Micro 4/3 EPM2/EPL5 + 14mm/2.5 vs Nikon A vs Ricoh GR

Believe it or not, I was thinking about this on my way into work today. I have the E-PM2 and the Panny 14mm pancake. It's a compact and effective package, and it definitely slips into a jacket pocket easily. But not a shirt pocket, which the Ricoh GR may do. As others have said, the primary advantage of the new camera is pocketability while maintaining quality. The Ricoh is about the same size as a Sony RX100 - just a bit longer but a bit thinner. I don't tend to operate at ISO 6400 very often, so the APS-C's sensor advantage in that area isn't critical to me. I really should just preorder the GR already - because I won't pay $1000 for the Nikon A even if it's a bit better. I think the only thing holding me back is my monitoring of Olympus OM-D prices. With a replacement due to be announced later this year, we're beginning to see prices move a bit. But it may take until the end of summer to see real movement. So I should just pre-order the GR and be done with it.

An OM-D isn't going to be shirt pocketable though, discounted or not.
 
The 28mm equivalent FOV is great for snapshot/street photography, and the smaller is easier to carry around. Ricoh GR is lighter than Lumix GF3 body only. The Lumix 14mm 2.5 is darn cheap and EPM2's dynamic range is pretty good. But the leaf shutter compact is definitely enticing to me nowadays.
 
After a trip into London a few weeks ago using my E-PM1 and 14mm f2.5 I found a new liking for the 28mm focal length but spending all that money on a GR or A just so I can pop it in my pocket is madness (for me!) The E-PM1 is tiny as is the lens! However I would like an APS-C sensor camera the same or similar size with inter changeable lenses but there's nothing really small sadly.
 
@Ghosthunter Prolly that won't happen in near future. Ricoh GR has done special optimization to improve corner sharpness while minimizing lens size. Such design is not possible in a system camera.

APS17-s.jpg
 
Retracting lens is a minus to me. Just the idea of a retracting lens makes me feel like the camera is less sturdy. Olympus touchscreen is a big plus - I use it very often. I doubt that the others will AF as well (including face detect) as the Olympus. It seems to read my mind to focus on the right thing when I use an add on OVF (Ricoh GV-2).

I'm not a shirt pocket or pants pocket guy, and they all fit easily in my coat pockets. Lastly, the P14 and E-PM2 sensor both make the performance grade for me by no small margin, so a little bit better in either regard doesn't matter to me.

So after some temptation by the GR, I've come to realize that the E-PM2 and P14 are a better fit for me.
 
Retracting lens is a minus to me. Just the idea of a retracting lens makes me feel like the camera is less sturdy.

I've used a lot of cameras with retracting lenses over the years - never had much trouble with any of them. Also seen non-retracting lenses with loose internal elements that did affect image quality. Not sure one type is more or less sturdy than the other.

I doubt that the others will AF as well (including face detect) as the Olympus. It seems to read my mind to focus on the right thing when I use an add on OVF (Ricoh GV-2).

You are right on this point. Had an E-PM1 for a while (just sold to help fund a Coolpix A or GR) and the Olympus face detect AF was great and in general it did focus where I would like it to. Very fast as well. The Coolpix (rented one for a week) is much slower, face detect is poorly implemented and I would rather use it either with scale focusing or lock focus with AF-on assigned to Fn1 button.

-Thomas
 
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Check out the link. The simple lens design helped the dual motors design feasible. The retracting lens doesn't look bad at all, and it has the auto lens cap. Yeah compact or no compact... that's the question!!!
 
I've used a lot of cameras with retracting lenses over the years - never had much trouble with any of them. Also seen non-retracting lenses with loose internal elements that did affect image quality. Not sure one type is more or less sturdy than the other

I'm not claiming one is sturdier than the other or that there is any basis for the feeling I get, only that I get that feeling.


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+1.
I'm not claiming one is sturdier than the other or that there is any basis for the feeling I get, only that I get that feeling.

My Ricoh R6 7x P&S lens stuck while I was on a weekend trip to NY, and Ricoh changed the lens module under warranty, but it prevented me to upgrade to Ricoh grd/grx series.... I think at that time, that was a common problem and haven't seen it with the new cameras.
 
I'm not claiming one is sturdier than the other or that there is any basis for the feeling I get, only that I get that feeling.
I get the same feeling. But I use them anyway because I've had enough experience to have gotten comfortable with the idea that they COULD break, but are pretty unlikely to. And if one does break someday, I guess I'll deal with that then. I get similar feelings when I fly - no way those big jets should be able to stay airborne! But so far so good, so I still fly from time to time. If the plane ever decides it really has no business being up that high, I guess I'll deal with that when the time comes too, but probably not well...

-Ray
 
Cameras with extending lenses have been around for a long time and I have seen them still working fine after many years, but they can still cause problems. Being a moving part it is less sturdy if bumped and is another point of possible failure in comparison to a solid lens barrel.
 
I was never a big fan of the 28 mm FL, but the E-PM1 and the 14 made me a convert. I wouldn't have even considered the GR had it not been for my experience with E-PM1, which is ironic.
 
I get the same feeling. But I use them anyway because I've had enough experience to have gotten comfortable with the idea that they COULD break, but are pretty unlikely to. And if one does break someday, I guess I'll deal with that then. I get similar feelings when I fly - no way those big jets should be able to stay airborne! But so far so good, so I still fly from time to time. If the plane ever decides it really has no business being up that high, I guess I'll deal with that when the time comes too, but probably not well...

LOL, I get that feeling when I fly too. I know driving is more dangerous, but like a non-extending lens it makes me feel good to have my tires on the ground.

Maybe I should have a stiff drink every time I use an extending lens. Works for the flights :tongue:.
 
I get the same feeling. But I use them anyway because I've had enough experience to have gotten comfortable with the idea that they COULD break, but are pretty unlikely to. And if one does break someday, I guess I'll deal with that then. I get similar feelings when I fly - no way those big jets should be able to stay airborne! But so far so good, so I still fly from time to time. If the plane ever decides it really has no business being up that high, I guess I'll deal with that when the time comes too, but probably not well...

-Ray

I fly all the time and don't think twice about retracting lenses being less resilient :)
 
Weighing in late on the question - but although the Ricoh GR is tempting for many many many reasons - not the least of which are pocketability, ergonomics, and image quality - I have to admit that the images I have been getting from my own relatively small and almost pocketable combo of an E-PL5 (only slightly larger than the cute E-PM2) plus my Panasonic 14mm pancake - are quite beautiful. My EPL5 + pancake is marginally bigger than both the Ricoh and the Nikon A --- but it's positively tiny compared to both the OMD and also the E-P5 ---- so, all things considered, I can't complain.
 
Yes, perhaps the GR's lens is better than the Pana 14.

Not "perhaps." It IS better. With Pana 14 you get smeared corners even at f/5.6, and past that the entire frame gets softened by diffraction.

Also Panasonic 14mm lens has poor flare resistance. It is especially noticeable in nighttime photos when you get inverted flare spots for every bright light source in the bottom half of the frame. In daylight photos when you have sun outside the frame (but near the borders) it produces large, dull green half-octagonal ghosts which suggests that those ghosts are reflections of poorly blackened aperture blades.
 
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