I've been thinking of selling my GX7, but when push came to shove I just couldn't do it. I do actually like it too much. In fact I've expanded my lens options for it again after getting rid of the 7-14mm and 14-140mm zooms. Not because I was dissatisfied with them in any way, far from it, but because I had too much duplication of gear. I have close to an entire set of Fuji XF lenses and having bought the Fuji 10-24mm something had to go to pay for that.
I also wanted a small light system that would complement the GX7 and I've bought the 12-32mm zoom with the GM1, though I will be selling the camera and I've finally got my hands on an Olympus 45mm f/1.8. Amazon lost the one I ordered from them, however Ffordes from the North-East of Scotland managed to get me one delivered overnight with no problems. (Though if Scotland becomes a foreign country, which I sincerely hope it doesn't, this might change.)
Nobody needs me tell them how good the Olympus 45mm is. I took a few test shots, but it was as expected, which is very good indeed.
I really like the GX7 and I also really like the two Olympus lens kit I've put together. And yes I like it because of how it looks and I have no problem with that.
On that last point I would recommend the latest interview over at MirrorLessons. It's not about m4/3 gear it's about a photographer who uses Fuji. However, one of the answers contained this.
'For me I did not say “I want a mirrorless compact”. I said “I want that Fuji X100 because it looks amazing”. How superficial. That then lead me down the rabbit hole of the Fuji X-series and I built the system I have now.'
As I write often, professional photographers are not immune to being influenced by the aesthetic charms (or otherwise of course) of cameras and lenses.
For example there's a post on 43rumours with a link to a GH4 test video. And in it there is a woman using a silver GX7 fitted with a silver Olympus 12mm.
I thought that looks great. (and it just shows how sad I am that I mean the camera / lens!!) It actually took quite a lot of willpower not to immediately order that silver camera / silver lens combination. And I may yet succumb.
I've never had a problem with buying cameras because of how they look. I am a photographer after all and if I wasn't impressed by good looking design then I would probably be in the wrong job. Plus of course I do know that the camera wouldn't just be a 'show pony' but would do the job for me nicely.
I envy people who claim to be unaffected by a camera's looks. Maybe envy is the wrong word however, perhaps what I mean is I don't believe people who claim to be unaffected by a camera's looks. Because the design of the gear we buy surely gives us something we crave. Whether it be the professional look and gravitas of a whopping great DSLR outfit (and I'm not immune to their appeal either!) or the sheer class of a Leica or a Fuji X100s, we must be in some way making a statement about who we are photographically. I'm actually in the middle of a piece on this inspired by one of the comments in the David Bailey video I posted, so I'll go more into it then.
Finally, it may seem strange to be raving about the aesthetics of a Panasonic camera. For me, before the the GX7, they seemed to be keen on functional little black (and occasionally silver / red / blue ) boxes. The L1 had a certain brick like brutal elegance, but the rest certainly left a lot to be desired on the attractiveness front. One look at the GF5 and I can understand why Panasonic are apparently dumping the GF range. Who on earth could ever think that looked good!
But the GX7 is very sleek, both in terms of design and how it feels in the hand. Olympus have always had the upper hand here and are famous for their camera and lens designs. I know the Olympus E-M1 isn't for me, but with a grip and the 12-40mm fitted to it, I do find it hard to resist. And the two lenses I have pictured above are very nice too. The 17mm is all metal and the 45mm is all plastic but they do make a nice pair. And if I'm attracted enough to pick this outfit up, then chances are I'll be inspired to take some decent pictures with it. If not I can always sit and look at it!!
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