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Originally Posted by vibbs
I have been toying with the idea of buying a mirror less for some time. I sold my DSLR last year. |
It would help the discussion if you let us know which camera-lens system you used before. Do you have any lenses left from your previous system? From whatever you have written in the rest of your post, I tend to conclude - you had an APS-C body that you sold off and you probably have not kept any lenses from that system.
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Originally Posted by vibbs For now I have zeroed in on Sony A6600 and Fujifilm X-T3. But I am unable to decide. It seems from a bit of reading Fujifilm is the better overall camera, but lacks image stabilization which I think is important. |
None of the APS-C, full frame or medium format cameras that you buy in 2020 are bad. In fact, they are all extremely good. The situation is vastly vastly different from even 10 years ago. But of course each camera has their strengths and weakness. Hence depending on your previous experience and gears still existing at home, and the type of photography you are likely to do decides what you should get.
Even the mirrorless Fujifilm X100V which has an APS-C sized sensor and a fixed lens is a wonderful camera-lens combination, very light and very compact, and almost weather-sealed. But that probably is not the ideal camera for me. Why? Because of the position of the viewfinder at the extreme left at the back of the camera. I shoot with my left eye and 99% of the time using the viewfinder. But the X100V is ideal for a right-eyed shooter.
If you want to shoot fast moving objects (wild life, birds in flight, racing cars/bikes etc), the Sony A6600 is a better camera because all Sonys (at least from the A6xxx to their full frame cameras) have the best autofocus (AF) for tracking such objects. Fuji, Nikon and Canon are all good in AF, but not there yet with AF for fast motion. From my estimation and talking to my photography friends, the newest Canons would be the closest to Sony in this regard. Remember, this is a fiercely competitive market, and brands leapfrog each other with time on certain features, but Sony has been ahead in this game for the last couple of years, the other brands are close but yet to fully catch up.
Between the two (A6600 and X-T3), the Fuji X-T3 is otherwise a better camera, it appears from all reviews by experts and users alike.
However, if you are into low-light photography, there are a few points to consider. Based on my previous experience of using Nikon D7200 extensively, having image stabilisation either on the body or the lens or both, for low-light photography, is extremely important for a camera with APS-C sized sensor, that is, if you do not want to carry around a tripod. All sensors, including APS-C, have improved tremendously over the last 10 years both in their low-light capability and dynamic range. But, still, the APS-C sensors have their limitations when it comes to low light. I pushed my D7200 to its limits, using very very good full-frame lenses, and I have very steady hands even at my age (61 years). But this ultimately has pushed me to full frame (read my post above).
The considerations become extremely interesting because both the Sony A6600 and the Fujifilm X-T3 are not cheap. In fact, they are priced just below some of the current full-frame cameras (Fuji does not have full-frame, but they have even more expensive medium format cameras). The current range of Sony, Nikon and Canon full frame cameras, with all the discounts available today, are well within reach of amateur enthusiasts, and just a bit above the two you are considering.
Let me tell you how I arrived at my decision of getting the Nikon Z6. I have owned Nikon SLRs since 1983. In the middle for some years I used also a Canon DSLR. Obviously I had a Nikon bias. However, from the reviews, in November-December last year, I set my eye firmly on the Sony alpha 7iii, for its excellent AF for fast moving objects, for the low light performance (almost no noise at high ISOs) and for its dynamic range (one can pull out details from very dark areas of the frame). Then I weighed all these plus points against the kind of photography I do and also the assets I already possess (read lenses). I hardly ever shoot fast objects, mostly I do landscapes, portraits and candid photography. The sensors in alpha 7iii and Z6 are basically the same (made by Sony), so the low light and dynamic range capabilities (extremely important for landscape photography) are about the same. In addition, I had already a few good Nikon full frame lenses, some or all of which I still can use with the Z6. The final points that sealed the decision are: 1) the ergonomics (Nikons are among the best in this regard, Sony not so good, Canon and Fuji definitely better than Sony), 2) the in-body-image-stabilisation (IBIS) is also the second best (only after the Panasonics), 3) the new Z-mount having the biggest diameter and the least flange distance (the most future-proof since lenses from all other manufacturers can be adapted to this mount, not the opposite, adapters already available in the market), 4) the quality and the size of the raw image files (I always shoot raw, and the Sony files are much bigger although the sensor size is the same), 5) the quality of the viewfinder and the screen at the back are much better on the Nikon (I have poor eyesight), 6) the viewfinder on the Z6 protruding out of the back of the camera so that my nose does not touch the back screen, not so much on the Sony, and finally 7) Nikon build quality and full weather sealing (Sony is not even close) that the Z6 comes with. There is one more point, and that is about the video. The Z6 has the best video (including wonderful AF and absolutely silent with the Z-mount lenses, and Raw capability) in this group. But this was not a big point for me, since I am mostly a stills shooter, but the Z6 is actually encouraging me to go out and shoot a few videos as well. In addition, the Z6 remembers the stills or video settings when one switches from one mode to the other by just one press of a button, the Sony does not do that.
I am sure, I am biased towards Nikon, since I am a long time owner of the brand. But for whatever it is worth, I am sharing my decision making process just to illustrate which considerations went through my mind. In the end, price wise it worked out wonderfully well. I got very very good discounts on the whole deal. I believe the Z6+Z-mount 50mm 1.8 S lens is the best value in its price range at the moment, if you are not much into shooting fast motion. In any case, Nikon has improved its fast motion AF quite a bit since launch through firmware upgrades.
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Originally Posted by vibbs People who are familiar with mirrorless world, how are the lens ecosystems for both Fujifilm and Sony? |
The lens ecosystem is good for both brands, but as people have already said, for APS-C, Fuji has more in quantity and quality. Sony has quite a few excellent lenses of their own, but for the full frame. In addition, if you go for a Sony full frame, Tamron is making really high quality 'affordable' lenses for the Sony E-mount. BTW, full frame lenses can always be used in an APS-C body. They are generally more expensive, but have better build, better quality and on APS-C body some of their corner softnesses are hidden. I used a few full frame lenses on my D7200 body with very good result.