What camera do I buy? / general gear talk

I went from Nikon had a D300, F80, FE2, and 15,28,50,105 macro, 135, 18-35 and 24-70 lenses, and some SB800s. Ended up getting sick of carrying it round, then just consolidated it into Fuji X100f. Haven't really missed it TBH, except on the of occasion a longer lens would have been helpful with portraits, but it gets used way more as it's just more convenient.

Been trying to make a similar decision for over 10 years. Starting to favour 28mm over 35 for holidays. 50, 75, 90 all get specialised use. With 75 being the most used for portraits. I also have a 40 which I prefer to the 35 because it's lighter.

Also complicating the decision that the 50mm is considered 'normal' because a normal size print viewed from a normal distance (taken with a 50mm) will produce an approximation of normal perspective for the viewer. Although that too can be debated.

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2018/05/how-the-50-mm-lens-became-normal/560276/

I'm sure there have been many pages written about these choices. 35mm is a reasonable compromise, especially with software to crop images and lots of pixels to start with.

Thanks all, that’s very helpful.

I think I’m going to keep a few prime lenses and an X-Pro body for ‘proper’ photography, and use a old Ricoh GR for the easy take-anywhere camera, as I find the X100 is just a bit too big to go into a pocket.

As I do need some funds in the near future I’m offloading everything else onto MPB. Fingers crossed that goes well…

Thinking of getting the Sony 40mm 2.5 to pair with my A6100 as a walk around lens. What do people here think of that for such a purpose, too narrow? I've used 28mm and 35mm and found them a little too wide. 52mm was nice, but would 60mm equivalent be a big step beyond?

Really depends on your style of photography.

Saul Leiter (whose work I love) shot long lenses - he combined the compression of longer lenses with selective focus to create amazing almost abstract works that are incredibly evocative.

And there are good street photographers working today with 85mm equivalent lenses - for example I quite like Monaris (a Puerto Rican who shoots around NYC a lot). She tends to focus in on details - a face in a subway window, people’s hands, that kind of thing. It’s generally pretty good, although she leans a bit too much on the LR presets for her ‘mood’.

60mm is only a little bit longer than 50mm - i think as a very mild tele it might work as a way to get a feel for working with a longer lens without feeling like you can only shoot from the other side of the street.

Thanks, good thoughts and examples there!

55mm zeiss 1.8 ZA

That's too long, would give me about an 82mm equivalent.

Nifty 50 for $200 less than usual on Canadian ebay.
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/403598307311?epid=4045656548&hash=item5df8556fef:g:BgoAAOSwOq1izfhx

I'm thinking of buying a camera after many years of not using one.

I briefly went down a bit of a rabbit hole looking at mirrorless cameras but having reminded myself that the main reason I stopped shooting 35mm was because I couldn't be bothered to carry around my old Contax, I think I should get a compact.

So, any reason not to get a Fujifilm x100v, apart from the high price?

The Ricoh GR is potentially a slightly less expensive and more compact option, but as I'm only going to buy one camera, the Fuji maybe edged it.

Another option would be any of the Sony A6xxx series with a 24mm lens or the 7c with a 35mm if you want full frame.

I enjoy using my wife's x100v. It's not small. It's not foolproof - it's kind of complex in terms of menu (but I use blackmagic or arri day to day so am usually spoilt in that department). The fixed focal length could be limiting. But if you treat it right it does take a nice picture and some of the film stock emulations are surprisingly accurate if you're into old Velvia/Provia slidery. Also pretty easy to offload images wirelessly.

The Fuji can be weather sealed, which is a point in its favour, and like most Fuji’s the controls are all very tactile, which is great.

It’s not that small though. It’s a lot easier to stick a Ricoh in your shirt/jacket pocket when you’re heading out the door and then snap away while you’re out and about if the mood takes you - or leave it in your pocket and nobody’s any wiser that you have a camera on you. With the x100 you’re probably going to have a strap, and then probably also a bag to put it in for times when you don’t want it on show, etc etc. At which point, why not have small ILC instead of a fixed-lens camera?

At least, that was my thought process - I have had several variants of the x100 over the years but I sold them all in the end. Now I have an Xpro with 4 lenses and a Ricoh for when I can’t be bothered lugging a bag around. The Ricoh gets the most use.

thanks - helpful feedback.

The thing about size is definitely a factor; it's not a lot of good having a great camera that's almost always left at home.

If size is one of the most important factors along with quality the Ricoh is pretty much your only option - 28mm or 40mm equivalent, that is the quandary...

How small is small - this camera is fine size wise; from memory I think a Sony RX100 is slightly smaller than this?

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to elaborate a bit more as to what i'm thinking re size:

today i was out walking around Cromer with OH and two friends. Light and scenery where amazing, it would have been nice to take some slightly better than phone pics.

but the point was to go for a walk, i wouldn't have wanted to lug around a camera bag with a body and a couple of lenses in it, and the others would have likely got a bit irritated if i was spending significant time stopping to set up shots.

here i think something like the Ricoh or possibly Sony would be ideal (or indeed that Luxix above which does still work but the lack of connectivity makes it not very attractive to use when i'm spoilt with WiFi / BT everything).

Maybe also mention what size sensor would suffice, a 1” would open up options for smaller cameras, or go even smaller and just pick up a canon elph. Or get a better phone : )

The answer to this (and the thread title currently) it’s a Fujifilm camera. Honestly they are killing it right now, from the base cheapest model, up to their top pro medium format shit.

You might want one of the 100 series compact models (excellent but only have a fixed 35mm lens.

The 100 fuji is too big according to the description above

This article illustrates the size difference quite nicely:

https://www.dpreview.com/articles/1575677463/ricoh-gr-iiix-vs-fujifilm-x100v-which-is-the-photographers-compact-king

I'm leaning towards the Ricoh in 40mm equivalent form.

Ahh I see. No viewfinder though. Depends if you’re bothered by that I guess. Mind you the X-E4 is smaller, and you could put a pancake on it.

Mind you had a play on the iPhone 14 pro recently. Bloody impressive…

Yes, the X-E4 is an attractive option, and having spent much too long looking at sample images on t'internet, the Provia, Acros etc simulations are really nice.

I'm trying to keep in my mind that a small, light and relatively simple camera is the objective. If I end up getting more involved in taking pictures again, then maybe I could justify a second camera at some point later.

On the phone side of things, currently have a Pixel 5 which has a reasonable camera. Having a £1k+ phone doesn't appeal though.

I have an XE3 with the 27mm pancake I was about to trade in if it’s of any interest? Bit bigger than the Ricoh but still very compact, will go in a coat pocket no problem.

Could be of interest. Will PM.