Help with camera purchase for deployment

[Kjar]

Hello photo forum,
I'm looking for a new camera to take on deployment. I currently have a Sony rx100 2 and I'm looking for the next step up. Naturally, an entry DSLR would be a person's first choice, but I'm limited in space. I'm deploying on a ship and personal space is limited. I don't have room for a kit with different lenses and accesories. If I were to get a DSLR, I would only be able to have one lens. Maybe a higher end compact? What should I get?

~8-$900

No specific subject, need a general purpose camera for different ports.

 

[Designer]

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[robbins.photo]

You might actually want to consider a decent super-zoom, something like a Panasonic FZ200. Sensor size is small so if your going to be taking anything indoors or lowlight an external flash would be good. But it would give you coverage for a wide range of focal lengths and all and all they take pretty decent pictures.

Next step up would probably be a M4/3 of some sort, someone here was selling an OM-d EM10 pretty reasonably as I recall, that would give you better image quality, still wouldn't be a superstar in lowlight but again a good external flash unit would fix that nicely. You'd have the ability to interchange lenses but of course it would be bigger and a bit bulkier than the superzoom, but smaller than a DSLR.

 

[Solarflare]

Well, with that budget and other constraints, personally I would get Nikon D5300 plus Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 OS (Nikon version). Thats about the lowest combo thats really a good step up in IQ from a RX100 Mk2, since that is already quite a capable compact. I would offer less telephoto though and only a little more wideangle (26-75mm equiv instead of 28-100mm equiv).

If you rather want tons of extra focal range, the Panasonic FZ1000 might be a good choice (IIRC that was a 24-400mm equiv ?). It wont give more IQ though, but you'd gain some decent 4K video. Other cameras like that would be the Sony RX10 (24-200mm, no 4k Video). The new RX10 Mark 2 is probably still outside the budget. These cameras have the same sensor as the RX100 Mk2 and about the same IQ.

 

[rudimaes]

The Panasonic FZ1000 is a high end bridge camera,it's very fast and has a good Leica zoomlens (25-400mm, F2.8-F4).
Smaller high end compacts are the Panasonic LX100 and the Canon G1X, but they have less zoom reach.
Rudi

 

[dcbear78]

For that money you won't find anything better. Buy a waterproof housing so you can take it adventurous places.

 

[Kjar]

Thanks for the replies! Im liking the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000. It seems to be a pretty popular camera and a good fit for what I need. That being said, I still have some time to decide so I won't pull the trigger quite yet!

 

[rudimaes]

The Panasonic FZ1000, is a very capable camera, that works very fast and has a good IQ.
This the most versatile camera I ever worked with.
Rudi

 

[Kjar]

After hours of surfing the infinite web, the Panasonic is still tugging my wallet. It's looking like THE one. Are they sold in brick and mortar stores?

 

[Kjar]

The Panasonic FZ1000, is a very capable camera, that works very fast and has a good IQ.
This the most versatile camera I ever worked with.
Rudi

What's your opinion on the debate between Panasonic Fz1000 and the Sony RX10 (&mk2)?

 

[rudimaes]

I'm not familar with the RX10 cameras. Like the FZ1000, they receive excellent reviews and user comments.
But the FZ1000 is the most popular. It depends on personal taste what to get.
Rudi

 

[Kjar]

I'm not familar with the RX10 cameras. Like the FZ1000, they receive excellent reviews and user comments.
But the FZ1000 is the most popular. It depends on personal taste what to get.
Rudi

Alright, thanks for sticking around!