New Camera Questions

[rileygucci]

Hey guys and gals,

I am new to the forum and just thought that I would ask some questions. I am a fairly new to photography (I have owned a camera for about 3 years but just started getting into it about a year and a half ago) and in need of some advice. I mainly shoot street photography and right now I use a Canon 600D/t2i with a Canon 50mm f/1.8 (nifty fifty) or a Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5. I am thinking of upgrade/changing my camera and need some help. I am deciding between a Sony a7ii, FujiFilm X100T or FujiFilm X-T1. I have spend countless hours read reviews but I still cant quite seem to fully understand the advantages and disadvantages of each. I would love some help and any other suggestions that you guys have. Thanks

 

[Ido]

The first and most crucial step in finding the right camera for an upgrade, is to identify exactly what you need upgraded. What is wrong with your current kit? What do you feel like you can’t do or achieve, that something different will solve?

 

[jaomul]

Canon 600d, is I think a t3i, but either way is a very good camera. Reviews will always push latest tech, but for the most part diffencrs between what you have now and a non full frame upgrade will be superficial. What's wrong with your present set up?

 

[rileygucci]

The first and most crucial step in finding the right camera for an upgrade, is to identify exactly what you need upgraded. What is wrong with your current kit? What do you feel like you can’t do or achieve, that something different will solve?

I mainly want to travel smaller, lighter and be less obvious with a camera out because at the moment its quite a large and pretty heavy set up. Would you recommend upgrading glass instead? I also do a lot of night photography and the body only goes to a max of 6400 (super grainy) and my favourite lens the 10-20 is only at f/4... is it worth upgrading for the ISO?

 

[Derrel]

Fujifilm X100T Review: Digital Photography Review
Smallish, fixed prime lens, classic good looks, predictable focal length on shots due to no zoom lens, GREAT pictures in JPEG Mode if you want. Only 16 megapixels, so not a lot of cropping potential from its semi-wide-angle lens on faraway stuff. This is a small, somewhat inconspicuous camera. It looks classic.

Fujifilm X-T1 Review: Digital Photography Review
Changeable lenses, good-looking, classic Nikon FA-inspired "retro" styling, great Fuji-made lenses. Only 16 megapixels in a world of 24 standard in other brand compacts, and 36-to 42 to even 50 MP in d-slrs. This is a very sexy-looking camera, and if you get it, there are other models that could use the X-series lenses you buy. All-new lens designs, made by one of the best lens-makers Japan has ever had--Fuji.

Sony A7 II Review - A7 II Overview
Sony has finally gotten most all of the bugs out of the a7 series cameras. WHEN used with the new 35mm f/1.4 lens, this thing can focus in super-dim light--better than a Canon 5D-III, and better than a couple of higher-end Nikon FX d-slrs. This camera looks pretty good to me. Good prime lenses for this are available, but some of the zoom offerings seem rather dodgy; read up on the 24-70mm f/4 Sony Zeiss...wow...what a turd yet priced at $1,200...but yet the 35mm f/2 prime lens is fantastic!

You have a small, light, one-lens classic rangefinder imitator; a modern mirrorless with retro styling, and with the Sony, a modern Full-Frame mirrorless.

 

[rileygucci]

Fujifilm X100T Review: Digital Photography Review
Smallish, fixed prime lens, classic good looks, predictable focal length on shots due to no zoom lens, GREAT pictures in JPEG Mode if you want. Only 16 megapixels, so not a lot of cropping potential from its semi-wide-angle lens on faraway stuff. This is a small, somewhat inconspicuous camera. It looks classic.

Fujifilm X-T1 Review: Digital Photography Review
Changeable lenses, good-looking, classic Nikon FA-inspired "retro" styling, great Fuji-made lenses. Only 16 megapixels in a world of 24 standard in other brand compacts, and 36-to 42 to even 50 MP in d-slrs. This is a very sexy-looking camera, and if you get it, there are other models that could use the X-series lenses you buy. All-new lens designs, made by one of the best lens-makers Japan has ever had--Fuji.

Sony A7 II Review - A7 II Overview
Sony has finally gotten most all of the bugs out of the a7 series cameras. WHEN used with the new 35mm f/1.4 lens, this thing can focus in super-dim light--better than a Canon 5D-III, and better than a couple of higher-end Nikon FX d-slrs. This camera looks pretty good to me. Good prime lenses for this are available, but some of the zoom offerings seem rather dodgy; read up on the 24-70mm f/4 Sony Zeiss...wow...what a turd yet priced at $1,200...but yet the 35mm f/2 prime lens is fantastic!

You have a small, light, one-lens classic rangefinder imitator; a modern mirrorless with retro styling, and with the Sony, a modern Full-Frame mirrorless.

Thanks for the info mate! Thats really helpful. I was talking with a friend the other day and he said that I should get new glass over a body first but is it worth getting, for example canon L series glass, when my body wont even take full advantage of it?

 

[Ido]

I mainly want to travel smaller, lighter and be less obvious with a camera out because at the moment its quite a large and pretty heavy set up. Would you recommend upgrading glass instead?

Better glass, especially faster lenses, will most certainly be bigger and heavier, so that will only go opposite of what you want to do with the purchase.

I also do a lot of night photography and the body only goes to a max of 6400 (super grainy) and my favourite lens the 10-20 is only at f/4... is it worth upgrading for the ISO?

The X-T1 that Derrel recommended is a great option, though the X-T10 has most of the 1’s features and capabilities, only at a lower cost and slightly smaller frame. You can get wide and fast lenses for it, like the Fuji 14mm f/2.8 or Zeiss 12mm f/2.8, or the manual-focus Rokinon/Samyang 12mm f/2.
Of course, the Sony α7 II is a great option as well. It gives even lower noise at high ISO, and you can use the Rokinon/Samyang 14mm f/2.8 with it, which gives roughly the same field of view as 9mm would give on your Canon, or 10mm gives on a Fuji. However, that lens is bigger and heavier than the others, I believe, so again, not quite what you’re going for, is it?

 

[rileygucci]

I mainly want to travel smaller, lighter and be less obvious with a camera out because at the moment its quite a large and pretty heavy set up. Would you recommend upgrading glass instead?

Better glass, especially faster lenses, will most certainly be bigger and heavier, so that will only go opposite of what you want to do with the purchase.

I also do a lot of night photography and the body only goes to a max of 6400 (super grainy) and my favourite lens the 10-20 is only at f/4... is it worth upgrading for the ISO?

The X-T1 that Derrel recommended is a great option, though the X-T10 has most of the 1’s features and capabilities, only at a lower cost and slightly smaller frame. You can get wide and fast lenses for it, like the Fuji 14mm f/2.8 or Zeiss 12mm f/2.8, or the manual-focus Rokinon/Samyang 12mm f/2.
Of course, the Sony α7 II is a great option as well. It gives even lower noise at high ISO, and you can use the Rokinon/Samyang 14mm f/2.8 with it, which gives roughly the same field of view as 9mm would give on your Canon, or 10mm gives on a Fuji. However, that lens is bigger and heavier than the others, I believe, so again, not quite what you’re going for, is it?

Sorry that I did not see your first comment and to answer your questions to it. The main problem with my current kit is that it is bulky, not easy to travel with and the ISO range for the type of photography that I do is a bit limiting. I don't feel like I can't do anything with my current set up its just it feels like the right time for an upgrade because I have been using the same pretty simple setup of two lenses and a body for a long time and getting a new body with more ISO range that is smaller and has overall better image quality (especially a full frame) feels more advantageous. It might seem like a pretty immature thing to want to upgrade so soon but thats why I'm asking so I don't spend money unnecessarily.

 

[beagle100]

I mainly want to travel smaller, lighter and be less obvious with a camera out because at the moment its quite a large and pretty heavy set up. Would you recommend upgrading glass instead?

Better glass, especially faster lenses, will most certainly be bigger and heavier, so that will only go opposite of what you want to do with the purchase.

I also do a lot of night photography and the body only goes to a max of 6400 (super grainy) and my favourite lens the 10-20 is only at f/4... is it worth upgrading for the ISO?

The X-T1 that Derrel recommended is a great option, though the X-T10 has most of the 1’s features and capabilities, only at a lower cost and slightly smaller frame. You can get wide and fast lenses for it, like the Fuji 14mm f/2.8 or Zeiss 12mm f/2.8, or the manual-focus Rokinon/Samyang 12mm f/2.
Of course, the Sony α7 II is a great option as well. It gives even lower noise at high ISO, and you can use the Rokinon/Samyang 14mm f/2.8 with it, which gives roughly the same field of view as 9mm would give on your Canon, or 10mm gives on a Fuji. However, that lens is bigger and heavier than the others, I believe, so again, not quite what you’re going for, is it?

Sorry that I did not see your first comment and to answer your questions to it. The main problem with my current kit is that it is bulky, not easy to travel with and the ISO range for the type of photography that I do is a bit limiting. I don't feel like I can't do anything with my current set up its just it feels like the right time for an upgrade because I have been using the same pretty simple setup of two lenses and a body for a long time and getting a new body with more ISO range that is smaller and has overall better image quality (especially a full frame) feels more advantageous. It might seem like a pretty immature thing to want to upgrade so soon but thats why I'm asking so I don't spend money unnecessarily.

go ahead and make the move to mirrorless

smithsonian by c w, on Flickr