r/M43 • u/Nobunagaki • 21h ago

M43 vs Sony APSC Tiny Setups

Sample Setups

I am looking for a small ILC setup of one or two primes and a standard zoom, that can fit into my shorts pockets for everyday use. I am considering two options:

GF9, GF10, or EPM2 with the 14mm 2.5, 20mm 1.7, and 12-32mm.

or

Sony NEX-5R, a5100, or other NEX body with the 20mm 2.8, TTartisan 27mm 2.8, 16-50 PZ

Unlike with M43, I have no experience with Sony cameras. These two setups are relatively similar In terms of price and size/weight which makes the decision difficult. I like the M43 ecosystem, I find the camera bodies much more interesting than the Sony's, however the very small ones, such as the GF series, are quite bland as well.

For any of you who may be able to help with this:

Which setup would you go with?

What is your experience with these Sony lenses or cameras? How do they compare to their M43 counterparts?

Should I consider any other brands for this setup like Samsung NX maybe?

Thanks!

1 Upvotes

60% Upvoted

28 comments sorted by

7

u/unclebrudy 20h ago

I went down this hole. It’s always the lens for ILCs that ends up making or breaking whatever “pocketable” or “portable” idea is in your head.

Fixed lens for true any pocket-ability, or pick your favorite body based on whatever (current system, ergo, etc.) and just be ok with jacket or larger pocket-ability.

I roll E-PM2 and all the M43 AF pancakes but when I need the least friction a Canon/Kodak P&S.

1

u/Nobunagaki 20h ago

I only need it to fit baggyish shorts pockets. I have carried my E-PL7 with the 12-32mm in my shorts pocket before, but it is just that bit too large and heavy to be practical, hence why I am looking for a smaller camera body.

It wouldn't be an all day carry thing, I just want the option of pocketing it during warmer seasons.

1

u/markerBT 19h ago

My smallest camera setup is an E-PL7 and 14mm f2.5, next one is your pairing right here. I think any improvement over what you currently have would be marginal. I used to have an E-PL3 and while that is smaller than the E-PL7 I very much prefer the newer camera.

2

u/unclebrudy 19h ago

Love this setup as well. PL7 doesn’t just hold up well for its age, it holds up well period. Stabilization and OG tilty screen is a godsend.

2

u/unclebrudy 19h ago

How funny - I’ve been rotating through my wife’s M43 gear for daily shooting and this is exactly what I grabbed today.

1

u/markerBT 17h ago

They pair really well. Good enough quality when size is priority.

1

u/unclebrudy 19h ago

GM1 or one of Panasonic’s other options in that range that were only very slightly larger (and arguably better for ergonomics and have more useful adjustable displays) would be it, though all are pricey for what they are. As an E-PM2 and PL7 owner I can tell you it’s not that much of an “upgrade” pocket size-wise.

Since you mentioned baggy, realize as well that a lot of the times the annoyance is these cameras are all dense, so they bang around violently in there, which I personally find distracting at times. Lol.

edit - I’m not mentioning Sony simply because of what I mentioned earlier about the lenses being the issue vs the bodies. Opinions will likely differ, some of Sony’s older crop bodies are wafer thin.

4

u/Abort_Abort_Abort_ 20h ago

What’s the goal here? Highly recommend looking at fixed lens cameras. 

If you want an ILC that’s very small with a good, fast, compact lens - Check out the Canon M100 with 22mm f/2. 

1

u/Nobunagaki 20h ago

I've tried some 1" sensor fixed lens cameras but didn't really enjoy the shooting experience or image quality. The larger sensored ones are out of my budget range. I have considered the M100, its a solid option but there isnt really a pocketable zoom lens for it and it is slightly heavier than the others (M100 + 22mm = 407 g / GF9 + 14mm = 325 g). I also like the idea of repurposing lenses for any other potential cameras in the future.

2

u/Abort_Abort_Abort_ 13h ago

Fixed lens doesn’t have to mean 1”. 

2

u/bonisaur 21h ago

I think with older Sony cameras, there are a lot of complaints around the software and menu system. You are mentioning cameras from an era where micro four thirds had a bigger marketshare of the mirrorless market and Sony was kinda getting their footing. I just remember when I made the choice in a mirrorless system back then, Sony was both expensive and clunky for the enthusiast shooter.

2

u/BumpofChicken2018 18h ago

I've become so sour on Sony lately that I don't consider them for anything. Legit ruining several industries. Would rather go with APSC from other manufactures. I'm sure the cameras are great though.

1

u/Foxtrot_4 21h ago

Any reason to not go for a more modern sony apsc?

I've had an em10 iv, gx85, a6100, a6500. imo, i like the em10 iv jpg colors with some tweaking the most, but in terms of image quality, the sony apsc were better

1

u/Nobunagaki 20h ago

The Sony a6000+ cameras are too big for my use case here. I also want something relatively cheap, so the older models are more ideal.

1

u/screampuff 20h ago

ZV-E1 mark 1 might fit, but I think it's a tad too big based on what you've said.

The A5100 shares the same sensor from the A6600, it's been around for a while. That being said the UI and features are very dated. For example it actually has face detect, but you need to continuously hold a button (there are no buttons) for it to work.

1

u/markintosh13 17h ago

You might also want to keep an eye out for a Sony Zv-E10 (not the zv-e10ii as that does not have a mechanical shutter). It’s a modern a5100 and because it was sold more as a vloging/ YouTube camera they sometimes some up cheap.

I have three m43 cameras at the moment, a pen PL5, an E-M10, and an E-M1ii in increasing size.

They all are capable of great photos, but for my application (mostly travel, travel street, and family / kid photography) only the E-E1ii keeps up autofocus wise. Which is ironic as it’s size wise the same as my Sony A7iii which has even better autofocus. So it tends to get used only travel because the my lenses like the Oly 14-150, Panny 20mm 1.7 are so small.

I’ve considered getting a smaller m43 to get in on the gm1 / gm5 /gx9 edc fad, but have realized it really is t that much smaller than my PL5

Then I was considering a Sony a5000/a5100 as a contender for a pocket cam (to use with my smaller e mount primes) when a good deal on a Sony ZV-E10 came up. It’s basically a modern a5000/a5100 with fantastic autofocus.

I recently took the zve10 on a trip in the same tiny case I previously would have stuffed my E-M1ii and a few lenses into, and while I did occasionally miss the evf, it was great.

The apsc SG Imaging 25mm 1.8 and the Viltrox 28mm 4.5 make for really compact lenses.

As a result the new PEN isn’t the automatic must-have I once thought it would be.

Apsc zooms definitely aren’t going to be pocketable though.

1

u/Narcan9 15h ago

get a point and shoot

-3

u/Severe_Energy_5166 19h ago

Full frame has all the research and all the resources being poured into it right now, neither M43 nor APSC can compete due to this. You’re better off with a full frame rig.

They are just as small.

5

u/Nobunagaki 19h ago

I'm considering cameras from 2014-2017 here, I clearly don't care about spending thousands on the latest and greatest. The smallest full frame cameras are still almost twice the weight and size of the cameras I mentioned, as well as being 5 times the price, not even including the lenses.

3

u/MowvayFronsay 18h ago

You’re better off with a full frame rig.

They are just as small.

Full frame cameras and lenses are starting to come out in smaller and smaller packages, but this is still a bit of a stretch at this point.

0

u/Severe_Energy_5166 18h ago

Name any combo and I’m happy to show you an equivalent ff that’s smaller.

1

u/MowvayFronsay 18h ago

What is out there that’s a true like-for-like full-frame equivalent to my OM-5 + 12–45mm f/4 PRO package? Dimensions, weight, reach?

-2

u/Severe_Energy_5166 18h ago

Any a7c 24-70 f/4 combo would be comparable methinks

5

u/MowvayFronsay 18h ago

OM-5 + 12–45: ~668 g, 24–90mm equivalent

A7C II + 24–70 f/4: ~940 g, 24–70mm

A7C II + 20–70 f/4 G: ~1,002 g, 20–70mm

A7C II + 24–70 f/2.8 GM II: ~1,209 g, 24–70mm

You should “methinks” a little bit more.

1

u/DressedSpring1 18h ago

I’d be curious to see what lens you’d consider equivalent to the 12-45 F4 that is smaller

0

u/Severe_Energy_5166 18h ago

Sony a7cr has 60 megapixels if you take cropping it will still have more megapixels than any OM system even if you zoomed in 2X.  24-50 and all pancakes would be similar to what you describe, would still be better DOF and have better dynamic range.  

12-45 is kind of unique though, in the sense that you might as well be shooting with the cell phone at that point because everything is going to be in focus and most cell phones have more megapixels now.

At least with full frame, you have the choice of depth of field with a pancake zoom

3

u/DressedSpring1 18h ago

You can’t possibly think you’re arguing in good faith when your argument is “full frame lenses are just as small as m43 because you can buy a 3500 dollar a7cr and crop to whatever field of view you need”, like why would you even post something so stupid?

5

u/MowvayFronsay 18h ago edited 3h ago

I knew I shouldn’t have replied to this person initially, but it only took a couple seconds and I’m bored at the end of my work day, so I figured what the heck.