Any photographers out there?

[Roscopecotrain]

So i have been looking into a new camera for myself to do the video reviews with and something for CC to play about with as well.
I currently have a Pentax KX which never gets used and a Nikon point and shoot with huge zoom for CC which i use for my reviews. The Pentax is fair size to take out and about and taking video on it is a nightmare so i am selling both the KX and the Nikon point and shoot and buying something else.
Looking into things i have decided to go with a mirrorless camera. 1 the size factor and 2 due to no mirror focusing is going to be a lot quicker than my KX in video mode and from what i have seen the video quality on the mirrorless cameras are spot on.

Now budget. Going to be somewhere in the region of £350 i reckon by the time i add a touch of money to the sale of the other 2. These are my thoughts in order of preference.

1. Panasonic G6. Seems to be a cracking camera, flip round screen for my reviews and an external microphone port. Plenty of scene modes and filters for CC to mess about with and it is micro four thirds so a bigger selection of lenses. Wifi and nfc is a bonus as we would use both quite a lot and an evf whivh is a big plus. This will need to be picked up second hand to get it in the budget.
2. Sony NEX 5t. Again seems to be a great camera. Has a flip up screen for my reviews although if you add an external microphone you cant flip the screen up. Again plenty for CC to play about with. Very small with the newer lense it comes with. Again second hand to get into budget. No evf with this one but can be purchased as an add on. Stuck with Sony e mount lenses unless i use an adapter but they all seem pretty good.
3. Panasonic G5. One notch below the G6 and running almost the same stuff. No external microphone port but watching videos the audio seems pretty good. Again flip round screen for my reviews and plenty of filters etc for CC to play with. Evf again a big big plus. No wifi or nfc on this one but well within my budget and may have enough for an extra lens and this is micro four tjirds so great selection of lenses.
4 Sony NEX 5r which is the same as the 5t except no nfc and the touchscreen is not as good. Just in budget.

So that is what i am looking at. At the moment i want the G6 due to that microphone port but is it really needed? Could i get along just fine with the G5 and save some pennies?

So all you photographers out there am i heading along the right track? Is there another camera in the budget i have missed?

Was looking at the Samsung cameras but think i will stay away from them. I was also looking at the Olympus EPL-5 but not sure i like it if i am honest.

So thoughts please fellow photo friends on my top picks and anything i have missed.

Sent from my Galaxy Note 2

[willy9b]

Hi Roscopecotrain, like you, I'm a Pentax man (K-5) but that's only because of all my old lenses, all of which work really well with a modern DSLR. My 'out and about' camera is a Panasonic FZ28, which I've had for 5 or 6 years Only (!) 10Mp, but a Leica x18 zoom lens. It has been superbly reliable and on the basis of the total experience, I would recommend Panasonic 100%.

I was just looking at the G6 on Amazon, and it's very well liked. If you can stretch to the £469 they're asking, I notice they have an excellent offer of a free 45-150 Zoom Lens, worth approx. £180-240, if you buy before the end of August. Reviewed here. *very* tempting - if you can afford it...

I bought a decent external mike for my K-5 (NOT expensive, fits on the flash mount) and it really enhances sound quality - especially on a windy day!

I think your post shows the main problem: There is just so much high-quality choice and the range of features is so wide that it's hard to decide. I would push the budget and buy the G6, but YMMV.

Have you looked at Steve's Digicams, BTW? Plenty of EVIL cameras to compare, and I reckon his reviews are unbiased and certainly up to date.

Good luck with your choice - it's such a big investment I know - shinyitis on a very large scale!

[Pepperty]

=1 for steves digicams, whenever I'm in the market for a new camera I read through his write-ups as hes really on the ball. I too use panasonics for my larger format cameras and although mine are older models the lens quality is excellent on them.

I cant really offer much advice as I use a cannon sx210 for concert photography (larger camera means hassle from staff) I can tweak out pretty decent shots in low light and for my everyday i'm using a ricoh caplio R3 as although its ancient its processor chip gives me lovely natural grain so I love working with it.

The only piece of advice I can offer is don't be swayed by high megapixels figures, its not a great way to judge of how a camera processing chip deals with image to offer quality...

[Deleted]

Agree with everything willy9b has said, especially the amount of high quality cameras. And the spec thing Pepperty mentioned.

I think it's best to go along and have a play with all the ones you mention, and others you may not have thought of that you come across.
Being comfortable with the feel, handling, control positions etc is important. It's no good if your forever fumbling around to operate the thing, even if it is the highest spec camera out there.

Can't comment on the mic aspect as I rarely video.

In a previous life I used Rollei medium format and Canon EOS cameras to try and earn some money, now I just have a couple of Panasonics, my wife has one also, they perform well.
One is a GF1 Micro 4/3 The great thing about that system is that 'Legacy' lens can be used with an appropriate adapter.

I have a Konica 40mm f1.8 and two lovely Asahi Takumar lenses, both over 40yrs old, one is a 50mm f1.4 and the 50mm f4 preset Macro was made in 1963, all produce great images and are a pleasure to use.

So go and have a play and I'm sure one will jump out at you, good luck.

[Fallen Angel]

Wish I could help you out here, but as I am using a 35mm Argus A3 (1941-42) and a 120 Voitlander Brilliant (1937ish) my knowledge is a bit out of date

[Pepperty]

...and I miss my bronica's..... and my darkroom
Don't get me wrong, computer wizardy is great fun and me and my photoshop (retro version cs2) are happy together but its not the same as fumbling about in the dark risking dermatitis!!

[gill2009]

Jun 18, 2014 15:06:00 GMT Pepperty said:

...and I miss my bronica's..... and my darkroom
Don't get me wrong, computer wizardy is great fun and me and my photoshop (retro version cs2) are happy together but its not the same as fumbling about in the dark risking dermatitis!!

 Pepperty...did you go out with that lad as well 

[Pepperty]

...there's worse things 'at sea' than dermatitis!!

[chuck]

Rosco I have the Nex 5 and it is a great camera but not without faults.
The main issue I have is with balance, the body is compact and the grip very small, anything above an 18-55 and the camera tends to lean off to one side it's not very comfortable for extended use. I also have the lens adapter so I'm able to use my existing Minolta lenses, this increases the length of the lens and adds to the balance issue.
I would recommend going to a decent shop and trying out a few cameras before you take the plunge.

[Bluefish]

I have a nikon D90 but the bridge cameras nowadays are fab.

[chuck]

Jun 18, 2014 20:44:58 GMT Bluefish said:

I have a nikon D90 but the bridge cameras nowadays are fab.

Agreed, I came across a bargain on Amazon, they're selling the Fujifilm XS1 for £250. Shoots video in HD at 30 fps. It looks superb, downside is it's more DSLR in size.

[andy01424]

bought daughter a bridge camera for her photography course,its amazing takes perfect high detail down to 3mm,took pic of a spider wont be doing that again lol
Fuji film S4300 only £99 bummer we paid £140 a year ago
www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5598641.htm


details
www.fujifilm.com/products/digital_cameras/s/finepix_s4200/

[Deleted]

Jun 18, 2014 15:06:00 GMT Pepperty said:

...and I miss my bronica's..... and my darkroom
Don't get me wrong, computer wizardy is great fun and me and my photoshop (retro version cs2) are happy together but its not the same as fumbling about in the dark risking dermatitis!!

But you can't just hit 'save' and go and have a cuppa

[Super-Shiny]

I got the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ40EB-K : www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00BET11MM/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1



Ain't got a clue how to use all the functions, they all boggle my mind so i leave it at default settings and click

[Roscopecotrain]

Thanks for all your input peeps.

Heart is def set on the Panasonic G6 as it has everything i want and need plus i can play about with lenses like i did on my KX. Looks like CC and i might be doing a bit of vlogging as well so the G6 would be perfect as not too much to carry about.

I will def go to a camera shop and try them out as when i went for the KX i tried loads and the KX was the one that felt right in my hand.





Sent from my Galaxy Note 2