Upgrading from Sony RX100 M3 to a dslr. Which one?

jncyphers · Dec 30, 2018

I have a RX100 iii that I like. I would like to get more in to photography as a hobby. Most of what I’ll take will be landscapes as well as CD album covers (I own a recording studio). I would like to buy a dslr camera to be able to have a bit more control over the shot. But I don’t want to spend money on a dslr camera that shoots lower quality photos than the point & shoot that I already own. Is this a legitimate concern or will most any dslr shoot better quality photos than the Sony? I don’t have a specific budge in mind, but I’ll save whatever money I need to to buy the right thing the first time. What would you recommend?

Thanks!

CherylL · Dec 30, 2018

I have the rx100 iii & iv that was used primarily for travel. Earlier this year I got a used Fuji XT-2 for travel and very happy with the weight and image quality. Since the XT-3 is out now, you may get a good deal on a used XT-2.

Derrel · Dec 31, 2018

Well...how much money you wish to spend determines the grade/level/model of d-slr that you can purchase. You say that you do not have a specific budget in mind, but when it comes to actually purchasing, then some hard numbers are needed. As far as album covers...do you have lights and modifiers? Lighting gear, and the ability to use it, is what I think might be more-important than the camera and lens.

I dunno...I think good, used, full-frame camera bodies make a lot of sense, since there are so,so many good,used lenses for full-frame cameras. I like Nikon cameras, so something like a used Nikon D800, or a used Nikon D610, or a used D750, would make sense; the full-frame-capable lenses from Nikon are really good, and plentiful, and a 35mm is a 35mm, a 50mm is a 50mm, an 85mm is an 85mm, with ZERO need for conversion factors, or field of view factor, etc..

I really do not see the need to buy a brand-new full-frame Nikon body, when there are so many enthusiast-level FX bodies on the used market. The same would be true of a Canon FF camera, like a used 5D-II or 5D-III, or a used 6D.

Your RX100 ii has an "equivalent" focal length range of 24mm to 70mm in comparison to an FX/FF Nikon/Canon camera, so, you'd need a 24mm to 70mm lens to make it equal in angles of view on a full-frame d-slr camera. I think however, that a 24-85mm lens would be more-useful on a full-frame d-slr, rather than a 24-70mm f/2.8 model.