[earthian]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

In fact, if I am very honest the license model would probably work out slightly cheaper because they are bundling LR and Photoshop.

This (perpetual licence vs monthly rental) is a contentious subject ( see debates/arguments/fights/rants on social fora devoted to photography) and is a personal choice.
As far as i am concerned, i am quite okay with LR6 since it is quite ample for my needs. Both my cameras are supported (D3s & D850) and i guess i would not be buying any more. I hope not, though one gets tempted when a new model comes in, with new features.

The main issue for me is i like to own my equipments and supporting software- Secondly, though the cloud is supposed to be quite robust and secure, i am loath to put my images in the cloud - as the main storage.

[sachinayak]

Quick background (at the risk of perhaps repeating myself)
I have been a serious amateur photographer for some time. I started with a Canon 40D + Canon 100-400 Gen 1 for 5-6years with my primary focus on wildlife and bird photography. With 2 kids, visits to the forests dwindled and my gear was just not getting used. I sold it off. Was using my bridge camera - a Panasonic FZ50 at this time as a backup.

A couple of years later, I shifted to the Nikon camp with a Nikon D7200 + Sigma 17-50 f/2.8 + Nikon 70-200 f/4. This served my requirement very well. However, I started to trek last year, and I realized the importance of lighter gear. On some of the tough days (typically the summit climb) I would end up leaving my gear back, as it would be really tough, and that really really hurt. What's the point of carrying gear, if you cannot use it to capture the most exquisite scenes. A short while back I sold of my gear, looking to switch to mirrorless and now am at the crossroads, on what next.

With this background, will call out my requirements

1. Not too heavy. Enough background provided.
2. Not too pricey. This is a hobby and I do not make money from photography.
3. Primarily for landscape and nature photography, with occasional family events/portraits. Also travel photography.
4. Will start only with wide-angle lens for landscapes. Will add max 1-2 more lens in the future - typically a 70-200 equivalent focal length, plus perhaps (not in the near future) the Sony 200-600 for occasional wildlife.

Was quite torn between the A6600 (APS-C) and a used A7III, but am slowly realizing full frame lenses are going to be expensive. Weight / Size becomes an important factor for me, as I intend to attach this to my backpack strap with a Peak Design Capture clip. Manual focus options are not high on my priority list, given the extremely cold weather typically on treks (I would not want to get my gloves out often).

With this background, my shortlist is shared below


I am very strongly leaning towards the Sony A6600 with the Sony 18-135 f/3.5-5-6 Lens at this point of time. This seems to be the best bang for the buck. However, the prices of the Sony A6600 body is quite high in India. Purely for the camera body, in USA, the A6600 has a 33% price premium over the A6400 (with even sweater package deals on Adorama). However, in India, the A6600 body commands a steep 50% premium over the A6400 body.

Will perhaps wait for the A6600 prices to drop, or worst case would go for the A6400 body instead. Would certainly miss the IBIS and better battery capacity, but that's Plan B. That said, am in no rush to buy right away (though I have already sold my Nikon gear). With the pandemic situation, there is not much travel planned anyways.

Would love to hear opinions - even if contrary to mine, if I may have missed something. I have zero experience with mirrorless cameras.

[rjainv]

I bought A6600 with 18-135 kit lens about 3 weeks ago and I can add that while I am loving it, I do feel about spending extra over A6400. All the specs are same sans the IBIS. In my usage battery capacity is not an issue. I went for A6600 purely for IBIS as I know I am going to be 100% hand held and my favourite subject is a kid who won't stay still ��.

There is no way for me to check how I would have done without IBIS as I think the menu options disable IBIS and camera stabilization together.

Though one thing I am missing is the flash. I had never used flash with my kid earlier, but I am putting my new camera to harder lighting situations now, and there are times when I felt a fill flash would have helped better than lifting shadows in post processing.

Btw, if you are considering A6600, you may want to look at buying body only with separate 18-104mmF4.0 lens.

It will cost you a little more than kit lens but I think its much better. Kit lens drops to F5.6 pretty fast

[sachinayak]

Originally Posted by rjainv

I bought A6600 with 18-135 kit lens about 3 weeks ago and I can add that while I am loving it, I do feel about spending extra over A6400. All the specs are same sans the IBIS. In my usage battery capacity is not an issue. I went for A6600 purely for IBIS as I know I am going to be 100% hand held and my favourite subject is a kid who won't stay still

Thanks for the quick note. The reason IBIS is not a big factor with this combo is that the lens is stabilized. But not all lenses are.

Would you able to share details of where you got your gear from and the cost?

[rjainv]

Originally Posted by sachinayak

Thanks for the quick note. The reason IBIS is not a big factor with this combo is that the lens is stabilized. But not all lenses are.

Would you able to share details of where you got your gear from and the cost?

I think IBIS gives you more stops on top of what lens stabilization is giving.

I got it from Croma for 1.36L.
HDFC is running scheme on Croma vouchers that will get you additional reward points or discount.

[sachinayak]

Perhaps off topic, but Reliance Digital is offering a flat 5% cashback on a minimum purchase of Rs. 7500 on ICICI and Citibank Credit Cards. The Sony A6600 with 18-135 Lens combo works out to Rs. 134605.

Just an FYI

[rjainv]

Do let us know what you eventually buy .

Though one question I had in mind when I was thinking about the choices you had listed in your table, you have listed vastly different lenses - what is your criteria?

For me I wanted light weight that I can actually carry around, hence went for mirrorless and 18-135 is a great single lens that covers majority of ground. I might just add a prime lens for portraits few months down the line.

[Safety is Param]

Hi

Any first person feedback on Fujifilm XT30 and/or XT3?

I am leaning towards finalizing one among these two, but thought of checking if anyone has any hands on experience.

Of course, among the two, XT3 is better, but how do they fare with SONY A6400 or SONY A7 III in real life.

I will have a mixed usage - difficult to split into % for still photos and videos, however, I do have the Go Pro Hero 8 for 4K video during daytime.

Apart from the routine opportunities for photo and video, I have a 3 yr kid who can be considered a fast moving subject to focus on!

Initially, I would prefer to stick with the kit lens for either of these.

I am not in a hurry to purchase, ideally in 2 to 3 months time.

Thanks in advance.

[sachinayak]

Originally Posted by rjainv

Do let us know what you eventually buy .

I finally got a used Sony A6400 with the Sony 18-135 Lens. This is a 4 month old kit (so still under warranty for another 20 months). Would have really wanted to get the A6600, but could not justify spending that kind of money, specially on my first step into the mirrorless world.

Got this at approx 60% of the cost of a A6600 + lens (of course, not a fair comparison as the A6400 is a pre-owned one). This feels like a toy and coming from a D7200, it will take some effort to get used to.

My gut feel is I will use this for some time before I would again get the urge to upgrade (to perhaps a full frame) and hence looking to limit my spending (and also looking for pre-owned gear). At most, I will buy a used Samyang/Rokinon 12mm f/2 manual lens (if I find one) for a unique ultra-wide perspective.

[rjainv]

Originally Posted by sachinayak

I finally got a used Sony A6400 with the Sony 18-135 Lens.
.

Congrats, that is quite good bargain!
I am heading in different direction, just got uv filter as lens seemed to be a dust magnet, now thinking between Sigma F1.4 30mm or 56mm .

And probably an external flash few months down the line.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by rjainv

... now thinking between Sigma F1.4 30mm or 56mm .

The Sigma 30/1.4 is the lens that "lives" on my a6500. It has that "natural" standard-lens (50mm on 35mm/full-frame) angle of view for general photography and the speed means that I don't often pop up the flash. It's good at getting in close too.

Not for my music-stage portraits, though. That is the domain of the 85/1.8.

[rjainv]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

The Sigma 30/1.4 is the lens that "lives" on my a6500. It has that "natural" standard-lens (50mm on 35mm/full-frame) angle of view for general photography and the speed means that I don't often pop up the flash. It's good at getting in close too.

Not for my music-stage portraits, though. That is the domain of the 85/1.8.

I finally bought sigma 30mm/1.4, and loving it.
Also bought godox 350s flash, and liking that as well.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Good!

Originally Posted by rjainv

Also bought godox 350s flash, and liking that as well.

Me too!

It is smaller than I expected. Even the size of the package it came in surprised me. It does not make my a6500 feel unbalanced at all.

It is never going to be as simple as popping up the built-in flash, but it is very much better. It's twist and tilt options are very flexible: I can bounce off wall or ceiling to get a nice picture, eg close in to a cat's face, when the built-in would have over-exposed or blown it out.

Frankly, it is not going to get a lot of use. I do not like using flash for my classical-music pics. I don't want to distract the artists or fellow audience. It is ok for the media pros that come in, take three photos, and leave, but not for someone who is there, and photographing for the whole concert. None the less, I'm very happy to have added a compact but "real" flashgun to my gear

[rjainv]

Yes, I don't foresee using it alot, it's not as convenient as popping inbuilt flash, but it opens up more creative thoughts and options.

For Sigma 30mm lens, I can hear the focus motor during autofocus and autofocus is not as fast as kit lens from Sony. Is that your observations as well?

I can kind of understand the difficulty it has sometimes in getting to focus faster as I am clicking at widest aperture which makes depth of field very shallow and hence longer for camera to latch on to any sharp transition for focus.

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

Hello everyone. Trying my hands at videos.

I need a wireless microphone with around 20 meter range and the receiver should be having a stereo Jack which connects to the audio input on my D5600. The receiver should ideally attach to the camera body.

Any product / brand / model suggestions?