Camera advice?

[daneel]

I’m thinking of replacing my fairly venerable Nikon D90 with something a little lighter/smaller before too long. I only have a couple of lenses, so I’m not unhappy with starting again.

I kind of like the idea of the Sony RX-1, or the Fuji X100T, but I think I’d find the fixed lens limiting (because I’m a limited/lazy photographer), and I can’t really afford the Sony anyway, and don’t like the idea of no viewfinder. Costwise, the same goes for the various flavours of the Sony A7, I guess.

So, what I was most recently thinking about was the Fuji X-T10, but then I saw yesterday about the Olympus E-M10 Mark II.

Anybody have any thoughts/opinions/experience of these cameras? Any alternative suggestions? I like the retro vibes from these cameras, and really don’t fancy a superzoom like the Sony RX-10. Something with decent manual controls for aperture/speed etc, that I can kid myself I know what I’m doing with

[TobinL]

I got nothing for DSLR. I should get out and shoot more though. I do like my finepix s1500 I got for cheap at the pawn shop when the cybershot died and I was not in the mood to fork over for a new camera. It has a lot of manual settings and pretty easy to use and a happy medium between a bog standard point and shoot and SLR.

[gwwar]

I have the Fuji X100S, if you can get past the fixed focus it’s a rather nice camera. I especially like the tactile controls, and the fact that I don’t need to fiddle in the menu to tweak some settings. But honestly you’ll probably be fine with a camera that you’ll bring with you, and will take out for photos.

[KarlS]

So, what I was most recently thinking about was the Fuji X-T10

How much cheaper than the X-T1 is that in practice? I seem to recall that it was closer than I had expected.

[daneel]

About $300 cheaper (body only), I think? Do they use the same lenses?

This review says this: (yeah, The Verge - I am looking at proper camera sites like dpreview, though)

The X-T10 will be available in black or silver starting this June for $799.95 body-only or for $899.95 with a 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. A kit with the higher-end 18-55mm f/2.8-4 lens will sell for $1,099.95. (The comparable X-T1 kit retails for $600 more.)

[KarlS]

Do they use the same lenses?

Yes.

And that’s a bigger difference than I remembered.

[jlw]

If you are not going to actually use the camera – i.e. you don’t actually know how to use Shutter speed, Aperture, White Balance and ISO to get the shot you want, get whatever camera you like. If you aren’t shooting in manual or manual-assisted modes, they will all take nearly the same photos

You already have lenses from the greatest lens manufacturer on the planet and a legendary camera body. What Nikon lacks in first to market features is more than made up for in the quality of the optics, both optically and in mechanical quality. Canon only has marketshare due to their ability to get features to market well ahead of Nikon.

If you want interchangeable lenses, and a lighter body, get a cheaper one from Nikon and shoot that. There is nothing a new camera will do for you that the D90 will not. The D90 is one of the best cameras that Nikon ever made. Some of my favorite prints are shots I took with my D70, the D90 was them really perfecting the digital. Everything from the sensor to the UI is far better. The next generations are where they started chasing market with up and down scale models, sports specific shooting, etc. I can not say I mind, I am a landscape photographer and found the D800 to be the perfect variant for me. The D90 with an 18-200mm lens is a worthy travel set up. Throw in Nikons amazing 50mm F1.4D and you’re good for 99% of all you’ll encounter, day or night.

I frequently shoot my F5 and my D3 bodies, but the D800 is the most travelled, etc. The D3 really got put to pasture by the D800 but I like to shoot 2 bodies on some trips and its a great #2 if I am not going film.

My father just gifted me his FMNT, nice thing is I have all the lenses I’d ever want to use with it, if I decide to play with it. I likely will because it looks so cool.

The FMNT and a 50mm lens is about the size (and a lot heavier) than any of the new Sony/Fuji retro looking cameras… because it is they. While Sony/Fuji are all doing the mirrorless thing, they seem to want to behave like range finders, they look like those early film SLRs.

You are already in photographic nirvana, if what you want to do is use a camera.

[anon8420928]

Two things:

You are already in photographic nirvana, if what you want to do is use a camera.

The best camera is the one you have with you and snap the shot with. Any other standard doesn’t make sense until that hurdle is consistently met.

You already have lenses from the greatest lens manufacturer on the planet and a legendary camera body.

I wish I could speak to SLR lenses, but owning a set of Nikon binos, and using friends’ binos by other manufacturers, wow do they make nice optics. I paid more, but I definitely see better.

[jlw]

I wish I could speak to SLR lenses, but owning a set of Nikon binos, and using friends’ binos by other manufacturers, wow do they make nice optics. I paid more, but I definitely see better.

Nikon and Canon together make something like 95% of the world’s precision optics. Nikon dwarfs Canon.

Other cameras are great, if you have one, like it and use it, you’ll take the photo you are gonna take.

[daneel]

18-200mm lens

That’s what lives on there. I also have the F1.8 50mm.

I use the shutter speed and aperture a fair bit, full manual and other options not so much, beyond the burst modes.

Mostly landscape photos, stuff like these, although I’d like to do more portrait stuff:

[jlw]

You will not get a better camera for landscapes or portraits than what you already have. Colors are wonderful in those shots.

The 50mm is your portrait lens, IMHO. The f1.8 is perfectly fine but the 1.4 is a TREASURE and for dirt cheap, or they used to be. I paid $120 or less for mine. People will LOVE how great they look if you open shoot 2-3 stops up from full closed and frame by moving, rather than zooming.