As G80 user, I bought a used 20/1.7 lens and got an used epl-7 for free.....WOW!!! It got my preferred street camera and often I hold it between back and tilt screen, using my thumb to focus and shoot: very effective, also when it gets dark...
Pourquoi comparer un boitier qui n'est plus vendu dans le commerce, avec un boitier toujours à la vente ?? De plus la qualité des images du Ricoh gr3 sont fabuleuses. j'ai utilisé pendant de nombreuses années des boitiers Olympus et Panasonic ainsi que le GR 3. Le GR3 et ultra léger et se range dans une poche de chemise et cela n'a pas de prix, je n'ai jamais eu de problèmes avec son autofocus ou des photos floues avec son stabilisateur. Why compare a case that is no longer sold commercially, with a case still on sale?? In addition, the quality of the Ricoh gr3 images are fabulous. I used for many years Olympus and Panasonic bodies as well as the GR 3. The GR3 is ultra light and fits in a shirt pocket and this is priceless, I have never had problems with its autofocus or blurry photos with its stabilizer.
Sometimes it's useful to be reminded that a second-hand camera can do many of the things you want to do. Don't see this as an attack on the Ricoh (or on the people who buy them!).
1st of all I am impressed by the energy you display in each video 😉 And your photos are fantastic. About the GR3 as you say it's a very good camera but too expensive. I'm happy with my OM-D E-M10 Mark II with the 15mm 1.8 lense for street photography.
Another cheap option are the Sony Nex 5T or the A5000/5100 (quite overlooked cameras) with the 16-50mm lens, those cameras have an APC-S sensor but still quite small... even smaller and lighter than the E-PL7.
You can buy a used pl7 and two new mft prime lenses (17mm + 25mm) - still cheaper than the GR3. If you buy the lenses used, you might even add a lense.
Exactly Georg, I got an EPL7 plus the 17mm and 45mm 1.8 primes for around £225, a couple of years ago. And the lenses with also go on my GX8, and the EPL7 will take my 20mm or 12-60mm lenses if I want.
I was once a user of Ricoh GR, the camera was great but the durability is as good as a thin piece of paper. I still own and use an EP-L 3 from 2011, still works amazing. It is my walk around camera and i usually pair it with lumix 20mm 1.7. Small and compact combo for casual photo walk.
Great video Robin, fortunately I have the Ricoh GR3 the EM1 MK 3 and the Pen F so all bases covered a few things in favour of the GR3 is the pocketable size, snap focus and wonderful image quality for me the GR3 is a keeper, the swivel screen would be good but then it would be bigger so swings and roundabouts. all the best, John
I'm not impressed with the GR3 series photo quality in 2023, just compared it with the years old a6100 and X100F, or even the very old Coolpix A (16MP). The size is great but it's a bit filmsy on the build. Normal focus speed is also ultra-slow (on par with the Coolpix A), no EVF is also a deal breaker to me. I know it should be used with snap focus and what not... I ended up with a Q3 and RX1R II depends on if I want 28 or 35.
As a Fuji shooter normally, this video plus your older blog review, convinced me to pickup a used E-Pl7 (just ordered!). Reminds me of my first camera 30+ years ago, the Olympus Trip 35. Thank you for all the content you make and the knowledge you share
I have been asked if my E-PL7 was a film camera 😉 Haptics and appearance do play an important role in choosing a camera. The E-PL7 is still perfectly capable of taking very good photos. It is not best suited to the biggest, heaviest lenses (it's not for that job) but if I were to take a photo on it and the very same on e.g. my G9 you would not be able to tell them apart.
@@kamilpotato3764 it does, I'm sure that would be better in some ways. Apart from no ibis and it would cost about three times the price of an Olympus setup
I think the E-PL7 has the best shutter sound of any camera I've owned. But I am not a street photographer..
หลายเดือนก่อน +1
Man, I love your energy. I want to buy a small-ish MFT camera which could be charged directly via USB. Just found out this could be one of them (EDIT: noo, I had mistaken it with E-P7 :/ ). The other competitor is the Panasonic GX80.
Awesome video! As a longtime E-PL8 user I've often made the same comparison to the Ricoh GR series, and stuck with the Pen for all the reasons you mentioned. I only wish Olympus/OMDS had taken the street photography genre more seriously, and realized they had a perfect camera for it. Instead they marketed the Pens as accessories for design-conscious Japanese girls, and after the E-PL8 they removed the external EVF, the MySets, and half the customization buttons. The E-PL7 and 8 remain as spectacular full-featured small cameras with an unbeatable small high-quality lens selection.
Some wonderful images there Robin, thanks for sharing. I have the GRIIIx and I'm ok with its shortcomings because it seems to be the only large sensor compact that is truly compact, a plastic food bag does for weather sealing, leaning against a wall helps with IS. I wonder if OM System could revive the successful XA range of compacts with something smaller and better than the Ricoh.
A new stabilized XA would be amazing!! Great idea! As well as the GRIIs are selling and netting all the acclaim, it might be a great business move for Olympus!
The EPL7 is a lovely camera. It was my first Micro four thirds camera purchased several years ago. It is quite beautiful, easy to hold, its metal body has a sturdy feel and with a pancake lens will just about fit in a pocket. But I have just discovered an irritating fault or flaw. I usually use my EPL7 with the 14-42 EZ lens and autofocus. But the other day I thought it might be fun to use my TT-Artisan 7.5mm fisheye on the EPL7. This lens has an MFT mount and does not use an adaptor. I have happily used this lens on my EM1-II and EM10-II without problems. It's a manual focus lens but the short focal length means that it is usual OK to leave the lens set to infinity and everything more than a couple of metres away is in focus. To my surprise on my EPL7 everything came out slightly out of focus. When I then checked focus carefully I discovered infinity focus needed the lens set to about 1 metre, not the infinity mark. I then mounted the lens on my EM1 and EM10 and infinity was at lens infinity mark as it should be, so it is not the lens at fault. I then checked the lens on another EPL7 and infinity focus was again wrong. It looks as if the lens mount distance is very slightly too short on the EPL7. This is not noticed or important with autofocus or with careful manual focussing but only when relying on the lens infinity setting to focus I wonder if the lens has 'shrunk' over the years or if this mount distance has always been short.
Robin. I love your reviews and tips. You are always positive and you put this hobby into more people by seeking affordable options that allow people get out there. I bought my son an Olympus mirrorless in 2017 and it is a great camera. I do have the GRIII, but if I am honest, I use my Pentax MX-1 more even though it is older and has a smaller sensor. It is just my best street shooter when not shooting film. Thank you for another great review that helps more people have more fun.
The E-PL7 is indeed a good value for money product... You can get a used set for almost 1/4 of the price for a new GR3. M43 lenses are cheap on the used market too!
Hi Robin. I think you missed a trick here. You should’ve done not an E-PL7 comparison, but instead compared the Ricoh GRIII with the Olympus *E-P7*. The one thing the E-PL7 hasn’t got is a silent shutter, but the E-P7 does. I cannot work on the street without the silent shutter, and is why I got rid of my E-PL7 (gave it to my daughter) and favoured my E-M1 mk2 instead. But I need something smaller and less bulky that the E-M1 and with a silent shutter, and for that reason is why I also use a GRDIV. But these too (GRD) just aren’t as fast to use as Olympus cameras. I love the snap feature on them, but this can be simulated on the Olympus'. I think you should do a proper street review of the E-P7. If I owned one, I would do a review!
Well the perfect street photography camera is the EM10 mark2. It has a floppy screen, electronic viewfinder and electronic shutter. The cherry on top is that you can find this camera extremely cheap used. Happy shooting Jens
Being truly pocketable is a big plus. I have the E-PL7 and even with the smallest lenses, it only fits in a jacket pocket, which is why I am considering the GR III despite the many compromises. If i am going to carry the E-PL7 in a bag, then carrying more like an E-M1 or 5D classic isn't a huge stretch
It is possible to choose clothes that are loose fitting with large pockets for use with cameras of this type. No way an EM1 would fit or be practical to carry in any pocket. Obviously the GR III fits smaller pockets and some people do like that.
Yesterday I had my E-M1, my E-P5, and a Pen F loaded with a 36 exposure roll of B&W with me. I needed to take a quick photo and used my smartphone as it was in my pocket and not in my bag. So yes, the more pocketable camera definitely has the advantage.
@@jtshannon Rather odd justification - most people walk around with 3 cameras if they want to do street photography! Probably the dust problems with the GR are exactly because people stuff them in their dusty *pockets*! Also Olympus has the best anti-dust self-cleaning sensor system on the market (SSWF).
@@markhoffman9655 it's the most dust resistant ICL camera system I've ever had, that's for sure. I've literally never had to clean the sensor even once. Pentax are pretty dust resistant too, with the IBIS shaking dust off the sensor, but I did have to clean my Pentax K-r sensor once in 9 years, and blew dust off with a rocket blower maybe once or twice a year. Don't get me started on Sony cameras though. They get dirty all the time and require regular cleaning. You'd think that with Ricoh owning Pentax, they'd be at least as good in that regard, but no.
You can get a Sony a5000 (or if lucky a 5100) for less and I think that's a better "cheap alternative" to the GR III. It comes with a APSC sensor like the Ricoh, can give the Ricoh a run for its money on compactness with a 20mm f2.8 pancake lens, has access to all emount lenses so is much more versatile than the Ricoh as well. Ricoh - on paper - has a better autofocus than the a5000 with hybrid phase/contrast detect autofocus but has a bad reputation in practice for autofocus. The a5100 actually has the same type of hybrid autofocus, and even matches the GRiii on megapixels. Getting a5100 with a 20mm pancake lens will give you fundamentally the same camera as the GRiii for the fraction of the cost, with the added advantages of a built in flash, interchangeable lens and a tilting screen.
I bought an e-PL7 as a “throw away, don’t care if I lose it” go anywhere camera as an adjunct to my e-M1 iii. I chose it over any of the Panasonics for the familiar interface and also thinking an EVF might be good in bright sun, and the e-PL8 not being much different and feeling cheaper for more than double the price used. My expectations were low but wow I was blown away at just how good this camera is. My only real quibble with the camera was adjusting to a single control dial when I was so used to 2. One thing you forgot to mention with the flip out screen is the “selfie” mode where it folds 180 degrees facing the front of the camera. I find this useful for over the shoulder shots.
If only they will re-make the E-PL7 with 20mp and silent shutter, same size and weight. This has the best flip screen hinge location. On E-P5 and E-P7, it’s in the wrong spot so after flipping up, you can only flip it down with two motions-tap bottom in, then tap top in-and plasticky. E-P7 has solid feel.
"if only they will re-make the E-PL7 with 20mp and silent shutter, same size and weight" ... this and a 2nd control wheel at the front and it would be perfect. I still love my EPL7 and will never sell it.
I love my E-PL9. It's a phenomenal camera I've been using for close to 5 years now. It's the camera on which I learned everything I know about photography and it's still the camera I use for travel and street photography. I'll probably only look to replace it in a couple years when the OM-5 mark II is released.
Before I purchased the GR3x, I had been using the Panasonic GX-85 for street photography. I didn't sell it, and I'm really glad I kept it. The GR3x is an insanely good camera. The only thing I don't like about it, is the lack of a tilt screen. It can produce better images than my GX-85. That's simply a fact. That said, I can carry my Panasonic 14mm 2.5 and 20mm 1.7 and have the equivalent of both the GR3 and GR3x. Because of this, when I'm looking for better angles on a dedicated photo walk, I usually take my GX-85. However... I always have my GR3x with me. It fits in my right front pocket. It starts up, almost instantly, and the majority of my photography is taken with the GR3x.
I use an E-PL8/E-P5 for my walk around (basically an E-PL7 with a different body design, the E-PL7 is basically a baby E-P5 design wise, so I went for something different), pretty much always with either a 20mm f/1.7 II, Olympus 20mm f/1.4, or a ton of the ttartisan 25mm f/2. You can get some really great results out of these "entry-level" cameras, especially after I found out if you hit info while in the quick setting screen with OK gives you the standard Olympus quick settings grid. That, and hitting info while selecting exposure comp giving shadow and highlight curve adjustment changed the way I saw the camera for raw and JPEG. The E-P5 is worth looking at before they shoot up in price. I feel like they'll be a classic that everyone hunts for in a few years time.
I have used for nine years almost only E-PL series cameras. They give much possibilities for a low price. Compact system camera is clearly a right solution for me. GRIII is certainly a good camera. For some it may be the ideal choice. But for me it would be too expensive. And I'd rather want to have something like super zoom if I ever decide to buy me a camera wihout interchangeable lenses. I often need long focal lenghts for my shootings. 40 mm equivalent wouldn't be long enough. I certainly would enjoy shooting photos with a GRIII but wouldn't enjoy to buy one. :)
Love my little epl7, which got second-hand mainly because it came with the 17mm and 45mm primes. The lenses were a bargain on their own, so the camera was effectively free. The touchscreen set up as shown here is how i have it moat of the time. Not quite a trouser-pocket camera, but small enough for me.
👏👏👏Good, very good reasoning. The truth is that I cannot be completely objective because I have an EPL7 (black color) and, despite also having its older sisters M5MarkII and OM5, it is a very compact camera that I love (especially when combined with the Lumix 14mm, M .Zuiko17mm, Lumix 20mm and Lumix 12-32mm). In addition to everything you have commented, from my point of view, quite rightly, I consider that the EPL7 is the most beautiful "PEN" model (better aesthetically than the later ones, only surpassed by the precious PEN F). Thanks for posting this great video. An affectionate greeting 🤗(from Spain)
Personally, I gave up on small m43 cameras. As much as I liked them they aren’t pocketable so I wouldn’t take them out as much as I wanted. I have a Panasonic G9 and Olympus 40-150mm f2.8 to get all the m43 benefits on the long end of focal length, and a Ricoh GR (2013) as a everyday pocket camera/B landscape astrophotographery camera while traveling.
@mipmipmipmipmip no ibis, but it’s fairly wide focal length (28mm), and bigger sensor makes it a decent Astro camera, and I got my Ricoh very discounted on MPB because it had two very small, almost unnoticeable until f8, dust spots, never bugged me but one day I took the 30 or so mins to disassemble it and blow the dust off and clean out the rest of the camera, was fairly easy
Yes it is true, all true, and also the PL7 was the first Pen Lite to have a real control wheel on the top deck! The PL7 is maybe why Olympus never made a P6. Any jacket or cargo pocket can swallow it easily.
With the Panasonic 14mm f/2.5 you have a lens that is super sharp, compact and matches the FOV of the 18mm lens in the Ricoh. It's not as fast, but if you're not shooting at night out doesn't matter. The point about the LCD screen really hits home. I was not impressed with the screens in the GR I or GR II and I thought Ricoh might have fixed that. What I do love is their snap focus feature. This is genius and I wish every cameras system had it.
Bought an Epl6 recently in great condition. Only had 80 shutter activations. Really like using it and its fast becoming the camera I take out with me when just going out. Are there many differences between the Epl6 and E-pl7 ?
Yes. 3 vs 2 axis IBIS, newer processor (Truepic VII) which controls CA using Panny lenses, top mounted control wheel, 0 second anti-shock setting, just to name the main ones. I'd upgrade my epl6 to the 7 except I also have the excellent e-p5, so no reason to upgrade the 6. I use Panny zoom lenses on the 6 since the lens IS is better than the 2 axis IBIS. Set IBIS to ON and Lens IS Priority to ON in the menus.
what sets the griii part is that it first so easily into your pocket. While some m43 cameras get just thin enough to fit as well, you do have more of a bump. Especially a e-pm2 with a 14mm prime is really pocketable, as it has no articulating screen sticking out. I guess the real play would be to put a Pentax Q in your pocket, sideways.
I said in my GR IIIX video that "being pocketable" was one of the plus points of the camera. Then MANY people came at me and said NO Robin you should not put it in your pocket it is WRONG. Dust gets into the camera. So, why make a camera that is pocketable, but you can't put in the pocket? And yes the dust problem is REAL.
@@robinwong yeah lol, I agree a real oversight, but then again the dust issue seems to be a bit overblown. You wont see it in most pictures. You could put the camera in one of those sunglasses pouches and pocket it then to mitigate lint coming through. As you said in the video though, it is just better to be able to detach the lens and clean the sensor. And seeing some trying to get people to buy into a 1k camera is dishonest at best, so I always appreciate you showing what is possible with cheap and used gear that can often outperform the expensive stuff.
Robin not only is Malaysia a beautiful colorful country, people are not afraid of cameras. Something has been happening here in the U.S. in recent years, people want to fight you if you take a photo in their general direction. It has happened to me in several occasions, one woman came after me violently...until I showed her the image & she saw she wasn't even in it, it got a little tense for a while.
Timely reminder for me - looking to replace my E-P3 and still wanted a compact PEN to partner to my E-M1 MkII. Was thinking E-PL6 but see the E-PL7 has the setting collar around the shutter button which is much better haptics.
The lack of good on screen distance scale for street photography is a deal breaker for me with Olympus cameras. Can't use the Panasonic 14mm f2.5 with zone focusing properly
I'm a recreational photographer who mostly uses Fujifilm gear, but just picked up an old Olympus E-PM2 for a compact carry around, for ~US$100. Paired with the Panasonic 20 mm f1.7 it's been great. Carrying around that lens (or the Olympus 17 mm 1.8) and the Panasonic compact 12-32 mm zoom gives me a terrific super compact package.
I have the Olympus E-PL1, E-PM2, E-PL8, and Pen F... and I love all of these cameras...Informative video re the E-PL7 vs GR III...Since E-PL8 and 7 are not that different from each other...will have to borrow my friend's GR IIIx and GR III...to get a hands on feel for the discussion topics you present here 🙂 Especially regarding the viewfinder...I use the VF-4 with 3 of the cameras used above 🙂
I have two E-PL7 units, VF-4 external VF-4, Lumix G 14/2.5 II, Lumix G 20/1.7 II, and also a Sony RX100 Gen1. And maybe someday I'll buy the Leica DG 15/1.7. As of Oct-2023, Ricoh GR III and its "Diary Edition" are priced at HKD ~$7,500 and HKD ~$8,000 respectively. (MYR $4,532 and ~$4,834). I understand GR III series really light weight, APS-C sensor, but IMO it's definitively over-priced.
I had 1k budget savings just to get a Fuji x100 line for street photography, because of shortage I changed my mind whith the R100 series of Sony which seemed good and compact. What it stopped me was the dust getting in the sensor. Then I started looking at the GR which had same issues. Last week while I was walking past a shop I saw a Pen E-PL7 body only and bought it for £150 it was a no brainier considering I can clean the sensor which was the first thing I did. I paired it with the ttartisan 25 which is ok but not great. Currently it has a Panasonic G 25 1.7 which is better specially the contrast
I like using my EP9. It took a little while to get use to its quirks but I really have found it to be a cool camera to use and I get excellent results.
Excellent camera. I have both GX80 plus E-M10 MkII and love both. The GX80 is more [un]pocketable because it lacks the viewfinder hump, so that’s an advantage but, on the other hand, the E-M10’s viewfinder is larger and better.
I think the Ricoh GRIII is the camera I see get the most hate online in general. I've noticed that the smart features are often overlooked. People see the price tag, the f2.8 fixed focal length, and think it's just a bad value point and shoot. Which is true, and why I think people who want point and shoots should stop buying GRs. It's a nice tool, that does what it does better than anyone else. If you don't know exactly what you are giving up and what you are gaining, then you will be very disappointed, and an EPL, or a Sony ZV1 would be a much better choice. I compare it to buying a formula one car because it's small, and then being annoyed that there's no space for children or groceries. 😂 🏎 I am a GRIII owner and I know why people don't like them, but it's the perfect camera for what I do.
I have an E-P5 that I use for street photography. I can't imagine paying such a premium for a fixed lens camera. I keep the 17mm on my P5 but have swapped out to a 50mm f1.4 Pentax Takumar when I needed a little more reach. 😂
If IBIS has failed, try this. Mount a Panny zoom (such as 12-32, 14-42, or 12-60) to the epl6. Set IBIS to ON, but also set Lens Priority IS to ON (cog menu C). See if the camera registers IS as on. Haven't tested this, since my IBIS hasn't failed, but if it works, voila! You're back in business with IS. I use Panny lenses on my epl6 because the lens IS is superior to the 2 axis IBIS in the camera. And I agree; the IQ is terrific, which is why I still have that camera and still use it despite having newer cameras. If the fix doesn't work, well then you're back to pre-IS film camera days when you needed to have your shooting technique game on.
I have had the E-PL7 forever. The PZ14-42 normally rides on mine as is it s pancake closed, and a very good general purpose lens too, does everything. It doesn't just have a tilt screen but a very good tilt screen that hops out for waist level. Although it only has one dial and few buttons adjustments can be made with a stab of a button and then the dial, everything is there like on the E-M5ii. The E-PL7 and its facelift E-PL8 are the last of the series that will take the VF4 EVF which is as good as any current fixed EVF but the later models where cheapened and the deletion of the AP2 port is Olympus shooting themselves in the foot. The AP2 port which is apparently shared with Leica has other uses besides flash and EVF, such as a mic-in if you can find a SEMA-1
The PL-8 + Lumix 14mm f2.5 is a great combo, or add the Olympus 25mm f1.8 for a tighter view. These Olympus cameras, come in for the win is so many ways, as Robin points out, while doing so with so much finer looks, when compared to the Ricoh. I may get a Ricoh GR x some time in the future, but for now, the PL-8 and Lumix GX-9 seem to me to be more than enough image wise, and certainly have all the other benefits. When used for the street, the only advantage which comes to mind, might be a little more dynamic range. - Thanks for the video, Loren
I've taken the EPL5 with the 12/2.0 and EPL6 with the 45/1.8 (dream portraiture at up to ISO 12800 on grainy b/w simulation) on city breaks, even Moscow in 2015. They're amazing and no one notices. I have an EPL 8 or 9 stored in reserve in case one of these dies on me. Ah, and I have a GRIII but these are better for city photos because of the tilt screen. Olympus touch focus has been amazing since the EPL3, which I bought in 2011 and eventually gave away with the kit lens that came with my EPL5. The 75/1.8 is a bit front heavy on these. I use that on the older EM5 with grip.
My first Olympus was an e-pl3 which I lost to an ex girlfriend. I picked up an e-pl8 just this week as I missed the old one and I still have the VF4 viewfinder. I’m loving it and I still have a broad range of lenses. I may have a problem. I now have 5 Olympus cameras 😂
When I started I had the E-M1. I got an E-PL8 so I could use it with a fisheye lens I got. After my E-M1 died, I ended up using my E-PL8 full time for a bit over a year before I got my E-M1X. It really is a great body, and I actually did use it for a few shoots. A few people commented that I "downgraded" my camera, but the results and prints were enough to win them over. I still do use my E-PL8 a lot as a second body, and it's nice because I can have one lens on my E-M1X and another on my E-PL8. It's such a cute little body, and it's so easy to carry around and is so capable. The other good thing is you can get them used for relatively cheap. I feel like the E-PL series, like the E-PL7 and E-PL8 are a great way into a good camera you can put some nice lenses on. I used my E-PL8 a lot with the pro lenses, and it produced very nice results
Great video! I just picked up a PL-10 refurb from OM for the very reasons you shared. I really really wanted to get the Ricoh but could not find one in stock nor justify the price. To me the greatest advantage of the Ricoh for me is the pocket-ability. Since I am already a M43 user and have several lenses adding the PL was an easy decision. I do think about what I may be giving up with the M43 vs the larger Crop sensor in the Ricoh. I convinced myself that the better IS in the M43 would make up most the difference between the 2 cameras. The only way to pocket the PL is in cargo pockets so I bought a wrist strap for now but may end up getting a neck strap which I usually don’t like but with a 12/17mm lens or the 14-42mm lens they are very light to wear around. It’s hard to not consider the value these little cameras offer and their price point.
This was the precise reason I couldn’t use or buy a PLx for this kind of work. People (like myself) used to favour film Leica's because they were very quiet. The cheaper Olympus PL range shutter is just too loud. It’s why I prefer using my E-M1 mk2, or even now ancient Ricoh GRDIV.
I'm a long time m43 shooter and have had a used GR3 for a while now that I got for well below retail price. It has grown on me a lot. I've recently got into using an external optical vf alongside using the snap focus for hyperfocal shooting and its just a lot of fun. Not just for street, I was using it for holiday snaps. I havent had an experience like it elsewhere. Ive had m43 cameras in form factors from the gx7/gx9 to G9. Besides that a word in favour of the wide angle adapter - a point some may miss is it cuts out half the faff changing lenses. When you take off the 21mm, your 28 is already there. For a quick shot you can just keep the 21mm adapter in your hand. That plus the pretty nice results at 35mm crop (which is applied to your raw) gets you very quick changes between 21-35 and 50 in a pinch - its actually a pretty versatile setup. Not to mention the camera shoots dngs, which is great for using snapseed or whatever on the move, the wireless transfer app actually works reliably, and the obvious points about image quality and small form factor. The main downside is the dust issue. My camera has had dust on the sensor at times. It seems to come and go. I mostly shoot at f2.8-5.6 where it usually doesn't show up. In practice it has not been a real worry. In the UK at least there is an option out there to send off your camera to have it cleaned for about £60 last time I checked. I was considering doing that when I had not quite clicked with the GR and thought of selling it. But at the moment im thinking about adding a GRIIIx if i can find one for a decent used price!
Dust is a problem as I was shooting at F5.6, I can see it in the skies already on the unit I borrowed. At F8 (sometimes I want a lot o DOF in my shot) then it is a nightmare. If I were to add a converter on it, then I might as well just use an interchangeable lens, like the E-PL7, which makes more sense. Not hating the GR III, I think it has its place, but I wish for that price it is asking for, it has better features such as weather-sealing, better stabilization, wider lens (F2 instead of F2.8?), tilt screen, and please solve that dust problem! Then I'd say the pricing is right.
@@robinwong Thanks for the reply! Have enjoyed your videos for a long time. I think it depends on your standards. If I were shooting professionally, maybe the risk of dust would bother me. For a hobbyist capturing personal moments and joining the odd group street photo walk - yes, occasionally you can see it, but usually when you can it's in an area where it's easy to remove (e.g. a clear blue sky). In practice, I've probably taken more shots I like because of the other benefits of the camera, and I don't have a single ruined shot because of dust in actual usage. So personally I think it is too far to call it a nightmare, though I agree that better weather sealing for this purpose would be a great improvement. For the rest - I think with all the features you mention it would be a different (bulkier) category of camera. Amazing if they could do it without increasing the size of the camera but I doubt it. Personally my realistic set of wishes for a GRIV would be better battery life and a clearer, brighter screen. I would say I found mine used about half the price of a new one, so possibly that's what makes me able to accept the compromises. At the end of the day I've found since I got it that my G9 is staying home more often than not, and it's made me reconsider what kit I really need.
I love MFT and agree that the pen series offers a ton of value for the money. I appreciate the sentiment here, but to say that the GRIII is overpriced feels a bit out of touch. Find me a current model APSC body with an 18 or 28 f/2.8 for less. There are a few that are around the same price, but I’m not aware of any for much cheaper. I’ve also never been held back by the autofocus in the GRIIIx; it may not be objectively faster than the AF-S in a pen, but it’s fast enough. I’ve got an OM-1, but it’s the GRIIIx that is with me everyday. I appreciate starting the dialog though!
Robin, this video is amazing as usual. The photo results look awesome and the value of this alternative seems really, really good. Having investigated a bit about the E-PL7, I've seen there's newer models like E-PL8, E-PL9 and E-PL10 in the used market as well. Is you recommendation still for the E-PL7 in terms of value? Or do you recommend any of the others in case budget allows? I've seen these price ranges in the used market in Europe: E-PL7: €179~194 E-PL8: €274~284 E-PL9: €259~289 E-PL10: €394 (only 1 available)
I find that the E-P7 (no L ... and child of Pen-F) is also a great pocket/street/travel camera ... especially with the EZ pancake zoom. Or zone focus with the 17mm f1.8 and you have a point and shoot. And the E-P7 has an improved Color/Mono dial, first found on the Pen-F... perfect for us JPG shooters!
I think it might deserve a mention that The peaking of epl7 is SO different from other cameras that i used in different brand ,even more professional machine)doesn’t have that obvious peaking, Its like wearing dark vision and only the focus area edge turn bright silver !i found it weird at first but its actually the best ,most obvious peaking for manual lens shooter ! I also set fn1 button to peaking , right thumb control focus (both magnifying +peaking)
My Oly E-PL7 is on the way from Japan. I have a Panasonic G9ii which I use for bird photography and heavier lenses. My plan is to use the Oly on the street with smaller lighter Oly, Panasonic and vintage lenses.
I just picked up a. mint E-p3 which I paired with a couple of PL lenses PL9/1.7 ...PL15/1.7. ..Sigma 60/2.8...Of course the lumix 14/2.5 would be more. pocketable. I have my GX9 bodies for tilt screen requirements...LOL
Hey Robin, appreciate your comparison video here. Have been following you for more than a decade. Enjoy and always look forward to your postings. Have learnt tons from your expertise, passionate sharing and tips. I love and shoot Olympus MFT besides also using Fuji X100 and the Sony A7III. However, I don’t own the Ricoh GR3. Given your comparison isn’t an apple to apple comparison, but you omitted to deal with one of the Ricoh GR3’s key attraction; that is, it’s unique Snap Focus ability. That offering in itself is a huge game changer. Plus Ricoh’s ultra-sharp, fixed-lens pocketability, decent AF speed (irrelevant for Snap Focus) and IS put this cam in a well-deserved class of its own. Little surprise why this tiny beast has attracted such a cult following among amateur and pro, especially street photography genre.
I personally think that the snap focus is a cheap excuse for lousy AF. If the camera's AF is fast and reliable enough, there is no need for snap focus. Also snap focus pushes you to use very narrow aperture and you have to bump up your ISO number unnecessarily. This will have dire consequences in my results. When I shoot with F1.8 or wder lenses with my Olympus cameras, I expect to have shallow depth of field, not being forced into snap focus at F8! Olympus AF is so quick and confident that it negates the need for snap focus altogether.
@@robinwong Appreciate your take, but especially in the case of candids and street photography, Zone (Snap) Focusing is virtually instantaneous compared to the split second lag time even with the best Single/Continuous AF available today. Sure, an experienced and knowledgeable photographer can (IF they know how) set their camera to manual focus using hyperfocal setting based on their desired aperture. The Ricoh Snap Focus makes this a breeze. With respect, I don’t believe GR3’s programmed algorithm will constrain you to the narrowest aperture. It’ll likely be like a standard P mode setting with no bias to aperture or shutter speed, That being the case, the applicable ISO setting must be an equal turf for any camera.
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As G80 user, I bought a used 20/1.7 lens and got an used epl-7 for free.....WOW!!! It got my preferred street camera and often I hold it between back and tilt screen, using my thumb to focus and shoot: very effective, also when it gets dark...
Robin Wong is the manifestation of positive energy itself, i love your videos 👍
The only reason I gave up on my e-PL5 is that it couldn’t handle the humidity here in Vietnam. It had survived many a snow storm in Canada.
Pourquoi comparer un boitier qui n'est plus vendu dans le commerce, avec un boitier toujours à la vente ?? De plus la qualité des images du Ricoh gr3 sont fabuleuses. j'ai utilisé pendant de nombreuses années des boitiers Olympus et Panasonic ainsi que le GR 3. Le GR3 et ultra léger et se range dans une poche de chemise et cela n'a pas de prix, je n'ai jamais eu de problèmes avec son autofocus ou des photos floues avec son stabilisateur.
Why compare a case that is no longer sold commercially, with a case still on sale?? In addition, the quality of the Ricoh gr3 images are fabulous. I used for many years Olympus and Panasonic bodies as well as the GR 3. The GR3 is ultra light and fits in a shirt pocket and this is priceless, I have never had problems with its autofocus or blurry photos with its stabilizer.
Sometimes it's useful to be reminded that a second-hand camera can do many of the things you want to do. Don't see this as an attack on the Ricoh (or on the people who buy them!).
1st of all I am impressed by the energy you display in each video 😉 And your photos are fantastic. About the GR3 as you say it's a very good camera but too expensive. I'm happy with my OM-D E-M10 Mark II with the 15mm 1.8 lense for street photography.
Another cheap option are the Sony Nex 5T or the A5000/5100 (quite overlooked cameras) with the 16-50mm lens, those cameras have an APC-S sensor but still quite small... even smaller and lighter than the E-PL7.
Not all fair : gr3 has ibis and olympus is cheaper but without lens ! Very good shots
You can buy a used pl7 and two new mft prime lenses (17mm + 25mm) - still cheaper than the GR3. If you buy the lenses used, you might even add a lense.
Exactly Georg, I got an EPL7 plus the 17mm and 45mm 1.8 primes for around £225, a couple of years ago. And the lenses with also go on my GX8, and the EPL7 will take my 20mm or 12-60mm lenses if I want.
Robin i just love your enthusiasm about cameras and photography. You are like a good friend that i can spend time with and learn so much from. Thanks.
Thanks, that is very kind of you to say
I was once a user of Ricoh GR, the camera was great but the durability is as good as a thin piece of paper. I still own and use an EP-L 3 from 2011, still works amazing. It is my walk around camera and i usually pair it with lumix 20mm 1.7. Small and compact combo for casual photo walk.
Great camera the EPL-3 and that lumix 20mm is simply phenomenal.
I agree. I have one gr where the power button failed for zero reason. It's annoying
Great video Robin, fortunately I have the Ricoh GR3 the EM1 MK 3 and the Pen F so all bases covered a few things in favour of the GR3 is the pocketable size, snap focus and wonderful image quality for me the GR3 is a keeper, the swivel screen would be good but then it would be bigger so swings and roundabouts. all the best, John
I'm not impressed with the GR3 series photo quality in 2023, just compared it with the years old a6100 and X100F, or even the very old Coolpix A (16MP). The size is great but it's a bit filmsy on the build. Normal focus speed is also ultra-slow (on par with the Coolpix A), no EVF is also a deal breaker to me. I know it should be used with snap focus and what not... I ended up with a Q3 and RX1R II depends on if I want 28 or 35.
As a Fuji shooter normally, this video plus your older blog review, convinced me to pickup a used E-Pl7 (just ordered!). Reminds me of my first camera 30+ years ago, the Olympus Trip 35. Thank you for all the content you make and the knowledge you share
I have been asked if my E-PL7 was a film camera 😉
Haptics and appearance do play an important role in choosing a camera.
The E-PL7 is still perfectly capable of taking very good photos. It is not best suited to the biggest, heaviest lenses (it's not for that job) but if I were to take a photo on it and the very same on e.g. my G9 you would not be able to tell them apart.
Nothing to do .Ricoh Is a filosofia of photo.i prefer ricoh
XE 4 paired with 23 or 35mm f2 seems like bit better idea.
@@kamilpotato3764 it does, I'm sure that would be better in some ways. Apart from no ibis and it would cost about three times the price of an Olympus setup
I have the EP5. Amazing camera
I think the E-PL7 has the best shutter sound of any camera I've owned. But I am not a street photographer..
Man, I love your energy. I want to buy a small-ish MFT camera which could be charged directly via USB. Just found out this could be one of them (EDIT: noo, I had mistaken it with E-P7 :/ ). The other competitor is the Panasonic GX80.
Awesome video! As a longtime E-PL8 user I've often made the same comparison to the Ricoh GR series, and stuck with the Pen for all the reasons you mentioned. I only wish Olympus/OMDS had taken the street photography genre more seriously, and realized they had a perfect camera for it. Instead they marketed the Pens as accessories for design-conscious Japanese girls, and after the E-PL8 they removed the external EVF, the MySets, and half the customization buttons. The E-PL7 and 8 remain as spectacular full-featured small cameras with an unbeatable small high-quality lens selection.
Some wonderful images there Robin, thanks for sharing. I have the GRIIIx and I'm ok with its shortcomings because it seems to be the only large sensor compact that is truly compact, a plastic food bag does for weather sealing, leaning against a wall helps with IS. I wonder if OM System could revive the successful XA range of compacts with something smaller and better than the Ricoh.
A new stabilized XA would be amazing!! Great idea! As well as the GRIIs are selling and netting all the acclaim, it might be a great business move for Olympus!
The EPL7 is a lovely camera. It was my first Micro four thirds camera purchased several years ago. It is quite beautiful, easy to hold, its metal body has a sturdy feel and with a pancake lens will just about fit in a pocket. But I have just discovered an irritating fault or flaw. I usually use my EPL7 with the 14-42 EZ lens and autofocus. But the other day I thought it might be fun to use my TT-Artisan 7.5mm fisheye on the EPL7. This lens has an MFT mount and does not use an adaptor. I have happily used this lens on my EM1-II and EM10-II without problems. It's a manual focus lens but the short focal length means that it is usual OK to leave the lens set to infinity and everything more than a couple of metres away is in focus. To my surprise on my EPL7 everything came out slightly out of focus. When I then checked focus carefully I discovered infinity focus needed the lens set to about 1 metre, not the infinity mark. I then mounted the lens on my EM1 and EM10 and infinity was at lens infinity mark as it should be, so it is not the lens at fault. I then checked the lens on another EPL7 and infinity focus was again wrong. It looks as if the lens mount distance is very slightly too short on the EPL7. This is not noticed or important with autofocus or with careful manual focussing but only when relying on the lens infinity setting to focus I wonder if the lens has 'shrunk' over the years or if this mount distance has always been short.
This makes me very happy to be a proud owner of an E-PL7.
Same-- I should use mine more!!
Me too 😊
Robin. I love your reviews and tips. You are always positive and you put this hobby into more people by seeking affordable options that allow people get out there. I bought my son an Olympus mirrorless in 2017 and it is a great camera. I do have the GRIII, but if I am honest, I use my Pentax MX-1 more even though it is older and has a smaller sensor. It is just my best street shooter when not shooting film.
Thank you for another great review that helps more people have more fun.
The E-PL7 is indeed a good value for money product... You can get a used set for almost 1/4 of the price for a new GR3. M43 lenses are cheap on the used market too!
Exactly, you got that right!
Hi Robin. I think you missed a trick here. You should’ve done not an E-PL7 comparison, but instead compared the Ricoh GRIII with the Olympus *E-P7*. The one thing the E-PL7 hasn’t got is a silent shutter, but the E-P7 does. I cannot work on the street without the silent shutter, and is why I got rid of my E-PL7 (gave it to my daughter) and favoured my E-M1 mk2 instead. But I need something smaller and less bulky that the E-M1 and with a silent shutter, and for that reason is why I also use a GRDIV. But these too (GRD) just aren’t as fast to use as Olympus cameras. I love the snap feature on them, but this can be simulated on the Olympus'. I think you should do a proper street review of the E-P7. If I owned one, I would do a review!
Well the perfect street photography camera is the EM10 mark2. It has a floppy screen, electronic viewfinder and electronic shutter.
The cherry on top is that you can find this camera extremely cheap used.
Happy shooting
Jens
@@jensfriedrich3269 It was also the late great David Thorpe's all time favourite Olympus model.
Being truly pocketable is a big plus. I have the E-PL7 and even with the smallest lenses, it only fits in a jacket pocket, which is why I am considering the GR III despite the many compromises.
If i am going to carry the E-PL7 in a bag, then carrying more like an E-M1 or 5D classic isn't a huge stretch
It is possible to choose clothes that are loose fitting with large pockets for use with cameras of this type. No way an EM1 would fit or be practical to carry in any pocket. Obviously the GR III fits smaller pockets and some people do like that.
Yesterday I had my E-M1, my E-P5, and a Pen F loaded with a 36 exposure roll of B&W with me. I needed to take a quick photo and used my smartphone as it was in my pocket and not in my bag. So yes, the more pocketable camera definitely has the advantage.
@@jtshannon Rather odd justification - most people walk around with 3 cameras if they want to do street photography! Probably the dust problems with the GR are exactly because people stuff them in their dusty *pockets*! Also Olympus has the best anti-dust self-cleaning sensor system on the market (SSWF).
@@hedydd2 Oh, it fits fine in a winter jacket pocket, I thought I brought my 5MkII with, but actually did grab the OG EM1....
@@markhoffman9655 it's the most dust resistant ICL camera system I've ever had, that's for sure. I've literally never had to clean the sensor even once. Pentax are pretty dust resistant too, with the IBIS shaking dust off the sensor, but I did have to clean my Pentax K-r sensor once in 9 years, and blew dust off with a rocket blower maybe once or twice a year.
Don't get me started on Sony cameras though. They get dirty all the time and require regular cleaning.
You'd think that with Ricoh owning Pentax, they'd be at least as good in that regard, but no.
You can get a Sony a5000 (or if lucky a 5100) for less and I think that's a better "cheap alternative" to the GR III. It comes with a APSC sensor like the Ricoh, can give the Ricoh a run for its money on compactness with a 20mm f2.8 pancake lens, has access to all emount lenses so is much more versatile than the Ricoh as well.
Ricoh - on paper - has a better autofocus than the a5000 with hybrid phase/contrast detect autofocus but has a bad reputation in practice for autofocus. The a5100 actually has the same type of hybrid autofocus, and even matches the GRiii on megapixels.
Getting a5100 with a 20mm pancake lens will give you fundamentally the same camera as the GRiii for the fraction of the cost, with the added advantages of a built in flash, interchangeable lens and a tilting screen.
Really wish Robin would stop making these videos. I've ended up buying all the epl range 😊
🤣🤣🤣
I bought an e-PL7 as a “throw away, don’t care if I lose it” go anywhere camera as an adjunct to my e-M1 iii. I chose it over any of the Panasonics for the familiar interface and also thinking an EVF might be good in bright sun, and the e-PL8 not being much different and feeling cheaper for more than double the price used.
My expectations were low but wow I was blown away at just how good this camera is.
My only real quibble with the camera was adjusting to a single control dial when I was so used to 2.
One thing you forgot to mention with the flip out screen is the “selfie” mode where it folds 180 degrees facing the front of the camera. I find this useful for over the shoulder shots.
If only they will re-make the E-PL7 with 20mp and silent shutter, same size and weight. This has the best flip screen hinge location. On E-P5 and E-P7, it’s in the wrong spot so after flipping up, you can only flip it down with two motions-tap bottom in, then tap top in-and plasticky. E-P7 has solid feel.
"if only they will re-make the E-PL7 with 20mp and silent shutter, same size and weight" ... this and a 2nd control wheel at the front and it would be perfect. I still love my EPL7 and will never sell it.
I love my E-PL9. It's a phenomenal camera I've been using for close to 5 years now. It's the camera on which I learned everything I know about photography and it's still the camera I use for travel and street photography. I'll probably only look to replace it in a couple years when the OM-5 mark II is released.
Before I purchased the GR3x, I had been using the Panasonic GX-85 for street photography. I didn't sell it, and I'm really glad I kept it. The GR3x is an insanely good camera. The only thing I don't like about it, is the lack of a tilt screen. It can produce better images than my GX-85. That's simply a fact. That said, I can carry my Panasonic 14mm 2.5 and 20mm 1.7 and have the equivalent of both the GR3 and GR3x. Because of this, when I'm looking for better angles on a dedicated photo walk, I usually take my GX-85.
However... I always have my GR3x with me. It fits in my right front pocket. It starts up, almost instantly, and the majority of my photography is taken with the GR3x.
I use an E-PL8/E-P5 for my walk around (basically an E-PL7 with a different body design, the E-PL7 is basically a baby E-P5 design wise, so I went for something different), pretty much always with either a 20mm f/1.7 II, Olympus 20mm f/1.4, or a ton of the ttartisan 25mm f/2. You can get some really great results out of these "entry-level" cameras, especially after I found out if you hit info while in the quick setting screen with OK gives you the standard Olympus quick settings grid. That, and hitting info while selecting exposure comp giving shadow and highlight curve adjustment changed the way I saw the camera for raw and JPEG.
The E-P5 is worth looking at before they shoot up in price. I feel like they'll be a classic that everyone hunts for in a few years time.
I have used for nine years almost only E-PL series cameras. They give much possibilities for a low price. Compact system camera is clearly a right solution for me.
GRIII is certainly a good camera. For some it may be the ideal choice. But for me it would be too expensive. And I'd rather want to have something like super zoom if I ever decide to buy me a camera wihout interchangeable lenses. I often need long focal lenghts for my shootings. 40 mm equivalent wouldn't be long enough. I certainly would enjoy shooting photos with a GRIII but wouldn't enjoy to buy one. :)
Love my little epl7, which got second-hand mainly because it came with the 17mm and 45mm primes. The lenses were a bargain on their own, so the camera was effectively free. The touchscreen set up as shown here is how i have it moat of the time. Not quite a trouser-pocket camera, but small enough for me.
Got mine for 90$ used. Pretty dope camera.
👏👏👏Good, very good reasoning. The truth is that I cannot be completely objective because I have an EPL7 (black color) and, despite also having its older sisters M5MarkII and OM5, it is a very compact camera that I love (especially when combined with the Lumix 14mm, M .Zuiko17mm, Lumix 20mm and Lumix 12-32mm).
In addition to everything you have commented, from my point of view, quite rightly, I consider that the EPL7 is the most beautiful "PEN" model (better aesthetically than the later ones, only surpassed by the precious PEN F).
Thanks for posting this great video. An affectionate greeting 🤗(from Spain)
I've ordered E-PL10 for 350$ new! I was so thirsty for Ricoh GR3 but I just couldn't justify the price. It's my first micro 4/3 camera
Personally, I gave up on small m43 cameras. As much as I liked them they aren’t pocketable so I wouldn’t take them out as much as I wanted. I have a Panasonic G9 and Olympus 40-150mm f2.8 to get all the m43 benefits on the long end of focal length, and a Ricoh GR (2013) as a everyday pocket camera/B landscape astrophotographery camera while traveling.
@mipmipmipmipmip no ibis, but it’s fairly wide focal length (28mm), and bigger sensor makes it a decent Astro camera, and I got my Ricoh very discounted on MPB because it had two very small, almost unnoticeable until f8, dust spots, never bugged me but one day I took the 30 or so mins to disassemble it and blow the dust off and clean out the rest of the camera, was fairly easy
@mipmipmipmipmip adding to that a handful of people have had success just taking a vacuum to the lens to get the dust out lol
Yes it is true, all true, and also the PL7 was the first Pen Lite to have a real control wheel on the top deck!
The PL7 is maybe why Olympus never made a P6.
Any jacket or cargo pocket can swallow it easily.
@RyougiVector Yes, the P5 was closer to the Pen-F than to the previous Pens.
I love your energy Robin! Great video. You encouraged me to click that buy button :D Thanks a lot!
I had the EPL-9 and I really, reallu disliked it. Found it incredibly underwhelming. My Sony RX100V and Ricoh outperformed it in every way.
With the Panasonic 14mm f/2.5 you have a lens that is super sharp, compact and matches the FOV of the 18mm lens in the Ricoh. It's not as fast, but if you're not shooting at night out doesn't matter.
The point about the LCD screen really hits home. I was not impressed with the screens in the GR I or GR II and I thought Ricoh might have fixed that. What I do love is their snap focus feature. This is genius and I wish every cameras system had it.
Bought an Epl6 recently in great condition. Only had 80 shutter activations. Really like using it and its fast becoming the camera I take out with me when just going out. Are there many differences between the Epl6 and E-pl7 ?
Yes. 3 vs 2 axis IBIS, newer processor (Truepic VII) which controls CA using Panny lenses, top mounted control wheel, 0 second anti-shock setting, just to name the main ones. I'd upgrade my epl6 to the 7 except I also have the excellent e-p5, so no reason to upgrade the 6. I use Panny zoom lenses on the 6 since the lens IS is better than the 2 axis IBIS. Set IBIS to ON and Lens IS Priority to ON in the menus.
what sets the griii part is that it first so easily into your pocket. While some m43 cameras get just thin enough to fit as well, you do have more of a bump. Especially a e-pm2 with a 14mm prime is really pocketable, as it has no articulating screen sticking out. I guess the real play would be to put a Pentax Q in your pocket, sideways.
I said in my GR IIIX video that "being pocketable" was one of the plus points of the camera. Then MANY people came at me and said NO Robin you should not put it in your pocket it is WRONG. Dust gets into the camera. So, why make a camera that is pocketable, but you can't put in the pocket? And yes the dust problem is REAL.
@@robinwong yeah lol, I agree a real oversight, but then again the dust issue seems to be a bit overblown. You wont see it in most pictures. You could put the camera in one of those sunglasses pouches and pocket it then to mitigate lint coming through. As you said in the video though, it is just better to be able to detach the lens and clean the sensor. And seeing some trying to get people to buy into a 1k camera is dishonest at best, so I always appreciate you showing what is possible with cheap and used gear that can often outperform the expensive stuff.
I have the Oly E-PL 5 and the interchangeble lenses & tilt screen is a winner for me.
Robin not only is Malaysia a beautiful colorful country, people are not afraid of cameras. Something has been happening here in the U.S. in recent years, people want to fight you if you take a photo in their general direction. It has happened to me in several occasions, one woman came after me violently...until I showed her the image & she saw she wasn't even in it, it got a little tense for a while.
Agree wholeheartedly Robin, but I also like the Lumix gx85 too
As well as, the GR3 is as bad a design as the Sony A5/6000 series, whereas the E-PL7 is a beautiful camera.
Timely reminder for me - looking to replace my E-P3 and still wanted a compact PEN to partner to my E-M1 MkII. Was thinking E-PL6 but see the E-PL7 has the setting collar around the shutter button which is much better haptics.
LOL - ended up buying an E-Pl9 on eBay at same price as an E-PL7 I was about to clic k on - hopefully have it in hand in a few days - win win!
The lack of good on screen distance scale for street photography is a deal breaker for me with Olympus cameras. Can't use the Panasonic 14mm f2.5 with zone focusing properly
I'm a recreational photographer who mostly uses Fujifilm gear, but just picked up an old Olympus E-PM2 for a compact carry around, for ~US$100. Paired with the Panasonic 20 mm f1.7 it's been great. Carrying around that lens (or the Olympus 17 mm 1.8) and the Panasonic compact 12-32 mm zoom gives me a terrific super compact package.
👍Thanks for the video. Given all these benefits, I am wondering why you would choose the Ricoch over the E-PL7?
Just bought it yesterday for 350€ with 14-42mm
Tough choice between this or the Panasonic Lumix DC-GX9 for budget friendly camera
Good video Robin, the E-PL7 or Panasonic GX9 are both good options for street photography.
Love my pair of gx9 bodies..😎
I have the Olympus E-PL1, E-PM2, E-PL8, and Pen F... and I love all of these cameras...Informative video re the E-PL7 vs GR III...Since E-PL8 and 7 are not that different from each other...will have to borrow my friend's GR IIIx and GR III...to get a hands on feel for the discussion topics you present here 🙂 Especially regarding the viewfinder...I use the VF-4 with 3 of the cameras used above 🙂
No comparison. The Ricoh blows the EPL 7 out of the water
amazing photo's as always, Robin. Now you have me lusting after one of these.
It's a shame olympus does not give accessory port for using electronic viewfinder for its PEN line anymore (for example EP7).
I have two E-PL7 units, VF-4 external VF-4, Lumix G 14/2.5 II, Lumix G 20/1.7 II, and also a Sony RX100 Gen1. And maybe someday I'll buy the Leica DG 15/1.7.
As of Oct-2023, Ricoh GR III and its "Diary Edition" are priced at HKD ~$7,500 and HKD ~$8,000 respectively. (MYR $4,532 and ~$4,834). I understand GR III series really light weight, APS-C sensor, but IMO it's definitively over-priced.
I had 1k budget savings just to get a Fuji x100 line for street photography, because of shortage I changed my mind whith the R100 series of Sony which seemed good and compact. What it stopped me was the dust getting in the sensor. Then I started looking at the GR which had same issues.
Last week while I was walking past a shop I saw a Pen E-PL7 body only and bought it for £150 it was a no brainier considering I can clean the sensor which was the first thing I did.
I paired it with the ttartisan 25 which is ok but not great. Currently it has a Panasonic G 25 1.7 which is better specially the contrast
I like using my EP9. It took a little while to get use to its quirks but I really have found it to be a cool camera to use and I get excellent results.
today arrived my gx80 with 12-32 pancakes, I bought it only for street photos
It costs me 360usd; I think this is fair price :)
Excellent camera. I have both GX80 plus E-M10 MkII and love both. The GX80 is more [un]pocketable because it lacks the viewfinder hump, so that’s an advantage but, on the other hand, the E-M10’s viewfinder is larger and better.
I think the Ricoh GRIII is the camera I see get the most hate online in general. I've noticed that the smart features are often overlooked. People see the price tag, the f2.8 fixed focal length, and think it's just a bad value point and shoot. Which is true, and why I think people who want point and shoots should stop buying GRs. It's a nice tool, that does what it does better than anyone else. If you don't know exactly what you are giving up and what you are gaining, then you will be very disappointed, and an EPL, or a Sony ZV1 would be a much better choice.
I compare it to buying a formula one car because it's small, and then being annoyed that there's no space for children or groceries. 😂
🏎 I am a GRIII owner and I know why people don't like them, but it's the perfect camera for what I do.
I'm agree with you. I'll buy coffee for you, but you should say about sensor size difference.
I have an E-P5 that I use for street photography. I can't imagine paying such a premium for a fixed lens camera. I keep the 17mm on my P5 but have swapped out to a 50mm f1.4 Pentax Takumar when I needed a little more reach. 😂
Wow really nice sharp images and colour contrast photos.
My image quality of my EPL-6 is terrific. The built-in IS no longer works and the shutter is LOUD, but it’s a great backup to my Lumix GX85
If IBIS has failed, try this. Mount a Panny zoom (such as 12-32, 14-42, or 12-60) to the epl6. Set IBIS to ON, but also set Lens Priority IS to ON (cog menu C). See if the camera registers IS as on. Haven't tested this, since my IBIS hasn't failed, but if it works, voila! You're back in business with IS. I use Panny lenses on my epl6 because the lens IS is superior to the 2 axis IBIS in the camera. And I agree; the IQ is terrific, which is why I still have that camera and still use it despite having newer cameras. If the fix doesn't work, well then you're back to pre-IS film camera days when you needed to have your shooting technique game on.
@@johnyutzey6504 Unfortunately that didn't work. I have a flashing orange IS notice no matter how the IS combinations are set. Thanks anyway!
N0. 11 The EPL7 is way better looking.
Robin, it would have been nice to know the lenses presented.
Nice Video. Have the epl8, really nice cam! Whats your settings, would be nice to know. Greets from germany 😀
I have had the E-PL7 forever. The PZ14-42 normally rides on mine as is it s pancake closed, and a very good general purpose lens too, does everything. It doesn't just have a tilt screen but a very good tilt screen that hops out for waist level. Although it only has one dial and few buttons adjustments can be made with a stab of a button and then the dial, everything is there like on the E-M5ii.
The E-PL7 and its facelift E-PL8 are the last of the series that will take the VF4 EVF which is as good as any current fixed EVF but the later models where cheapened and the deletion of the AP2 port is Olympus shooting themselves in the foot. The AP2 port which is apparently shared with Leica has other uses besides flash and EVF, such as a mic-in if you can find a SEMA-1
would have thought the E-P7 a fairer comparison.
Then... I guess... You and Matti Sulanto should do a "photo confrontation walk"😂😂😂 about it🤣🤣🤣
There is also the Lumix LX100 as an alternative to the Ricoh.
i hope I'll be able to revive my old e-pl5. It was my first m43 camera, had so many great memories with it.
The PL-8 + Lumix 14mm f2.5 is a great combo, or add the Olympus 25mm f1.8 for a tighter view. These Olympus cameras, come in for the win is so many ways, as Robin points out, while doing so with so much finer looks, when compared to the Ricoh. I may get a Ricoh GR x some time in the future, but for now, the PL-8 and Lumix GX-9 seem to me to be more than enough image wise, and certainly have all the other benefits. When used for the street, the only advantage which comes to mind, might be a little more dynamic range. - Thanks for the video, Loren
You should also mention what camera you use for filming this video. Definitely not any of the two?
Doesn’t fit in the pocket is a deal breaker but man the market is ripe for a competitor.
I've taken the EPL5 with the 12/2.0 and EPL6 with the 45/1.8 (dream portraiture at up to ISO 12800 on grainy b/w simulation) on city breaks, even Moscow in 2015. They're amazing and no one notices. I have an EPL 8 or 9 stored in reserve in case one of these dies on me. Ah, and I have a GRIII but these are better for city photos because of the tilt screen. Olympus touch focus has been amazing since the EPL3, which I bought in 2011 and eventually gave away with the kit lens that came with my EPL5. The 75/1.8 is a bit front heavy on these. I use that on the older EM5 with grip.
Very beautiful photos. I really like them.
GR 3 is $1700 here in Australia. The Olympus really is a winner, can’t go wrong. Thanks for the video.
My first Olympus was an e-pl3 which I lost to an ex girlfriend. I picked up an e-pl8 just this week as I missed the old one and I still have the VF4 viewfinder. I’m loving it and I still have a broad range of lenses. I may have a problem. I now have 5 Olympus cameras 😂
@@OutRAjious I upgraded the girlfriend to a younger, more loyal model 😄
I do agree the Ricoh GR3 is expensive.
When I started I had the E-M1. I got an E-PL8 so I could use it with a fisheye lens I got. After my E-M1 died, I ended up using my E-PL8 full time for a bit over a year before I got my E-M1X. It really is a great body, and I actually did use it for a few shoots. A few people commented that I "downgraded" my camera, but the results and prints were enough to win them over. I still do use my E-PL8 a lot as a second body, and it's nice because I can have one lens on my E-M1X and another on my E-PL8. It's such a cute little body, and it's so easy to carry around and is so capable. The other good thing is you can get them used for relatively cheap. I feel like the E-PL series, like the E-PL7 and E-PL8 are a great way into a good camera you can put some nice lenses on. I used my E-PL8 a lot with the pro lenses, and it produced very nice results
Sir Robin, when will you start selling those color presets?
Doesn't fit in a pocket which is the main argument for the GR series so not better
Great video! I just picked up a PL-10 refurb from OM for the very reasons you shared. I really really wanted to get the Ricoh but could not find one in stock nor justify the price. To me the greatest advantage of the Ricoh for me is the pocket-ability. Since I am already a M43 user and have several lenses adding the PL was an easy decision. I do think about what I may be giving up with the M43 vs the larger Crop sensor in the Ricoh. I convinced myself that the better IS in the M43 would make up most the difference between the 2 cameras. The only way to pocket the PL is in cargo pockets so I bought a wrist strap for now but may end up getting a neck strap which I usually don’t like but with a 12/17mm lens or the 14-42mm lens they are very light to wear around. It’s hard to not consider the value these little cameras offer and their price point.
Just sold my epl7 lite…..shutter was just a bit too noisy, and it had no ‘silent shutter’ option…solid camera though…❤
This was the precise reason I couldn’t use or buy a PLx for this kind of work. People (like myself) used to favour film Leica's because they were very quiet. The cheaper Olympus PL range shutter is just too loud. It’s why I prefer using my E-M1 mk2, or even now ancient Ricoh GRDIV.
What lenses did you use in your sample photos?
Of course you are completely right but don't let Sulanto know about that... 🙂
He knows!
The PEN E PL7 is a nice Camera... but i hope OM will bring a new PEN F ;-)
Given that PEN-F was a failure in sales, it is not their priority at the moment. But who knows, maybe in the future.
Was there a defect on the mode dial or ibis like past model
I'm a long time m43 shooter and have had a used GR3 for a while now that I got for well below retail price. It has grown on me a lot. I've recently got into using an external optical vf alongside using the snap focus for hyperfocal shooting and its just a lot of fun. Not just for street, I was using it for holiday snaps. I havent had an experience like it elsewhere. Ive had m43 cameras in form factors from the gx7/gx9 to G9.
Besides that a word in favour of the wide angle adapter - a point some may miss is it cuts out half the faff changing lenses. When you take off the 21mm, your 28 is already there. For a quick shot you can just keep the 21mm adapter in your hand. That plus the pretty nice results at 35mm crop (which is applied to your raw) gets you very quick changes between 21-35 and 50 in a pinch - its actually a pretty versatile setup.
Not to mention the camera shoots dngs, which is great for using snapseed or whatever on the move, the wireless transfer app actually works reliably, and the obvious points about image quality and small form factor.
The main downside is the dust issue. My camera has had dust on the sensor at times. It seems to come and go. I mostly shoot at f2.8-5.6 where it usually doesn't show up. In practice it has not been a real worry. In the UK at least there is an option out there to send off your camera to have it cleaned for about £60 last time I checked. I was considering doing that when I had not quite clicked with the GR and thought of selling it. But at the moment im thinking about adding a GRIIIx if i can find one for a decent used price!
Dust is a problem as I was shooting at F5.6, I can see it in the skies already on the unit I borrowed. At F8 (sometimes I want a lot o DOF in my shot) then it is a nightmare.
If I were to add a converter on it, then I might as well just use an interchangeable lens, like the E-PL7, which makes more sense.
Not hating the GR III, I think it has its place, but I wish for that price it is asking for, it has better features such as weather-sealing, better stabilization, wider lens (F2 instead of F2.8?), tilt screen, and please solve that dust problem! Then I'd say the pricing is right.
@@robinwong Thanks for the reply! Have enjoyed your videos for a long time. I think it depends on your standards. If I were shooting professionally, maybe the risk of dust would bother me. For a hobbyist capturing personal moments and joining the odd group street photo walk - yes, occasionally you can see it, but usually when you can it's in an area where it's easy to remove (e.g. a clear blue sky). In practice, I've probably taken more shots I like because of the other benefits of the camera, and I don't have a single ruined shot because of dust in actual usage. So personally I think it is too far to call it a nightmare, though I agree that better weather sealing for this purpose would be a great improvement. For the rest - I think with all the features you mention it would be a different (bulkier) category of camera. Amazing if they could do it without increasing the size of the camera but I doubt it. Personally my realistic set of wishes for a GRIV would be better battery life and a clearer, brighter screen. I would say I found mine used about half the price of a new one, so possibly that's what makes me able to accept the compromises. At the end of the day I've found since I got it that my G9 is staying home more often than not, and it's made me reconsider what kit I really need.
These photo on this particular video are really superior...great job Robin
I love MFT and agree that the pen series offers a ton of value for the money. I appreciate the sentiment here, but to say that the GRIII is overpriced feels a bit out of touch. Find me a current model APSC body with an 18 or 28 f/2.8 for less. There are a few that are around the same price, but I’m not aware of any for much cheaper. I’ve also never been held back by the autofocus in the GRIIIx; it may not be objectively faster than the AF-S in a pen, but it’s fast enough. I’ve got an OM-1, but it’s the GRIIIx that is with me everyday. I appreciate starting the dialog though!
Your pictures are fantastic!
Robin, this video is amazing as usual. The photo results look awesome and the value of this alternative seems really, really good.
Having investigated a bit about the E-PL7, I've seen there's newer models like E-PL8, E-PL9 and E-PL10 in the used market as well. Is you recommendation still for the E-PL7 in terms of value? Or do you recommend any of the others in case budget allows?
I've seen these price ranges in the used market in Europe:
E-PL7: €179~194
E-PL8: €274~284
E-PL9: €259~289
E-PL10: €394 (only 1 available)
I find that the E-P7 (no L ... and child of Pen-F) is also a great pocket/street/travel camera ... especially with the EZ pancake zoom. Or zone focus with the 17mm f1.8 and you have a point and shoot. And the E-P7 has an improved Color/Mono dial, first found on the Pen-F... perfect for us JPG shooters!
Are these photos edited please ?
I think it might deserve a mention that
The peaking of epl7 is SO different from other cameras that i used in different brand ,even more professional machine)doesn’t have that obvious peaking,
Its like wearing dark vision and only the focus area edge turn bright silver !i found it weird at first but its actually the best ,most obvious peaking for manual lens shooter !
I also set fn1 button to peaking ,
right thumb control focus
(both magnifying +peaking)
My Oly E-PL7 is on the way from Japan. I have a Panasonic G9ii which I use for bird photography and heavier lenses. My plan is to use the Oly on the street with smaller lighter Oly, Panasonic and vintage lenses.
I just picked up a. mint E-p3 which I paired with a couple of PL lenses PL9/1.7 ...PL15/1.7. ..Sigma 60/2.8...Of course the lumix 14/2.5 would be more. pocketable.
I have my GX9 bodies for tilt screen requirements...LOL
Unfortunately Mocro 4/3 is too small and irrevocably outdated.
ahahaha welp
Hey Robin, appreciate your comparison video here. Have been following you for more than a decade. Enjoy and always look forward to your postings. Have learnt tons from your expertise, passionate sharing and tips. I love and shoot Olympus MFT besides also using Fuji X100 and the Sony A7III. However, I don’t own the Ricoh GR3. Given your comparison isn’t an apple to apple comparison, but you omitted to deal with one of the Ricoh GR3’s key attraction; that is, it’s unique Snap Focus ability. That offering in itself is a huge game changer. Plus Ricoh’s ultra-sharp, fixed-lens pocketability, decent AF speed (irrelevant for Snap Focus) and IS put this cam in a well-deserved class of its own. Little surprise why this tiny beast has attracted such a cult following among amateur and pro, especially street photography genre.
I personally think that the snap focus is a cheap excuse for lousy AF. If the camera's AF is fast and reliable enough, there is no need for snap focus. Also snap focus pushes you to use very narrow aperture and you have to bump up your ISO number unnecessarily. This will have dire consequences in my results.
When I shoot with F1.8 or wder lenses with my Olympus cameras, I expect to have shallow depth of field, not being forced into snap focus at F8!
Olympus AF is so quick and confident that it negates the need for snap focus altogether.
@@robinwong Appreciate your take, but especially in the case of candids and street photography, Zone (Snap) Focusing is virtually instantaneous compared to the split second lag time even with the best Single/Continuous AF available today. Sure, an experienced and knowledgeable photographer can (IF they know how) set their camera to manual focus using hyperfocal setting based on their desired aperture. The Ricoh Snap Focus makes this a breeze. With respect, I don’t believe GR3’s programmed algorithm will constrain you to the narrowest aperture. It’ll likely be like a standard P mode setting with no bias to aperture or shutter speed, That being the case, the applicable ISO setting must be an equal turf for any camera.