What camera do I buy? / general gear talk

Neoprene velcroed camera sleeves are also good for chucking cameras in bags with other stuff, though it won’t work well if you are planning on grabbing it and shooting while actually cycling

any bike bag recommendations for a Leica Q2?

Outer shell drawcord with their camera insert or find your own.
https://www.tokyobike.co.uk/outer-shell-drawcord-handlebar-bag-97422306.html
https://www.tokyobike.co.uk/outer-shell-drawcord-handlebar-bag-accessories.html

With their insert the camera can easily slide around.

I've got an old Canon 450d which has a bad AF (took a few knocks I think). I want to replace it with a mirrorless before I go to Chile at the end of the month.

I'd like to use some of my inexpensive EF lenses so I'll get one of those adapters. I don't really need any fancy features like streaming or wifi or any of that shit, just plain old photos and bulb mode for astrophotography. So I'm happy to go for an older model if it gets me a better sensor.

What would you lot recommend?

(Oops, forgot to say hopefully under £400ish)

450D is such a tank. I still use one, too.

Default Fuji reply but really you could just stick to what feels familiar and get another Canon dslr body. 6D body second hand should be available around that much and is an incredible camera for Astro. Otherwise whatever newer version of the 450D within budget would be absolutely fine.

Almost everything (even medium format digital) now has WiFi etc - it’s actually quite handy but doesn’t exactly make better photographers.

Thanks, but I also forgot to say ideally I want to take it hiking/cycling, so thinking mirrorless with a prime lens etc. to minimise bulk. I don't take the 450d out very often because it's too big.

I'd have to replace all my lenses with a Fuji right?

You can get an adapter for most lenses these days. There are even adapters than enable AF, so long as the motor is in the lens. I couldn’t say how quick they are though.

to minimise bulk

The Sony a6XXX series are good small mirrorless cameras. Same lens problem though.

You can get adaptors but would probably lose some AF/IS functionality.
Also, Fuji lenses are stupendously good.

If it’s for cycling, I’d probably look at Ricoh GRs and Fuji X100s.

Ricoh GRs and Fuji X100s

Yet more requirements that I didn't clearly state - I have a mount to attach a Canon directly to a telescope. Not expensive but rules out cameras that don't have interchangeable lenses unless I have two separate cameras for different tasks. See pic

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Ricoh GRs are great, and not too pricey. Shame they’re not weatherproof though.

The Canon mirrorless mounts require an adapter for any of my lenses already, which makes everything bulkier, so I guess it's not necessarily that beneficial to stick with Canon.

So options:

• Canon M with an adapter, keep the lenses
  
• Sony/Fuji/etc. with an adapter, keep the lenses
  
• sell all the lenses, keep the 450d for telescope duties, get something else (Fuji X100/Ricoh GR/etc.?)
  
  

Irrationally feel sad to think about selling my lenses, although all of them are just cheap essentially

I might as well keep the 450d because I'll get next to nothing for it and you don't really need autofocus for astro anyway

Got any taken through the telescope pics? I've got a telescope and pondered using it for night sky stuff.

Does anyone have any exerience with the Lumix cameras, I was looking at the LX100 as a small camera to just put in my bag and take anywhere. I'd be interested to hear what they are like to use, as I've never had the chance to play about with one. I'm currently using an X100s, but it's been repaired twice in the last year, and I fear it doesn't have long left.

Hey @llllloyd, I have a Lumix GX80 for sale, drop me a line if you're interested. I like the cheapness of the system, and compactness. You can get decent compact lens lie the Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 pancake for £100, plus the camera has really good image stabilisation for stills/video.

My dad had one and the lens sucked so much dust in it became unusable.

I'd love to have a Ricoh GR, having had a couple of the early digital ones, the ergonomics are amazing. But the dust on the sensor kind of kills the dream for me.

Thanks, but as my Fuji is still working I don’t think I can justify buying another camera right now.

Apparently the latest iteration has lessened the issue, probably not eliminated though.

You could also try a Panasonic GM1 /GM5 with 12-32mm lens or 14mm f2.5 pancake lens.

So tiny, but ergonomically a big drop down from the x100s.

I’ve always like the look of the LX100 (and the mark II) though.

Is there a recommended shop in London where you can handle a good selection of secondhand mirrorless cameras? TY

What's a good intermediatary camera these days? My a6300 is starting to have a few issues after many years of good and loyal service from new. Don't really want to spend more than £800, including a lens around 20mm (35mm).

I did look at a6500/a6600 but they don't really seem to offer much other than a bigger battery and swivel screen, but don't do any videoing at all, and a6500 just adds IBIS.

Open to new manufacturers for a change from Sony tbh. Mostly carried on my bike, general day to day etc, but good enough for my annual A3 calendars and artwork captures print quality wise and occasional magazine articles etc.

It’s going to be tricky getting anything other than a newer a6xxx series for that money unless you go second hand/refurb (you can still get warranties etc this way through some companies).
Otherwise Fuji XE3 or 4 might be doable. But then would need a lens. Fuji is a good ecosystem to get into tho…

I moved to Fuji after my Canon kit was pinched and haven’t looked back.

Seconded above, go Fuji. They are killing it right now. Their customer service is ace, I love their colours, all feels like a quality system. Second hand lenses are pretty good value, though Sigma have just started selling some Fuji lenses that are super cheap.

EDIT I switched from Sony and don’t miss them at all.

Cool, will look at Fuji 2nd hand. Is the XE3 or 4 decent enough? Not really aware of their range.