DSLR versus 4/3---Part 1.

This is a posting that may be of interest to any devoted 'gear head' readers. I offer a few words on the cameras with which I shoot. I will not attempt to offer wisdom as to the comparative superiority of the Nikon D610  full frame DSLR versus the micro 4/3 format. For me, they are totally different photo experiences. I like dogs and I like cats.---each having its pros and cons. Bottom line: I feel lucky to be the owner of an example of each category. Certainly the Lumix GX85 is the every-day camera that I carry with me whenever I leave the house, where-ever I go out in the car. They bill this 16MP camera as being pocket-able, but have to say that it is a little too chunky for my pockets. Weight-wise it feels solid as opposed to plasticky in my mid-sized hands. I purchased the GX85 in Sept. 2019 and can say, hand on heart, that this was the first camera that I have ever bought new in my entire life. I was persuaded to close the deal by the fact that the bundle was offered at a knock- down price by Adorama, NYC, with two very small, ultra light telephoto lenses--12-32 mm and 40-140 mm thrown in gratis. Probably means that it is a model soon to be discontinued--originally introduced in 2016 and now at about 4 years into it's cycle, it maybe getting a little long in the tooth. There are function (fn) button settings galore on the camera body--the only problem for this senior (age) shooter is that he can never remember which function he has allocated to which fn button! Suspect this may also be a problem for younger folk. The individual positioning of 10 settings always seems a little like over-kill to me. However, I understand that features are what drives camera sales. I should mention that unlike some other manufacturers, Lumix has a reputation for offering on-going after-sale camera improvements (as opposed to rectifications to operating errors) in the form of meaningful firmware updates. The GX85 benefited from 'Post Focus' being added---a feature, not a gimmick, that I have found to be really useful.

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