LF: Allround Camera

[ConStyle]

Hey there

I want to buy fairly good camera. Could you maybe recommend me a camera. Here are the features I am looking for:

 

1. Very portable
2. 4k Video would be great
3. Good built in Microphone (maybe good upgrading options)
4. Decent Autofocus options
5. 16 - 200mm Zoom
6. Fairly good aperture options (1.6 - you know better than me)
7. Decent shutterspeeds in bothways
8. A screen that i could flip around would be great
9. Future proof (upgradeability)
10. Price should be not over 1'500$ for the overall camera (used is also an option for me) ; below that would be great too a camera for 700 with most of these options that is fairly future proof would be great too

 

Additional Info:

I will use it mostly for landscape, portrait and rather no wildlife photography. And I want to attempt to take some pictures of the stars, maybe also some planets and the moon.

 

Thank you all for the help!

[Senzelian]

Hm, hard to say which camera would be best for your needs.

Something like a Panasonic GH-4 is great for video, but not that great for stills.
The Canon EOS M50 looks also pretty promising, but only shoots 4K @ 25FPS.

And most of the Fujifilm and Sony cameras don't have a screen you can flip around or they get blocked as soon as you put a microphone into the hot-shoe.

[xQubeZx]

12 minutes ago, Senzelian said:

Hm, hard to say which camera would be best for your needs.

Something like a Panasonic GH-4 is great for video, but not that great for stills.
The Canon EOS M50 looks also pretty promising, but only shoots 4K @ 25FPS.

And most of the Fujifilm and Sony cameras don't have a screen you can flip around or they get blocked as soon as you put a microphone into the hot-shoe.

You can not get all that for under 1500$. You can also not achive that zoom range and low aparture with just one lens. You would need several. 

 

A Sony RX100vi is probably the one that fits most of what you want. Otherwise a Panasonic GH5 or Sony A6500 or Fuji XT2 is what I would get with 2-3 lenses. 

[cc143]

Since you mention videography nowhere why is 4k a requirement? I mean, you could get a used nikon d750 probably or d800E or a d610 which would be great for the stills scenarios you mention. So why go with a camera that records 4k?

 

You should be able to get any of those cameras used and a used 24-120mm nikon for within your budget, or a Canon 5d2 and a 24-105.

 

If you are reluctant to go Full frame, I get that, so I'd suggest you go with a Fuji xt20 and an 18-135mm lens and maybe an 18mm f/2 for the astro stuff, since the 18-135mm doesn't hve the widest aperture.

 

If not, a Sony a7iii or a Canon 5dmk4 are probably your best bets to do everything you described and those should run $2000-$2500 for the body alone, used.

[ConStyle]

6 hours ago, xQubeZx said:

You can not get all that for under 1500$. You can also not achive that zoom range and low aparture with just one lens. You would need several. 

 

A Sony RX100vi is probably the one that fits most of what you want. Otherwise a Panasonic GH5 or Sony A6500 or Fuji XT2 is what I would get with 2-3 lenses. 

I expected the RX100 VI to be a recommendation from someone.

 

But I think you cannot exchange the lense so you are limited to that aperture you get out of the box. Zoom seems sufficent for everything but if I use it it forces me to change the aperture which I might not want.

And you are limited to the built in microphone. Is it good enough?

[xQubeZx]

11 hours ago, ConStyle said:

I expected the RX100 VI to be a recommendation from someone.

 

But I think you cannot exchange the lense so you are limited to that aperture you get out of the box. Zoom seems sufficent for everything but if I use it it forces me to change the aperture which I might not want.

And you are limited to the built in microphone. Is it good enough?

I don’t know what you will be doing but the RX100vi is plenty of camera for most people. However persnally I preffer a changable lens system as that gives you the option to play with speciality lenses and legacy glass which can be fun. But for 1500$ you will maybe get a camera that does most of what you asked for, but then youd have no money left for any lens. 

[ConStyle]

On 14.8.2018 at 2:11 PM, cc143 said:

Since you mention videography nowhere why is 4k a requirement? I mean, you could get a used nikon d750 probably or d800E or a d610 which would be great for the stills scenarios you mention. So why go with a camera that records 4k?

 

You should be able to get any of those cameras used and a used 24-120mm nikon for within your budget, or a Canon 5d2 and a 24-105.

 

If you are reluctant to go Full frame, I get that, so I'd suggest you go with a Fuji xt20 and an 18-135mm lens and maybe an 18mm f/2 for the astro stuff, since the 18-135mm doesn't hve the widest aperture.

 

If not, a Sony a7iii or a Canon 5dmk4 are probably your best bets to do everything you described and those should run $2000-$2500 for the body alone, used.

Are there big differences between the different versions of the a7?

I thought maybe if I get an older model it would be a bit cheaper.

[cc143]

2 hours ago, ConStyle said:

Are there big differences between the different versions of the a7?

I thought maybe if I get an older model it would be a bit cheaper.

Yes there are, feature wise, on paper, an a7rii will probably do what you want it to, but in the real world I don't think its that great, battery life is shit, ergonomics are even worse, and it was in general unimpressive when I tried it at least. The a7ii is the same story, to a larger extent because it doesn't have the raw power the a7rii has.

 

The a7iii is in my opinion, and I'm pretty well informed on this stuff, the 1st camera sony has made that may be seen as worth moving to from other systems, or is enticing enough to get into the system, simply because lenses are more expensive than anyone else, size and weight advantages are pretty minimal (because physics!) etc.

 

Now, in a week, nikon will be announcing new cameras (we think), which will probably have an effect on Sony prices. I have already seen some offers here in the UK, which I assume is because the quarter is about to end and they want to avoid getting a slow down in sales right now. I don't think nikon will be challenging them so much.

 

It is expected that both nikon and canon will release their own FF mirrorless cameras by the end of the year. Apparently people care, so if you wait till then you might be able to pick up an a7iii used (because now no one is selling yet). But no, I wouldn't under any circumstances pick up an a7ii/rii or the original a7.

 

As I said, pick up a fuji xt20 and an 18-135mm, its probably your best bet. Or used options from Canon and Nikon if you are ready to forego 4k. Actually, if you can do that, the 6dii might be doable used.

[whoisjaya]

It's kind of "dated" by now(I heard about a new one likely being released at or after photokina), but I think the Canon EOS 80D might be for you, if you can get it for a decent price anyway. 

 

It features canon's dual pixel AF, which is the among best I've encountered and you can plug in a microphone if you don't like the built-in one(which doesn't sound that bad, at least in my opinion...). It also has a flip-out screen and shutter speed shouldn't be an issue, as long as 1/8000s is enough for you.

Given the amount of glass out there that's got a canon mount, I think upgradability shouldn't be an issue...  

Also, the 80D doesn't have 4K video(, although its 1080p video looks completely fine to me... ) .

 

There'd be the option of buying the nifty fifty and some kind of used zoom lens(es) for a few hundred dollars, but - depending on the deal you can get the 80D for - that might be a little expensive, but if you can get a good deal on a used one that isn't destroyed or doesn't have a bazillion of actuations, it might(I guess that depends on personal preference and the other deals you can get... ) be worth it...  

[EsaT]

On 8/14/2018 at 11:32 AM, ConStyle said:

Hey there

I want to buy fairly good camera. Could you maybe recommend me a camera. Here are the features I am looking for:

 

1. Very portable
2. 4k Video would be great
3. Good built in Microphone (maybe good upgrading options)
4. Decent Autofocus options
5. 16 - 200mm Zoom
6. Fairly good aperture options (1.6 - you know better than me)
7. Decent shutterspeeds in bothways
8. A screen that i could flip around would be great
9. Future proof (upgradeability)
10. Price should be not over 1'500$ for the overall camera (used is also an option for me) ; below that would be great too a camera for 700 with most of these options that is fairly future proof would be great too

 

Additional Info:

I will use it mostly for landscape, portrait and rather no wildlife photography. And I want to attempt to take some pictures of the stars, maybe also some planets and the moon.

 

Thank you all for the help!

If portability is important you better forget film era 35mm format.

While camera bodies can be shrinked to unergonomically small bigger sensor needs bigger lenses, because of need for longer focal length for same field of view.

And for good optical quality especially with long focal length range fast increasing bulk and weight. Double that for multiple lenses.

 

With wildlife being no interest basically every modern camera has good enough autofocus.

 

If you mean f/1.6 aperture that's very fast aperture firmly in area of fixed/single focal length lenses called prime lenses.

(though Olympus had two f/2 zooms for Four Thirds DSLRs)

Especially bigger focal length range zoom lenses don't have fast maximum aperture.

Simply because to maintain image quality those would become really big, heavy and extremely expensive.

 

And when you mention landscapes those often need big depth of field, meaning you anyway wouldn't use big apertures.

(big/fast aperture makes in focus area thin)

 

In fixed lens cameras you really don't have future proofing.

Their performance and range of optics is fixed.

With system camera you can change camera bodies depending on needs and same for lenses.

Though unless being satified to some rare small lenses portability takes back step compared to fixed lense cameras.

Every single camera and system is simply always compromise.

 

 

As for taking photos of night sky that's demanding subject, also for photographers skills besides equipment.

(though Olympus has some modes making it easier to get wanted exposure)

With good tripod being another necessary thing to carry/drag around and wired remote being also good.

Though "bean bag" (or just some bag which you can fill in location with sand, snow etc) can be also used if low perpective isn't problem.

(built in delay can be used go around for need of remote)

 

Getting good images of moon requires lens with really narrow field of view, usually being really bulky and heavy as in many kilograms of weight.

Though for m4/3 you can fit lens giving nice picture of moon into Kata LighTri-318.