My camera journal

I sold (actually exchanged for the S5II) my main camera, the G9, along with a few lenses. I kept my GM5 and GF7, but I haven’t touched them in a long time. I bought (exchanged for the G9) a Panasonic S5II with the 20–60mm and 50mm lenses as a kit at a good price. A week later, I came across a Leica Q2 in excellent condition and at the right price—so I bought that too. I ended up with too many cameras!

For almost the last two years, I’ve mostly used the Q2. I rarely used the S5II, though it’s a fantastic camera. During that time, I also bought and sold several Fuji fixed-lens cameras: the X100V, X100VI, and GFX100RF. I sold the X100V/VI because I couldn’t quite connect with the focal length, and the GFX100RF due to its size and lack of stabilisation. No matter what I tried, I always returned to the Q2—it has remained my go-to camera.

A few months ago, I bought another GM5 because it was very reasonably priced. I had a small Sony grip, and I couldn’t believe how much of a difference it made—I really enjoyed using it. And now, just last week, I picked up another mFT camera: the Panasonic G100, again at a great price. I went out and took some photos, and it was a joy to use. Now, I’ve decided to sell the Q2.

So you can see that I’ve used very different cameras with various sensor sizes. My only real regret is buying the S5II, simply because I’ve used it so little. I’ve realised I much prefer smaller camera-and-lens combinations over larger setups.

I genuinely believe that mFT is a near-perfect system—it meets almost all of my needs. Of course, it has its downsides: lower megapixel counts, poorer low-light performance, and less depth-of-field control compared to larger sensors (which is just physics, isn’t it?). But there’s something truly enjoyable about using a compact camera with a small lens.

I intend to keep at least one of the GM5s and the G100. I gave my G7 with the 12–32mm Panasonic lens to my son, and he’s really enjoying it. I’ll hold on to the S5II until I can possibly swap it for an S9 or S9II, if and when it comes out. Maybe if I find another Leica but they are too expensive!

I know this isn’t a proper hardware review, but I still wanted to share my thoughts.

I made this list a few months back to try and get a handle in my gear spending over the years. I've concluded that I still have a fair bit of GAS left in the tank, and have my eyes set on a Leica M11-p for Christmas.

Canon Rebel T3i [sold after owning for 5+ years, my first "real" camera]
Sony RX100iii [sold, didn't connect]
Fuji XF10 [sold, sold, AF was painfully slow]
Fuji X100V [water damaged]
Ricoh GR3x [returned, sensor dust within return window]
Sony A5100 [returned, could t turn off shutter sound]
Canon G9X ii [sold, I bought this used and used it a fair bit, but the lens was decentered]
Sony RX1r ii [returned, abysmal battery life]
Sony ZV-1 [sold, 1" was too limiting]
Sony ZV-E10 [sold, loved this with a Zeiss 35, but the lack of physical dials was too limiting]
Sony A6700 [returned, no rear dial made it awkward to use as a second body to the a7cr]
Nikon D50 [sold, picked it up for $20 at a flea market, played with it a bit, and sold it to someone for $50]
Fuji X-E3 [current]
Nikon Z-fc [returned, diopter only adjustable down to -3 was the big bummer, weird auto iso implementation was another]
Fuji X100VI [current]
Ricoh GR3x [current]
Sony A7Cr [water damaged, tripped over a rock about 3 miles into the Zion Narrows hike]
Sony A7Cr [current]

I enjoy all my current cameras, and have found different uses for them:
X100VI - the fill flash offered at high shutter speeds, plus Fuji's beautiful skin tone rendering make this my go to for midday family outings.
GR3x - when absolute discretion is required, and I need a camera that could be mistaken for a phone
X-e3 with the xf27: as a walk around camera where fleeting street photo opportunities may exist, bit the risk of theft may be non zero.
A7cr: low light indoors, any situation that needs a zoom, and outdoors when carrying a sling bag or backpack (I hike / mountain bike a fair bit).

My journal is a bit shorter 😂

The first camera I used back in the days was the Olympus trip 35, digital didn't exist at that time in history 😆
After the trip 35 I tried a Fuji TW-300, and with the Tele-Wide option I wanted more.
Bought a Olympus OM-10 Quartz (black version) but that one had an issue with the data back so under waranty i got a silver standard version with manual adapter.
During the time I had the OM-10 I got the Zuiko 24 F2.8, 50 F1.8 and 135 F3.5 and 70–210 mm F4.5–5.6 lenses.
After a few years I wanted something different and swapped the Oly OM-10 and got a Pentax P-30 with almost the same selection lenses in K mount (SMC-A)
28mm, 50mm, 100mm macro and a Sigma UC 70-210mm F4-5.6
Somehow the P-30 didn't match with me and swapped it again, but this time with an different eco system.
I got a nice deal with a Canon Eos 1000F and started to collect lenses, a few I do still own and use sometimes
And Finally Digital camera's were available:
The First DSLR I got was the Eos 10D, used until it broke down, and and a 350D was a second body.
Upgraded the 10D with a the 50D and the 350D stayed as a second body.
Next up was a new 7D to replace the 50D as our main camera, the 50D became second body and replaced the 350D
After a few years enjoying the 7D-50D combo we wanted more 😎
50D and 7D were used as trade in for the new cameras The Eos 80D, 760D and the 100D
And after one year using the 80D, 760D and 100D I got the Eos 6D-II as main and the 80D as second so my better half could use the 760D and 100D.
After a while our setup changed again, I went for a Eos 5D IV and the 6D-II and my better half the Eos 80D and 760D
And we did change our gear again shortly after the Eos R series were available:
We went for a mixed setup: I got an Eos R and still used the Eos 5DIV, she went for the Eos RP and the 6D-II
And last year we changed again the Eos R and 5DIV were replaced with two Eos R6-II cameras and the Eos 6D-II was replaced with an Eos R8
So for now we have two Eos R6-II's, the RP and R8 in use. And we also have a small Canon PowerShot SX740 HS

And while using Digital cameras mainly I still own the Eos 1000F and an Eos 1V analog camera that do get used once in a while.
(I do develop film at home when needed)

the a6700 has a rear dial

It has a dial on the top plate and a wheel with the four way button on the rear, but I meant the dial that the a7cr has to the right of the c1 button.

A7CR has 3 top control dials and a back wheel dial but A6700 2 top control dials and a back wheel dial.

I hear you! I've often thought about getting an OM1 + 8-25 / 4 + 12-100 / 4. I know that's not small in mFT-world, but it's small compared to my FF setup. However, being both a slut for "high IQ" and shallow DOF, anytime I even think about it, I realize my money is better spent (for me) on FF stuff.

That said, I've been aggressively downsizing my FF kit, but it's still not small. Smaller, for sure, but not small. It gives "high IQ", but I'll always want (though never need, if I'm being honest) "higher IQ". It gives shallow DOF when I want it, but I'd want the option for more shallow DOF, even though no one but me would care about the difference (or even prefer the deeper DOF!).

In all honesty, though, even mFT is overkill. I mean, think of just how amazing of a photographer you'd have to be, or how niche your photography would have to be, to not be able to get successful photo with mFT. Who among us takes photos where 45 MP gets the job done but 20 MP doesn't? Who among us takes photos where f/1.4 on FF gets the job done but f/4 on FF doesn't? Besides me, of course. 😂

had plenty of m43 cameras, epl5, em5, em52, em12 sold the whole kit and went with sony a7r2 just for those shallow dof shots and shadow detailed out door portraits. the auto focus was average on all my cameras til i got the a7iv, its was a game changer 100% hit rate was insane, my back up the a6700 again class leading AF "Sony" be there or be square 😁 shot an out door portfolio shoot the other day for an future actor, the photo shoots are just FUN with the right gear.