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which camera should i get (1 Viewer)

DeeDeeG

Well-known member
I would like to upgrade my camera and would really like some help and advice. I have a panasonic lumix which is around 3 years old. I would really like a camera with a much better sensor as mine is pretty useless in low light, also which lens would be best. I am happy to look up to £1500 approx to get the right one. Any suggestions gratefully received. Thanks.
 
I would like to upgrade my camera and would really like some help and advice. I have a panasonic lumix which is around 3 years old. I would really like a camera with a much better sensor as mine is pretty useless in low light, also which lens would be best. I am happy to look up to £1500 approx to get the right one. Any suggestions gratefully received. Thanks.

Which LUMIX do you have?

Cheers
 
I would like to upgrade my camera and would really like some help and advice. I have a panasonic lumix which is around 3 years old. I would really like a camera with a much better sensor as mine is pretty useless in low light, also which lens would be best. I am happy to look up to £1500 approx to get the right one. Any suggestions gratefully received. Thanks.
Hi Dee Dee, a Nikon D7200 + Tamron G2 150-600 f6.3 should be close to your budget, and hard to beat.



Chosun :gh:
 
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I would like to upgrade my camera and would really like some help and advice. I have a panasonic lumix which is around 3 years old. I would really like a camera with a much better sensor as mine is pretty useless in low light, also which lens would be best. I am happy to look up to £1500 approx to get the right one. Any suggestions gratefully received. Thanks.

I use an EOS 5D Mk3 for my more "serious" photography. But for hikes and birding trips I much prefer my little Lumix GX8. For me this is a suitable compromise between image quality and low carrying weight. The successor to the GX8 (guess the name: GX9!) has just been released; probably an even better camera.
 
Ok here goes. Yet another mix.
My main camera is a Canon EOS 70D, originally coupled with a Canon 100-400 MkI. I now use a Sigma 150-600 lens. With the crop factor of the camera, this gives a 35mm equivalent of around 900mm. However, I bought a Panasonic G7 as a general camera and have now added a Panasonic Leica 100-400 f4-6.3. This is a lightweight, compact combination that gives excellent results.
All that said, the Canon let me down due to getting wet on a holiday to Costa Rica. Thankfully my wife uses a Canon SX50, that saved our holidays and captured some excellent images. So what about one of the newer bridge cameras?

I don't envy your camera challenge. Advice is given free, experience you pay for!
 
I would really like a camera with a much better sensor as mine is pretty useless in low light, also which lens would be best. I am happy to look up to £1500 approx to get the right one.

Hi Dee Dee,

For better low light capability, I think there are three main sensor options, in order of size from largest to smallest: a full frame sensor (found in high end DSLRs), an APS-C sensor (found in most DSLRs and some mirrorless cameras), or a micro 4/3 sensor (found in certain mirrorless cameras made by Olympus and Panasonic). The larger the sensor, the better the low light capability. However, the larger the sensor, the bigger and heavier the lens you need to get a frame filling shot of a bird. (Of course, you can crop, but the more you crop the more you negate the low light advantage of the larger sensor).

If you prefer the gear you carry around to be three pounds or less, then I would look to micro 4/3 (these are made by Olympus and Panasonic), which a couple of the posts above mention. If you don't mind carrying around five pounds or more of gear, then you should consider the other options as well. I personally prefer the 3 pounds or less option, so have been using m4/3s for many years. You can see the results in the link in my signature.

Hope this helps,
Jim
 
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Hi Dee Dee, a Nikon D7200 + Tamron G2 150-600 f6.3 should be close to your budget, and hard to beat.



Chosun :gh:

OP is your budget 1500 total? if so this is a good shout. If you can afford t 0though a do get for example a nikon body like a D7200 then the nikkor 200-500mm F/5.6 is a top budget lens to match it up with. The extra stop makes up for the lack fo the extra 100mm imho.
 
You might also consider the new Sony RX10IV, a bridge camera built around a 1" sensor and with an excellent 24-600 mm equivalent Zeiss lens.
While it does not offer quite the zoom of your FZ72, it does give much better image quality and is weather sealed.
Reviews have been very good, with the auto focus getting special praise, plus it is a lot more handy than a camera with a 600 mm prime focus lens attached.
Only glitch is the price is at the extreme of your budget.

Steve Ingraham has a review of the camera here: https://psnp.info/psnp_/
 
Just some more info for OP: The Tamron/Nikon combo mentioned above weighs approximately six pounds. Also, you can get significantly better low light capability with the larger micro 4/3 sensor (and somewhat better overall image quality) compared to one inch sensors. But the Sony RX10IV does have the unusual advantage of a minimum aperture that is continuous throughout the zoom range, which is a major advantage in low light. However, it is not an interchangeable lens camera, and personally I wouldn't want to be limited to just 600 mm for bird photography. (Though getting to 800 mm in micro 4/3 will probably exceed your budget).
 
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Just some more info for OP: The Tamron/Nikon combo mentioned above weighs approximately six pounds. Also, you can get significantly better low light capability with the larger micro 4/3 sensor (and somewhat better overall image quality) compared to one inch sensors. But the Sony RX10IV does have the unusual advantage of a minimum aperture that is continuous throughout the zoom range, which is a major advantage in low light. However, it is not an interchangeable lens camera, and personally I wouldn't want to be limited to just 600 mm for bird photography. (Though getting to 800 mm in micro 4/3 will probably exceed your budget).

Sadly the Sony does not have a constant aperture, it drops from 2.4 at 24 mm to 4.0 at 600 mm equivalent. However, I believe it offers extended reach to 1200 mm equivalent at the price of a reduced pixel count.

More broadly, I believe the bulk and weight of the long lenses are serious limiting factors for many photographers. Bridge cameras are much more portable, as well as more flexible, at the price of somewhat lower performance. That is a fair trade-off for many users, especially travelers.
 
I've just bought the Sony RX10 iv. It's early days but I'm hoping my SLR days are behind me. Fed up of lugging it around. I think SLRs are not the future for most birders/naturalists.
 
I've just bought the Sony RX10 iv. It's early days but I'm hoping my SLR days are behind me. Fed up of lugging it around. I think SLRs are not the future for most birders/naturalists.

Please keep us posted on your experiences and impressions.
It would be very helpful to get your perspective transitioning to this camera from an experienced SLR birder background.
 
Please keep us posted on your experiences and impressions.
It would be very helpful to get your perspective transitioning to this camera from an experienced SLR birder background.

I will start a thread in the Sony section when I am in a position to really comment. My initial feeling as regards 'useability' is it's very good. FPs rate mad: I've turned it down to medium which is 12 fps - I think. I find backfocusing pretty essential as the shutter is very sensitive and trying to push it down half way usually results in me taking about 20 shots. Mind you those with less clumsy hands than mine may do okay. The only problem with that is the back button is obviously in a slightly different place to my 7D mark ii so I keep missing.

Sadly uninspiring weather and uninspiring birding has meant I haven't actually used it that much but it won't be too long before its first foreign outing when I should be in a much better position to comment and to decide whether to keep the SLR gear or sell it.
 
Thanks for all your comments. Well i have ended up with a Nikon D7200 with a Sigma 150 - 600mm lens. Must admit, i have alot to learn, but hopefully will get to grips with it eventually!!! Thinking i may have to increase my spinnach intake now, or start weight training!!!!!
 
Thanks for all your comments. Well i have ended up with a Nikon D7200 with a Sigma 150 - 600mm lens. Must admit, i have alot to learn, but hopefully will get to grips with it eventually!!! Thinking i may have to increase my spinnach intake now, or start weight training!!!!!

Haha yes the 150-600 is one I have my eye on as well. Thankfully I work at a hospital with physiotherapists or, worst case, orthopaedic surgeons to hand. I have a feeling I may need them after trying it out the other day! :D
 
Thanks for all your comments. Well i have ended up with a Nikon D7200 with a Sigma 150 - 600mm lens. Must admit, i have alot to learn, but hopefully will get to grips with it eventually!!! Thinking i may have to increase my spinnach intake now, or start weight training!!!!!
Nice ! DeeDee :t:

I carry my rig on a Black Rapid Sport sling and I highly recommend one of their upper end models. Not only does it make carrying super easy and comfortable, but it is ultra quick to use on something that flies into range as you are walking along. It is also very handy as a firm stable brace when in the shooting position - the adjustment for this corresponds to comfortable carrying position for me - so win win. About ~$70 very well spent. http://www.blackrapid.com/all?order=onlinecustomerprice:desc&display=table

I highly recommend it.



Chosun :gh:
 
Nice ! DeeDee :t:

I carry my rig on a Black Rapid Sport sling and I highly recommend one of their upper end models. Not only does it make carrying super easy and comfortable, but it is ultra quick to use on something that flies into range as you are walking along. It is also very handy as a firm stable brace when in the shooting position - the adjustment for this corresponds to comfortable carrying position for me - so win win. About ~$70 very well spent. http://www.blackrapid.com/all?order=onlinecustomerprice:desc&display=table

I highly recommend it.



Chosun :gh:

Cheaper alternatives are available. I've had Black Rapid straps break on me twice; the cheaper ones haven't. Luckily I have quick reactions. I like this one https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B071QXM323/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 because of the safety teather. Both times my BR strap broke this would have stopped the camera falling.
 
Cheaper alternatives are available. I've had Black Rapid straps break on me twice; the cheaper ones haven't. Luckily I have quick reactions. I like this one https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B071QXM323/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 because of the safety teather. Both times my BR strap broke this would have stopped the camera falling.
Interesting Steve - where abouts exactly did your BR setup break? How much weight were you carrying on it? And for how long before it broke?

I've got 6lbs on mine (borne on the lens tripod foot) for about 2 years actual use - say 2 or 3 times a week on average. There is very minimal wear (necking) on the metal attachment clip, though I have seen photos of worse (greater than half the diameter ....)

Looks like there are lots of generic permutations available ..... lol. China.



Chosun :gh:
 
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