- Location
- Switzerland
- Name
- Matt
How is this fantasy camera of yours different than a Fuji X-Pro, XE1, XE2, or XT1 with two or three of their excellent primes?
No touch screens. Aperture rings, dedicated shutter speed dials, exposure comp dials and, in one case, ISO dial. A few programmable buttons such that once you set it up to your liking you rarely have to mess with the menus at all. And pretty much anything you'd need to go into the menus for available in one easily available quick menu. And a real OVF in the Pro and real EVFs in the others.
-Ray
In terms of handling, they're mostly there - but after using the m4/3 cameras, especially the OM-D series, they just feel sluggish and frankly are rather big. I admit that the X-T1 especially, but also the X-E2 both hold a lot of appeal for me, but as I have said elsewhere, for me, the m4/3 system hits the sweet spot when it comes to the quality-to-size ratio. The same goes for the GR - small, unobstrusive, very direct handling and control, great IQ for its size and prize.
However, when I saw the T, it made me realise that it's mostly about the size-to-feature ratio, too; after all, I still really like my PM1, and that's surely not as straightforward in handling as the T, and it surely is less sophisticated than the M10. In every real test, the M10 wins hands down, and it really is a joy to use - so why is it that I still reach for the PM1 a lot? Size and form factor. So, obviously, what I really want is something more or less the size and style of the PM1 or PL5 (it'd have to be a little bigger, I know) *with* a built-in viewfinder (I really think the one of the V1 would be enough) and a couple of *dedicated* controls (yes, maybe a mini-E2). If that sounds a lot like a GX7, you're right there - but this camera is already bigger than I'd like it to be, even the M10 is actually more pocketable. And handling-wise, the M10 still wins for me, too.
There's another dream product of mine, though: The GR with a viewfinder matching at least the one on the V1 (which itself nearly matches the one on the M10, but is smaller). That'd mean prime handling without that "classic" touch - but Ricoh have created a classic in its own right.
Still, I hear you, and I agree that in terms of control layout and design, Fuji have more or less nailed it. And the GX7 as well as the M10 offer everything I need (and lots more) in very convincing packages. So I'll freely admit that it's more down to wishful thinking than unfulfilled *needs*. So I guess I'll best shut up
M.