Which camera should I buy?

[Idun098TZZ]

I'm thinking of buying a new camera but not really sure which one to choose... I would use it for landscapes photography. It should be easy to go around(I like to travel light and comfortable) and get a high quality in pics.

Which camera do you use? Can you share a picture so I can get an idea of the potential?
Thanks!

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

Do you have a budget? What do you use right now?

 

[MBAir2010]

I had a Nikon d500 that went kaput over firmware and software malfunctions this July
Nikon were horrible is helping me solve the problem,
and after months of emails bad solutions of replace everything and perhaps a move to Mozambique
they realized the camera was dead and they were at fault, i was offered 10% off a brand new camera.
so beware buying a Nikon unless you need that for only several years.

 

[mollyc]

I had a Nikon d500 that went kaput over firmware and software malfunctions this July
Nikon were horrible is helping me solve the problem,
and after months of emails bad solutions of replace everything and perhaps a move to Mozambique
they realized the camera was dead and they were at fault, i was offered 10% off a brand new camera.
so beware buying a Nikon unless you need that for several years.

Probably this could happen with any brand of any item.....I'm sorry for your troubles and more so that Nikon didn't take care of you the way you wanted.... but there are horror stories with Apple on this forum every day.....You could just as easily bricked Sony or Canon with a firmware update. But it still sucks for you, and that's unfortunate.

To the OP, your question is too open ended. I could show you landscape images that I've taken (with my Nikon gear; my oldest camera and lenses are 10 years old and still work perfectly fine), but unless you already know photography, you'd not be able to take the same images with the same gear right off the bat.

As Darmok noted, what is your budget? Do you know how to shoot manual? If not, is that something you are looking to learn? Do you want the ability to change lenses? What do you consider "light and comfortable"?

Almost any modern camera is capable of "high quality pics" in the right hands, so we need a baseline of where you are coming from to make any sort of recommendation. ?

 

[MBAir2010]

Probably this could happen with any brand of any item.....I'm sorry for your troubles and more so that Nikon didn't take care of you the way you wanted.... ?

Nikon USA were horrible, so I typed a letter in Japanese to the company in Tokyo via snail mail.
then was offered the 10% by the corporate USA headquarters.
We have whirlpool appliance that broke (error code) after a month of use.
i guess that is the mode of the day for corporate success.

Idun098TZZ:​

If you could go to a camera store and pick up several cameras to see which one you like that would help.
camera stores also offer their warrantees and specials and will be on your side as long as they stay open for business.
if anything goes wrong that salesperson will be more sympathetic and offer their best help.

while shopping for a windows laptop, i int to a micro center and purchased one
the people there always said hello and asked how my palmtop is.
that is the best customer service and hopefully that system will remain for ever.

 

[Idun098TZZ]

Probably this could happen with any brand of any item.....I'm sorry for your troubles and more so that Nikon didn't take care of you the way you wanted.... but there are horror stories with Apple on this forum every day.....You could just as easily bricked Sony or Canon with a firmware update. But it still sucks for you, and that's unfortunate.

To the OP, your question is too open ended. I could show you landscape images that I've taken (with my Nikon gear; my oldest camera and lenses are 10 years old and still work perfectly fine), but unless you already know photography, you'd not be able to take the same images with the same gear right off the bat.

As Darmok noted, what is your budget? Do you know how to shoot manual? If not, is that something you are looking to learn? Do you want the ability to change lenses? What do you consider "light and comfortable"?

Almost any modern camera is capable of "high quality pics" in the right hands, so we need a baseline of where you are coming from to make any sort of recommendation. ?

Yes.
I rediscover my passion for photography recently and didn't have much experience with it. I went for stores but, even if I read the best feature and the salesman explained to me why this is better than that, I cannot shoot. In the past, I was shooting manually and I'll take a photography course as well in the future. Now I'm thinking to invest in a camera with which I can explore and make a kind of professional-looking picture.
Something good for beginners-intermediate on a budget of 500$-600$(or less) would be good. And another important thing would be the lens compatibility(and prices obv.)

 

[mollyc]

Nikon USA were horrible, so I typed a letter in Japanese to the company in Tokyo via snail mail.
then was offered the 10% but the corporate USA headquarters.
We have whirlpool appliance that broke (error code) after a month of use.
i guess that is the mode of the day for corporate success.

My point is that I don't think it's fair to tell the OP to dismiss an entire brand of camera just because you had a bad experience with one single item. I have not heard of a systemic issue with Nikon firmware bricking cameras. Can it happen? Sure.... Is it widespread? No.

 

[mollyc]

Yes.
I rediscover my passion for photography recently and didn't have much experience with it. I went for stores but, even if I read the best feature and the salesman explained to me why this is better than that, I cannot shoot. In the past, I was shooting manually and I'll take a photography course as well in the future. Now I'm thinking to invest in a camera with which I can explore and make a kind of professional-looking picture.
Something good for beginners-intermediate on a budget of 500$-600$(or less) would be good. And another important thing would be the lens compatibility(and prices obv.)

Another poster had a similar question last week, so you might want to read that thread. Your budget might be a bit smaller, but you could choose for an older model. To be honest, $600 is not a lot for an interchangeable lens camera AND lens.

From bridge camera to DSLR or Mirrorless: tips?

I'm finding photography more and more appealing but my Panasonic Lumix FZ70 is starting to give me some frustration because of the hardware, good for something but not for all. I think I'm ready to upgrade: I'm on a budget, 800/1200 $ maximum, so an entry level with lens I've been comparing and...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[dimme]

I had a issue a few year back with a Nikon D750, to make a real long story short. Nikon came through and replaced the camera with a refurbished one. Last year I had a problem with a 15 year old set of Nikon binoculars, the rubber coating became sticky. I wrote to them just to ask them how to clean the rubber or if they can replace the rubber coating. In the end they replaced them for free. Nikon USA really took care of me.

 

[Idun098TZZ]

Nikon USA were horrible, so I typed a letter in Japanese to the company in Tokyo via snail mail.
then was offered the 10% but the corporate USA headquarters.
We have whirlpool appliance that broke (error code) after a month of use.
i guess that is the mode of the day for corporate success.

Idun098TZZ:​

If you could go to a camera store and pick up several cameras to see which one you like that would help.
camera stores also offer their warrantees and specials and will be on your side as long as they stay open for business.
if anything goes wrong that salesperson will be more sympathetic and offer their best help.

while shopping for a windows laptop, i int to a micro center and purchased one
the people there always said hello and asked how my palmtop is.
that is the best customer service and hopefully that system will remain for ever.

Really sorry for your experience

Another poster had a similar question last week, so you might want to read that thread. Your budget might be a bit smaller, but you could choose for an older model. To be honest, $600 is not a lot for an interchangeable lens camera AND lens.

From bridge camera to DSLR or Mirrorless: tips?

I'm finding photography more and more appealing but my Panasonic Lumix FZ70 is starting to give me some frustration because of the hardware, good for something but not for all. I think I'm ready to upgrade: I'm on a budget, 800/1200 $ maximum, so an entry level with lens I've been comparing and...

forums.macrumors.com

Thanks for the insight, I'll read it. I was considering the lens apart, my bad.
I don't want to become a pro, for obv reasons, but like to get some suggestions for a good camera/brand from where I can choose. Something I can rely on for different projects, I can learn the techniques and I want to see how far can a specific camera can go.

 

[TechRunner]

Try this:

Best cameras and lenses: 2024 DPReview Buying Guides

Find our comprehensive collection of camera and lens buying guides, arranged both by price, and by use-case. Whatever kind of photography you enjoy, we'll help you find something to suit your needs — and your budget.

www.dpreview.com

DPReview has a comprehensive list of cameras, broken down by use case, price, etc. Should give you everything you need to make an informed decision. Good luck!

 

[Berti10]

Yes.
I rediscover my passion for photography recently and didn't have much experience with it. I went for stores but, even if I read the best feature and the salesman explained to me why this is better than that, I cannot shoot. In the past, I was shooting manually and I'll take a photography course as well in the future. Now I'm thinking to invest in a camera with which I can explore and make a kind of professional-looking picture.
Something good for beginners-intermediate on a budget of 500$-600$(or less) would be good. And another important thing would be the lens compatibility(and prices obv.)

The best advice I can give you, being there where you are, use the camera you have. And if you think of getting a new camera, look on what annoyed you with the old one. For me, some of the best pictures I took I took with the iPhone 8 Plus. And after years of shooting on iPhone, I bought a Lumix S1, because of the stabilization and the ability of 4K60. The thing is, buying a new camera does not improve you skills. I learn this everytime I buy new gear. First it’s just buzz and everything is great but then you realize you‘re stuck again. If you have a phone, use this and follow e.g. dpreview on YouTube.
Attached are phone done with the iPhone 8 Plus. And I recently upgraded to a 13PM and I’m disappointed about how it overprocesses and oversharpens everything.

 

[OldMacs4Me]

Before opening your wallet I think you need to ask your self a lot more questions.

Once you have an image what then?
If you're just eMailing to friends, viewing on a laptop monitor or iPad and maybe doing just an occasional 8x10 enlargement, then you can probably get by with a small sensor camera. These will top out in the $400.

If you want to display on one of the new high resolution monitors such as the 27" iMac and want to be able to count on prints up to 11x14 or 16x20 you really need to consider at least the 1" sensor cameras. These have a sensor that is 8.8x13.2mm which is a big step up from the bottom end 4.8x7.2mm sensor and an even bigger step above the iPhone/Android sensor. They can still be quite compact but will deliver that extra quality. Unfortunately they come with a bigger price tag. I am still working on this thread on the Lumix ZS200 (1 inch sensor), but perhaps there are some things in it that will give you ideas of what things are important to you.
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...ix-zs200.2322946/?post=30601379#post-30601379

If you want still more and have a limited budget, the best advice is looking into what you really want and shopping used. However this has much bigger risks than shopping new. If I was going this route I would want to find a used camera dealer that has a clearly defined favourable return policy.

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

Yes.
I rediscover my passion for photography recently and didn't have much experience with it. I went for stores but, even if I read the best feature and the salesman explained to me why this is better than that, I cannot shoot. In the past, I was shooting manually and I'll take a photography course as well in the future. Now I'm thinking to invest in a camera with which I can explore and make a kind of professional-looking picture.
Something good for beginners-intermediate on a budget of 500$-600$(or less) would be good. And another important thing would be the lens compatibility(and prices obv.)

With that budget, you might entertain the used market (MPB, KEH). As mentioned above, a poster asked a similar question. Right now there are a few good holiday sales, the Lumix G95 being one of them. It would offer a decent array of controls and also comes with a good kit lens. The GX85 is even smaller and comes with 2 lenses. You might also consider the OMD E-M10 as another one priced in your budget and very portable. There are some other brands in your price range (A6000, M50), but I don’t have any experience with them to know the pros and cons for them. Reviews are good, and DPR seems to do a decent job of reviewing, just take the comment section with a grain of salt!

If you’re not interested in a camera with interchangeable lenses, then that changes things all over again!

 

[TechRunner]

just take the comment section with a grain of salt!

The best advice I've read so far. DPReview's comment sections are an experience not for the uninitiated!

 

[tizeye]

Haven't heard a budget so will be broad, noting landscape and travel. Another question is where you are located? Only reason I asked this - other than the confusion Nikon defect and move to Mosambique, taking a while to realized it wasn't you describing your past experience - if in the USA, just noticed the Best Buy has entered their holiday return period until Jan 16. That could be used to your advantage deciding between your top 3 with real hands on.

Enough of that. Travel "light" is broad And I do consider my full frame Sony a7rIII "light", at least compared to the Nikon D650 it replaced, and have carried both to Europe. It is definitely packed but sometimes I will grab the my wife's a6000 for an 'extra light' experience. It gets down to what you consider light. I am even considering a 1" sensor camera, but for a different reason - video vs the small sensor but similar size GoPro.

Then we get to the issue of landscape. (Speaking in terms of full frame lens size, so adjust appropriately for crop sensor cameras). Generally preferred focal length for landscape is 24mm OR WIDER. The problem is, most cameras with their kit (or only) lens, their widest is 24mm. You might find a few at 22mm, but that is not the norm. As such, that suggest the need for an interchangeable lens camera to access that wider range. Honestly, my 16-35mm is my walk around lens covering landscape and street photography. So much so that I sold my 24-70 and use only primes (55 and 80) in that range. It could work the other way as well, keep the 24-70 and acquire a prime in the 18 to 21 range for ultra wide landscape use. There is a size comparator online, but on the full frame, Sony is consistently the more compact, and after the bloat that has creeped in over the decades, am amazed as mine sits on the shelf next to my film era Canon AE-1, they are the same size. Perhaps that is why I don't consider it too large for travel, as it was the film cameras I learned on. More compact are the crop sensor cameras, like the A6000 series, and smaller stills 4:3 sensor of Panasonic and Olympus - but be careful with Olympus as the corporation is financially challenged and potentially could not exist for support. While cameras may have become more compact and light, thanks to the Laws of Physics, the same cannot be said for lens. An older full frame DSLR lens is roughly the same size as a lens designed for a full frame mirrorless. Lens do become smaller for the smaller sensor, though.

 

[guzhogi]

I have a Sony A99. A bit old, but what I like about it is that it has builtin GPS, which is good for outdoor work. It automatically tags the location, albeit it takes a minute or two to lock in the location when you first start it up. This way, you can group/find your pics by location. Sony & 3rd party lenses are pretty good. Maybe not as wide an assortment as Canon or Nikon, but decent. Just a shame so many newer cameras don't include GPS anymore.

 

[Clix Pix]

The direction in which photography is moving is mirrorless camera and lenses systems, so while it might seem less expensive to buy an entry-level or mid-level DSLR by any manufacturer and a kit lens or two now, in my opinion, in the long run that would not be the wisest move. When one buys a camera body one is also buying into a system and as time goes on one will want to purchase additional lenses, preferably lenses which are native to the system.

The Sony A99 is indeed an old camera -- a DSLR -- and it also uses older A mount lenses. IMHO it would be a poor choice for someone starting out now with a camera purchase. Sony makes reasonably priced mirrorless APS-C camera bodies and lenses, and e-mount lenses can be used on either type of body. Nikon and Canon also have APS-C camera bodies available in their mirrorless lines as well.

 

[kenoh]

Also consider Fuji cameras. A LOT of bang for buck there and their lenses are very good. There are some awesome photographers on here who shoot Fuji - @Mark0 for example

You need to think are you really that into this hobby because it gets real addictive and real expensive if you let it grab you.

 

[weaztek]

I've been a professional photographer for the past 15 years shooting Canon. My compact camera is a G9X Mk II and my SLR is a 5D MkIV. My next purchase will be a Canon mirrorless. Something like an R6, R3, or whatever replaces those in a few years.

If I had Sony lenses or was starting from scratch I'd take a long look at the new A7 IV.

 

[Clix Pix]

Since budget is apparently a consideration here, the A7 III is also still an excellent camera choice and now with the arrival of the new A7 IV it is probably being reduced in price by camera shops or you might be able to grab a great deal on someone's gently-used one.

 

[mackmgg]

The first thing to ask when picking out a new camera is “what can’t I do with my current camera?” and go from there. My default camera is my iPhone, and I assume you’ve got a smartphone too. Whenever I go to take a different camera/lens with me to shoot I first have to figure out why I can’t take that photo with my iPhone. Is it too dark? Want more zoom? Ergonomics? Shallower depth of field? Then I decide if I want to bring my P&S, mirrorless, which lens for it. And if I can’t I‘ll just use my phone. It’s taken great photos and is the ultimate in traveling light (because I‘ll still have it with me even if I bring another camera too).

You could just as easily bricked Sony or Canon with a firmware update

Not Sony. They don’t do firmware updates ? But I digress…

 

[Clix Pix]

The first thing to ask when picking out a new camera is “what can’t I do with my current camera?” and go from there. My default camera is my iPhone, and I assume you’ve got a smartphone too. Whenever I go to take a different camera/lens with me to shoot I first have to figure out why I can’t take that photo with my iPhone. Is it too dark? Want more zoom? Ergonomics? Shallower depth of field? Then I decide if I want to bring my P&S, mirrorless, which lens for it. And if I can’t I‘ll just use my phone. It’s taken great photos and is the ultimate in traveling light (because I‘ll still have it with me even if I bring another camera too).


Not Sony. They don’t do firmware updates ? But I digress…

That is a major complaint I do have with Sony -- why can't they make their firmware updates easier for everyone, including Mac users, by following the kind of process that most other camera manufacturers do? I still have not done a firmware update on my A7R IV..... Just too many hassles and hoops to jump through without success at the end. Thankfully the A1 came with its latest firmware update and I'm praying that the thing won't need one for a long time!

 

[Grey Beard]

I am somewhat surprised that no one has mentioned.

Mr PowerShot

 

[mollyc]

I am somewhat surprised that no one has mentioned.

Mr PowerShot

he generally only reads his own threads. ?