flipping out

Kit mutation alert!

As I had planned but failed to execute three months ago, the 2021 kit will be big Oly/small Lumi. I ordered a used E∙M1b with 12k clicks a flash and 3 batteries, and a GX7b with its original accoutrements. The GX8 and ePL8 will now be going to more appreciative folks, and boxes of 'b's or 'ii's are coming soon :^)

Somehow, somewhere, this all makes sense. Sure it does.

What did I gain with this flip??  -  Good question! Let me see if it can be described in more detail.

In either case I have one small body with (my preferred) tilt touchscreen, and one high-end 20Mpx body with more capabilities, more inch³ for buttons and switches, and moisture seals. Going with the GX7.ii /gx85 I gain faster autofocus with DFD compared to the ePL8, I get the 4k features that allows the GX8 to depart, and I get charging via USB. This last has become a priority with both gx8 and epl8 dying at bad times recently; the gx7.ii has a short battery life but is absurdly easy to charge in the car, at home, or with the solar power-bank that I recently acquired. That will help - or at least it should, time will truly tell. On the down-ish side I lose the dedicated EV± from the GX8 (which I didn't like) and the AF/MF switch (which I will have to spend a precious button to replace).

superimposed, from camerasize.com

With the eM1.ii I get similar features to the GX8 - most of which I like, though the flipout screen is on both :^(. The 4k-photo features now descend to the smaller gx7.ii, and the eM1.ii takes over from the ePL8 with Oly's live time / composite features. Beyond that is a huge set of new features: top-notch sensor stabilization with stills and video, multi-shot hi resolution images, a different set of 4k video options, custom autofocus limiter (in body not lens!), and 400+ images per battery charge plus sleep modes and a possibility to add a battery grip.

Given the recent eM1.ii price drops on the used side, it's less of a reach than it was - but that assumes I can sell the two departing cameras at decent prices. Just before posting them, two others posted GX8 bodies to the virtual market, so I'll be dangling my bait in a different pond until at least one of those is gone. Inevitably this will (had better) make sense!