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What camera would you go with?


  • Total voters
    7

nburwell

macrumors 603
Original poster
May 6, 2008
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I was huge into photography 2-3 years ago. I then stopped taking pictures with my DSLR and just had my equipment sit in a closet until I decided to sell everything (primarily just used my iPhone). At this point, I want to dive back into the hobby.

I have owned various cameras over the years from Canon to Nikon to Fujifilm. My most recent setup was the Nikon D800E with 16-35mm, 24-120mm and 14-24mm as my lenses.

The setup above cost me a pretty penny, and after doing some thinking, I'm only looking to have a one or two lens setup this time. I mainly shoot cityscapes and landscapes - occasionally people (ie. family). While I will primarily be using the camera to photograph cityscapes and landscapes, I plan to take the camera along when my wife and I travel.

As for my choices, I love that the 6D is full frame and I am very familiar with Canon's EF lens lineup as I used to own the 5D, 5D Mk II and 5D Mk III prior to switching to Nikon.

The X-T1 is definitely more travel friendly than the 6D, but I'm still relatively young (36) so I don't mind bringing a DSLR on trips, but the X-T1 would fit better in my backpack that I use when traveling. I used the X100F briefly last year for a trip to San Francisco, so I'm familiar with the Fujifilm system, but not as familiar as I am with Canon. I do love the Fuji film simulations and the fact that I wouldn't need to spend much time post processing files on the X-T1 compared to the 6D.

I should also note that I plan to process the images on my iPad. I shoot only in RAW so I know I will be dealing with some decent file sizes.

I apologize for the length of the post, but after doing some research, these are the two cameras I narrowed my choices down to. I know they are not the newest cameras on the market, but I'm looking to ease my way back into photography without dropping a ton of money. With that said, if there is another camera that I should consider, I'm certainly open to it. I'm not looking to spend more than $700-800 at this point. But the lower, the better.
 

OreoCookie

macrumors 68030
Apr 14, 2001
2,727
90
Sendai, Japan
How exactly does a Canon 6D + lens fit into a $700-800 budget? And have you thought about getting the wide angle adapter for the Fuji X100 and a used Fuji X100s/T/F? I own a Nikon dslr with a few lenses and flashes as well as a X100s, and my primary serious camera is the Fuji, no question about it. It is lighter, always fits into my backpack and it is simple — I don't have to think about lenses or anything.
 

nburwell

macrumors 603
Original poster
May 6, 2008
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DE
What made you settle on those two options? Just curious what made them jump out at you.

I'm not looking to spend a ton and these two fall into my price range. I know they're both older cameras, but I wanted a body that has interchangeable lenses. But I'm still open to other cameras though. I have just focused on the 6D and X-T1.
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How exactly does a Canon 6D + lens fit into a $700-800 budget? And have you thought about getting the wide angle adapter for the Fuji X100 and a used Fuji X100s/T/F? I own a Nikon dslr with a few lenses and flashes as well as a X100s, and my primary serious camera is the Fuji, no question about it. It is lighter, always fits into my backpack and it is simple — I don't have to think about lenses or anything.

I can get a 6D locally for $550. I can pick up a used 35mm f/2 for $250. Which brings the total to $800.

I really liked the X100F when I owned it. Especially since I didn't have to choose a lens. I wasn't a huge fan of it at high ISO, hence my hesitation for going with the X-T1.
 

OreoCookie

macrumors 68030
Apr 14, 2001
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Sendai, Japan
I didn't realize 6Ds have become so cheap. In that case, I'd really go with the camera that you are more likely to have with you. The X100-series features a 23 mm/35 mm equivalent lens. With the wide and tele adapters, you should have decent creative freedom. In the end, if I were you, I'd go for the camera that you would actually put in your backpack more often — and for me that is the Fuji.
 
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Darmok N Jalad

macrumors 603
Sep 26, 2017
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I didn't realize 6Ds have become so cheap. In that case, I'd really go with the camera that you are more likely to have with you. The X100-series features a 23 mm/35 mm equivalent lens. With the wide and tele adapters, you should have decent creative freedom. In the end, if I were you, I'd go for the camera that you would actually put in your backpack more often — and for me that is the Fuji.
That was my rationale in going with a Lumix. M43 has nice compact and light lenses. You certainly lose some sensor size, but I find myself more willing to carry the camera and a spare lens on an outing.
 

OreoCookie

macrumors 68030
Apr 14, 2001
2,727
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Sendai, Japan
That was my rationale in going with a Lumix. M43 has nice compact and light lenses. You certainly lose some sensor size, but I find myself more willing to carry the camera and a spare lens on an outing.
Agreed. While physics dictates sensors have better high ISO performance, the question is how often you actually use ISO beyond, say, 1,600 and whether it limits you in any way. The Fuji is light, so I find that I can hand hold longer shutter speeds than on my dslr.
 

Darmok N Jalad

macrumors 603
Sep 26, 2017
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Tanagra (not really)
Agreed. While physics dictates sensors have better high ISO performance, the question is how often you actually use ISO beyond, say, 1,600 and whether it limits you in any way. The Fuji is light, so I find that I can hand hold longer shutter speeds than on my dslr.
Not to mention IBIS in newer cameras. My GX85 has IBIS and OIS, so it helps you get more stops anyway.
 

fathergll

macrumors 68000
Sep 3, 2014
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I can't see any logical reason why you would want to move back to another DSLR with a outdated sensor just to take landscape shots when you got rid of your previous one which was superior.

I would go with the lightest mirrorless setup you can find that gives you enough advantage in IQ that you will not just want to use your iPhone instead. Get the Fuji over the Canon.
 
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OreoCookie

macrumors 68030
Apr 14, 2001
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Sendai, Japan
I can't see any logical reason why you would want to move back to another DSLR with a outdated sensor just to take landscape shots when you got rid of your previous one which was superior.
I figured it could have been a money issue. A D850 is a very expensive proposition.
I would go with the lightest mirrorless setup you can find that gives you enough advantage in IQ that you will not just want to use your iPhone instead. Get the Fuji over the Canon.
Agreed. Getting a dslr now does not seem like a smart move, even Canon and Nikon are moving to mirrorless. But the two have only introduced full frame cameras. (Yes, Canon has the EOS M, but unless I missed an announcement, that is rather old tech and has a very small lens line-up.)
 

nburwell

macrumors 603
Original poster
May 6, 2008
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Agreed. Getting a dslr now does not seem like a smart move, even Canon and Nikon are moving to mirrorless. But the two have only introduced full frame cameras. (Yes, Canon has the EOS M, but unless I missed an announcement, that is rather old tech and has a very small lens line-up.)

While I owned the original EOS M when it was first released, I never really considered it as my one and only camera to use (it was great as a travel camera).

The thing about the mirror full frame bodies from Nikon and Canon are that they are a few thousand dollars at this point. Similar to the Sony A7R series.
 

OreoCookie

macrumors 68030
Apr 14, 2001
2,727
90
Sendai, Japan
The thing about the mirror full frame bodies from Nikon and Canon are that they are a few thousand dollars at this point. Similar to the Sony A7R series.
Yup. That's why I have suggested you to get a mirrorless camera with a smaller sensor. And this is why Fuji was IMHO very smart to have staggered their camera line-up:their X-mount cameras (plus the X100-series) have APS-C-sized sensors that are cheaper to produce and come with smaller, comparatively cheaper lenses. On the other end of the spectrum you have their G-series cameras whose sensor is larger than full frame.

In addition, neither Canon nor Nikon have served their APS-C-sized dslrs very well with their lens line-up. If you wanted a top-end lens on a smaller sensor body, you'd either have to go for a third-party lens or just use a full frame lens. I expect that to continue with the switch to mirrorless. You saw that with the EOS-M, that camera was hobbled by accountants from the beginning so as to make sure to not endanger their dslr sales. That comes back to bite them. And Nikon brought out the 1-series with a puny 1 inch sensor.
 
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