Advice on upgrade / change in camera.

[Derrel]

The 24mp FX cameras (D610, D750) have very good image quality; the 36mp of the D800 and D810 is better...much more crop-ability.

 

[Derrel]

The only truck photo on my phone...24 MP Nikon from the 2009 D3x.

 

[Derrel]

This is frame 383...f/8 @ 62mm at ISO 200..WITH a used, consumer- level, plastic- mount, 10- ounce zoom...look at the crop- ability! This is from the $35 28-80 AF-D kit zoom from the 1990's.. the 36 mp file from the D800 offers a Lot more detail than a 24mp FX image.

 

[beagle100]

I've had a Sony A6000 for a little over two years now and I'd like to step things up a bit more and move away from just the 16-50mm and 55-210mm kit lenses.

I suppose the easiest and potentially cheapest option would be to invest in new E mount lenses for my current body, but I have to admit, that I find the A6000 body and as a result, all 6000 series bodies absolutely uninspiring and ergonomically frustrating so I've been tempted to start again with another body altogether, especially as I'm not invested into the E mount system in any meaningful way.

My main use for my camera is transport photography, primarily trucks moving at speed on the highway, either from the roadside or from overpasses etc, and while my A6000 and the 55-210 lens, which is what I usually use, functions fairly adequately for this task, I really wouldn't want to tolerate an inferior AF just for the privilege of better body ergonomics. For example, I love the look of the Panasonic G9 but I then read that some consider its AF system to be lacking for fast moving objects, especially if those objects are moving towards the camera, which a moving vehicle would be. Plus my other main use for my camera is family photography, of the kids etc and want to get more involved with decent higher aperture lenses for portraits and the like and I'm not sure how a MFT system would handle my needs, especially as I'd want whatever I potentially moved to to surpass the quality of my A6000, rather than just match the A6000 or heaven forbid fall short.

Apart from the G9, I've also been considering either the Fujifilm XT3 or XH1, I prefer the ergonomics of the XH1 with the deeper grip etc but it seems to be pretty dead now as new stock with all the focus on the XT3 and the imminent XT4.

I've considered a full frame Sony A7iii but I'm not sure how pleased I would be handling and using that camera if I'm so unimpressed with the handling of the A6000. Though I'm sure the quality of the photos would be just fine. Decent high aperture lenses for full frame do seem to be very expensive too, especially with longer zoom lenses etc so there'd be little point in buying a body and then being unable to afford the sort of lenses that I'd want. I certainly don't want to be stuck in a situation of being body rich and lens poor for a prolonged period until I can afford to add a decent lens or two.

Perhaps I'm just being silly and putting too much importance on the looks and ergonomics of the body?

Either way, my budget would be round about $2000-2500CAD for the body and ideally one decent lens in the 50-200ish mark, even if I buy the lens second hand separately. I could go over $2500 if there is something obviously better and a significant upgrade if its slightly over that price. I'd prefer to stick with mirrorless as that's what I know and I'm more comfortable with but wouldn't be totally against a DSLR if there was a significant advantage to one over mirrorless cameras in my price range.

Any ideas or opinions are most appreciated.

no, you're not being 'silly' - go for mirrorless
www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless

 

[greybeard]

I'm a Nikon shooter but I have a Sony a6000 as my travel rig. I'm like you, I just hate the unintuitive ergonomics. I'm considering selling my A6000 rig and going with a Nikon Z50 setup for travel. Why? Nikon just has the ergonomics figured out. The controls are right where they belong.

 

[greybeard]

View attachment 191268

View attachment 191269

View attachment 191270

View attachment 191271

This is frame 383...f/8 @ 62mm at ISO 200..WITH a used, consumer- level, plastic- mount, 10- ounce zoom...look at the crop- ability! This is from the $35 28-80 AF-D kit zoom from the 1990's.. the 36 mp file from the D800 offers a Lot more detail than a 24mp FX image.

This isn't fair Derrel, The $35 28-80 plastic wonder is every bit as sharp and contrasty as their top of the line 24-70 f/2.8. Wonder who the engineer was that designed this lens?