Team-BHP - Mirrorless or EVIL Cameras

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hunter3077 (Post 4925005)

Hi. Need some inputs from users. I have shortlisted Fuji XT 3 & Sony A7r iii (both used and relatively less used with low shutter count). Before finalising either, I wanted to know more about the availability and the cost factor of Fuji & Sony lenses. It would be prudent opt for the brand that has a larger availability of lenses and in reasonable price ranges.
Thanks.

It's obviously not a fair comparison since you are comparing Fuji APS-C with Sony full-frame. Sony lenses are perhaps slightly more costly overall but they do have cheap options too. The real advantage for Sony is the availability of third party lenses (Sigma, Tamaron, Samyang/Rokinon, Tokina, Zeiss etc.). Fuji has very few third party options (a couple of Samyang). To sum up-

Larger availability of lenses- Sony

Reasonable price ranges- Sony

Both thanks to third party lenses most of which are optically very good. Also with Sony, you have IBIS, so cheaper unstabilised lenses can be easily used in situations where stabilisation is needed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sj_koova (Post 4854444)

I have been closely watching this space and have these in my shortlist.

- Fujifilm XT-4
- Fujifilm XT-3
- Nikon Z5
- Sony A7 III
- Sony A6600

I have a mind block for Canon for some reason.

I have settled for FujiFilm XT-4 finally. 2 days in hand and I can tell you, this is a very impressive camera for both stills and video. It took a while for me to switch from Nikon habit to Fuji, but as I spend more and more time with it, I am starting to like Fuji very much.

Best things I liked are the "in body stabilization" and customization available with the handful of dials and buttons on the body.
I can dump my Manfrotto tripod in loft now and Nikon D90 goes to my son.

I have to get an adapter to hook my Tokina 11-16mm. And may be a tele converter for that extra zoom.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sj_koova (Post 4925173)

Congratulations. Can you tell us what factors helped you eliminate Fuji XT 3 & both the Sony Models that you had shortlisted?

XT3 vs XT4 was primarily in body stabilization.

It was a difficult decision between XT4 and Sony A7III
- I really liked the fact the XT4 has clear separation between photo and video settings.
- XT4 can shoot 4K at 60p. Very useful for post processing slow motion
- 10bit internal recording. Making sure I will not miss this capability if I need it in near future.
- Better kit lens with XT4 (18-55 F2.8)
- Better video capability as per all reviews
- Got a good deal on Amazon (~under 1,40,000) after all discounts. Includes kit lens and memory card.

Except full frame sensor in A7III, I do not think I am really missing anything. XT4 has a very capable, backlit sensor. So I felt, low light capabilities may be very well compensated. I didn't worry about the cropping factor.

Hello guys,

Need your advice. I have been using the below gear for the past 10+ years (July 2010 till date).
- Canon 550D
- Canon 50mm 1.8 (Non STM).
- Canon 18-55 IS (Autofocus broken now).
- Canon 55-250 IS.

With regards to pictures - this setup has served me well till date, for all my beginner enthusiast needs. However - two recent developments have started to make me consider an upgrade.

1. Wife has started asking for video capabilities. 550D shoots 1080P video at 24 and 30 FPS - but it really shows that 10 years back, SLRs were not really meant for videos. Autofocus is a mess, and even the output is not even upto modern smartphone standards.
2. The 18-55 IS doesn't autofocus anymore - reminding me the setup is now very old. Canon doesn't officially support the cam either.

I'm looking at the possibility of a gradual, maximum-bang-for-the buck upgrade. I never followed all the updates in the mirrorless space, but after a quick check of multiple reviews over the past few weeks - the Canon EOS RP has really caught my attention. Reasons -

1. Full frame, yet smaller and lighter than my old 550D.
2. Canon has a good EF-RF adapter, so I can continue using the EF 50mm and EFS 55-250 till budget permits and needs warrant an upgrade.
3. Good 1080P video capabilities with dual pixel eye tracking autofocus.

Is this a good approach? I see many reviews on Youtube suggesting the full frame RP + 50mm 1.8 is a brilliant combination. I have felt the 50mm is too zoomed in on the 550D to be an everyday lens earlier, but then it was an effective 80mm lens there.

Any alternatives to be considered? From the Canon lineup, there is the smaller and lighter M6 Mark II at the same price. Even the M50 Mark II sounds good enough for my needs - and it does have an advantage of more lens options with the EFM mount (Sigma!) and with EF adapters.

But somehow the allure of the full-frame RP is exciting. I had a closer look at the options from Sony, Fuji etc - and while they are even better than Canon, switching the whole lineup with lenses are proving quite expensive. My budget would be somewhere around 1L.

How to go wide? EF-S18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM is now priced at 15k, and given the 1.6 crop factor (RP crops in when an EFS lens is detected) - 28mm at F4 doesn't look at a wise 15k investment to replace it with a new one. EF 24mm f/2.8 at 22k sounds good, or any other options to consider from Sigma or Tamron? 50mm will hopefully be the primary lens used, with the wider angle required mostly for video.

Usage Requirements -
1. Photographs - I especially like sunrise and sets, walking around the local lake looking for birds or flowers, shoot my cars and bikes etc.
2. Video - Classical dance videos especially (both well-lit and on darker stage performances).
3. Budget - Around 1L.

The good news is that canon is no longer a backbencher. Till recently it felt like owning or buying anything canon is a big future risk. It's no longer the case with their R series and excellent compatibility with legacy lenses. In Bangalore, canon has excellent sales and support.

Going with R series full frame is a no brainer for anyone in the canon camp. I have personally exited this interchangeable lens business and switched to compact fixed lens cameras. My interests are limited to personal, family and travel photos and compact size is the most important criteria for my needs. More than anything else, I enjoy taking photos now. Feel a bit embarrassed about my past habits of carrying a big bag with camera gear and even worse taking travel/family pictures with such giant equipment :) No headache of what lens to carry with me, what to buy etc. As simple as a mobile phone but with all the benefits of a professional high end camera. Fuji X100F, Sony RX1, Leica Q, etc. or equivalent depending on budget.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR (Post 4981180)

Is this a good approach? I see many reviews on Youtube suggesting the full frame RP + 50mm 1.8 is a brilliant combination. I have felt the 50mm is too zoomed in on the 550D to be an everyday lens earlier, but then it was an effective 80mm lens there.

I prefer not to get into a camera gear discussion because it is borderline religious, but here it goes :)

50mm is not an ideal everyday lens. Look at all the highly regarded fixed-lens cameras: Fuji X100* uses 35mm effective, Sony RX1 uses 35mm, Leica Q uses 28mm. The camera resolution is high enough that you can always crop during post processing to get 50mm, 85mm, etc. equivalent photos.

I used to have 5D series full frame with good L series lenses. I ditched all that after I got my Fuji X100F and it was a truly liberating experience. Later I got Leica Q and gave my X100F to a cousin who pretty much stopped using his DSLR since then.

In my humble opinion, the following setup can work for most of us:
1. Mobile phone for unplanned photos.
2. Fixed lens cameras like Fuji X100F for family+travel+everyday special stuff.
3. Bulky equipment like tele lens with appropriate body and gear for professional/special-purpose photography.

You can combine 2+3 using a single body but I like the simplicity of a fixed lens camera. I would never give it up for anything else. I recommend researching about Fuji X100*.

It all started during the lockdown when I was deliberating on spinning up a YouTube channel to review gadgets and devices. Although I have been experimenting with creating and editing videos for over half a decade, I did not want to go on a buying spree, but rather build a setup with essentials and gradually grow it to meet my needs.

The first thing on my list was a replacement for my Sony A6000, which I have been using for over five years. Retro looks, intuitive control dials, legendary color science, and a wide range of product offerings got me interested in Fuji.

As an amateur, my primary considerations were the ability to shoot decent quality video (4K30p) for YouTube content, a small form factor for street photography, and occasional special events with the family.

I initially considered the X-T200 since that was heavily promoted during the festive season last year, but after taking a closer look and from reviews, it became evident that it wasn't much of an upgrade from the Sony.

Just when my interest shifted to the X-T30, Fuji announced the X-S10 - which shares most of the tech from the flagship X-T4 - and that was a more compelling choice, thanks to the presence of a fully articulating screen (although I prefer a tilting one!) and an in-body image stabilisation system.

I did pre-order the S10, and before it was to be delivered came the announcement of the X-E4! All I wanted the X-E4 to have was a tilting screen since it was clear it would have the same technical capabilities as it's older sibling, the S10.

When the X-E4 was finally announced, I was disappointed to learn that it did not have the 18-55 lens options that its predecessor, the X-E3, was offered with. This was a sort of deal-breaker for me because the 18-55 is a brilliant kit lens and offers generally good overall performance, apart from being reasonably priced together with the camera. While I did pre-order the X-E4, there was an unprecedented delay in shipping the 27 lens combo in silver and I was still continuing to deliberate if I should pick up the X-S10.

I finally bit the bullet by going ahead with the X-S10 as my first step into the Fuji mirrorless world (already own the beautiful Insta Mini).

Here's my unboxing and initial look & feel video of the Fujifilm X-S10.

https://youtu.be/D0EXDGZFg-U