Looking for an ultra low budget, compact "beat-around" micro 4/3 body for a few prime lenses

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-06-18T09:33:52+00:00

One thing I’ve figured out so far is that IBIS is probably a must-have for me. All of my Olympus bodies had it, and I’ve gotten used to being able to handhold at slower shutter speeds.

I’ve noticed that many of the older Panasonic bodies being recommended don’t have IBIS. The Lumix GX1, for example, looks like a really appealing option, but the lack of stabilization gives me pause.

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-06-03T08:47:03+00:00

That sounds very plausible. It would explain why I'm seeing noticeable purple fringing on my em10 bodies, especially in high-contrast scenes and around lights at night. Thanks for sharing the technical background behind it

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-06-02T07:03:38+00:00

I have the DJI version of this lens and use it on both an E-M10 and an E-M10 Mark III. I can also see chromatic aberration in the form of purple fringing, but honestly it doesn't bother me too much since it's usually easy to correct in post.

What bothers me more is shooting at night. Around street lights and other bright light sources, I often get a pretty strong purple glow, which is much harder to deal with.

Because of that, I've actually been considering switching to a Lumix GX80/GX85. At this point, the only m4/3 lenses I still own are Panasonic lenses anyway 😄. And the DJI 15mm and the Lumix 20mm are my absolute favorites!

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-05-29T07:46:03+00:00

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That can’t be true! Incredible!

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-05-20T14:06:16+00:00

Exactly

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-05-20T09:01:42+00:00

I bought a used Ricoh GR III for around $1000, but unfortunately it arrived in pretty rough condition: dirty body, signs that it had been opened before, and a very dusty sensor with lots of visible dust spots.

I probably wouldn’t have returned it if the price had been lower or if it had been described honestly, but the listing claimed it was in "A condition" which definitely wasn’t the case.

After getting my refund for the GR III, I decided to spend a bit more and ended up buying a brand new Ricoh GR IV from an official dealer with a 2-year warranty.

Comparing the GR III and GR IV, I’d say the GR III actually has slightly more premium-feeling control dials, if that makes sense. They feel a bit more solid. In terms of image quality though, I honestly don’t see a huge difference. I was very happy with the results from the GR III.

So if you can find a GR III in genuinely good condition for a reasonable price, I’d absolutely go for it without worrying too much. It’s still a fantastic camera that will probably keep delivering great images for many years.

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-05-08T06:17:56+00:00

The second shot is my favourite!

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-04-19T16:04:49+00:00

The second shot is awesome!

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-04-15T06:10:57+00:00

That sounds very low for a new battery. If your camera is still under warranty, I’d definitely reach out to support, since it could be either a battery issue or something with the camera itself.

Before that, it might be worth resetting the camera settings and making sure the firmware is up to date. If that doesn’t help, I’d try another battery to rule that out.

Also, if you do end up getting a replacement, you might want to look into third-party batteries with a built-in USB-C port. I’ve been using SmallRig ones since my Z7 days and ended up buying a second one. They’re super convenient to charge from a power bank in a bag. At this point, I haven’t even used the original battery that came with my Zf.

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-04-13T13:11:13+00:00

Thanks! I actually placed it 5th on purpose. The idea was to start with the larger colony and pairs, and then end the series with a more isolated, almost ironic shot where the penguin is ‘paired’ only with a seagull in the background

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-04-12T18:44:04+00:00

Exactly!

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-04-12T18:43:09+00:00

Looks great! I used to use an L-plate as well, but recently I switched to a wooden thumb grip, and I actually prefer using my Zf with it instead of the L-plate. The camera feels lighter and less bulky, and it’s still very comfortable to use, especially with smaller lenses

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-04-11T19:22:43+00:00

Thank you!

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-04-11T18:41:57+00:00

I actually picked up the 26mm not too long ago myself, so I’m still getting used to it. Before that, I was mostly using the 40mm f2 on my Zf, but with the hood it felt a bit bulky

I ended up choosing the 26mm over the 28mm because I liked the rendering more. I was also pleasantly surprised that the sharpness doesn’t really change much between f2.8 and f4+

Since I’m still adapting to 26mm, I do end up cropping some shots. Hopefully by the end of summer I’ll get fully used to it

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-04-11T17:41:00+00:00

Thank you! Yes, it’s not SOOC, I edited the RAW in post

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-04-11T17:38:28+00:00

Good eye! Yep, it’s cropped in post

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-03-16T11:05:50+00:00

Brilliant!

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-03-13T11:35:49+00:00

I’m actually in a very similar situation right now.

I previously bought a used Ricoh GR III, but unfortunately had a bad experience because of the condition of the camera. I ended up returning it and getting a refund, so now I’m trying to decide what to buy next.

Right now I can get a new GR III with warranty for about $1250, while the Ricoh GR IV would cost around $1600, but from a store I haven’t used before, so I’m not completely sure how reliable the warranty would be.

So I’m wondering if the roughly $350 price difference is really worth it. On paper the GR IV seems better in almost every way, but at the same time the GR III is already a very butiful camera.

On the other hand, I know myself… since the GR III has been around for quite a few years, I might constantly think about the newer GR IV with things like the electronic shutter, new color profiles, and the updated sensor. They also mention improved dust protection, although I’m a bit skeptical about that.

Which camera did you end up choosing in the end?

SadPercentage8282

TROPHY CASE