Lumix GX9 or Sony A6400 - or maybe an XE-3 - which would you get?

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JiveBunny73

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I'm looking for a secondary camera for carrying round with me day to day - in particular, one thing I like doing is taking photos of crowds before football matches, but as my main Canon R7 is too big to be allowed to come into the ground with me even if it stays firmly in my bag, I can't do this as much as I'd like. And after carrying 4kg of lenses etc with me when on holiday,

I already have a Fuji X100F, which I hoped would be the daily carry of my dreams, but the fixed lens is a lot more limiting than I thought. Though I love the film simulations SOOC, and it seems to fulfil the 'small compact only' rule when going to games as I've been allowed to bring it in.

I sometimes attend games with a Pentax ME Super (the prime lenses are tiny so I have a 50 and 100 on me) or a small Canon 90s film compact - but the ongoing cost of film, lack of manual controls on the Canon and the ME Super being autofocus only (my eyesight is a bit crap) is a drawback. I'm mostly attending evening games so the limitations of film (speed vs grain) can be a drawback, plus it's not cheap these days, much as I love my wee Pentax!

So I'm looking to get something that basically feels like the ME Super - compact, can be taken everywhere, small lenses, fun to use - but with autofocus and a sensor.

What I want:
- small body that could pass for a compact with the right lens/body cap on so I don't have to worry about having it in a bag
- a viewfinder (have heard some REALLY don't get on with the Panasonic ones - I also found the XE-5 one way too small
- decent autofocus - not sure if the contrast detection only on the Lumix is going to be an issue, have heard it hunts quite a bit
- small lenses - I like the look of the M43 smaller lenses vs the Sony ones; the Fuji mount ones seem to get big once you get past 40mm or so.
- physical controls for aperture/shutter speed rather than through a screen would be useful (hence me not looking at the newer Pens)
- not ££££ for a body, 40/50mm and 100/135mm equivalent or I can't really justify it.

If the Pen-F was re-released now with the guts of the OM-3, that would be perfect. But I doubt we'll be getting a mini OM-3 any time soon. Or if the Sony somehow fitted the Olympus 45 and 75mm primes and that teeny tiny pancake zoom. (I know Sony do a compact that would essentially replace my Canon film one, but at 20x the cost lol)

I can't find anywhere near me that has a Lumix GX9 or GX8 to try in person, which would help! The Sony body felt pretty good when I tested it, so I'm leaning toward that, but those M43 lenses look so much better than the Sony options I've shortlisted....
 
It's possible the answer to this is 'just use your X100F before games and take the z155 with you if you want to do anything at a different focal length' but still! I have taken some nice pre-game shots with the X100F but always regret not having something more versatile with me. (for reference, my most used lens on the R7, and the 80D before it, is the EF-S 17-55 f/2.8, though it's not the most discreet thing for street photography!)
 
Went through a similar dilemma recently. My thread was asking for help choosing a new EDC (every day carry) camera.

I used to have a GX9 and sold it years ago, which I regret.

Can't bring myself to pay the money for a GX9 now as the tech is old and I know what they were once going for.

I looked the the various Fuji offerings, Ricoh also and the smaller apsc cameras.

Ended up with a new OM5 mark II. £899 after cashback and 5 year warranty. Ibis, weather sealing, lens options and the added computational modes.

Nearest Fuji was the £1499 offering with Ibiza XE5 was it.

Paired it with the weather sealed OM 17 mm F1.8 (also cash back and 5 year warranty) and it's tiny.


Size comparison and details above
 
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Adamcski said:
I used to have a GX9 and sold it years ago, which I regret.
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I still keep my GX7 in my walk around bag. The GX series are excellent little cameras.

Camera Panasonic GX7 with 12-32 on clothes pole TZ70 P1030602.jpg
 
I have never had problems with the GX9 focusing, quick and never had it hunting, unless the light is very poor.

With the 20mm f1.7 lens it looks like a compact, with a 14-140 it is very versatile.

I like the viewfinder, nice to use.
 
Another to think about is the Panasonic GX80. It's cheaper than the GX9. I sold my GX9 and kept the GX80 mainly because IMO the GX80 has a better evf. I found that with the GX9 I had to be careful to look smack through the middle of the evf and if I didn't it looked like the diopter needed adjusting and I found the GX80 evf a bit more forgiving. The GX9 does have a higher mp count sensor and better controlls though. Personally I wouldn't recommend the earlier GX7 unless you are fully aware of the issues that camera has and are willing to accept and work around them. I'd skip the GX7 and go for the GX80.

As above. I've not had any issues with Panasonic MFT focusing. I always find it incredibly fast and even though it slows in low light it usually still gets there. I find the eye detect very good too. The AF of my MFT cameras has been much better than that of the X100s and f I owned.
 
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I was looking at the GX8 but it's pretty big in the body!

I did think about the GX80 but feel a bit wary about a ten year old body, though I suppose that's why you buy from somewhere that'll give you a warranty. Really wish there was somewhere near me that had something in the series in stock so I could have a look at it.

I can get an A6400 new with the 16-50 kit lens (which I've heard isn't great but would be OK) for £570, which feels like a good deal, but I keep thinking of those M43 lenses!
 
JiveBunny73 said:
I was looking at the GX8 but it's pretty big in the body!

I did think about the GX80 but feel a bit wary about a ten year old body, though I suppose that's why you buy from somewhere that'll give you a warranty. Really wish there was somewhere near me that had something in the series in stock so I could have a look at it.

I can get an A6400 new with the 16-50 kit lens (which I've heard isn't great but would be OK) for £570, which feels like a good deal, but I keep thinking of those M43 lenses!
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It's disappointing that Panasonic have as far as I know stopped making RF style cameras. I bought a Sony A7cII a few months ago and it is significantly bigger/thicker than the GX line. I'm not sure if the A7c line is the same body as the A6xxx cameras but if they are similar the additional bulk and weight over a GXx might need thinking about.
 
I know that there may be an issue with dust on the sensor - though I have owned 3 without problems, including my current one - but how about the Lumix LX100? I have made A3+ prints from mine with no noticeable noise or degradation.
 
I used to own an LX100 and the viewfinder gave me a headache, it put me off EVFs for years.
 
JiveBunny73 said:
I used to own an LX100 and the viewfinder gave me a headache, it put me off EVFs for years.
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I have a GX9, a Gx7 and two G9s, and I find them all OK, the G9s have the nicest EVFs I have seen, better than any optical one I have used.

The GX9 and G9s will take good photos with just street lamps, with little noise, and indoors without flash even better.
With dual stabilisation they are miles ahead of some cameras.
The GX9 with a 100-300 lens (200-600 FFeq) is a very comfortable combination too.
 
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