The Coffee House

[davev]

Help! Somebody needs to stop me!!! I got a bridge camera for an upcoming trip, and I like it, but its a 16MP bridge camera with OK picture quality, but no RAW imaging. I've been admiring photographs of a local photographer and have always wondered about what kit he was using. Well, I found out today; he is using a Sony RX 10 Mark IV, a lightweight 20MP bridge camera, and now I want one as my travel camera... Honestly, I need to be satisfied with what I have.

What camera did you buy?

I have a Sony RX10 mark 3 that I bought just before an Alaskan cruise in 2016.
I used that camera a bunch on the trip. One lens from 24-600 is really convenient.

I haven't used that camera much in the last few years, but last year, I did buy a new bridge camera.
A Nikon P950. 16mp, but a 2000mm lens. Is it a great camera, no, but for some things it works pretty well.
When we travel the national parks, it sits on the dash for a quick grab.

 

[jeffashman]

What camera did you buy?

I have a Sony RX10 mark 3 that I bought just before an Alaskan cruise in 2016.
I used that camera a bunch on the trip. One lens from 24-600 is really convenient.

I haven't used that camera much in the last few years, but last year, I did buy a new bridge camera.
A Nikon P950. 16mp, but a 2000mm lens. Is it a great camera, no, but for some things it works pretty well.
When we travel the national parks, it sits on the dash for a quick grab.

I have a Kodak Pixpro AZ528 and a Canon SX530. I got the Canon for cheap as a loaner for my family, especially the grands, and I got the Kodak for the trip with the idea of giving it to one of my grands after the trip, and while it is good, it doesn't do RAW and at longer focal lengths the images get soft, and the IS does not do a good job of compensating for movement/shaky hands. On our upcoming trip, a tripod/monopod is not in the picture, because we are taking carry-on luggage only, everything must fit in the bags. Originally, I was going to be satisfied with the Kodak, but after seeing that the Sony RX10 Mk4 is a bridge camera, and has excellent images, I've been bitten by the GAS bug. I will still use my Canon R7 for birding and macro, but due to some issues, it is becoming more difficult to steady my Sigma 150-600mm lens without a tripod/monopod, so I have to come to terms with that. Aging is what it is. I've read reviews on the Sony, and along with being 20MP, having good IS, it also has phase detect and 315 pt AF, which combined with IS helps with movement/shake at 600mm. The Kodak goes up to 1200mm, but unless its on a tripod, the images come out very soft beyond 400mm as I've discovered. Pluses of the Sony over the Kodak, better IS, crisper focus at long focal lengths, faster. Pretty much the RX10 is the A9 with a fixed lens as one reviewer put it. Cons, it's a little heavier, but I can still pack it, and I can still put it in the center console of the car. Who knows, maybe it will replace my R7. Hmmm.

 

[davev]

I have a Kodak Pixpro AZ528 and a Canon SX530. I got the Canon for cheap as a loaner for my family, especially the grands, and I got the Kodak for the trip with the idea of giving it to one of my grands after the trip, and while it is good, it doesn't do RAW and at longer focal lengths the images get soft, and the IS does not do a good job of compensating for movement/shaky hands. On our upcoming trip, a tripod/monopod is not in the picture, because we are taking carry-on luggage only, everything must fit in the bags. Originally, I was going to be satisfied with the Kodak, but after seeing that the Sony RX10 Mk4 is a bridge camera, and has excellent images, I've been bitten by the GAS bug. I will still use my Canon R7 for birding and macro, but due to some issues, it is becoming more difficult to steady my Sigma 150-600mm lens without a tripod/monopod, so I have to come to terms with that. Aging is what it is. I've read reviews on the Sony, and along with being 20MP, having good IS, it also has phase detect and 315 pt AF, which combined with IS helps with movement/shake at 600mm. The Kodak goes up to 1200mm, but unless its on a tripod, the images come out very soft beyond 400mm as I've discovered. Pluses of the Sony over the Kodak, better IS, crisper focus at long focal lengths, faster. Pretty much the RX10 is the A9 with a fixed lens as one reviewer put it. Cons, it's a little heavier, but I can still pack it, and I can still put it in the center console of the car. Who knows, maybe it will replace my R7. Hmmm.

The RX10 mark 3 is much like the mark 4, same sensor, same lens, the speed and focusing was upgraded on the mark 4.
If you're bored, I have about 350 photos that you can take a peek at on line.
What I found with that camera is that it works very well for close up photos. Bugs, flowers, stuff like that.
It's also pretty good at landscapes.
Where it sometimes falls down is for subjects with lots of small details if you need to crop into the photo.
Then they look a little muddy.

My photos are here if you wish to take a look at them.

LINK TO PHOTOS

 

[CherylL]

Y'all aren't helping here... Jump! Jump! Jump! Do it!

A two day cliff hanger. Did you leap for the camera??

 

[jeffashman]

The RX10 mark 3 is much like the mark 4, same sensor, same lens, the speed and focusing was upgraded on the mark 4.
If you're bored, I have about 350 photos that you can take a peek at on line.
What I found with that camera is that it works very well for close up photos. Bugs, flowers, stuff like that.
It's also pretty good at landscapes.
Where it sometimes falls down is for subjects with lots of small details if you need to crop into the photo.
Then they look a little muddy.

My photos are here if you wish to take a look at them.

LINK TO PHOTOS

Never bored, but I can always use a break from work. Al ot of wonderful images, but the raccoons steal the show, especially the first and last. One of the selling points is the 12" at 600mm, making it a pseudo-macro, and f/4 at 600mm which is really nice. Compared to my Sigma which is f/6.5 at 600mm. And RAW imaging of course, which is a must in my book.

 

[nerwin]

I'm sad. The spruce tree in my backyard that's been there since my childhood is all brown. Last year it was nice and green. Not sure what happened to it but looks like I'm gonna have to cut it down. The branches are falling off and making a mess. Its sooo thinned out too.

 

[jeffashman]

A two day cliff hanger. Did you leap for the camera??

Not yet. Checking the bungee cord over...

 

[Rickbb]

I'm sad. The spruce tree in my backyard that's been there since my childhood is all brown. Last year it was nice and green. Not sure what happened to it but looks like I'm gonna have to cut it down. The branches are falling off and making a mess. Its sooo thinned out too.

Alien insects, lots of them around now, emerald ash borer from China killed most of the ash trees here, pine beetles playing hell on our pine forest industry and of course the wooly adelgid is what is after the spruce trees. It's killed all the mature balsam firs on Mt Mitchell.

 

[jeffashman]

I'm sad. The spruce tree in my backyard that's been there since my childhood is all brown. Last year it was nice and green. Not sure what happened to it but looks like I'm gonna have to cut it down. The branches are falling off and making a mess. Its sooo thinned out too.

It's always sad when that happens. I've had trees die off for no apparent reason, but there are so many things that can affect a tree, too much water, not enough water, to warm, etc.

 

[cgw]

Guess I saw too many "bridge/super-zoom" cameras pushed across service counters at fujifilm.ca and nikon.ca. Most suffered from bonked zoom gear trains. Never tempted. In film days, I loved fast primes. Now, with Nikon and Fuji, it's primes-only or a Ricoh GR II or Fuji X-100T. Still accustomed to zooming with the old size 12s. YMMV, as always.

 

[nerwin]

In other news...I just discovered the world of watches. I didn't think they were so cool but there is something special about them. Sooooo I guess I am collecting watches now. Already have two of them on order! They are not expensive but kinda retro. late 70s and late 80s digital watches. Right up my alley!

 

[snowbear]

I stopped wearing watches many years ago; I end up smacking them against stuff. Now I just use the clock on the phone.

 

[nerwin]

I stopped wearing watches many years ago; I end up smacking them against stuff. Now I just use the clock on the phone.

But they are so stylish! I think for men, watches are still a big thing. They can also be a conversation piece too.

 

[jeffashman]

I have several analog watches that I like, two are Southwest Airlines watches, one a Fossil watch for 15 years at the company, a pilots watch I inherited from my dad, a Soviet made Mir (Peace) watch created during the time of detente, a Micky Mouse conductor's pocket watch, and a couple of digital watches. I should take pix of them and practice my focus stacking skills.

 

[nerwin]

I have several analog watches that I like, two are Southwest Airlines watches, one a Fossil watch for 15 years at the company, a pilots watch I inherited from my dad, a Soviet made Mir (Peace) watch created during the time of detente, a Micky Mouse conductor's pocket watch, and a couple of digital watches. I should take pix of them and practice my focus stacking skills.

Southwest airline watches?