michaelwatkins Offline Upload & Sell: Off
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You may not be the only two with both cameras for long. Thanks @kosmoskatten for spending the time sharing your GXR love. It was very helpful... so helpful I set about trying to buy one in as responsible manner as possible (thinking about warranty and such) and found I could not do it, at least not until January it seems.
The GXR and M mount module isn't available from any authorized US seller; I've no problem with ordering anything from Hong Kong - I do it all the time - but I am a little less keen on dealing with overseas warranty service down the road so I think I'll hold off checking the GXR until January... or perhaps a little longer to see if Ricoh has something up their sleeves that I'm interested in.
I wish I could overlook warranty concerns but my experience with the X100 failing says I shouldn't.
I'm disappointed as I have a feeling that Ricoh is where my heart lies, but perhaps we'll be united in the future. If they continue to produce the GXR, GXR-II, or some other M-compatible system going forward (or a FF version) we can get hitched together later.
I had really hoped to avoid doing the compact camera musical chairs dance but have decided that I'm going to have to experience at least one or two or three of them for myself, and I'm going to do it in the order of availability.
Here's what I've done - I'm buying a 5N and the EVF, as Sony Canada just made both available on their web site again after a number of days of not being available. Bundled together and with a promo coupon code I get $100 off, which almost pays for the taxes. Their site claims both are available and will ship this week on 11/11/11 ... we shall see. My Hawk's adapter is itching for a workout.
If they don't ship this week and instead I get a Dear Mike note indicating that the shipment date is unknown due to the flooding in Thailand, I'm buying a 5N which is coming to a store 5 blocks from me in a day or two and already has my name on it, or I must just give up with Sony and purchase a GXR, damn the details.
I also have left my NEX-7 order in place, at least for another week or so to see if they ship anything in North America. So far Sony hasn't contacted me to tell me that they aren't going to ship next week as my order states they will... but I've no confidence in their customer facing order system. If by some miracle they do ship one to me next week, I'll test it first and dispose of it if the worst fears about edge performance and M lenses are realized. I've no doubt I can sell it on-line for what I paid for it plus a small premium for my hassle factor.
When / if the 5N arrives the very first thing I'm doing is checking out performance out to the edges. I know most reports state the 5N is much improved in this regard over the 5, but once in a while some joker has to mess up that confidence builder by stating they were getting sharp performance with the NEX-5 and not with the 5N. Oh brother. Maybe the only way to know is to check it out using my lenses.
If things don't work out with the 5N I may keep it and the kit lens, sell the EVF, and gift it to the family for Christmas. If not, it is going on Craigslist or eBay very quickly while it is still "mint". They should be in short supply soon so hopefully I can get near what I paid for it, and some decent test images (and more hopefully) left on my computer and experience with the camera too.
Ultimately I'm sure the 5N is a stop-gap camera for me. I'd hoped to avoid that with the NEX-7 but despite the poor testing approach used by a number of folks, it doesn't look like the 7's performance is going to be there out to the edges like many of us hoped it would. Maybe a 7N will correct that. In the meantime, I do need a compact, and I do want to use one with my M lenses rather than have them sit on a shelf. Progress, even if not optimal, is good.
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