Best camera for low light photography for under $300 USD

[ShadowCaptain]

3 minutes ago, BLCT said:

I've been told that it's all about the lenses and rather not the camera

It is, but the speedbooster is mostly used on MFT cameras with adapted APSC/Full Frame lenses so that they can retain a wider angle

 

or to use Canon lenses on Sony E mount bodies

Lenses are important, but if you only have $300 for your camera, I question what budget you have for lenses

[BLCT]

I would say my budget is 150-200 USD. I am willing to go more since I don't need the camera just yet, so I can save up more for potentially more expensive lenses.  

[Omon_Ra]

4 minutes ago, ShadowCaptain said:

It is, but the speedbooster is mostly used on MFT cameras with adapted APSC/Full Frame lenses so that they can retain a wider angle

 

or to use Canon lenses on Sony E mount bodies

Lenses are important, but if you only have $300 for your camera, I question what budget you have for lenses

It's for really any cropped sensor camera. It also increases your exposure by approximately one stop due to the fact it's a focal reducer. However, a cropped sensor, m4/3 for example, with a SpeedBooster still won't compare to a full frame as far as low-light sensitivity. Also, as @ShadowCaptain said, the price of a SpeedBooster (don't get a cheap Chinese knockoff) will be more than your camera; so wait until you make that choice.

 

OP: If you want to do light trail paintings and such, you just need either manual shutter control (bulb mode) or long exposure (longer than 5 seconds) shutter controls. Depending on your typical subjects (sounds like mostly architecture) you can just do all of your shots with longer exposures and a tripod. Since the shutter will be open for such a long time, it won't be good for anything moving (unless you want the ghostly trails) but for static landscapes and buildings, it could suffice. High ISO range becomes less important in addition to aperture range as well when you're shooting with that slow of a shutter speed. The G7 isn't a bad camera, but low light it definitely suffers; especially with stills. Video, you can kind of get away with the stupid high ISO's if you shoot in black & white as somehow the typical unbearable noise is actually a pretty acceptable looking grain. Get as big of a sensor as you can afford and a lens with as big of an aperture that you can afford. Don't be afraid to look at older lenses with adapters if budget is really limiting. There are some decent, affordable fast lenses for legacy systems. You'll lose auto-focus more than likely, but for what you're shooting that doesn't sound like an issue.

[BLCT]

6 minutes ago, Omon_Ra said:

It's for really any cropped sensor camera. It also increases your exposure by approximately one stop due to the fact it's a focal reducer. However, a cropped sensor, m4/3 for example, with a SpeedBooster still won't compare to a full frame as far as low-light sensitivity. Also, as @ShadowCaptain said, the price of a SpeedBooster (don't get a cheap Chinese knockoff) will be more than your camera; so wait until you make that choice.

 

OP: If you want to do light trail paintings and such, you just need either manual shutter control (bulb mode) or long exposure (longer than 5 seconds) shutter controls. Depending on your typical subjects (sounds like mostly architecture) you can just do all of your shots with longer exposures and a tripod. Since the shutter will be open for such a long time, it won't be good for anything moving (unless you want the ghostly trails) but for static landscapes and buildings, it could suffice. High ISO range becomes less important in addition to aperture range as well when you're shooting with that slow of a shutter speed. The G7 isn't a bad camera, but low light it definitely suffers; especially with stills. Video, you can kind of get away with the stupid high ISO's if you shoot in black & white as somehow the typical unbearable noise is actually a pretty acceptable looking grain. Get as big of a sensor as you can afford and a lens with as big of an aperture that you can afford. Don't be afraid to look at older lenses with adapters if budget is really limiting. There are some decent, affordable fast lenses for legacy systems. You'll lose auto-focus more than likely, but for what you're shooting that doesn't sound like an issue.

Thanks for the info! Do you think I just save up for the G8? I would like to get some 4k capabilities 

[ShadowCaptain]

36 minutes ago, BLCT said:

Thanks for the info! Do you think I just save up for the G8? I would like to get some 4k capabilities 

Again same low light limitations due to MFT

[Omon_Ra]

24 minutes ago, BLCT said:

Thanks for the info! Do you think I just save up for the G8? I would like to get some 4k capabilities 

I honestly haven't kept up with Panasonic and the m4/3 system as much as I used to, but I believe the G7 is just a cut down GH4; which they both have 4K video. I haven't read anything about the G8, but I imagine it will be a cut down GH5 (which I haven't heard much about aside from delays in release due to an earthquake near the sensor factories) and would probably be great. If memory serves me though, the G# isn't released until a few months, or even a year?, after the GH# release. So you could be waiting for a while. I personally own a GH2, and I love it; but I would take my 35mm film SLR to do what you're doing over the GH2. Micro 4/3 really suffers in low light, especially photography. With video, since your shutter speed is relatively slow, and with the resolution downscaling to 1080, the noise at higher ISO's is not terrible, but still not amazing. With stills, the noise is markedly worse at the same ISO as how it would look in a video. Even doing long exposures with the GH2, depending on the ISO, the properly exposed parts look great, but the noise in the darker areas is definitely noticable. I'd go for an APS-C camera, or even full frame if you can afford one. You may want to even consider an old 35mm SLR. Film is a little expensive, but a few rolls and a $35 camera from a thrift store is going to be a lot cheaper in the long term if you end up not liking carrying a camera, tripod and other gear along with you on your adventures.