is the icing on the cake! Just brilliant and huge.
I love Sigma's 30mm too on these cameras.
Cool that it's an option! The Ricoh GXR had an EVF option (which I now own too, by the way) but for some reason they stopped for the later GR series. Seems like there's at least some demand.
@@snappiness I see. How do they compare?
I have the GX7 as well. Much smaller image in the viewfinder and no option for the LVF2 there, sadly.
But at it's tiltable and that's a bonus..
My favorite on the go camera
I’ve owned this lens a few times and got used to the autofocus but I wonder if just making a newer better focusing version of this lens could almost cause a M4/3 resurgence. Just about all of the other Panasonic lenses focus very quickly for photography.
That would solve my only complaint :)
I have had the G1, GF1, GX1 and GX85. If I were buying one now, the GX85 would be the choice... it has a 16mp sensor with no AA filter, image stabilization, and really good 4k video (not so much audio) and a built in viewfinder (not the best, but it works). Also the built in flash can be pulled back to bounce off a ceiling which is an underrated feature. Another great travel lens is the kit 12-32.
That is the camera I am thinking to replace my video setup. I had overlooked it before because no audio jack, but now I record my audio off a different recorder anyway so it doesn't matter. Looks like a nice compact camera with some really nice features.
Ich habe auch eine GX80 (so heisst die europäische Variante, in Japan GX7 Mark II) und ich liebe sie! Ich habe sie im einem sehr guten Zustand gebraucht gekauft. Mit dem 12-32 und dem 35-100mm (nicht die 2.8 Varianten, dafür sind sie winzig) für schlanke 325€. Dazu das Panasonic 25mm 1.7 - ein grandioses Reiseset!
Had a GX1 a while back. Had fun with it
Just bought a Sony Cybershot F828 because of your channel. Really looking forward to trying it. (Especially the infrared.)
Awesome! I hope it treats you as well as mine has. I've really gotten such a kick out of it. And very good image quality given the age and only 8mp.
The 1st version is notorious for slow AF. Is the newer version improved? Would you suggest this lens if my subjects are toddlers and family pets?
I see you haven't mentioned the Nikon P7700. After an eye injury l was looking to pick up a cheap P7800 but not many around and the last one for sale in Australia was sold for close to $300.
That viewfinder is not bad at all, it also fits the Panasonic LX7. Not only does it tilt, but it has a retaining button that stops it from being pushed off the camera by accident. Now I'm curious about getting a GX1!
Just bought the Olympus OMD EM-10 Mkii M4/3 as a secondary for street photography and the autofocus is very snappy, it has an EVF built in, vibration reduction, and a tilting screen all for £160 ($191) and takes crystal clear shots with the 40mm prime lens I bought for it, it had a few dead pixels when I bought it but since it has pixel mapping that wasn't an issue.
Awesome!
I got a great deal on a Canon M6II with a 22mm pancake Len. Which is similar size. But I had I sell it because the biggest strength of the GR is that it really will fit in your pocket.
This setup can also be had with a Fuji X-E1 or 2 or 2s with the Fuji 27mm lens. But the cost will be almost twice the Panasonic though good deals can be found and no need for an EVF add-on. I have the X-E2s/27mm and it's a great informal walk around camera.
I've had this camera since release. Was primarily my back up but I love it paired with my Canon fd 24mm 2.8. It's my go everywhere camera now. Always in ny car for the impromptu moments.
Any older GF or GX Panasonic with a 20mm makes a good GR IIIx alternative. Put Panasonic’s 14mm f/2.5 on and you have a GR alternative. The 14mm is a great lens. My GR IIIx alternative is a 40mm full frame Olympus Trip from the 1970s. Found it on a junk stall in Croatia for EUR35 a few years ago. Slightly dreamy photos if you get the focussing slightly off and super sharp if you focus dead on. Love it.
It is a very nice combo, the AF on the 20 is slow, possibly one of the slowest in the whole M43 system along with the Olympus 17 mm f:2.8. You can get both the III and the IIIX on the one GX1, just add the Lumix 14 mm f:2.5 to the 20mm. The 14mm adds about 50 grams to you load-out. It is the smallest proper lens for that system out there, excluding the lens like Olympus 9 and 15 mm Body Cap Lenses, which are more towards the toy-lens segment. :-)
Wooo this camera is amazing
the other alternative for the setup is a Sony A5100 with the Ttartisan 27mm f/2.8
I have owned a ton of cameras over the years, but never this one. I have always been curious about it, though, as it seems to have a cult following (here in Taiwan, anyway). I still see friends posting photos and love letters about this camera. No doubt it shows its age and has a few shortcomings, but it obviously has a certain charm and a lot going for it, as well.
Most people use GX80/85 and the 15mm 1.7 lens. I went with GX7.
I use this exact setup since 2014, I ended up selling my X100V since I still preferred the GX1+20mm over that overly hyped "vintage" camera
Late to this video, but to answer your question: seeing as I just bought this camera body and lens and am now looking up youtube videos to take the edge off while I wait for my packages to arrive, I think I am very fond of this setup! XD
The 20/1.7 is a deservedly-lauded lens. I had one for years, and although I’ve since replaced it with the Oly 17/1.8, I miss how light & pancakey the Panny was. Along with m4/3 I’ve also shot with the confusingly-named Ricoh GR ‘digital’ IV, and it was a fantastic camera that I got some great shots out of, but I was a clutz and managed to destroy it on a trip to London. I’d love to try the new GR III but the price is just…yeah.
I have the Panasonic GM1 and GM5, with the Pana/Leica 15/1.7. Even a smaller setup and the same sensor.
Just bought this setup today! US version. Will use manual lenses.
I just got my first M43 this year buying a cheap Lumix G9. I was so impressed by the lenses. I was also able to find a olympus ep-1 for £30 and a ep-3 for £60. The Olympus colours are amazing (not as good as Fuji). I'm on the look out for an Olympus ep-5 now which I think will be better than a Lumix GX1
I also have the G9. A very powerful body. The video is stellar. It has interchangeable lens capability so if you don’t like the 28 or 40 equivalent focal lengths of the GRiii or iiiX you can pick your poison. The G9 has a super EVF. The video is better and has great IBIS.The thing is the body is as large as a DSLR. As such, the G9 is not pocketable. This is one killer feature of the GR. As suggested above, the GX85 is my choice. The GX 90 or 95 will both do. Of course these bodies are much more expensive than the GX1.
Mask On Nurse Marty
Normally I would be all over ebay right now to try an experience like this, but since getting my MX-1, I haven't felt a desire to use another compact.
The MX-1 is a really special camera. Nice grab :)
Is MX1 so good?
I have the first version of the 20/1.7 (yours is the second version, yes?) and it's one of my favorite lenses ever. The rendering of that lens still makes me smile when I run into an image made with it in Lightroom.
I shot it with the GF-1 in a similar setup as yours, and I've been tempted to pick up a newer body just for the 20mm lens. Too many cameras though!
After using this lens I can see why. It really is fantastic. Yes, mine is the second version, although I don't know how much that really matters. I can't remember what the updates were but they sounded minimal. I just happened upon this one for a deal so went for it.
Oh no stop it both of you gas enablers before you know it I’ll have the 20mm in my cart 😂
I had a GM5 with that 20mm. It was a great combo. I have both a GRiii and iiix now. The GRiiix is about 30% better IQ, and I love the pop out lens and better controls....
Good video. Slow AF because of this LUMIX 20/1.7 lens. Suggest you try the 12-32mm or 14-42mm PZ.
I love the IQ and the compactness of 20/1.7, however I missed too many shots because of its AF speed, so I replaced it with DG15.
That's understandable, the AF is really quite slow...
I use hyperfocal focus, set lens to manual focus at maybe 10 feet, use aperture priority at maybe f8, focus is roughly 5 feet to infinity. I've found the manual focus point remains the same after restarts too at least on the GX1 and E-PM2 but good to double check now and then.
The lens is very good, I've owned it in combination with the GM1, which looks very funny. A few month ago, a was looking for the exact combo like your's. Nice to see it now :D like always, great job!
That GM1 looks tiny!
How is the EVF? I have a gx85 that I stopped using because of the small EVF when compared to my E-M1 mkI and I haven't tested Panasonic ever since getting that camera.
I don't have an Olympus EVF to compare - might have to compare the specs. It's the Panasonic LVF2. I found it adequate. It's a neat option, especially for mounting manual glass and manual focusing. Being a GR user, I actually find myself not using it much.
Swap out the GX1 with the Olympus Pen E-PM2. The Pen has touch screen (for focus selection and shutter!), IBIS(!!), smaller than the GX1, better electronic viewfinder option, much faster auto-focus. I like the Olympus colors from the Pen better than the older Panasonic MFT cameras. I picked up two Pen E-PM2 bodies for $100 each.
What an excellent idea 😊
I also have this lens and love it, also because 40mm equivalent is my favourite angle of view. I also own the very compact GM5 which has the advantage of a built in electronic viewfinder, which makes it a really compact combo (also with the 12-32 very compact zoom that came with the GM5, or the 14mm f/2.5.
Hey, that looks like exactly the camera I’ve bin looking for, am not convinced by the fuji Cams, or the price of them … (the ‘f’ is ‘cheaper’, but the lenses looks quite soft - althu I know some fans say that’s ‘poetic’ or ‘filmic’, but not convinced… And also I really liked your images, so I will investigate further .. Many thanks !!
Good video. I have a GX1, pretty good camera.
But for a compact camera I prefer a Panasonic GM1 with Pan 14mm f2.5 or 20mm f1.7 or 12-32 zoom.
Thanks. toronto canada.
That would be a nice little kit. I was thinking about picking up an Olympus PEN series camera for a super small setup. I have an Olympus E-PL5 that's broken and may have to get that up and running somehow. I did try to fix it but ended up making it worse by tearing a ribbon cable in the process
I may have to pick up a Panasonic 20mm f1.7 for my Olympus E-M5 Mark II, looks like a really nice lens. I do like my Panasonic 12-32mm (24-62 FF equiv) f3.5-5.6 kit lens, the only Panasonic lens I have, being pleasantly surprised with its performance for a mid-focal range kit lens, and for being mounted on a non-Panasonic body. The auto-focus is super snappy (pun unintended, lol). I never would have thought to buy a Panasonic lens on my own but it came with my E-M5 and now I need more Panny lenses!!
Great video! I use 2 GF1:s vith 14 and 20 mm lenses, and one E-P1 with 17/1,8 lens. Love the output of all 3.
I also use a pair of GX7:s and a GX8 with other lenses, love them too! / Regards Ulf
The Panasonic Lumix LX7 with its super fast F1.4-2.3, 3.8X optical zoom Leica lens is no slouch either.
I'm very satisfied with my Panasonic Lumix GX8 and the 20mm Mark II lens because the combination is compact enough and the performance is excellent. My Ricoh GXR is more compact than the GX8, but its 50mm lens is far bulkier than the Panasonic 20mm Mark II.
Agreed. And that sounds like a fantastic combination!
I use a Lumix DC-ZS70 for street photography and a backup camera - just over 20mp and 30x zoom,
Fits pockets well but might feel a bit heavy. I keep it in a case attached to my belt for an everyday carry
.
And oh yeah - an integrated Leica lens
Awesome - I love small cameras you can take wherever you go, but still give you the controls and quality over a phone.
love your channel, i'm trying to find an older/cheaper compact/point and shoot camera with good autofocus as a backup camera. The problem with most of them is the autofocus is bad.
sweet shoutout to agentlossing from the forum!
I think you missed the all point of the gr series. It is not only portability but also snap shooting and DOF. Otherwise any compact camera with fix lenses like the Fuji x70 would do. The best alternative would be an other Ricoh like the gxr or first gr…
Looks like a fine camera and lens pair. But for me, if it won't easily fit into a shirt pocket, then I'm back to my Pentax DSLR. If you have to carry it on a strap, might as well go DSLR instead of any in-between sizes! Sorry, LUMIX! Sorry, Leica!
I just got the ep1 w/20mm 1.7 for $150 and it is great. Pretty fast. Very sharp. Very very good value and its smaller than my x100
That was a great find, nice one!
@@snappiness i posted it on insta a while ago and i just got a second one with a pentax 110 lens set